Wood Science Education Reform in Slovakia Marian BABIAK - Igor ČUNDERL Í K Technical University in Zvolen

Slovakia – some data Area – km 2 Area – km 2 Inhabitans – 5,38 mil Inhabitans – 5,38 mil Aforestation – 40% Aforestation – 40% Felled volume – 5,5 mil m 3 Felled volume – 5,5 mil m 3 Main species: Main species: european beech (Fagus silvatica) european beech (Fagus silvatica) spruce (Picea abies) spruce (Picea abies)

Technical University in Zvolen Faculty of Forestry Faculty of Forestry Faculty of Wood Science and Technology Faculty of Wood Science and Technology Faculty of Ecology and Environment Faculty of Ecology and Environment Faculty of Environmental and Manufacturing Technology Faculty of Environmental and Manufacturing Technology Around 5000 students Around 5000 students

FWST – departments Wood Science Wood Science Wood Processing Wood Processing Mechanichal Technology of Wood Mechanichal Technology of Wood Fire Protection Fire Protection Mathematics and Descriptive Geometry Mathematics and Descriptive Geometry Design of Furniture and Wood Products Design of Furniture and Wood Products Chemistry and Chemical Technology Chemistry and Chemical Technology Marketing, Trading and World Forestry Marketing, Trading and World Forestry Furniture and Wood Products Furniture and Wood Products Enterprise Economy Enterprise Economy Physics and Applied Mechanics Physics and Applied Mechanics

Study programmes B+M Furniture design Furniture design Wood processing technologies Wood processing technologies Chemical processing of wood Chemical processing of wood Interior design Interior design Construction of furniture and wooden buildings Construction of furniture and wooden buildings Management of wood and furniture production Management of wood and furniture production Furniture production technology Furniture production technology Prevention of persons and property Prevention of persons and property Enterprise management Enterprise management

Study programmes PhD Wood processing technologies Wood processing technologies Wood structure and properties Wood structure and properties Construction and production processes of wood products Construction and production processes of wood products Fire safety Fire safety

Reform accept a system of comparable academic degrees accept a system of comparable academic degrees accept a two degree system – pre-graduate and graduate accept a two degree system – pre-graduate and graduate build up a common credit system (ECTS) build up a common credit system (ECTS) to improve mobility to improve mobility to improve European co-operation in quality evaluation to improve European co-operation in quality evaluation to improve European higher education dimension. to improve European higher education dimension.

How International Symposium: Wood Science - Education and Research Programmes Stará Lesná, Slovakia, August 16-20, 2004 International Symposium: Wood Science - Education and Research Programmes Stará Lesná, Slovakia, August 16-20, 2004 To create a forum to present recent advances in education and research programs at the faculties of wood science the world over, and outline the trends of the further development. To create a forum to present recent advances in education and research programs at the faculties of wood science the world over, and outline the trends of the further development.

Problems How to overcome a long tradition with strong apprentice and industrial schools? How to overcome a long tradition with strong apprentice and industrial schools? Pre-graduate thesis – content and time – in former curricula one semester was devoted to master thesis Pre-graduate thesis – content and time – in former curricula one semester was devoted to master thesis Approach towards students not towards teachers Approach towards students not towards teachers Problem studies Problem studies Practical education in factories Practical education in factories

Project of European Wood research school (EWRS) University of West Hungary - coordinator University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Technical University in Zvolen University of Ljubljana Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno Austrian Wood Industry Association Competence Centre Wood K plus Partners:

Goals of EWRS Goals of EWRS training-through-research as a joint Ph.D program training-through-research as a joint Ph.D program joint syllaby (available via internet) developed to maximize added value joint syllaby (available via internet) developed to maximize added value EWRS open and as wide as possible EWRS open and as wide as possible organization of summer schools and the conferences organization of summer schools and the conferences Increasing quality via permanent evaluation Increasing quality via permanent evaluation

Conclusions Reform of higher education has nice but not easily achievable goals Reform of higher education has nice but not easily achievable goals The main obstacle is inertia of universities and orientation towards teachers not students The main obstacle is inertia of universities and orientation towards teachers not students Criteria of quality evaluation have not been definitely formulated Criteria of quality evaluation have not been definitely formulated Agreement on ECTS is still missing Agreement on ECTS is still missing