Prof. Seppo Hölttä, Higher Education Group, School of Management, UTA FUTURE EDUCATION FORUM TAMPERE 10th - 14th April 2016 Capacity building for excellence in Sino-Finnish educational cooperation Prof. Seppo Hölttä, Higher Education Group, School of Management, UTA Seppo.Holtta@uta.fi

What we mean by capacity building in education? Development of relevant knowledge Institutionalising knowledge into the form of curricula and programmes Development of human capacity for teaching Development of administrative capacity for running the programmes

What we mean by Excellence Outstanding and superior quality (dictionary definition) Academic quality / academic excellence Social quality (fit with the purpose, i.e. educational programmes or educational system)

What makes Universities unique actors in educational cooperation? Education is based on academic research Academic freedom is build on all activities (critical approach) Credibility of knowledge: academicians work in global networks, and the created knowledge is reviewed by colleagues/peers Comparative view has been built into global academic cooperation All educational programmes are subject to the formal national and institutional quality assurance systems

Case: Overseas Study Programme for University Leaders from Chinese Central and Western Regions University of Tampere/School of Management – National Academy for Education Administration

Policy Context National university reform in China – Improving the relevance and effectiveness of higher education in China Transforming 600 Local Universities to Universities of Applied Sciences (Vocational HE institutions)

Purpose of the Programme Importance of integrating the programme with the national policy framework Advancing the Chinese local university reform Transformation from traditional universities to universities of applied sciences Integrate local universities to the regional innovation systems (industries, labour markets, regional policies) The training programme is one instrument to contribute to the policy implementation

Building up the relevant knowlege base Long term research cooperation – Comparative research on national HE policies and system dynamics with BNU, PKU, BJUT and other partner HEIs Comparative study (among UTA and major Chinese research universities) on Finnish and Chinese vocational and higher education models and policies

Institutionalising research based knowledge into the form of curriculum CIMO funded project for the development of a training programme for leaders and administrators of Chinese universities Participation of all research partners Piloting curriculum with NAEA in Kunming in Autumn 2014 Feedback collection and analysis The first training programme in May 2015 in Tampere/Finland

Development of Human Capacity Doctoral training at UTA and main Chinese partner universities Joint Master programme with BNU Student exchange Academic exchange

Development of administrative capacity for running the programmes Numerous visits among UTA and NAEA leaders, administrators and academics Integrated with the broader exchange programme by the funding of CIMO, partner HEIs and other funding sources

Main outcomes and benefits for Chinese participants and their universities Familiarity of Finnish HE system and policy Familiarity of the Finnish UAS model Improved understanding of the social, economic and policy environments for universities of applied sciences Direct institutional links and foundations for bilateral cooperation

Main outcomes and benefits for Finnish Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences Improved understanding of Chinese higher education and HE system Creation of institutional linkages to and cooperation with the Chinese Local Universities Access to the Western and Central regions in cooperation Participation in the most extensive reform of an higher education system in the global history of higher education

The Finnish Message Importance of a deep connection to Chinese policy It is possible to build up a high social status for a university of applied sciences without academic research Time is needed: The Finnish UAS’s have earned their identities as professional HEI’s in twenty years time The development requires strategic view and leadership, and long term systematic work (internally and with stakeholders)