This article describes some elements of the joint curriculum development process of the bachelor and master degree programs of the European University Alliance INVEST (INnoVations of REgional Sustainability: European UniversiTy). It was an interesting experience. To cooperate in an effective way with international colleagues having different educational backgrounds, disciplines and experiences, was both an iterative and incremental process as a challenge. But the results are very promising. Together, we made important steps towards providing joint programs, based on a jointly developed pedagogy.
Initial task
The proposal that had been submitted to the European Commission in February 2020, was very ambitious. Within three years, from November 2020, we had to develop and offer, among other tasks and deliverables, ten joint bachelor degree programs and four master programs. These programs should be based on a joint vision on pedagogy and must meet the international quality standards for joint degree programs. In the programs, the shared INVEST ambition should be reflected: all graduates will become active citizens of and professionals for Europe, playing an important role in the way we are building on a sustainable future of society in the regions.
Some features of the joint INVEST pedagogy
Even though the proposal indicated numerous references to a variety of educational approaches, the INVEST pedagogy, which would become leading in the development process, had still to be developed jointly.
Starting point for developing a joint pedagogy was the determination and formulation of an educational vison. We distinguished some main educational principles and approaches that should be included in the pedagogy and should act as guidelines for curriculum development.
| INVEST educational principles 1. Innovative, international, high quality, and cutting edge (meaningful) 2. Involvement of the real world: labor market and stakeholders in development and offering the programs 3. Personal, inclusive and flexible towards students INVEST educational approaches 1. Student-centred approach 2. Real-world learning / competence based 3. Challenge based education geared towards problem solving 4. Multidisciplinary trans-disciplinarity and/ or cross-disciplinarity approach of issues 5. Integrated role of applied research |
The most significant feature of the pedagogy is the ‘’real world and competence based learning’’. In competence based education, where ‘’knowledge, skills and attitudes’’ are applied to study and solve complex and multi-disciplinary regional sustainability issues, knowledge is considered rather a tool than an aim in itself. Theory and practice is aligned in professional situations as being the starting points for developing and offering study units.
Not only the competences directly needed for job performances, but also ones necessary to survive in today’s society e.g. competences in communication or learning and competences to enhance identity development.
So, in the competence based INVEST curricula, the learning outcomes are tightly connected to professional tasks and real-life assignments. Even assessments could take place outside the classroom. In this form, education is also strongly intertwined with real research and innovation processes in practice. A professional context in different authentic situations makes learning more meaningful to students and stimulate them to get the best out of themselves.
This meant for the participants in the curriculum development process and the performing educational staff a shift from classroom-based, theoretical, teacher-driven education, towards education taking place in practice or in the region, in cooperation with entrepreneurs and other practical partners or stakeholders.
The application of the “challenged-based approach” brings students to a problem-solving attitude. The broad range of challenges in the INVEST regions and the daily practice are the source of inspiration for the exercises, case studies, tasks, projects and research topics, INVEST students work on during their studies. To be able to contribute on these, students must be familiar to the problem-solving way of thinking that involves multiple phases, iterative thinking and producing possible solutions for the wicked regional problems that have a global impact too. This approach demands students’ creativity, encourages debates (in study groups and with stakeholders), group work, and student initiatives. This problem-solving competence has become one of the common INVEST competences.
Another noteworthy aspect was the sequence of steps in the curriculum development. Traditionally, there is a tendency to compile lists of keywords, concepts and theories and design study programs based on these. Now we started with a research of the professional field, to collect the relevant competencies and professional products, activities and tasks students could work on. Afterwards the learning outcomes and learning objectives have been formulated and the assessment methods defined. Only after this, the education was to be designed and developed.
INVEST focus areas and competences
From the INVEST focus areas we identified ten themes which were the starting points for the bachelor degree programs. These themes cover a broad spectrum. From ’Developing viable communities’ with a sociological and facilitative perspective towards sustainable regional development, to a more technically oriented specialization ’Society 5.0 and Digital Transformation” focused on digital transformations supporting sustainable regional development. Programs oriented on most pressing issues such as landscape development, energy transition, climate change and sustainable regional economy complete the palette of programs. The themes of the four master programs came up later in the process, more or less spontaneously, but connected to the INVEST focus areas and regional needs.
Simultaneously, we started to formulate common INVEST competences and intended learning outcomes, that should be applicable for all programs. Besides, each specialization has to develop their own competence and learning outcomes.
The result was a comprehensive and coherent set of competences (common and specialization) and annexed intended learning outcomes that are used by the development of the courses and study units.
| Common INVEST competences C1 Developing sustainable regions C2 Corporate social entrepreneurship C3 Transdisciplinary proficiency: Research and problem solving C4 Effective communicating and social interacting C5 Intercultural and multilingual proficiency C6 Transversal proficiency: personal development and project-management |
Designing and developing curricula
At the same time as compiling the pedagogy, we addressed the accreditation framework that should meet all the partners’ national requirements and standards on accreditation of institutions and programs. Very soon we had to acknowledge that the difficulty for an accreditation framework was not in the accreditation standards or procedures of the programs itself, but in the authorization or approval for newprograms. That’s why we decided to start with developing one year joint bachelor specializations, based on a similar structure. One semester of specialization study units, including language and culture of the host country we could offer as Erasmus minors. And one semester for a final thesis/research development project addressing a relative complex problem in the field of one of the INVEST focus areas and under responsibility of the degree awarding university.
Following all the preparatory work we started the curriculum development work itself.
After establishing the international curriculum development teams, originated from the participating universities we organized online kick off meetings, physical workshops at different venues and online sessions and reviews.
In a separate process, so called Living Labs were established in each of the INVEST universities. Living Labs function as a platform to facilitate cooperation between applied research and education and collaborate with other stakeholders in the regions to formulate regional sustainable knowledge agendas and address the issues. These public-private-people partnerships will deliver real life contexts for the educational programs.
In the first stage of curriculum development the regional knowledge agendas were not available yet. That’s why the first task for the international curriculum development teams was to get insight in the professional practice and their need for graduates. A range of (specialisation) competences, professional tasks, products and actions, that are critical for students’ future jobs, was identified and described in consultation with the professional field. The professional profiles of the courses could be written then.
Templates were constructed for course and study unit descriptions. These were meant to structure the activities and to obtain some unity in the descriptions and to be suitable for the formal EER (education and examination regulation). And in a later stage templates for study manuals were provided.
During the meeting weeks, the colleagues from different universities worked together in an intensive way on curriculum development. Exchange of different working methods and best practices took place. Always consciously focusing on the need from the professional field, what the students have to learn, which professional assignments and task to be delivered and how to assess the learning outcomes. Sometimes it was difficult not to turn back to a list of knowledge concepts and theories.
Formulating the specialization competencies and associated intended learning outcomes also required some effort. How to formulate these at the right abstraction level, not too general and not too detailed? And are the formulated learning outcomes a coherent and workable whole?
In retrospect on the process
The international mix of colleagues worked very inspiring and cooperative. Some alliance partners were represented by board members/managers, other by teachers. The advantage of the presence of boards members/ managers was the fast and solid embedding of INVEST in their own organizations. The teachers were more focused on which best practices could be used, and what the chosen INVEST pedagogy meant for the content and context of the education to be developed.
In between we still had to cope with the issue that our national rules and regulations are hindering a smooth and intelligent application/initial accreditation for new programs. So the decision to start developing and conducting final specialization years (3th or 4the year depending on the foundation program) was a very good one. And we really appreciated the approval of the European Commission to do so.
In September 2022 the first 2 specialization programs were conducted: at Karelia UAS: Sustainable Communities in Energy Transition and at Van Hall Larenstein UAS the specialization Integrated Landscape development. The evaluations showed that students were satisfied with the including of, and contact with the professional practice. Bridging the gap between education and practice offered both students and teachers a valuable learning environment.
Conclusion
It seemed quite simple: from jointly developed vision and concepts, to work together in a structured way towards a common agreed goal. And of course, stepping off the beaten path requires courage and boldness.
We can conclude that it was and is a fascinating and interesting process, in which great results have been achieved in a very collegial way. Our results could perfectly be foundation elements for a real future European university.
At the moment we hope, that a large number of students will be able to make use of this achievement and develop into true European professionals.
References:
INVEST Deliverable 3.7 Description of a joint pedagogy, 2021
INVEST Deliverable 3.8 Descriptions of the modules of joint bachelor and master degree courses, 2022
INVEST Deliverable 3.17 Regional Living Labs, 2021
Author:
Tanja van Heuvelen, MSc, Van Hall Larenstein UAS, The Netherlands
Image by Freepik
