Reflections & Outlook at the end of EGF2007 Hendrik Ferdinande

STEPS by EUPEN chair

UGent (BE)

Setting the scene

Thematic Network (TN) in the frame of the

ERASMUS / SOCRATES / LLL programmes of DG XXII / DG EAC / EAC EA

(grant budget ~ 150 k€/a)

‘European Physics Education Network’

• EUPEN I 1996/1999 EGF97 Brugge (BE), etc.• Diss. EUPEN 1999/2000 3 ERF!• EUPEN II 2000/2003 EGF2003etc., Uppsala (SE)• STEPS by EUPEN 2005/2008 EGF2006 Gent (BE)

‘Stakeholders Tune European Physics Studies’

New TN application: deadline 29 February 2008

Bologna Process

AIM: Harmonisation & misunderstood ’Standardisation’ & Transparency

vs

REALITY: “Branding” & “Ranking” & Centres of Excellence

e.g.

• Shanghai ranking (next page): by HEI

• CHE in DE, NL & BE(nl): by discipline and HEI

• www.MeinPROF.de

(cfr. “Die Zeit” 2007-08-30) already 250 000 assessments!!!

DISADVANTAGE: “Student en recht”,

[‘Student and his rights’], 832 pages for BE(nl)L. Van Hoestenberghe en R. Verstegen (eds.) Acco, Leuven 2007

Shanghai Ranking

Top 10 all en-speaking

# of HEIs out of first 200 HEIs in:

US 88 FR 9 CN 2

UK 23 CH 6 C&EE 1

DE 14 IT + ES 9 IN 0

NL 9 Lat. Am. 4 Afr. 0

Networking of HEIs and/or Disciplines

• SUPA (Scottish Universities Physics Alliance)(cfr. results in: Nature, Vol. 447, Issue no. 7148, 28 June 2007, p. 1031)

• Midlands Consortium: Birmingham + Loughborough + Nottinghamhttp://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-09/uon-mcd092107.php

• Universitätsallianz Metropole Ruhr: Duisburg-Essen + MIWFT + Bochum + Dortmundhttp://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/rektorat/themen/universitaetsallianz/index.htm

• BE: (nl) UGent + VUB (‘hard sci. & med.); (fr) UCL + FUNDP + FCM

• “Großregion/Grande Région”: 110 HEIs in Saarland, Lorraine, LU, Rheinland-Pfalz, BE (fr) & BE (de)

STEPS by EUPEN vs other TNse.g.

• TREE = ‘Teaching and Research in Engineering in Europe’http://www3.unifi.it/tree/

• ECTN = ‘European Chemistry Thematic Network’http://www.cpe.fr/ectn-assoc/network/ectn3.htm

• TechnoTN = ‘Archipelago’ of Sci. & Eng. TNshttp://www.upv.es/TechnoTN2004/geninfo.html h.f. co-ordinator for 2006/07 & 2007/08

Open Workshop on 'Scientific & Technical Education and the Bologna Process'

Università 'La Sapienza', Roma (IT) 2007-11-14

info: guiliano.augusti@uniroma1.it

registration: trine.hundebol@sefi.befree attendance for 3 EUPEN members

‘TUNING’

‘Tuning Educational Structures in Europe’J. González, U Deusto (ES) & R. Wagenaar, RuG (NL)

http://tuning.unideusto.org/tuningeu/ or http:// www.relint.deusto.es/TuningProject/index.htm or

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/tuning/tuning_en.html

• Physics Tuning Brochure: in print (Dec. ’07)

• Sectoral Qualification Frameworks (SQF): proposalNatural Sciences (Università di Padova, IT: L. Donà dalle Rose)

Social Sciences (Universidad de Deusto, ES : J. González)

(Fine) Arts & Humanities (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, NL : R. Wagenaar)

• Tuning Georgia

• Tuning Russia: e.g. Moscow (RU) 2007-10-17/18• Tuning América Latina: e.g. Lima (PE) 2007-10-29/31

http://tuning.unideusto.org/tuningal/

Learning Outcomes

ECA2007

"Defining and measuring learning outcomes in higher education"

ETHZ, Zürich (CH) 2007-09-03/04

all presentations can be found at the following website:

http://www.oaq.ch/pub/de/Conference_LO.phpby ‘Organ für Akkreditierung und Qualitätssicherung der Schweizerischen Hochschulen’ (OAQ)

'ECA dissemination conference.The benefits of mutual recognition of accreditation and quality assurance decisions‘

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (ES) 2007-12-10/11

http://www.ecaconsortium.net/conference/

by ANECA

Reflexhttp://www.fdewb.unimaas.nl/roa/reflex/

Survey 35 000 graduates in 15 EU countries (+ JP)

Effects modes of teaching• Some support for student-centred methods, like problem-based learning: they

provide a good basis to start working and develop career

• But traditional methods often more effective in imparting relevant competences: stressing theories and facts and practical knowledge are important components to develop expertise and this professional expertise is crucial for later labour market success

#1 in ranking: Harvard U, but!• Harvard’s Allston Initiative (30 billion $/50 yrs)(cfr R. Dijkgraaf’s contribution in green info guide to EGF2007) http://www.allston.harvard.edu/

• ‘A compact to enhance teaching and learning at Harvard’http://www.fas.harvard.edu/home/news_and_events/releases/taskforce_01242007.pdf

‘the development of graduate students and younger faculty does not convey the message that teaching and pedagogical improvement are also central

to scholarly careers’ (p. 6/7)

STEPS by EUPEN: acad. year 2007/2008

• Management Committee Meeting Gent (BE) 2007-10-26/27

• 1st Thematic Group Meeting Vico Equense (IT) 2008-01-11/12

• 2nd Thematic Group Meeting Lake Balaton (HU) 2008-05-16/17

• EUPEN General Forum EGF2008 Iaşi/Sinaia (RO) 2008-09-04/06

‘Physics Studies – Global Views, Local Needs’

‘I have a dream’

“EAPT” vs AAPT

meetings: ~ 500 participants (?) vs ~ 1000 participants

? EU vs US ?

if united

EPEC + GIREP + MPTL + EUPEN + PTEE

and global

??? EUPEN + ASPEN + ARAPEN + LAPEN + AAPT ???

Opatija (HR) 2007-08-26/31

Nicosia (CY) 2008-08-18/22

Delft (NL)2007-10-25/27 part of SEFI partner in TREE

Many thanks to all contributors to EGF2007

and for support by [E.C.] EAC EA, EPS & UGent!

EUPEN Consortium

Chair: Hendrik Ferdinande

Secretary: Sophie Butt

STEPS by EUPEN - UGentProeftuinstraat 86

BE - 9000 Gent, Belgium

T + 32 9 264 6539

F + 32 9 264 6697

E hendrik.ferdinande@ugent.be & sophie.butt@ugent.be

W www.eupen.ugent.be