Education at its best

Lively debate at the dialogue meeting on 9 September about the University of Copenhagen’s large-scale joint development project within education.

Hanne Harmsen, Deputy Director of Education, started the meeting by giving an outline of the development project which will come to involve us all – panels of employer representatives, students, teachers and everybody with a say in decisions concerning the study programmes offered by the University of Copenhagen. The project will run until the end of 2011; read more at KUnet.

At the dialogue meetings, four questions were discussed:

 

• What is Education at its best?
• What is required to create better study programmes at the University of Copenhagen?
• What are the most important two-three projects to launch to improve the study programmes offered by the University of Copenhagen?
• What can LIFE add in the way of, for example, good study programmes and good teaching?

Education at its best was described by participants as study programmes having a clear profile, strong scientific content, clear progression and being targeted at the jobs awaiting graduates in the business sector. The teaching activities must be borne by committed teachers willing to contribute their own research and by motivated students challenging themselves and their teachers.

The development of teaching practices was emphasised as the path to better study programmes. The University of Copenhagen’s teaching facilities and equipment reflect past and present teaching methods, but even within this framework, the individual academic environments must be free to work with new practices. Several participants highlighted the importance of both teachers and students seeing the individual courses in the context of the overall study programme.

At the dialogue meeting, several suggestions were made as to what is required to make the University of Copenhagen’s study programmes better, from establishing a single shared course database to greater involvement of the best researchers in teaching activities.

Many people pointed to the excellent dialogue between teachers and students at LIFE which is encouraged by the fact that everybody spends a lot of time on campus. The immediate relevance of the LIFE study programmes to the rest of society and the business community was also emphasised.

The dialogue meeting was the first opportunity to discuss the ‘Education at its best’ initiative at LIFE. In the course of the process, it will also be possible to submit ideas for specific development projects which would be worthy of funding out of the DKK 10 million pool allocated by the Board for the purpose.

Keep track of what is happening at the project website, and be sure to have your say. You are also welcome to send an email to Agnete Vibholt, Head of Studies,  outlining your thoughts on ‘Education at its best’ for inclusion in the process.

 

Agnete Vibholt, Study and Students' Affairs

Education at its best

Memorandum of key points from the group discussions on the four questions at the dialogue meeting held on 9 September 2010 at LIFE

1. What is Education at its best?

• committed teachers and students
• coherence and clear progression in the teaching activities and study programme
• study programmes with a strong scientific content in line with the requirements of the business sector
• graduates with solid practical and ethical competencies

2. What is required to create better study programmes at the University of Copenhagen? 

• development of teaching practices anchored in the academic environment
• crediting of research on and the development of teaching practices by teachers and research staff
• stronger involvement of the best researchers in teaching activities
• more interactive learning
• more real-life teaching
• ntroductory course for teachers and students on the use of English as the language of instruction
• time for reflection as part of studies
• education projects must be completed and evaluated before launching new ones
• clear decision-making framework around study programme
• upgrading of facilities and equipment to match future teaching practices

3. What are the most important two-three projects to launch to improve the study programmes offered by the University of Copenhagen?

• shared course database and fully shared timetable structure
• improved physical framework and facilities
• international collaboration
• problem-based learning with international students providing special perspectives and being used as a resource
• tutors for students
• clarification of competencies demanded by the business sector without removing focus from study programme content

4. What can LIFE contribute in the way of, for example, good study programmes and good teaching?

• UR2005 is a good example
• project-based teaching, working in groups
• good dialogue between teachers and students
• well-run teaching committee
• a variety of relations with the business sector
• good study environment: Students and teachers spending a lot of time on campus