Techno TN Archipelago Science and Engineering Thematic Networks 5th TechnoTN Forum 506.06.09

1
Techno TN ArchipelagoScience and Engineering
Thematic Networks5th TechnoTN Forum5-06.06.09

• Report from
• Working Group 2

2
Working Procedure

• Brainstorming discussion on the themes of the
  presentations
• Identification of the key topics/questions
• Formulation of recommendations/suggestions for
  the future

3

• Theme 1
• Lifelong Learning for Professors

4
Lifelong Learning for Professors

• Whether we have to do it or not
• and if YES
• Who?
• Where?
• When?
• How?
• What?

5
Whether we have to do it or not

• The teachers training in pedagogics is a MUST!

6
Even if

• it is not automatically implied that the
  teachers education and training in pedagogics
  always ensures the perfect teacher

7
How

• There are indeed many ways to deal with teachers
  formation (volontary, mandatory, with incentives
  ). E.g. teachers training valued in the
  accreditation process
• but we should not forget the importance of both
  education-training and practice

8
When and Who

• Priority to the first cycle teachers!
• 1st cycle very good teachers a must in order to
  attract and retain students
• 2nd cycle research activity gains importance

9
Where

• Teachers formation within the university itself
  (preferably) also with the support of other
  faculties.
• Learning from other disciplines and within the
  disciplines

10
What

• We should be able to support self-examination of
  young colleagues.
• Pedagogy and pshycology should be included in the
  teachers pedagogical education path

11
Key Points/Open Questions

• Is training enough to become a good teacher?
• How to find financial support?
• How to evaluate teachers?
• How to find a standard evaluation system?
• The good will of the teachers is not enough!

12
Specific RecommendationsTheme 1

• Offer both theoretical (training) and practical
  (teaching to students) pedagogics education to
  teachers
• Standardise the evaluations systems (enhanced
  comparability within the Institutions)
• Prepare the evaluators
• Students must express their opinions and
  Universities must take into account their points
  (to the extent they are realistic)
• Use universities own resources (if possible) for
  the evaluation process and the formation of
  teachers
• Teach the teachers how to teach (within the
  universities)
• Compulsory pedagogic training for PhDs in the
  framework of the 3rd structured cycle of studies
• Take advantage of the assistance from other
  faculties from the same university in order to
  cope with the muslti-disciplinary aspects of
  teachers training
• Older (more experienced teachers) can assist
  young ones
• Motivate the teachers!!

13

• Theme 2
• Scientific/Technological Higher Education
  Frameworks

14
Discussion Topics

• Status of the implementation of the Bologna
  Process
• The dynamics of the Bologna Process
• The professional aspects
• Mobility of graduates
• Employability of graduates and companies
  requirements
• PhD level
• Accreditation methods/systems
• Paradigmatic shift to learning outcomes are they
  measurable? How to deal with them?
• Competences vs learning outcomes
• All HE programmes should be based on the state
  of the art of research results

15
Results of the discussion

• The 2 cycles system appears to respond to the
  European market needs but still confusion in the
  use of bachelor/master denomination
• 2 types of 1st cycle?
• EUR-ACE system in general considered very useful
  (very compatible and flexible frameworks, which
  can apply also to other disciplines)
• Main positive aspects of the EUR-ACE label
  mutual recognition based on a European-wide
  accreditation framework, trust, mobility of
  professionals among others
• In order to deal with learning outcomes
  interviews with the graduates could help
• Necessity to define (and measure) precisely
  learning outcomes (possibly through the
  accreditation of the program of studies)
• The Bologna Process is worth following!
• Industries are very happy with 1st cycle
  graduates for economic reasons
• The Bologna Process is dynamic and needs
  continuous refinements and improvements through
  its implementation so that the European HE area
  becomes world-wide competitive

16
Specific Recommendations Theme 2

• Take actions now!
• Support the EUR-ACE system as the European
  Accreditation system for labelling Engineering
  programs of studies despite the initial
  difficulties and problems in its implementation
  (i.e. cost of the accreditation)
• Encourage the incorporation of EUR-ACE labelling
  with the local/existing accreditation
• Take actively part in the dynamics of the Bologna
  Process
• Involve concretely the stakeholders in the
  evaluation/accreditation process, including the
  definition and the measure of learning outcomes
• The measuring procedure MUST be the same
• Distinguish between the accreditation of
  curricula and the precise requests of the
  professional bodies.

17

• Theme 3
• New Skills for New Jobs

18
Discussion Topics key word how

• How to cope with the problems of formation taking
  into account hard and soft skills
• Time contraints
• How to remove resistence to change, especially
  within HE educations
• Re-orient LLL
• Funding

19
Discussion Topics

• Importance to deal with unemployment of young
  scientists EU must deal with this!
• Basic knowledge needed (mainly in the 1st cycle)
• Lack of communication between industry and
  University in EU
• Project work in the 2nd cycle could be useful in
  order to promote new learning styles
• Which skills are teachable and which are not?
  And how to teach the skills which are teachable?
• Do we collectively have the capability to teach
  these skills?
• The curricula at the 1st level cannot be too
  much specialized (in order to to encourage
  flexibility)

20
Which Skills?

• Teachable skills VS not teachable skills
• New skills VS old skills (NOT soft VS hard
  skills)
• Why new skills? Because the context is
  different!
• Non technological, not formally teachable skills
• Huge amount of information how to transform it
  into knowledge
• How to work in a stressing environement (learn
  self control and relaxing techniques)
• Be prepared to work in a global context
• ...

21
Which graduates?

• Flexible and adaptive
• With solid working ethical principles
• Able to communicate effectively (both orally and
  in writing)
• With cost understanding
• .

22
Specific Recommendations Theme 3

• Teachers should have an experience in Industry in
  order to better shape curricula and improve
  teaching techniques
• Take advantage of existing programmes (i.e.
  Erasmus Placement) for trainship in industry
• Stress the importance of effective learning
  methods
• Universities are often too conservative the EC
  has a role to play by pushing the change (also
  with financial support)
• Basic knowledge must be kept
• Imperative cooperation between Universities and
  Industry
• Soft skills are not soft at all !
• They have to be integrated in the curriculum
• Teachers must be a model for acquiring these
  competences
• Improve the contact with the students!
• Use teamwork and encourage interdiscipinarity
  (e.g. case studies)
• Higher education alone cannot cope with all these
  aspects. Cooperation with lower levels of
  education is needed

23
Working Group Members

• Chairman F. Maffioli
• Rapporteur E. Guberti

E. Domenis D. Briassoulis L. Tugulea C.
Arvanitakis P. Pittia E. Dumoulin
W. Mackiewicz P. Yates J. Rocha M. Di Serio
24

• Thank you for your Attention!