PRO-EAST Promotion and Implementation of EUR-ACE Standards WORKSHOP FOR EXPERTS IN EVALUATION OF PROGRAMME QUALITY Rome, Italy, 9 – 11 May 2007 Randi A. Hagaseth, University of Florence “European Projects in Engineering Education”

Outline of the Talk 1.The need of a world wide perspective in Engineering Education 2.Internationalisation Strategies 3.Industrial/ Professional Models: a comparison 4.Future Initiative 5.Conclusion

1. The Need for a world wide perspective in Engineering Education

Introduction Engineers of the 21 st century will spend appreciable portions of their careers in environments rich with world wide connections. Therefore, engineering colleges and universities must develop strategies that provide global perspectives and international experiences.

The EU Approach A concerted effort has been made over the last years to standardize European Engineering Education. For example, several initiatives to encourage the mobility of students were launched, including students-staff exchanges, double diploma programmes, integrated courses, and international programmes.

The EU Approach Nevertheless, EU still faces challenges including: the lack of understanding, visibility and readability of titles and curricula; the lack of understanding, visibility and readability of titles and curricula; the heterogeneous approaches of quality improvement in higher education; the heterogeneous approaches of quality improvement in higher education; the continued limited mobility of students and staff, as well administrative, economical, linguistic, and cultural barriers. the continued limited mobility of students and staff, as well administrative, economical, linguistic, and cultural barriers.

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) To overcome these obstacles, the national education ministers adopted a policy to standardize higher education by 2010 and identified a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to oversee this work. This was an important first step in a “ process ” to move towards a common higher education framework for Europe

2. Internationalisation Strategies

The ERASMUS programme ( ) Mobility of students (more than 1,500,000 up to 2005!) Mobility of students (more than 1,500,000 up to 2005!) Mobility of teaching and administrative staff (more than 250,000) Mobility of teaching and administrative staff (more than 250,000) Thematic Networks (large thematic projects of transversal interest) Thematic Networks (large thematic projects of transversal interest) Intensive Programmes Intensive Programmes Curriculum Developments Curriculum Developments Transatlantic ERASMUS (consortia of min 3 Institutions) Transatlantic ERASMUS (consortia of min 3 Institutions)

The SOCRATES programme (I: ; II: ) Extended to 31 European countries (including Turkey): Chapt. 1: ERASMUS (HE) (s. above) Chapt. 2: COMENIUS (secondary education) Chapt. 3: GRUNDTVIG (Complementary actions, like LLL …)

The LLP Programme ( ) The Lifelong Learning Programme is established to address the modernisation and adaptation of Member State education and training systems, particularly in the context of the strategic Lisbon goals, and brings European added value directly to individual citizens participating in its mobility and other co-operation actions. Lisbon goalsLisbon goals

The LLP programme ( )  Sub programme. 1: COMENIUS (secondary education)  Sub programme. 2: ERASMUS (HE) (s. above)  Sub programme. 3: Leonardo da Vinci (education and enterprises)  Sub programme 4: GRUNDTVIG (Complementary actions, like LLL …)

Major European actions (by the EC, DG EaC) in the field of internationalisation of HE The “Leonardo da Vinci” Programme ( ; ) The “Leonardo da Vinci” Programme ( ; ) Bilateral programmes have been activated since longer time, such as: EU-Canada, EU-Japan, EU-Australia, EU-New Zealand Bilateral programmes have been activated since longer time, such as: EU-Canada, EU-Japan, EU-Australia, EU-New Zealand The TEMPUS programme (1990 – 1999; ), funded under PHARE, TACIS and MEDA cooperation programmes: The TEMPUS programme (1990 – 1999; ), funded under PHARE, TACIS and MEDA cooperation programmes: The ALPHA Programme (Cooperation of European HEI with Latin American ones) The ALPHA Programme (Cooperation of European HEI with Latin American ones) ERASMUS MUNDUS ( ): Most recent: to promote attractiveness of EHEA and ERA: ERASMUS MUNDUS ( ): Most recent: to promote attractiveness of EHEA and ERA:

3. Industrial/Professional Models: a comparison

Industry-sponsored academic and work experience in the US These programmes involve a three-way partnership between two universities and an industrial partner of both universities. The students combine an education experience with the partner university and a work experience in another country with the industrial partner.

International faculty-industry collaborations in the US Direct international experience for faculty members, who take a leave at a foreign industrial organization to carry out one of a variety of engineering jobs.

The “Leonardo da Vinci” Programme: fostering co-operation between university and industry A successful cooperation with industries has been recorded through the “Leonardo de Vinci” programme, which provides mobility of undergraduate students or graduated engineers from the home university towards European enterprises (usually an internship of six months): scholarships of 4000 Euro/6 months and organization costs for the candidating university are provided by the EC.

4. FUTURE INITIATIVES

International co-operative education benchmark industrial co-operative education models; benchmark industrial co-operative education models; identify the important aspects of successful programmes; identify the important aspects of successful programmes; provide a portfolio for international cooperative experiences; provide a portfolio for international cooperative experiences; enhance trans-European cooperation. The major European Associations in the field of Engineering Education, e.g., CESAER, SEFI, and IGIP, have an important role to play, together with their non- European partners, such as ASEE and AAEE. enhance trans-European cooperation. The major European Associations in the field of Engineering Education, e.g., CESAER, SEFI, and IGIP, have an important role to play, together with their non- European partners, such as ASEE and AAEE. IFEES “ International Federation of Engineering Education Societies ” with the aims to promote engineering education world-wide and to enhance its quality by bringing together members from EE societies around the world to share teaching methods, curriculum plans, and many other aspect of educating engineers, to include those organizations from developing countries. IFEES “ International Federation of Engineering Education Societies ” with the aims to promote engineering education world-wide and to enhance its quality by bringing together members from EE societies around the world to share teaching methods, curriculum plans, and many other aspect of educating engineers, to include those organizations from developing countries.

Conclusion A world wide perspective will be a critical skill for the engineer of the 21 st century. Colleges of engineering must ensure that their educational environment offers a variety of challenging and rewarding international experiences. The deep differences, as far as the strategies of international cooperation between Europe and the Americas are concerned, show an urgent need for well-echoed structures aimed at enhancing cooperation.

I thank you warmly for the kind attention! RANDI A. HAGASETH International Relations Office Facoltà di Ingegneria Via di S. Marta, Firenze, Italy Tel: Fax: