Excellence in Teaching in Higher Education: The students’ perspective” Karina Ufert European Students’ Union, Chairperson Meeting of Directors General for Higher Education, 22 nd October 2012, Nicosia

30 years of ESU: From an informal gathering of 7 unions with no budget and no mandate… … to a strong union defending students’ rights, with 10 elected representatives, 7 secretariat members and 47 member unions from 38 countries… … with a fixed seat around the table in all Bologna-gatherings and EU stakeholder meetings

Setting the context: Need for more and better skilled individuals Lifelong learning culture Bridging the social gap Diverse student body New ways of provision (ICT) Public responsibility and focus on outputs

Expectations Learn to communicate Solve problems Innovate Prepare for global society Learn to cooperate Prepare for a future career Key: Students’ motivation and teachers’ knowledge of students

Time for paradigm shift: SCL Leuven Communiqué (2009) , cooperation between students (ESU) and teachers (EI) – T4SCL

Student centered learning: parameters Innovative teaching Use of learning outcomes Use of a system of transfer and accumulation of learning outcomes (ECTS) Flexible curricula and learning paths

The necessary conditions for SCL Organisational development and power to change Working at institutional level Collaboration between teachers and students Continuous professional development of academic staff Role of ICT, libraries and information systems Support through Quality assurance mechanisms Adequate resource allocation!

National barriers for change (2010)

Promoting student-centered learning: actors Students’ unions Higher education teachers’ unions Rector’s conferences or associations of HEI Leadership of HEI Employers associations Media Individuals

Promoting student-centered learning: actions Recognition on policy level (high level group) Mainstreaming through quality assurance mechanisms (ESG) Building on existing expertise (T4SCL) Enforcing proper implementation of Bologna tools Revising legal frameworks to recognise teaching Identifying and promoting cases of good practice

Thank you! Karina Ufert European Students’ Union, Chairperson