Workshop 1 "Employability via strategic competences and curricular innovation in Erasmus centralised projects” Unlocking employment and employability via University- Enterprise cooperation Doru TALABĂ, Coordinator of EUE-Net project - Erasmus Network

EMPLOYABILITY  One of the main issue among Bologna action lines -It is meant at all levels: bachelor, master or doctorate -Two principles for curriculum development in the context of LLL: University- Enterprises Cooperation 1. Involving employers in devising curricula 2. Innovation in the curricula – via learning outcomes Main vehicle - “New Skills for New Jobs” – not possible outside a strong U-E cooperation framework

EMPLOYABILITY  the ability to gain initial employment, to maintain employment, and to be able to move around within the labour market  Employable students should have subject specific knowledge generic employability skills (ability to engage in different disciplines; to pursue flexible learning paths and to continue personal and professional development)

The aims of this presentation  To present several Erasmus projects - focused on employability through U – E cooperation  To formulate several generic issues on which the participants are invited to express their view and experience from the own coordinated project U stands for University E stands for Enterprise  but more for EMPLOYER

P1: “Tuning” project: First Erasmus project explicitly targeting employability Clarifying the notion of “generic” and “subject specific” competences for the University programmes Crucial issues within the Employability scope Numerous surveys in Europe using “Tuning scheme” since Tuning project Other surveys ongoing allover Europe No need for detailed presentation – well known impact

P2: EUE-Net – The first project for the creation of an European University-Enterprise Network Initially started as EUI-Net (Erasmus Thematic Network ) 82 Partners in all European countries 3 years of EUI-Net Well established instruments – Annual EUE-Net Conference – Special Interest Groups = Sub-Networks (SNet’s) – Technical meetings – each 4…5 months – Tuning exercise to identify generic competences from Enterprises viewpoint The new Network EUE-Net – a new stage – with a focus on the needs of micro and small enterprises ( )

P2: EUE-Net The new Network EUE-Net – a new stage – with a focus on μ&SME’s ( ) A more systematic approach: from collecting and generating cases towards identifying the mechanisms of U-E cooperation and Launching strategic projects in Europe to boost mechanisms In parallel – carrying out experiments

EUE-Net  a systematic approach Quality => employability Knowledge - employability - Jobs Universities Graduate Enterprises&Employers Cooperation Quality = employability = U-E cooperation !

Three strategic areas of cooperation  Three corresponding cooperation mechanisms  3 Action lines within EUE-Net University period Studentship      professional life Enterprise extension Practical placement of students Joint Database for employment Feedback from Enterprises

EUI-Net  EUE-Net  EUI-Net + other strategic partners: JEUNE and UEAPME  Formulating the EUE-Net model (White Paper) and lines of cooperation  The project main goal  Creating a momentum for development of distinct projects for the three issues  Sub-Networks (SNet’s)

Erasmus Network EUE-Net MP2: Q-PlaNet MP1: CDO-Net MP3: ENTERPRENAUT SNet1 SNet2 SNet3 Sub-Projects within EUE-Net EUE-Net Erasmus Network SNet4

EUE-Net SNet1: Quality of practical placements Network Background: – Practical placement – crucial employability = expose students to the job! – Not enough regulated (neither in U nor in E) – Best practice scattered in Europe  local U-E arrangements – The context of increased mobility (Erasmus, Leonardo etc) – no arrangement for quality control Urgent need: a U-E cooperation model for Student placements → Quality Standards&Guidelines and infrastructure for Quality Control

EUE-Net SNet1  P3: Q-PlaNet – Q uality of Pla cements Net work New Multilateral project on U-E cooperation ( ) 3 Main objectives: – To set up quality standards for practical placements in enterprises (curricula development, assessment and recognition of placements, contact to enterprises, quality control, student exchange programmes synergies) – To set up 3 experimental quality reference centres in Brasov, Tallinn and Bucharest – and stimulate SP in countries with less dev. – To develop a European pilot network of Quality Reference Centres

Q-PlaNet Quality Reference Centres for Practical Placements (RCPP)– University or independent units that mediate the placements: – Contact with enterprises and checking the quality conditions for PP – Contact with study programme leaders in U to organise various PP schemes for the students – Usually a local Network for which databases with Enterprises internship and students are maintained – Usual in only few countries e.g. Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain etc.

Q-PlaNet The Regional model Regional quality reference centre Enterpris e Quality - Enterprise University / Student University / Student Quality University-Enterprise cooperation model at regional level

Q-PlaNet model for trans-national placements The Network of Networks Regional quality reference centre Erasmus- Enterprise ERASMUS- Enterprise Quality Erasmus -Enterprise University / Student University / Student Regional quality reference centre Enterprise ERASMUS- Enterprise Quality University / Student University / Student Country A Country B ERASMUS- Enterprise Quality Approval of enterprises European Network a Definition, Preparation, Valorisation University-Enterprise cooperation The concept of project “Q-PlaNet”

Q-PlaNet current status New RCPP centres established in Brasov and Tallinn  Last Training of Staff ongoing in Karlsruhe next week Standards & Guidelines under development  three standards: Requirements, Implementation, Control  based on labeling both U as Employability oriented and E as “Erasmus Employers” Expected impact  to create a momentum at European level

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P4: CDO-Net: A network of Career Developmt Centres – CDO’s  Regional actors mediating the employment – Maintain databases of graduates or students approaching graduation and available positions in enterprises – Usually records – Several hunderds of CDO’s in Europe CDO’s are the natural job mediators between U-E EUE-Net 2 nd action line: A European Network of CDO’s – Assembled database of CDO’s in Europe  Expected impact at European level A European barometer of employment and employability

Expected impact A European barometer of employment and employability Brings together the three actors: U – S – E 3W (win-win-win): U – to see trends and possibility to forecast E – possibility to plan development and creation of new jobs S – information for choice of the future profession Current status: -The first experiment (federating databases) CDO Vienna and Budapest -Network of 9 CDO’s within EUE-Net -Structural Network launched  best practice, self-sust. model

P5: Enterprenaut Background: – In Europe only 40% of students think about creation of their own business after graduation (vs. 60% in USA) – Entrepreneurship is not (yet?) defined as a generic skill (and general subject in the curricula) EUE-Net 3 rd Action line at trans-national scale:  mobility of entrepreneurs within University Enterprenaut

Two experimental Entreprenaut’s Partners: JEUNE and UEAPME Host: University Transilvania of Brasov Mobility of entrepreneurs in Universities: Duration: 1 week. Content: Attending classes with students (see what and how is taught ) Giving some lectures with academics (“learning by doing”, “learning by teaching”) Language training Sketch of their business expansion with selected students Follow up (in May – July ‘07): linked student mobility Expected result: students will create their own job or business, entrepreneurs accumulating formal University transferable credits Very positive feedback from the entrepreneurs

Current status One Enterprenaut – continuing planning establishment of company with the student in RO Sub-programme of mobility for entrepreneurs launched within EUE-Net – Call prepared (application forms) and launched Continuation of the “sub-programme” in cooperation with DG Enterprise with an independent project

Next EUE-Net Conference: Cyprus 30 April -2 May What is the relevance of the projects EUI-Net, EUE- Net and their subsequent derived projects for the Bologna action lines? A questionnaire to assess according to the criteria mentioned in the framework documents of Cluster meeting

A. Anticipating Skills and Competences – EUE-Net assessment - Yes- Tuning exercises both in EUI-Net and EUE-Net – with enterprises - Yes. Both EUI and EUE-Net include partners from almost all European countries - Clear transversal competencies have been identified as being relevant for enterprises during Tuning exercises,  linguistic skills for entrepreneurs - DISADVANTAGE ! discussion No. A.1. Is assessment of future skills needs integrated in your project's work plan? how? A.2. Different situation of Member States? Is the composition of your consortium organised to reflect this? A.3. Transversal competencies, such as problem-solving and analytical skills, self- management and communication skills, linguistic skills A.4. Qualifications Frameworks (QF) do not describe separate, specific, ‘employability’ skills? - shortcoming or an advantage QFs are taken into account in your project?

B. Curriculum development – EUE-Net assessment -Yes- Tuning methodology Success factors: existing of U-E cooperation permanent FRAMEWORK. DISCUSSION -Balance – is proper for each programme. Not to forget the accreditation reqs – very strict -DISCUSSION - Not contradictory. Coping with present requirements is the first proof of real employability - DISCUSSION The only answer  DISCUSSION B.1. Involving employers in designing curricula based on learning outcomes. Success factors and possible pitfalls. B.2. Proper balance between "subject specific knowledge" and "transferable skills" – How? B.3. How to reconcile the immediate requirements of the labour market and long- term perspectives of employability in the context of curriculum development? B.4. Graduates with work experience  more competitive in the labour market Increased work placements = the only answer or are there alternatives, e.g. outlined in your project?

C. Dialogue between HEIs and employers -Yes- see above. - Unfortunately not  perhaps yours ? - Yes – Enterprenaut scheme – presented earlier Probably yes. (out of EUE-Net scope) Yes. AIESEC is part of the EUE-Net consortium and also students are part of CDO-Net and Q-Planet projects  Very relevant input !! C.1. Can you give examples from your project's practice on dialogue between HEIs and employers?. C.2. Is awareness-raising among employers of the value of a bachelor qualification and associated learning outcomes part of your project? C.3. Does your project deal with staff mobility (HEI/business)? If so, can you already identify good practices? C.4. Is there a difference in the assessment of transversal skills acquired via mobility or those acquired via the curriculum? Is your project assessing such skills? C.5.The views of students. What is the experience gained within your project?

What are your views and your project’s experience for the Bologna action lines according to the questions above? Each Workshop participant is kindly invited to present the context of her/his own project as well as personal views using the questions above (max 5 min per speaker)

QUESTIONS ? Thank you !