Continuing Professional Development Trade Union – University Collaboration Lars Skjold Wilhelmsen European Conference on Lifelong Education Bergen April 2005

A collaboration between: The Norwegian Engineers and Management Association (Flt) The Norwegian Engineers and Management Association (Flt) University of Bergen University of Bergen Bergen University College Bergen University College

FLT (Norwegian Engineers & Managers Association) Organizes engineers & managers Organizes engineers & managers members members More than 90% within private sector/industry More than 90% within private sector/industry Collective agreements for all members on national level Collective agreements for all members on national level Member of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions Member of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions

History 1990 The Flt-congress decides to focus on education as the major membership benefit.

History 1992 FLT establishes an education fund - financed by the employers - through collective agreements FLT establishes an education fund - financed by the employers - through collective agreements The fund is administrated by FLT owned company Addisco The fund is administrated by FLT owned company Addisco Allots scholarship to members after application Allots scholarship to members after application Scholarship amount varies with the educations form & length – but are considerable Scholarship amount varies with the educations form & length – but are considerable

History 1996 FLT started to develop systems for e-learning …as an offer to members working offshore - on oil rigs

History 1996 The focus now changed from knowledge acquisition to competence development The employees need to provide, maintain & develop his or hers competence continuously to secure employability

1999 FLT establishes Addisco Ltd, a company which both develop and provide education - mainly through e-learning Addisco is Latin for “to learn in additon” History

ADDISCO`s objectives are to secure the employability of FLTs members by: –deliver tailored education the members and the industry needs & demands –to provide a flexible form of teaching - tailored to meet employees need for further education and lifelong learning in a “working context” –to continuously develop new courses tailored to meet existing & future competence needs

Learning the Addisco way means: Flexible learning based on the students needs, not the Universities Flexible learning based on the students needs, not the Universities The opportunity to combine education, work & family life The opportunity to combine education, work & family life The possibility to enter all programs based on factual knowledge The possibility to enter all programs based on factual knowledge All programs are at university level and give credit points according to ETCS All programs are at university level and give credit points according to ETCS

1999:

2005:

The first course * Frontline Management * Frontline Management Licensed from Flts sisterorganization Licensed from Flts sisterorganization APESMA APESMA Rewritten and adapted to a Norwegian Rewritten and adapted to a Norwegian setting – 15 credit points – volume setting – 15 credit points – volume literature literature

Model for teaching/learning Part time (half time) Part time (half time) Self-study Self-study 4 gatherings (Friday – Sunday) 4 gatherings (Friday – Sunday) Assignment to each module (5) Assignment to each module (5) Interaction with the other students (LMS) Interaction with the other students (LMS) Interaction with the teachers (e.mail) Interaction with the teachers (e.mail) Seminar related to each module (LMS) - Seminar related to each module (LMS) - asynchronous asynchronous

Use of the LMS MinMax No loggings Time 6.5 hrs hrs Average: 113 times, 77.5 hrs

Satisfaction with the course

Results Competance CompetanceABCDEF∑ Non-formal Non-formal Formal Formal st cohort: Today 127 of 158 have passed final examination 90% enrolled with non-formal background – the 7th cohort is now taking the course

The technology programme Frontline Management Managerial Economics TQM in Operational Control Personnel Psychology

From non-formal to formal status In February 2004 the UoBs Board decided with pursuant to a provision that students enrolled in the Frontline Management course on the basis of non- formal qualifications, and who fulfil the 4 courses in the technology programme, will be given formal admission qualification!

Challenges * To design courses combining participants world of practice and working experiences with accademic requirements * To create a context for the teaching and learning which stimulate and motivate the students * To learn the students to transform their experiences into an accademic context

MBA Technology Management A course based MBA composed of 8 compulsory units + 4 units chosen from a list of 15 units. Conducted through distance education. With 2 units concurrently – 3 years of study. La Trobe University/APESMA

The MBA collaboration A staff member from Bergen University College or University of Bergen is working as a tutor in relation to each of the compulsory units – except for one of the units

Legal Studies a compulsory unit While Australia belongs to common law countries, Norway belongs to civil law countries. The Legal Studies unit was rewritten to the Norwgian setting, approved by the Faculty of Law, UoB. The unit is given 15 credit points (ECTS) Conducted in the same way as Frontline Mangement, but with an counting assignment in combination with a final examination

Volume activity Frontline Management: 158 7th cohort Managerial Economics: 60 TQM in Operational Control: 49 Personell Psychology: 16 MBA – Legal studies: 9

The main reason for success with the collaboration ?

Flts policy + The academics involved! = osmosis

Def. of osmosis: An gradual, and often hardly noticeable, acceptance of ideas, etc.

Thank you for your attention ! Flt