Why is the project needed and which situation is addressed?
Employers are looking for well-prepared graduates, owning required skills for a specific position, but also able to move across jobs and sectors. Globalization, technological development and people’s life-style are making both employers and employees more and more demanding. In this global picture, universities are placed somewhere between employers and employees.
There are opinions claiming a gap between universities and business environment regarding education and it’s content. Responsibility for filling this gap should be shared between universities and business environment, each one having a precise role in the process. Successful joint programs are presented by The Guardian[1]. Cooperation idea is sustained, among others, by a survey[2]conducted by National Center for Universities and Business, showing that “25% of the students say that there are not enough links between their university and businesses.”
[2]http://www.ncub.co.uk/press-releases/student-employability-index.html
How will the project address these challenges?
SUB-FLY project is creating a working environment which brings together students(both from Norway and Romania), university staff (from both Norway and Romania) and companies.
Mobility of Norwegian students and staff to Romania and reciprocally, Romanian students and staff to Norway, are financed from the approved grant. Six exchanges are planned during implementation phase.
Norwegian and Romanian professors are proposing a specific topic for each exchange. They prepare theoretical concepts and tools to be used by students and provide trainings for students involved. Trainings are provided either online (during week before mobility) or by face-to-face meetings in the first day of the program or both methods.
Norwegian and Romanian students are working in mixed groups to analyze the specific topic.
Companies involved in the process are providing working environment and information for testing the theoretical concepts. During company visits organized in the second day of the program, students get in contact with real life businesses from different sectors of activity.
Third and fourth days are dedicated to debates between students or students and professors and also coaching activities for each mixed group of students. Sometime, even companies get involved in coaching activities, bringing more added-value.
Each group is elaborating a report on the specified topic, using: (i) theoretical concepts recommended and presented by professors, (ii) information obtained from companies (iii) information obtained during debates and coaching and (iv) their personal experience and knowledge. Reports are presented during the fifth day of the program, in front of professors and fellow students.
What does the project plan to achieve?
Achievements planned in the project are improving performances of all parts involved.
First output contains a package of intensive courses, practical considerations & workflow and pedagogic material. Open and re-usable educational resources are created. Pedagogical experience of professors is improved.
Second output is a collection of business reports elaborated by our students and available for future dissemination and educational purposes.
Joint educational activities is tightening relations between professors, bringing cooperation to a superior level with activities in research and development of new joint programs. Research activities are conducted in marketing, finance and accounting areas.
Involvement of businesses in the program is strengthening the cooperation with universities, offering for companies a pool of young & educated candidates and sometimes opportunity to access new theoretical methods.
For all parts involved, a major achievement is the opportunity to act in an international environment, populated with people having a different background and culture.
Who is expected to benefit from this project and how will they benefit?
Main beneficiary of the program are students, no matter if they are directly involved or just using the outcomes.
Involved studentsare working in an international environment, improving their intercultural and communication skills. They benefit from trainings and coaching provided by international professors, coming from a different culture and sometimes with a different vision. They interact with businesses and learn, under competent supervision of professors and experts, how to apply tools and techniques acquired during lectures. They learn how to synthesize information and to elaborate a comprehensive and efficient report & presentation.
Non-involved studentsbenefit from open access educational materials and case studies elaborated in the frame of SUB-FLY project.
Professors are another category of beneficiary. They improve intercultural and pedagogical skills. New educational materials, incorporating theoretical concepts, real case studies, personal experiences and cross-cultural aspects are developed and applied for next generations of students.
Partner companiesalso benefit by creating the image of an active company involved in the education process and by creating a pool of young educated and talented candidates.
What added value is the partnership expected to bring to the project?
Core value of the project is joint activity performed by people coming from different cultures with applications in real life.
Main partners in the project are: universities (Babes-Bolyai and University of South-Eastern Norway),companies providing supportand financier.Lack of a partner is eliminating a core resource reducing success chances of the entire project.
Universities provide students and professors. Interaction between different cultures is realized due to involvement of both universities. Putting together individual experiences, competences and cultures a more powerful and successful result is obtained.
Supporting companies offer a real environment for applying and testing theoretical concepts. Students benefit from a practical education. Case studies based on real scenarios are elaborated.
Financier is providing the financial resource necessary for: realizing all exchanges, improving student’s education, elaborating educational materials and performing research activities.