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Enhancing Attractiveness of Environmental Assessment Education in the UK: Relevance to India and China. Urmila Jha-Thakur, Thomas Fischer, Ingrid Belcakova, Ralf Aschemann. 1. Presented at AESOP Conference University of Liverpool 15-18 th April, 2009. Outline of Presentation.
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Enhancing Attractiveness of Environmental Assessment Education in the UK: Relevance to India and China Urmila Jha-Thakur, Thomas Fischer, Ingrid Belcakova, Ralf Aschemann 1 Presented at AESOP Conference University of Liverpool 15-18th April, 2009
Outline of Presentation • Setting the Context (PENTA & Two EA-M ) • Rationale • Methodology • Templates: Recent Trend of UK EA Edu • Questionnaire: Feedback from students • Conclusions 2
Project Partners • Department of Civic Design, University of Liverpool • Spectra Centre- Centre of Excellence of the Faculty of • Architecture at the Slovak University of Technology • Austrian Institute for the Development of Environmental • Assessment (An!dea)
PENTA Promotion of European Education on Environmental Assessment for Third Country Audience http://www.penta-eu.net/index.php?page=pentaworksh Bologna: Process of Standardisation and Internationalisation • Erasmus Mundus Action 4 project (October 2005-September 2007) • Environmental Assessment lecturer’s handbook • SEA Textbook • Range of Workshops • International Conference in Dehradun (India) 4
TwoEA-M Enhancing Attractiveness of Environmental Assessment and Management Higher Education1st December 2008 until 1st December 2010 • EU being seen as a global leader in the field of EAM. • Focus on practice in Europe and East Asia (Japan, South Korea, Malaysia China). • Basis created by PENTA- materials produced will be used in this project. • It will help in understanding and appreciating the regional specific. • interest and educational requirements • Emphasis on the notion of partnership. • Making PG EAM curriculum cater to international requirements. 6
Inspired by PENTA & TwoEA-M • Educational materials appreciated however the extent to which they • are in line with higher education EAM requirements and interests of • the Indian sub-continent remains somewhat unclear. • The importance of context was highlighted as the representatives of the • Indian sub-continent showed their concerns about the relevance and • transposition of European educational themes on their own professional work. • The notion of ‘partnership’was welcomed. • There is a need for exploring the different approaches, strands and streams • of European EAM education. • Test the usefulness of the educational materials produced during PENTA • Organise European Conference on European and East Asian EAM • interests to enable European higher education institutions to better • cater for East Asian (possibly other international) students.
Inspired by PENTA & TwoEA-M • First, this paper can be considered to be a follow-on from PENTA where 15 • EA related Master courses were identified in the UK. • By exploring the context of other countries where such courses maybe of high • demand the process of internationalisation of EU courses is directed as a • two-way process. Hence the shift of emphasis from promotion to mutual • co-operation is highlighted. • A better understanding of how EA & UK education is perceived by the • international students will help in developing and delivering education best • suited for these students and their respective countries.
Enhancing Attractiveness of Environmental Assessment Education in the UK: Relevance to India and China • UK is second only to the global leader US, in attracting international students • (Lipsett, 2009) • Overseas students add a healthy £6billion to the UK Economy • The factors that have contributed in this excellent performance needs to be • further explored especially for projects like PENTA and TwoEA-M which aim in • promoting and enhancing EU education as a whole • Although an overview is available on international students in the UK, not much • research has been conducted for number and nature of international students • within specific EA related master programs 9
Enhancing Attractiveness of Environmental Assessment Education in the UK: Relevance to India and China • The international student scenario in the UK is particularly influenced by Chinese and Indian students; • Out of a total of 1833 Erasmus Mundus Masters scholarships offered, Chinese • students received 188 followed by 118 received by Indian students; • These two countries also consist of the major emerging economies which are • facing tricky environmental challenges in the face of rapid development. • These two countries are proving to be the most popular recruiting grounds for • UK universities. • And yet they offering a contrast as far as contexts are concerned.
Methodology • Literature Review • Developing Templates (Internet Survey) • Questionnaires • Generic Questionnaires • Specific Questionnaires • Workshop Feedback
EA Education in the UK Compared to 15 templates filled in during PENTA, we have 37 templates from 30 Universities • Overlapping Programmes • UK dominating the EA education in EU with sheer degree numbers!
EA Education in the UK • Flexible Requirements but exceptions are there. For example LSE and Royal • Holloway, University of London • Environmental Science, Biology, Civil and Structural Engineering, Built Environment, • Agriculture Food and Rural development, Health
Questionnaires • Only Generic Questionnaires submitted: 16 Chinese and 6 Indian • received so far • One year programme makes UK higher education attractive to both, • Indian & Chinese students • The flexibility between Arts/Science Choice allows for a career • change which is not easy in their own respective countries • The use of Internet is the most dominant search technique used by • both Indian and Chinese Students in searching for relevant • programmes. • The next most popular source of information seems to be Education • fares.
Conclusions… • Internet Survey is the most suitable method for conducting this survey. • The UK dominates the EA & Management related Education in the UK. • The one year structure is particularly attractive for Chinese and Indian students. • The emphasis is on a multidisciplinary approach to EA education which is still • not the case in India and China. • The relevance of UK education in the Chinese and Indian job markets need to be • further explored. • UK education is no doubt attractive, but more data is needed to explore the • effectiveness of EA education in the UK.
Thank you Questions and Suggestions?