Collaboratorium: how to create effective spaces for learners in the Joint European Master.
Best practices Collaboratorium: how to create effective spaces for learners in the Joint European Master Users: Training providers (public), Training providers (private)| Theme: Cross-border initiatives | Action: Education programmes/courses | Beneficiaries: Learners (STEM background), Learners (non-STEM background) Euridice Euridice Emiliano Grimaldi Pietro Nunziante Et al. In this Collaboratorium approach students tackle real-world “wicked” problems and work in small interdisciplinary, and often transdisciplinary teams, in the design of socio-technical solutions, through user-centered and community-centered approaches.Students with different educational backgrounds, from different institutions, countries and cultures, collaborate in challenge-based master-level research and educational projects for societal impact. Building a community of learners is key to successful learning.The students acquire core technical and engineering knowledge and hands-on experience regarding advanced digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, conceptual modeling, digital law, ethnography, sociology, philosophy, international development, and various other subjects. These skills are trained through co-creative projects.Mobility is naturally blended into our education design via Summer Schools where all students meet in person. Read more about EURIDICE’s Collaboratorium interdisciplinary master pilot projects. The challenge? How can we build and educate young professionals to be both skilled and reflective for the Digital Society? How should these innovative curricula look like? How can we give our students a sense of belonging to a group, in an international, digitally connected context? How can we avoid that every student is working together while being alone behind their computer screen? Our solution Our proposed solution was coined: Collaboratorium. This is both a hybrid digital/physical interconnected workspace, and an educational concept. It combines onsite in-presence classrooms and workspaces, connected via digital collaboration bridges. Outcomes The programme’s success has seen it be shortlisted in the Best Master’s degree category at the Irish Higher Education Awards. We have successfully graduated two cohorts of students who previously had found the capstone project as a barrier to progression. This might be for time poverty or company IP reasons. Particularly in the SME case, the release of IP in the form of a project can be a particular issue. The flexible nature of this masters degree programme has also proven attractive to women who are returning to the workforce. The gender breakdown thus far has been 60:40 Female:Male, which s unusual in the Science and Engineering faculties. Key takeaways Virtual education is efficient to train people remotely, however, presential collaboration is important for human well-being and enhances learning capacity and creativity. We advise to design your education such that groups are together in one space, while virtually communicating with other groups who are remote. Learn more here Master theses digital society Master theses digital society
Accreditation process in the Digital4Business project
Best practices Accredition process in the Digital4Business project Users: Training providers (public), Training providers (private), Policymakers (EU), Policymakers (Member states | Theme: Accreditation and certification | Action: Education programmes/courses | Beneficiaries: Training providers (public), Training providers (private) Digital4BusinessDigital4Business Sophie Schultz The aim of the Digital4Business project is the conception and development of a joint Master’s degree program by four (originally six) European universities from Ireland, Portugal, Italy and Sweden in collaboration with partners from industry. One of the milestones in the project is the accreditation of the Master’s program. Here, the consortium opted for an accreditation procedure under the European Approach, an accreditation methodology developed specifically for joint programs to facilitate external quality assurance through the application of common standards and guidelines. Otherwise, all four (originally six) universities would have had to carry out individual national accreditation procedures, which would have resulted in significantly more time and effort as well as higher costs. The challenge? The consortium faced two challenges during the accreditation process: First, the consortium learned in the preparation phase that the European Approach was not implemented at national level in Italy and Sweden, which means that a European Approach accreditation is not possible at HEIs from these countries. Second, the consortium had to compensate for the loss of two of the six universities in the middle of the accreditation process. One of the two had decided to withdraw from the consortium and only remain as an associated partner, while the other one could longer participate in the project as an academic partner as it was lacking official recognition as a university by the state/ministry. Our solution First, the fact that the European Approach is not available in all countries was solved by the decision that only the two universities from Ireland and Portugal (countries where the European Approach was implemented) will be degree-awarding institutions. The other two universities from Sweden and Italy are still fully and actively engaged in the design, implementation and delivery of the program but only act as providing (i.e. non-awarding) institutions. Second, the loss of the two academic partners meant that the modules that had been developed by these two had to be redistributed among the four remaining universities. However, the redistribution worked smoothly and served as an opportunity to revise and update the module content. Outcomes The master’s program was accredited with requirements by a European registered accreditation agency (applying the European Approach). The conception, development and delivery of all modules was ensured by the successful redistribution of modules among the remaining academic partners. Key takeaways HEIs should inform themselves about the national accreditation requirements at an early stage (possibly even before a proposal is submitted). The status of HEIs, i.e. whether or not they are officially recognized in their contries, should be reviewed at an early stage (possibly even before a proposal is submitted). All (academic) partners should have a certain degree of flexibility (e.g. with regard to internal resource and budget allocation) in order to be able to react to unexpected problems or changing conditions. Learn more here
A Joint European Degree label in Engineering to facilitate accreditation
Best practices A Joint European Degree label in EngIneering to facilitate accreditation Users: Policymakers (EU), Training Providers (Public) | Theme: Accreditation & Certification | Action: Framework/Methodology | Beneficiaries:Training Providers (Private), Training Providers (Public) JEDI jedilabel Lucía Linares, Project Manager, UPMRamón Martínez, Project Coordinator, UPM The JEDI project, coordinated by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), brought together sixteen educational institutions from eleven countries to explore and develop a European label for joint degree programmes in engineering. As student mobility and such types of degrees are on the rise, there is a need to refine common assessment criteria. In collaboration with accreditation agencies, ministries, and employers, JEDI explores the feasibility and impact of this label and promotes innovative learning methodologies that highlight European values in joint programmes. The challenge? The JEDI project was tasked with developing a label under which recognised joint degrees could be delivered across Europe. This included acceptance by employers, as well as compatibility with national legislations. However, the lack of harmonised regulations for joint degrees created obstacles in their recognition across different countries. National engineering professional associations were also hesitant to recognise foreign programmes, making it difficult to integrate these degrees into the broader European engineering, technology, and science sectors. Our solution JEDI established a structured framework to guarantee consistency and quality, align curricula in terms of learning outomes, and establish quality assurance and accreditation criteria. It then developed a prototype label based on common criteria and made the label widely accepted and credible at the European level. JEDI tested the prototype label on selected joint degree programmes and gathered feedback from students, academic institutions, and employers to assess its impact and refine its applicability and effectiveness. Key takeaways Stakeholder-Driven Evaluation Process: Actively collect feedback from universities, employers, and accreditation bodies to ensure the joint degree label meets both academic and industry needs, ensuring relevance and sustainablity. Leveraging Existing Accreditation Frameworks: Incorporate insights from established accreditation systems such as EUR-ACE, aligning joint degrees with industry standards and ensuring they meet the specific requirements of European engineering and technology programmes. Learn more here
Denmarks’s responsive policy approaches for rapid accreditation in vocational and higher education
Best practices Denmarks’s responsive policy approaches for rapid accreditation in vocational and higher education Users: Training Providers (Public), Training Providers (Private) | Theme: Accreditation and Certification | Action: Framework/Methodology | Beneficiaries: Training Providers (Public), Training Providers (Private) Danish Accreditation Institution akkr.dk David Metz, Senior Advisor, Danish Accreditation Institution In 2013, the Accreditation Act in Denmark, led to a shift in accreditation of courses, in particular from programme-based to institutional accreditation. The institutional accreditation process evaluates the quality assurance systems of higher education institutions, focusing on whether they are well-documented and effective in enhancing programme quality. The Danish Accreditation Institute works closely with an expert panel to ensure thorough assessments. The process results in an accreditation report that is handed over to the Accreditation Council. Based on the report, the council makes a decision on whether to classify the institution as ‘self-accrediting institution’. What this entails, is that the institution can make changes to existing programmes as they please, as long as the changes do not change a programme’s identity. The challenge? Enabling higher education institutions (HEIs) to swiftly respond to changing demands for qualifications in society requires a system that balances flexibility and efficiency. This involves reducing the bureaucratic burden during the external quality assurance process, ensuring that institutions can adapt quickly while still adhering to the European Standards and Guidelines as part of the Bologna Process. The Bologna process aims to create a more comparable, compatible, and coherent system for higher education across Europe. The process established the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), which facilitates student and staff mobility, ensures the mutual recognition of qualifications, and implements a system of quality assurance. Our solution The solution involved first introducing institutional accreditation, which allowed higher education institutions (HEIs) to establish their own quality assurance systems tailored to their specific needs. This initial step aimed to provide HEIs with the flexibility to design processes that best suited their unique contexts. During the second cycle of institutional accreditation, a new concept was introduced to further reduce the amount of required documentation and the overall burden on HEIs. This approach aimed to streamline the accreditation process, making it more efficient while ensuring that institutions maintained high standards of quality and relevance in their programs. Outcomes 93-95% Less documentation required from universities Switching from programme-based to institutional accreditation has significantly reduced the accreditation time for modified courses. Accreditation of all programs, including existing ones, typically required between 6 and 8 months under the old system. Institutional accreditation allows for accreditation of organisations, which is valid for an entire 6-year cycle, within approximately 12 months. Pre-qualification of new programmes can then be achieved within 10 weeks. Key takeaways Balancing Documentation & Internal Quality Assurance: Accreditation processes must balance external documentation requirements with the need for effective internal quality assurance systems. Defining When a Programme is Considered “New”: Establish clear guidelines on when a study programme qualifies as “new” to avoid unnecessary re-evaluations of slightly modified programmes. Selecting the Right Accreditation Format: Identify the most beneficial and cost-effective accreditation format for different types of institutions so that each context is appropriately evaluated. Encouraging self evaluations: Encourage training providers to conduct self-evaluations with external expert reviews. Implementing Student Performance Monitoring: Implement comprehensive tracking of student academic progress using statistical analysis to provide insights into programme effectiveness and institutional quality. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Assessing and recognising individually acquired digital competencies through the digital skills profile platform
Best practices Assessing and recognising individually acquired digital competencies through the digital skills profile platform Users: Industry, SMEs | Theme: Accreditation & Certification | Action: Framework /Methodology | Beneficiaries: Labour Force Employed, Labour Force Unemployed, Learners (Non-STEM Background). fit4internet fit4internet.at Valerie Michaelis, Deputy Seretary General, fit4internet, Pact for Skills and Digital Skills and Jobs Coallition fit4Internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. The challenge? A key challenge for fit4internet was ensuring consistent proof of digital competencies acquired through different learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications. A lack of standardised system led to records being inconsistent, which made it difficult for individuals to effectively showcase their digital skills. Another major challenge was ensuring broad participation, particularly among individuals with limited access to digital tools or education, ensuring that no group was left behind. Our solution Fit4internet developed a user-friendly system that tracks, manages, and showcases digital competencies, aligning with the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT) and European Qualifications Framework (EQF). It introduced an e-portfolio feature that allowed users to showcase their digital competencies through a shareable link or PDF, which made it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess skills. Finally, it enabled users to create their own digital skills profile page and visualise their acquired competencies. A digital badge system was introduced to provide a recognisable and structured way for individuals to demonstrate their proficiency and track their learning journey. Outcomes +160,000 Individuals reached and counting with the various fit4internet Digcomp-based assesment tools Key takeaways Collaborate with different stakeholders, such as institutions, industry, and policymakers to validate holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks, ensuring a well-rounded approach to digital skills development. Use existing frameworks to effectively measure skills gaps, helping individuals and institutions plan better and align training with market demands. Support labour market reinsertion by addressing digital skill gaps, ensuring individuals are job-ready while providing companies with clear insights into available skill sets in the workforce. Learn more here Digital Skills Profile – home page The Digital Skills Profile platform Job-Sceener (for German users only) Digital Skills Profile – home page The Digital Skills Profile platform Job-Sceener (for German users only) Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.
Best practice layout
LEADSx2030 best practices Assessing and recognising individually acquired digital competencies through the digital skills profile platform Users: Industry, SMEs | Theme: Accreditation & certification | Action: Stakeholder collaboration, Framework / Methodology | Beneficiaries: Labour force employed, Labour force unemployed, Learners (non-STEM background). Valerie Michaelis Deputy Secretary General Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. The challenge? Managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Our solution The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes 15 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. 15 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. 15 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Key takeaways Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce. Learn more here Case Summary– Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society. Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education. Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent. The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others. Outcomes: Key takeaways: Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.