Strategy

Events

Transferring Knowledge in a Globalised World - EUCEN conference 2013

25 February 2013

 

EUCEN's 45th Conference organised by the University of Geneva (CH) will examine the responsibility of ULLL in the knowledge society. What are the models of the future for ULLL in a globalised World?  Two main aspects will be explored:
 
Internationalising universities: Between competition, collaboration and cooperation – the policy of internationalisation for universities
The transfer of knowledge by ICT
Follow the link to read more about the conference Theme.
 
Follow th link to read more about the Call for Contributions: bring your work to Charmey!
 
Follow the link for access to the Programme.
 
The Registration can be done now on-line!

 

Today, like the economy in general, knowledge too is globalised. Universities position their knowledge in a world-wide context. New ways of delivering learning are essential. E-learning and on-line courses open up new possibilities. The location of learning is being displaced. It is migrating from the classroom to an iPhone, an iPad... Internationalisation has become one of the major challenges for universities.
 
TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE IN A GLOBALISED WORLD: A ULLL RESPONSIBILITY
The conference will examine the responsibility of ULLL in the knowledge society. What are the models of the future for ULLL in a globalised world? Two aspects will be explored:
 
 
Internationalising universities: between cooperation, collaboration and competition
Universities are opening campuses in other countries. They are creating new partnerships. They evaluate programmes offered by other providers. They respond to requests from emerging countries for expertise and teaching. They obtain accreditation and in order to affirm their reputation they aim for excellence in the rankings. They situate themselves between cooperation, collaboration and competition.
 
To what end? What strategies do they use? What are the real advantages and the potential risks in such policies?
How does this process of internationalisation fit with the mission of teaching and research?
 
The transfer of knowledge using ICT
To support this internationalisation, universities are developing distance-learning courses, investing in mass teaching systems and diversifying their target groups. They are disseminating their knowledge throughout the world and integrating new tools and new media technologies.
In the future, will courses be designed only for distance learning? How will the quality of the teaching and learning be assured? Do universities know how to integrate these social and technological changes into their policy and practice?
 
The 45th EUCEN conference will conduct a debate on the University of Tomorrow, engaging with different points of view and numerous case studies.
governance of technology, Policy, Strategy, partnerships, ICT, evolving technologies
News

EU will offer every young person employment or training within four months of leaving schoool

30 December 2012

The European Commission has launched their latest Youth Employment Package requesting a guarantee from all Member States that every young person receives a quality offer of employment or training within four months of leaving school, or of being unemployed. The proposal will make full use of EU funding and in particular the European Social Fund (ESF), which was set up to reduce the differences in prosperity and living standards across EU Member States and regions.

The new Youth Employment Package is part of the initiative Rethinking Education - designed to reduce the youth unemployment rate. Research has shown that the figure is close to 23 % across the European Union, yet more than 2 million vacancies remain unfilled.

 

To change this, Member States are being urged to take immediate action to ensure that young people develop the skills and competences needed by the labour market, and to achieve their targets for growth and jobs.

 

The need for a more dynamic approach to education comes after statistics showed that 73 million Europeans (around 25 % of adults) have a low level of education. Nearly 20 % of 15 year olds lack sufficient literacy skills, and in 5 countries more than 25 % are low achievers in reading (Bulgaria 41 %, Romania 40 %, Malta 36 %, Austria 27.5 %, and Luxembourg 26 %). Early school leaving remains at unacceptably high levels in several Member States: in Spain it is 26.5 % and in Portugal 23.2 % (the EU target is under 10 %). At the same time, less than 9 % of adults participate in lifelong learning (the EU target is 15 %).

 

Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, believes these statistics highlight a serious weakness in our education and training systems. She says, 'Matters have been made worse as the economic downturn has led many Member States to cut funding for education and training.'

 

She goes on to say, 'Europe will only resume sustained growth by producing highly skilled and versatile people who can contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship. Efficient and well-targeted investment is fundamental to this, but we will not achieve our objectives by reducing education budgets.'

 

The focus now is on education and ensuring it is more relevant to the needs of students and the labour market, while assessment methods will be adapted and modernised. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and open educational resources (OERs) are also to be scaled up in all learning contexts. But teachers also need to have regular training in order to update their own skills. The strategy further calls on Member States to strengthen links between education and employers, to bring enterprise into the classroom and to give young people a taste of employment through increased work-based learning. EU education ministers are also encouraged to step up their cooperation on work-based learning activities at a national and European level.

 

Rethinking Education conducted a Commission survey this year titled 'Education and Training Monitor', which outlined the skill supply in the Member States. What was derived from the survey was the need for a much stronger focus on developing transversal skills and basic skills at all levels. Key areas were especially a[0]pplicable to entrepreneurial and information technology (IT) skills.

 

Improving foreign language learning has also been highlighted with a new benchmark set for 2020 for at least 50 % of 15 year olds to have knowledge of a first foreign language (up from 42 % today) and at least 75 % to study a second foreign language (up from 61 % today). Investment in these skills is deemed vital as is the need to build world-class vocational education and training systems and for increasing levels of work-based learning.

 

The goal for Member States is to improve the recognition of qualifications and skills, including those gained outside of the formal education and training systems. Technology, and in particular the Internet, will need to be fully exploited, and schools, universities, and vocational and training institutions must now increase access to education via OERs.

 

For more information, please visit:
Rethinking Education - Education and Training Monitor 2012 Report
http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/rethinking/sw373_en.pdf
EU Youth Strategy
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/news/latest-youth-unemployment-figures_en.htm

EC Programmes, employability, Strategy, funding
News

Faire entrer l’Ecole dans l’ère du numérique : stratégie présentée par le Ministère de l’Education nationale

26 December 2012

Faire entrer l’Ecole dans l’ère du numérique. Vincent Peillon, ministre de l’Éducation nationale, a présenté la stratégie pour le numérique à l’École en présence de Fleur Pellerin, ministre déléguée chargée des petites et moyennes entreprises, de l’innovation et de l’économie numérique, jeudi 13 décembre 2012.

Transmettre des savoirs à des enfants qui évoluent depuis leur naissance dans une société irriguée par le numérique et donner à chacun les clés pour réussir dans sa vie personnelle, sociale et professionnelle future nécessitent en effet de repenser en profondeur notre manière d’apprendre et d’enseigner ainsi que le contenu des enseignements.

 

Faire entrer l’Ecole dans l’ère du numérique : dossier en ligne

Les détails de la stratégie « Faire entrer l’école dans l’ère numérique » sont disponibles en ligne sur le portail du Ministère de l’Education nationale avec un dossier dédié qui comprend :

- un point sur les enjeux de cette thématique : Faire entrer l’École dans l’ère du numérique : un impératif pédagogique et un projet de société : Le numérique au service des missions de l’École ; éduquer au numérique : une nouvelle mission pour l’École ; une communauté éducative convaincue des bénéfices du numérique pour l’École,

- une description de la stratégie globale et partenariale permettant d’inscrire effectivement et durablement l’École dans l’ère du numérique en 6 points :

  • Une formation au et par le numérique pour les enseignants et personnels d’encadrement,
  • Des ressources pédagogiques de qualité et accessibles à tous dans le cadre d’un service public de l’enseignement numérique,
  • Des solutions concrètes pour faciliter l’action des collectivités territoriales en matière d’équipement et de raccordement au très haut débit,
  • Le soutien à la création d’une filière dédiée au numérique éducatif,
  • Une nouvelle gouvernance,
  • La mobilisation de la recherche.

- la présentation de nouveaux services proposés aux enseignants, aux élèves et aux parents dès la rentrée 2013 à destination des enseignants, des élèves et des parents :

  • un service de soutien scolaire en ligne en français, mathématiques et anglais pour 30 000 élèves en difficulté dans des établissements de l’éducation prioritaire ;
  • l’accès en ligne à des sujets et éléments de correction du brevet et des baccalauréats général, technologique et professionnel ;
  • un dispositif interactif sur l’apprentissage de la lecture, pour les enseignants et les parents d’élèves de CP ;
  • une collection de ressources numériques et de films d’animation pédagogiques centrée sur l’acquisition des fondamentaux ;
  • une offre de contenus et de services numériques visant à favoriser l’apprentissage de l’anglais dans le 1er degré, appelée English for Schools ;
  • un site web de géolocalisation des solutions de formation pour les jeunes décrocheurs ;
  • un service d’accès aux informations relatives à l’orientation adapté aux élèves en situation de handicap.

L’infographie : Faire entrer l’école dans l’ère numérique : une envie partagée reprend les principaux résultats du sondage Le numérique à l’école par OpinionWay auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de parents et d’enseignants pour le compte du Ministère.

 

Plusieurs dossiers sont disponibles en ligne

 

 

Vidéos en consultation

Intervention de Vincent Peillon, ministre de l’Éducation nationale,
Intervention de Fleur Pellerin, ministre déléguée chargée des PME, de l’innovation et de l’économie numérique,
Table ronde lors de la présentation de la stratégie pour le numérique à l’École,
La vidéo courte Faire entrer l’École dans l’ère du numérique (1 mn 24 s).

 

Infographie

ecole numerique

policy-making, member states, Strategy, ICT in schools
Events

Transferring Knowledge in a Globalised World: a ULLL Responsibility

12 December 2012

Today, universities share their expertise Worldwide. What is the responsibility of University Lifelong Learning?

Topics: International ULLL, Governance, Policy, Strategies, Partnership, Technologies, Human Rights, Business, Ethics.

The University of Geneva (Switzerland) will take us to enchanting Charmey to explore in a relaxed and creative environment all these topics. Join us!

Direct link to the conference website http://www.eucen2013-unige.ch (the website is under construction - new information will be uploaded in the following weeks)

lifelong learning, Policy, Strategy, evolving technologies
Directory

SoLAR Concept Paper: Open Learning Analytics

12 December 2012

Significant potential exists for analytics to guide learners, educators, administrators, and funders in making learning-related decisions. Learning analytics represent the application of “big data” and analytics in education. This proposal expresses the importance of a planned and integrated approach to developing insightful and easy-to-use learning analytics tools.

learning analytics, Strategy, ICT tools, learning/ teaching scenarios
Blogs

Check out these free webinars!

09 February 2012
web-based learning, Strategy, innovation
Articles

Using ICT and electronic music to reduce school drop out in Europe

23 April 2010
In Europe, too many young people leave school prematurely without those basic skills that an active involvement in the knowledge society requires and that are necessary to shift into the labor market. The core aim of the EU funded E-Motion project is to reduce the school drop out rate with a particular emphasis on young people who are at risk of social exclusion (migrants, ethnic minorities, poor socio-economic backgrounds).
The approach chosen to achieve this objective is to use innovative techniques to modify the way in which learning is delivered to this group, particularly through the use of electronic music, making the school curriculum appear more relevant to those students who have dropped out or at risk of doing so. If we change the way knowledge and competence are transferred with an innovative use of ICT, this will surely cause some interest in children with difficulties to learn.

The use of ICT in E-Motion is not an end in itself, but a tool to transform learning and teaching processes using novel ways alongside more traditional methods. The project aims to apply an experimental approach using ICT, particularly electronic music and informatics. An understanding of sound technologies contributes towards understanding important physics concepts such as acoustics and wave technologies, and the creation process of electronic music also requires elements of mathematics, physics and informatics. With this innovative approach the project intends to improve young people’s level of competence in core curriculum subjects such as maths and foreign languages.

The Lisbon Strategy identified the need to tackle the number of young people who leave school and attempt to enter the labor market with few or no qualifications. Many of these teenagers end up becoming part of the “NEET Group” (Not in Education, Employment or Training). The strategy set specific targets to ensure that young people are suitably qualified to enable a smooth transition from education to employment, targets which many Member States are currently failing to meet
youth, school drop out, risk groups, ICT in education, didactics, methodology, Strategy, computer-based educational tools
Articles

Informal learning and the use of Web 2.0 within SME training strategies

24 November 2008
Small and medium sized companies (SMEs) have particular needs in facing the challenges of their daily operations; about 10% of them quote lack of skills as a barrier to growth, highlighting the link between training and sustainability. In order to keep their competencies updated, staff from SMEs need access to appropriate educational opportunities and new technologies, particularly eLearning, which by using Web 2.0 applications enhance knowledge sharing, cultural interchange and networking.
Learning by using Web 2.0 (eLearning 2.0) is based on tools that combine ease of creation of content with web delivery. In eLearning 2.0 the driver is the worker, as the content can be created by the users, individually or together. Using the familiar tools of Web 2.0 (such as wikis, social networking, bookmarks, blogs, etc) everyone can be a learner-teacher, as the barriers to ICT based training are removed. With its clear focus on community, eLearning 2.0 is ideal for SMEs, as it supports natural informal learning by simplifying the tasks involved in working and learning in groups.

Communities of practice (CoPs) can also become a powerful way for SMEs to innovate and develop new capabilities, as they consist of voluntary members who share similar challenges, interact regularly, can learn from and with each other and would like to improve their ability to address the challenges they face.

In this paper we first summarise the current training needs and learning methods used in SMEs, outlining the features of Web 2.0 that may be utilised to fulfil these needs. Then we discuss if Communities of Practice are a suitable environment for informal learning within SMEs. Finally we offer an example of how informal learning and CoPs can efficiently improve skills within SMEs.
Small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, eLearning programme, Web 2.0, community, Strategy, Informal learning, Skills, COP