Higher Education Landscape in Slovakia

1. REPORT ABOUT ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE AT THE SLOVAK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY IN BRATISLAVA AND OTHER UTAS IN SLOVAKIA

2. Higher Education Landscape in Slovakia

3. Slovak University of Technology • http://www.stuba.sk • public, non - profit • leading university in the field of technology and the second largest university in Slovakia • started 1938 based on reputation of first mining academy(1762): with more than 18,000 students now • providing a full range of technological education at both under-graduate, graduate and post-graduate levels • 7 faculties

4. International research projects

6. Institute of Life-long Learning • 7 fte employees, 200 lectors/tutors, 3000 students • established in 1998 as whole-university unit(2005 bylaw for further education) • 5 division: • Distance education Centre • Further education Centre, • University of the third age, • Language Centre, • French Centre

7. Students of ILLL • J - Languages • Uni - University preparation distance studies • IT - Information technology • UTV - University of the third age

8. Age structure of ILLL school-leaver

9. Participation in Continuing Education in Slovakia

10. Life-long learning in Europe Life-long learning refers to persons aged 25 to 64 who stated that they received education or training in the four weeks preceding the survey (numerator). The denominator consists of the total population of the same age group, excluding those who did not answer to the question 'participation to education and training'. Both the numerator and the denominator come from the EU Labour Force Survey. The information collected relates to all education or training whether or not relevant to the respondent's current or possible future job.

12. LFS 2003- Adhoc module Lifelong Learning to Labour Force Survey 2003 in Slovakia according to Eurostat methodology 1313/2002 V období od 2. štvrťroku 2002 do 2. štvrťroku 2003 sa 16,5% dospelého obyvateľstva (nad 15 rokov) v poslednom roku zúčastnilo neformálneho vzdelávania ako sú odborné alebo záujmové kurzy, rekvalifikačné kurzy, korešpondenčné kurzy, konferencie, pracovné semináre, školenia, „workshopy“, univerzity tretieho veku, študijné alebo záujmové krúžky, šport a športové aktivity. Do neformálneho vzdelávania sú zahrnuté len tie športové aktivity, ktoré sú organizované pod vedením trénera alebo cvičiteľa

13. LFS 2003- non formal education

14. Proportion of Universities on Students in Continuing Edu (5%)

15. University of the Third Age (UTA) at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava • Established 15th October 1998 • Senior students - men older then 50, women older then 45 with matura exam • Entering study at UTA by first “general” year of study, which is organised as biweekly regular lectures -14 lectures during academic year by prominent academic lecturers • Fee from 300 to 1000 Sk (up to 25 EUR)

16. Eight study fields(general year + 2 years study fields, accepting also seniors from other UTAs) • History of Architecture, • Architecture and Urban Planning, • Garden and Landscape Architecture, • Food and Health, • Care about Physical and Mental Health, • Computers, • Practical Utilisation of Computers and Internet Plus English language , new fields

17. Participation, accreditation, quality • year 2005/2006 the UTA had 509 of participants (81 men, 428 female) • 23 study groups • ceremonial award of certificates of graduation 94 participants. • Act no. 386/1997 Coll. on Further Education – interest education • No special accreditation • syllabi and lecturers selected by academic guarantor

18. Projects • In November 2004 methodology seminar “Education of Seniors in Slovakia” • 2005 – 2006 ESF (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family) project within “Improving of IT Skills of Seniors at Risk of Loss of Work, Sole Traders and Small Entrepreneurs” • November 2005 UTA ILLL STU became partner in the project Seniors in Network (Sen-Net) • ESF project (Ministry of transeport) – Seniors online

19. Methods • No exams, no (compulsory) homework • Certified graduation – study • In ICT - learning by projects 120 participants are creating 40 smaller computer team. Developed project are presented once a year • Free consultations • Internet access (Mo, Tu) • Developed principles and rules. State of art at other in the full paper

20. The Association of Universities of the Third Age (ASUTV) • http://www.uniba.sk/asociaciautv/EN_index.htm • Established 1st of December 1994 • An initiative of Slovak universities • Regular meetings • 11 members (all existing UTAs): UTA at Comenius University and the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Nitra, Martin, Banska Bystrica, Zvolen, Kosice, Trencin, Trnava , Zilina and Liptovsky Mikulas.

21. Conclusions • UTAs are developing interesting activities for seniors which are not directly supported by state (no development projects in Slovakia) • UTAs are the only bodies fully devoted only to provision of interest education for seniors in Slovakia • It is a good will of the management of the university if it supports UTA, while fees are quite symbolic (app 25 EUR per year) • UTAs are trying to establish different ways of financing (also from 2% of personal taxes which may be allocated by each taxpayer to any NGO) but while the voluntary, charity and sponsorship is traditionally week here, proposal by Association of Universities of the Third Age to include UTA into educational system within lifelong learning at universities was prepared

22. Thank you for your attention! Miroslav.babinsky@stuba.sk http://www.stuba.sk/