TechnoTN Forum 2005

1
TechnoTN Forum 2005

• Roundtable Theme 1 Employability of
  Graduates
• 20th May 2005

Working Group nr. 2
2
Discussion / strategy for the group

• First hour devoted to a free discussion inspired
  from the presentations
• Various options have been presented on aspects of
  the subject line
• Recommendations have been elaborated and agreed
  upon the group

3
Topics discussed

• Difference in salaries between 1st and 2nd cycle
  graduates
• First cycle graduates not accepted by the public
  sector (authorities)
• The image of the institution is often more
  important than the level
• Different approach to the two levels from the
  companies

4
Recommendations

• Recommendations have been subdivided according
  to the following addressees
• Universities/Higher Education Institutions
• Students
• Regional Authorities
• National Authorities
• European Commission
• Economic Partners
• Thematic Networks

5
Recommendations to Universities(1/4)

• Connections between future graduates and
  employers
• Connections with employers in order to make them
  understand the first/second cycle level
• Awareness of how the EU is moving
• Create a clear image of educational profiles and
  specialisations (in terms of provided skills and
  professional abilities)

6
Recommendations to Universities (2/4)

• Organise information campaigns for parents and
  companies in order to explain the differences
  between first and second cycle
• Accept and develop procedures for assessing
   real competences 
• Closer interaction and co-operation between
  universities and industries

7
Recommendations to Universities (3/4)

• Enhance flexibility within first and second cycle
  degrees curricula (structure, content, profile,
  specialisation, etc)
• Facilitate the access from the first to the
  second cycle especially to students who spent a
  period in industry in between (e.g. by
  counselling, special courses etc)
• Develop life long learning possibilities and
  accreditation

8
Recommendations to Universities (4/4)

• Educate the students to become good learners
• Implement the Diploma Supplement
• Devise competence - oriented curricula
• Refuse leveling of salaries between first and
  second cycle graduates
• Inform about the knowledge differences of the
  first and second cycle graduates

9
Recommendations to Students

• Request transparency from their institutions as
  far as first and second cycle curricula and
  procedures are concerned
• Keep in contact with the industry world

10
Recommendations to Regional Authorities

• Help small and medium size enterprises to know
  graduates

11
Recommendations to National Authorities

• Make order into salaries
• Further application of recognition, equivalence
  and transparence tools like NARIC, ECTS, DS etc
• Allow universities to have more flexible
  structures
• Accept diversity and guarantee flexibility
• Follow-up with rewards and punishments

12
Recommendations to the European Commission

• Help mobility of graduates

13
Recommendations to Economic Partners

• Open contacts with the Universities

14
Recommendations to Thematic Networks

• Organise surveys on employability
• Disseminate of information through out Europe on
  possible jobs in European countries
• Organise information campaigns, e.g. big
  events/fairs in which the companies will
  interview students (possibly with the EC
  financial contribution)

15
TechnoTN Forum 2005

• Roundtable Theme 2 Human Resources for
  Science and Technology in Europe
• 20th May 2005

Working Group nr. 2
16
Topics discussed

• Accreditation
• ICT
• PhD 3rd level

17
Discussion

• Some information on the creation of EUR-ACE has
  been given
• The Chemist Label Accreditation has been
  presented in short
• The problems of the possible conflict between
  national and EU systems of accreditation have
  been discussed

18
Discussion

• The advantages of ICT for students but the fact
  that it is time consuming for teachers have been
  pointed out
• The fact that not all doctoral graduates become
  researchers has been emphasised
• It has been stressed that Europe is investing in
  training researchers but then does not pay them

19
Accreditation Recommendations (1/2)

• Develop Recommended Reference Curricula (based on
  competences) in given fields and have them
  accepted by professional associations, etc
• Award a "Label" to the Higher Education
  Institutions applying the RRC

• ? to TNs

20
Accreditation Recommendations (2/2)

• Award a "Label" for teaching materials

• to TNs

• Coordinate initiatives at EU and National level

• to EU and National authorities

• supplied by TNs

• Use specialists/experts of the field

21
ICTRecommendations (1/2)

• Develop education degree for members of academic
  staff, including e-learning

• ? to Universities

• Create trans-national courses implemented in
  curricula

• to Universities and TNs

• More support and recognition to develop e-learning

? to Universities
22
ICTRecommendations (2/2)

• Make available on-line "Labeled" teaching
  materials

? to Universities
23
PhD 3rd levelRecommendations (1/2)

• Try to convince universities' authorities to
  favour the creation of spin-offs (? highly
  specialized jobs for PhDs)

• ? to Univ., EU, Nat. Gov.

• Avoid losing talents, by giving more financing
  for research

• to Univ., Industry

24
PhD 3rd level Recommendations (2/2)

• Attract the best minds (for science) to stay and
  do a PhD

? to Universities
25
TechnoTN Forum 2005

• Roundtable Theme 3 Learning for innovating
• 21st May 2005

Working Group nr. 2
26
Discussion / strategy for the group

• First hour devoted to a free discussion inspired
  from the presentations
• Various options have been presented on aspects of
  the subject line
• Recommendations have been elaborated and agreed
  upon the group

27
Topics discussed

• PBL courses in groups-"Villages" of students from
  different faculties
• Learning to respect the interdisciplinary
  approach
• Ways of educating or Innovation
• Social aspects of Innovation
• Creation of events/competitions to encourage
  innovation
• Innovation in fundamental research is not
  supported enough

28
Recommendations

• Recommendations have been subdivided according
  to the following topics
• Team work - project oriented
• Educating for innovation
• Interpersonal abilities or skills
• Involvement of industry
• Events
• Role of ICT

29
Team work - project oriented

• "Villages" of students from different faculties
• Case studies
• Importance of tutoring
• Interdisciplinarity
• Team thinking
• Use special evaluation criteria for Team work

30
Educating for Innovation

• Educating in interdisciplinary subjects
• Seminars on skills (with credits etc)
• Formation of good adult learners by educating
  them to retrieve information
• Formation of good adult learners by educating
  them to learn how to learn
• Give students responsibility for learning

31
Interpersonal abilities or skills

• Communication abilities
• Networking

32
Involvement of industry

• Presentation of industry within universities
• Stages

33
Events (involving professional associations)

• Presentations of work
• Debates
• Games (National/European level)
• Forums for presentation of team work

34
Role of ICT

• Educating to the correct use of ICT
• Combine e-learning with face to face teaching
• Use of e-learning to enhance and not to reduce
  the fundamental knowledge of each science

35
Closing comments

• Training in Innovation may help screen potential
  innovators
• If major changes have to be introduced (e.g.
  villages) all stakeholders must be committed

36
TechnoTN Forum 2005
Members of Working Group nr 2

• Luigi Magni - BIOTECHUNTE
• Bernard Leyh - ECTN
• Evangelia Varella - ECTN
• Erwin Heine - EEGECS
• Robin de Keiser - ESTIA-Net
• Malgorzata Radkiewicz - ESTIA-Net
• Eivind Bratteland - EUCEET
• Victor de Kosinski - EULLearN
• Petar Kenderov - ETN DEC

Manuel Molla - HERODOT Cristina Silva - ISEKI
Food (Rapporteur) Margarita Maria Vieira - ISEKI
Food Karine Dorcéan - SEFI Francesco Maffioli -
TREE / Techno TN coordinator (President) Aris
Avdelas - TREE (Rapporteur) Elisa Guberti -
TREE Marco Taisch - Politecnico di Milano