60 likes | 143 Views
Recommendations – Theme 1 Qualification & Accreditation. Thinking about QA still mainly national Need to tell our professions & institutions about what goes on at the European level QA only works when all those involved are committed to it Reduce burocracy by:
E N D
Recommendations – Theme 1Qualification & Accreditation • Thinking about QA still mainly national • Need to tell our professions & institutions about what goes on at the European level • QA only works when all those involved are committed to it • Reduce burocracy by: • Reducing the number of assessments • Fewer submissions of data • Gain by focusing on outcomes, skills and competences, rather than on course content
Qualification and Accreditation (cont’d) • Stimulate liaison between QA agencies visiting the same institution • Stimulate exchange of ideas beween label committees and identify best practices N.B.: the Chemistry Eurobachelor was identified as an admirable ‘slimline’ procedure • Separate QA in research and in teaching • Make excellence in teaching as important as excellence in research
Recommendations Theme 2‘Industry / Innovation / Impact’ How can Universities promote innovation? • Value industrial funding as equal to funding for fundamental research • Equate patents with publications for review (assessing Uni’s / Dept’s / promotion) • Develop short term mechanism for handling confidentiality in doctoral theses • Exposing students to industrial needs & practice • Place a value on innovation in teaching and excellence • Ensure that QA does not stifle innovation
‘Industry / Innovation / Impact’ (cont’d) With respect to the EIT: • Difficult to comment before proposal is more definite • Uncertain about industrial participation where IP matters are crucially involved • Avoid negative effects on universities of the former Eastern-European Academies of Science • Requirements and burocracy should be far simpler than in FP 6 and FP 7 Question: Is this the best way to spend one billion Euros in order to promote a knowledge-based society?
Theme 3‘How to attract students to scientific studies’ • The Slovenian initiative ‘Science on the buses’ was an outstanding project and gave great value for money • Talent should be recognised as a resource. People with specific abilities should be identified early • We have to create a challenging educational environment, both inside and outside schools. • The media often present a negative image of engineering. Good practice in training scientific journalists (Royal Society of Chemistry) and in training and listing potential experts for TV interview (several Universities)
Theme 3 (cont’d)‘How to attract students to scientific studies’ • Target audiences should be teachers and society in general (multiplier effect) • However, events aimed at potential students can also be effective • Single subject teachers are needed to teach science in schools • Teachers in Maths & Physics should be stimulated to illustrate their theory with examples from engineering • Competitions with simple items (flying beetles, powered by elastic) can contribute • Continuing education for secondary school teachers