Transcript International Symposium on New Methods and Curricula in

International Symposium
“Innovative Engineering Education and Specialists
Training”
Moscow, March 27-28, 2007
The Activities on Enhancing
Engineering Education in Europe in
the Framework of Thematic
Networks (TN)
Dr. Elisa Guberti
Head of the International Relations Office
University of Florence – School of Engineering
International Relations Office
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Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP)
-
1)
2)
3)
4)
took the place of SOCRATES II Programme, for the
period 2007-2013
supports learning opportunities from childhood
to old age
is built on four pillars:
Comenius – pre-school and school education up to the
secondary education level
Erasmus – higher education (including trans-national
student placements in enterprise)
Leonardo Da Vinci – vocational education and training
Grundtvig – active in the field of adult education
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International Relations Office
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Lifelong Learning Programme: the aims
• to contribute to the development of the
Community as an advanced knowledge society,
with sustainable economic development, more
and better jobs and greater social cohesion
• to foster interaction, cooperation between
education and training systems within the
Community, so that they become a world quality
reference
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International Relations Office
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LLP sub-programme: ERASMUS
Seeks to enhance the quality and reinforce
the European dimension of higher education
by encouraging transnational cooperation
between universities, boosting European
mobility and improving the transparency and full
academic recognition of studies and
qualifications throughout the Union.
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LLP sub-programme: ERASMUS
Targeted at higher education institutions and
their students and staff in all 27 Member States
of the European Union, the three countries of
the European Economic Area (Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway), and Turkey.
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LLP sub-programme: ERASMUS
Consists of many different activities:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
student and teacher exchanges
joint development of study programmes
international intensive programmes
Thematic Networks (TN)
language courses (EILC)
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
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International Relations Office
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Dealing with Lifelong Learning
Programme (LLP) and TN
The International Relations Office of the School
of Engineering, University of Florence is active
with a strong participation in the European
Programmes such as the LLP/Erasmus
Programme, (Student and Teacher
exchanges,Thematic Networks, Intensive
Programmes etc…) and the Tempus
Programme (DEREC, LEPAC, PRO-EAST).
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International Relations Office
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ERASMUS sub-programme:
Thematic Network (TN)
• Created to deal with forward-looking, strategic
reflection on the scientific, educational and
institutional issues in the main fields of higher
education
• A Thematic Network is a co-operation between
departments of higher education institutions and
other partners (e.g. academic organisations or
professional bodies).
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International Relations Office
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ERASMUS sub-programme:
Thematic Network (TN)
The main aim of the programme is to enhance
quality and to define and develop a European
dimension within a given academic discipline or
study area
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International Relations Office
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ERASMUS sub-programme:
Thematic Network (TN)
Interuniversity cooperation and networking among
higher education institutions has become a
priority for the majority of European engineering
schools. The European Commission, DG
Education and Culture and EUA are the main
carriers and promoters of projects and activities.
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International Relations Office
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Thematic Network Projects
Some examples of successful Thematic Network
Projects managed by The University of Florence –
School of Engineering:
•
E4 – Enhancing Engineering Education in Europe,
2000-2004, www.unifi.it/tne4
•
TREE – Teaching and Research in Engineering in
Europe, 2004-2007, www.unifi.it/tree
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International Relations Office
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E4 – Enhancing Engineering Education in
Europe
• Goal: To enhance the European dimension in Higher Engineering
Education
• Countries involved: all 15 EU Member States plus NO, HU, PL,
RO, EE, LT, RU and CH (eligible as well as non-eligible countries
included)
• Institutions involved: 100 Institutions/Organizations, which have
signed a bilateral agreement
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International Relations Office
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E4: General Purposes
 to enhance the compatibility of the many diverse routes
to the status of Professional Engineer which exist in
Europe;
 to facilitate greater mobility of skilled personnel and
integration of the various situations throughout Europe;
 to aim at a best balance between study type activities
and experimental ones, so that E4 can be regarded as
an experimental laboratory for EE;
 to reach all potentially relevant players in EE in Europe
through effective dissemination actions;
 to involve the professional and industrial organisations
directly.
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International Relations Office
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E4 - Activities
A1: Employability through innovative curricula
a) Identification of the necessary outcomes and a new core and new
educational approaches for HEE (undergraduate and postgraduate studies);
b) Promotion of internationalisation and implementation of ECTS and
Diploma Supplement.
A2: Quality Assessment and Transparency for Enhanced Mobility
and Trans-European Recognition
a) Establishing lists of “qualification attributes” for engineering
graduates, distinct by “branches” (specialties) and “types”;
b) Methodologies of quality control of study courses;
c) Contribute to the development of the recently created permanent
Observatory (ESOEPE)
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E4 - Activities
A3: Engineering Professional Development for Europe
a) Collecting examples of good practice in the development
of Continuing Education opportunities;
b)
Monitoring and building upon actions already established;
A4: Enhancing the European Dimension
a) Study the structure of European work environment and its
perspectives for estimating real needs in the field;
b) Identify tools for introducing international component in HEE;
A5: Innovative Learning and Teaching Methods
a) Promote internationalisation of new teaching and learning tools;
b) Study the impact of computer assisted learning;
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TREE: Teaching and Research in
Engineering in Europe
The results of E4 in
particular (collected in a
box of 6 volumes plus a
CD-rom) constitute the
starting point of TREE
activities. The results of
TREE will be mostly
made
available
in
electronic format.
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International Relations Office
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TREE partners
Totally 110 partners representing the following countries:
1
9
AT
BE
1
6
EE
ES
1
2
IT
LT
4
2
RO
RU
3
4
1
1
BG
CH
CY
CZ
4
6
2
4
FI
FR
GR
HU
1
1
2
2
LV
MT
NL
NO
5
1
1
6
SE
SI
SK
TR
11
4
DE
DK
2
1
IE
IS
8
4
PL
PT
2
8
UA
UK
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International Relations Office
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Global goal: development of the European
dimension in Engineering Education (EE)
To enhance the compatibility of the many
diverse routes to the formation of Engineering
graduates which exist in Europe in order to
facilitate greater mobility of skilled personnel
and integration of the various situations
throughout Europe
University of Florence – School of Engineering
International Relations Office
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TN TREE: 4 activity lines
(A) TUNING
(B) EDUCATION & RESEARCH
(C) ENHANCING THEATTRACTIVENESS OF EE
(D) SUSTAINABILITY
TREE is structured into many Special Interest Groups (SIG) targeted
to specific tools, formed by a limited number of members among
which the Leader of the SIG.
Each Line has a Promoter whose task is to stimulate and coordinate all
the SIGs of the line ensuring the good
communication between them and the Management Committee
(MC) of TREE.
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International Relations Office
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Line A
TUNING
Promoter: G. Augusti (Univ. of Roma “La Sapienza”)
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A1 Increasing the quality of the majority – a key challenge
A2 From ECTS to a complete qualification profiling in EE
A3 Inquiry about real needs of industries in international formation
A4 Tools for Quality Assurance and Assessment of EE
A5 Accreditation of EE in Europe
A6 Updating of the Glossary in EE
A7 Guide of Engineering Schools in Europe
A8 Engineering demand and offer in Europe
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Line B
EDUCATION & RESEARCH
Promoter: A. Avdelas (Univ. of Thessaloniki)
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•
•
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•
B1 Synergies between research and education activities
B2 Status of doctoral (PhD) studies in engineering in Europe
B3 Facilitating international projects in team
B4 Engineering students in European research programmes
B5 Problem based and project oriented learning
B6 Stimulating undergraduate research
B7 Mathematics education for engineers in the changing world
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International Relations Office
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Line C
ENHANCING THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF EE
Promoter: C. Baker (Univ. of Birmingham)
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C1 Promoting Higher Engineering Education in Europe
C2 Directory of courses of study for foreigners
C3 Identification of tools for enhancing Tempus projects in EE
C4 Promotion of pedagogical abilities of engineering teachers
C5 Status of double degrees in EE in Europe
C6 Widening participation in EE for under-represented groups
C7 Attracting and retaining female students
• C8 The role of extra-curricular activities
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Line D
SUSTAINABILITY
Promoter: M. Markkula (Helsinki Univ. of Tech.)
• D1 Managing continuing eng. education (CEE) effectively
• D2 New ICT based forms of continuing professional development
(CPD)
• D3 Changing work-culture, foresight and innovation
• D4 Virtual university collaboration
• D5 EFQM concept for managing university change
• D6 Ethical issues in EE
• D7 Adult education model for European Universities
• D8 Work-based learning
• D9 Active Learning
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International Relations Office
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TREE products
The main aim of TREE Special Interest Groups is that one of
producing tools which will contribute enhancing Engineering
Education in Europe.
Examples of such tools are:
Glossary of Terms Relevant to Higher Education (Engineering) SIG A6
- Web site and an CD with a guide to the guides of Engineering
Schools in Europe - SIG A7
- Reference Guidebook for Doctoral (PhD) Studies in Europe - SIG
B2
- State of the art report on the status of research activities in the first
cycle in European universities – SIG B6
- Report on the state of the art knowledge society development seen
from the perspective of sustainability of engineering competencies
with an example of good practice – SIG D1
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International Relations Office
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TREE outcomes and their dissemination
The outcomes of TREE Thematic Networks (under the
direct responsibility of the Special Interest Groups) are
being finalised and a publication collecting them all (a
volume plus CD Rom) which will be ready at the end of
2007.
Draft version of these outcomes will be soon available on
TREE web site (www.unifi.it/tree) and a wider
dissemination of these results, mainly through regional
conferences around Europe (and not only!), will take
place from Oct. 2007 to Sept. 2008
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International Relations Office
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Contact Details
International Relations Office
Facoltà di Ingegneria
Via di S. Marta, 3
50139 Firenze, Italy
Tel: +39.055.4796.543
Fax: +39.055.4796.544
[email protected]
www.unifi.it
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International Relations Office
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Thank you very much for your attention!
•
University of Florence – School of Engineering
International Relations Office
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