EDU-LAB: BETTER CHANCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Triple helix in action: EDU-LAB video released

Follow this link to watch the testimonial of representatives of the EDU-LAB partnership and their external partners regarding the added value of transnational and multisectoral cooperation involving relevant representatives of the higher education sector, employers, policy makers/local  and national administration and the civil society.

More information about the jointly developed New Danubian Governance Model here.

EDU-LAB - PILOT ACTIVITIES LAUNCHED in 3 countries

EDU-LAB pilot activities enforcing the implementation of the New Danubian Governance Model (NDGM) have been launched with nine project partners in the three pilot countries – Bulgaria, Serbia and Slovakia.

The implementation activities include:

• developing of action plans for implementation of NDGM
• pilot testing by establishing a „Coordination Point“ in all three pilot countries
• pilot testing by fostering the creation of professionally-oriented HE study programmes
• monitoring, compilation and analysis of lessons learned

Pilot activities in SLOVAKIA

In Slovakia, an initiative towards accreditation of professionally-oriented study programmes at higher education institutions began in 2017. The respective framework criteria for accreditation of professionally-oriented bachelor study programmes at HEI were approved by Slovak Minister of Education in February 2018.

Based on this achievement as well as needs arisen more and more often from the business community in Slovakia, Slovak project partners ZAP SR (Automotive Industry Association of Slovak republic) and DSIHK (German-Slovak Chamber of Industry and Commerce) have decided to bring further efforts in developing the linking of higher education with employment through pilot project of Volkswagen Slovakia and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava.

Furthermore, amongst several Slovak stakeholder meetings within last months, a first Slovak stakeholder workshop took place on March 22-23 2018 in Šamorín, where a basis for Coordination point and definition of respective functions and next steps of such platform were set-up with almost 30 participants.

Pilot activities at the Technical University in Kosice:

The aim of the Faculty of manufacturing technologies in the recent period was to create common educational model in collaboration with partners from practice, especially oriented towards automotive industry. Thereby the aim is also to strengthen the cooperation with leading Slovakian employers such as Kia Motors Slovakia s.r.o. Zilina, Continental Automotive Systems Slovakia s.r.o. Zvolen, Lear Corporation Seating Slovakia s.r.o., Presov and Honeywell, spol. s r.o. Prešov. Subsequently, based on present results the faculty is planning in 2018 to summarize and systemically set up a methodology for successful start of joint education of students in cooperation with employers.

Pilot Activity in Bulgaria

On March 20, 2018, the Bulgarian EDU-LAB project team organised the Focus Group - Mechatronics Industry and Automation Seminar. The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss models for more practical training of staff and their needs. This meeting is the first of a series of workshops and seminars to be organised during the pilot project activities in Bulgaria.

Pilot activity in serbia

In Serbia, the initiative of introducing elements of dual education in higher education within the EDU-LAB project began in 2017. In December 2017 was organised a national kick-off meeting between the representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and Institute Mihajlo Pupin. The meeting was a starting point for identifying relevant higher education institutions and companies which would be suitable for the pilot activity within WP6 of EDU-LAB.

Based on the results of the national kick-off meeting, in February 2018  a pilot kick-off meeting was organised with a selected higher education institution (Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration (FEFA)) and a company (Gorenje doo) which agreed to work on adapting higher education study programme („Economics“) in accordance to the needs of the company.

Round table “Education and labour market directions in Bosnia and Herzegovina”

Round table “Education and labour market directions in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, held in Mostar on March 28th 2018, was organized by Association LiNK and Network for Economic development of B&H – LEDnet as a joint, capitalization event. The purpose of the round table was to analyze possibilities for dual education system in B&H, in order to decrease and prevent further brain drain. The event gathered representatives of Ministry for education, Agency for employment, Federal Ministry for development, entrepreneurship and craft, representatives of Pedagogical institute and Institute for education, Federal institute for Statistics, representatives of Municipalities, educational institutions, SMEs and their associations and NGOs. Current state, possibilities and opportunities for dual education were presented. Activities and steps that need to be taken in order to decrease the differences between supply and demand on labour market were discussed and following conclusions were made:

Knowledge and learning skills in 21st century demand combination of theory and practice, and long term commitment of companies to learning process;

• Establishment of clear, strong and obligatory cooperation between Universities and private companies is required in a sustainable way;
• Political support is required:
  • For conducting reform of law legislation, in order to pay more attention to responsibility of private companies and their associations towards education;
  • Also for financial support for education of professors, creation of new curriculums, organizing trainings for trainers, providing support for students and companies included in the process.

workshop "Chances for Young People" in zagreb on 18.04.2018 in zagreb

Knowledge in Action Foundation and VERN University of Applied Sciences are organising the Workshop "Chances for Young People" on April 18th, 2018 at the University of Vern in Zagreb, Croatia.

EDU-LAB SCOM and Partner meeting in Vratsa, on 23-25 April 2018

The 3rd EDU-LAB Steering Committee Meeting and Partner meeting will take place in Vratsa, Bulgaria on 23-25 April 2018 including internal trainings and workshops.

On behalf of the European Foundation for Education,

Dr. des. Ágnes Sebestyén