“Education and Training is the Bridge to Success” 03_2006.pdfBusinesses will be core partners at...

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KIST-VET NEWSLETTER May / June 2006 Edition

“Education and Training is the Bridge to Success”

Welcome Message Dear Friends of Vocational Education & Training, Demographic changes of our society, migration, innovation and new tools (internet and new media), globalization, changing geopolitical and socio-political conditions can be seen as the great challenges of our time. There is a lack of well-educated and well-trained workforces, which support economic and societal progress. Lifelong learning is a requirement for all those who want to be employed in the job-market. Knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer must be regarded as a demand in the international knowledge society. Learning has top priority in the working world’s agenda. Machines increasingly assume routine tasks, which forces companies in the age of globalization to become “learning organizations”. The classic industrial society in which instruction was most important is turning into a knowledge society. Everything depends, in equal measure, on autonomy and cooperation in order to find solutions to problems and new inventions. Knowledge is the most important asset. Learning becomes the decisive power of production. Education and training, research and innovation are the main columns of a knowledge society that encompasses the entire world. Education is everyone’s foundation for personal development, autonomy and integration into society and the working world. Research enhances a society’s cultural vitality and enables the critical questioning of the present as well as the building of the future. Innovation as the result of research and development is, in connection with innovative education, the driving force for growth, income and affluence. Hence, it is the basis for a country’s capability to compete in a globalized world. Innovations that are ready for marketing are necessary components of economic development. Investment in innovative machines can only be successful if there are the people with the necessary know-how of how to operate them. Commissioner Ján Figel’, responsible for Education & Training, said that “as a flagship of excellence, the Institute will be able to attract the best students and researchers world-wide, thereby consolidating Europe’s position as a global actor in education and research.” The Commissioner added that “the European Institute of Technology will put innovation at the heart of the knowledge triangle. Businesses will be core partners at the Institute’s strategic and operational levels. Companies will be directly involved in research and education activities, thereby helping to nurture an entrepreneurial mindset among graduates and researchers. This is vital if Europe is to achieve its goal of being a dynamic knowledge-based economy.” Knowledge and economic development are closely related. Today’s knowledge society demands the use of knowledge as an instrument for economic growth and lasting further development. Knowledge transfer includes the transfer of vocational education and training, know-how and technology and is implemented in a variety of fields, such as information technology, health and social services. The OECD study “Education at a glance” of 2004 emphasizes this close link between economic growth and educational development.



With changing economic and social conditions, the success of any country is now centered on education. It is a known fact that human assets are a key factor in the fight against unemployment and low wages; however, there is now overwhelming evidence that human assets are not only an economic benefit, but are also associated with the health and welfare of the population. According to the OECD-Study 2004: EDUCATION AT A GLANCE: OECD INDICATORS - 2004 EDITION – ISBN-92-64- 015671 © OECD 2004 “Knowledge empowers ideas and future perspectives” – All parents in this world want good education and training and a secure job for their children. This requires a well-working economic cycle. Vocational education and training has special importance; its main task is to build a stable bridge between economy, vocational education and training and labour market. This network and cooperation is needed for the improvement of existing economic structures and for the effective increase in employee qualification. A close link between research and teaching is highly desirable, as is a cooperation of all networking partners. Job orientation and career planning should be started at an early stage, ideally in kindergarten. Correct and early guidance in a person’s job orientation is desirable and saves costs. The right choice in the field of work can support personal development and enables a person to build on their strengths for early on. The economy needs well-educated people who are methodically, professionally and socially competent and are emotionally intelligent; people who have visions, ideas and goals; people who are used to working autonomously; people who are willing to make decisions; people who are capable of teamwork; people who are curious about everything new and do research because they are interested; reliable, creative people who think positively and recognize complex connections; people who know their boundaries but are eager to grow and learn; people who engage in life-long learning; and people who want to gain qualifications and competencies necessary for an integration in the job market. “In order to remain fit for globalization and to receive its rewards, Europe needs to continue to become a knowledge society. Our affluence can persist only if we use our intellectual resources more efficiently, invest in the smartness of our citizens and support life-long learning.” Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, member of the European Kommission, responsible for Foreign Affairs and European neighbourhood politics Knowledge transfer’s transgressing duties all serve the goal of “knowledge balance”; knowledge balance also means social balance. Knowledge transfer makes possible the creation of new jobs, the securing of income and affluence, and simultaneously supports the economy. It is the duty of the big international players to offer education and vocational training, and it is essential to build international networks for knowledge transfer. National initiatives are not enough; international activity is asked for. NGOs and companies operating in the private sector need to support the subject matter of knowledge transfer. Investments in human resources are, after all, investments in the people’s future. Now I am very honoured and delighted to introduce Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel, Federal Chancellor of Austria, as our Special Guest Commentator. I hope that you enjoy this edition and remember to send in any comments to me [email protected] or to Ms. Elke Schmidt [email protected]. Pleasant reading! Ingrid Trenner (CEO, KIST – Consulting – GesmbH)



Links of the EU Commission for Education, Culture and Multilingualism:

1) Investing efficiently in education and training

The purpose of this communiqué is to provide a more efficient system of investment in education and training in Europe. It invites Member States to put in place partnerships and incentives for greater and sustained investment by enterprises and individuals.

http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c11066.htm

2) Reform of the universities in the framework of the Lisbon strategy

If the stakeholders fail to react, the gap which separates European universities from their main global competitors risks growing wider. The communiqué addresses three aspects of university reform: improving the universities' quality and making them more attractive, improving their governance, and increasing and diversifying their funding with or without major contributions of students.


3) Quality of higher education


4) Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013

The general objective of the Integrated Programme in the field of lifelong learning is to contribute to the development of the Community as an advanced knowledge society. In particular, it aims to foster exchange, cooperation and mobility between education and training systems within the Community so that they become a world quality reference.


5) Education and training - new impetus for the Lisbon Strategy

This communiqué takes stock of the Lisbon Strategy at the halfway stage and reviews the results achieved on the education and training fronts. With a view to boosting the Strategy, the Commission emphasises the need to adopt the new lifelong learning programme by the end of 2005. The Member States, which are responsible for Europe's education and training systems, must commit to the development of suitable strategies for 2006. Shifting the focus away from medium and long term, the communiqué points to the action to be taken urgently in the Member States.


6) Education and training: general framework

http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s19004.htm



Table of Contents

Welcome Message

Ingrid Trenner, Managing Director KIST-Consulting

1) Special Guest Comment....................................................................... Page 5

Dr. Wofgang Schüssel, Federal Chancellor of Austria Strong People – Strong Economy ........................................................................ Page 5

2) Contributions of Interest ...................................................................... Page 8

a. Jan Figel`, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture and Multilingualism Credits for Lifelong Learning - the ECTS experience........................................... Page 8

b. Dr. Christian Dorninger, Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture e-learning strategies in EDUCATION................................................................. Page 10

c. Prof. Alan Barrel, University of Cambridge KNOWLEDGE – A “Golden Goose” for European advancement in the era of “New Globalisation” ....................................................................... Page 15

d. Prof. Dr. Doru Ursutiu, Prof. Dr. Cornel Samoila, University of Brasov CVTC Founded Creativity Laboratory ...............................................................Page 18

e. Elspeth McOmish, UNESCO Assistant Programme Specialist UNESCO gives TVET a boost with entrepreneurship training........................... Page 26

f. Werner Sattlegger, Senior Manager at Infineon Technologies IT-Services Education as the answer to global challenges ...................................................Page 29

g. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerhard Ortner, MMag. Victor Mihalic 1. Vienna Congress „Business Competence for Europe“ ................................. Page 30

h. Richard Collyer, President of e.p.r.d Poland; The start of our journey ......................................................................... Page 34

3) Special Topic: Training enterprise .................................................... Page 39

a. Ingrid Trenner, Manfred Pötsch, Training Enterprise Specialists What a training enterprise is all about ................................................................ Page 39

b. Ingrid Trenner, Training Enterprise Specialist How to spice up your studying ........................................................................... Page 45

4) KIST-Consulting Top Seminars ......................................................... Page 49 5) Announcements & News.................................................................... Page 50

6) Pinboard .............................................................................................. Page 54

7) Feedback ............................................................................................. Page 55



1) Special Guest Commentator: Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel

Strong people – strong economy

Some remarks on the correlation between Economy, Education and Labour Market

A review of Austrian Presidency

More than 450 years ago the development of the printing press revolutionized communication and book production leading to the comprehensive spread of knowledge. Today, books and the printed word more generally, are aspects of modern life that are all too often taken for granted. Yet the emergence of the book was a process of immense historical importance, initiating basically the processing of information at a large scale. There exist only a few such milestones in history, whereas the invention of the computer and the digitalisation mark only the (preliminary) end of that process. For us the manifold consequences of that invention are hardly to grasp considering today’s pace of change: this new skill meant the development of new professions, but it also meant the wide-ranging alphabetization launching something like an educational revolution. With the coming of the book nearly all spheres of life were revolutionized. Progress was faster because of increased access to knowledge thereby opening new opportunities. New skills and professions gradually evolved thereby challenging the labour force to continuously adapt to this new requirements and qualifications. Maybe one of the most significant characteristics distinguishing the time of Gutenberg from the 21st century is speed. In order to “survive” on today’s labour market, people have to adapt in an ever faster mode. This is why education, training and life-long learning have become such important constituents of what might be called “workforce development”. Existing theory on economic development has established a connection between literacy and economic development. Hence, the more skilled and the better educated the workforce the better are the prospects for economic

Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel started his career as the secretary of the parliamentary group of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) from 1968 to 1975; from 1975 to April, 1991 he was Secretary General of the Austrian Business Federation, a sub-organisation of the People's Party. On 24 April 1989 Dr. Schüssel became Minister for Economic Affairs in the coalition government formed by the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the People's Party under Chancellor Franz Vranitzky. At the 30th Party Congress of the ÖVP, Schüssel was elected national leader of the Party on 22 April 1995. On 4 May 1995 Wolfgang Schüssel was sworn in as Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs in Franz Vranitzky fourth government. He held the same posts in Chancellor Vranitzky's fifth government. In Chancellor Klima's first government, from 28 January 1997 to 4 February 2000, Schüssel was again Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. On 4 February 2000 Wolfgang Schüssel was sworn in as Federal Chancellor. On 28 February 2003 he was sworn in as Federal Chancellor again.



development. Concerns about the nation’s ability to maintain its competitiveness in a changing world market and an increasingly technological environment has exacerbated the debate about the goals and purposes of lifelong learning. European workers have witnessed striking changes in their jobs and wages during the last three decades. Wage inequality has grown, job stability has declined for workers and the chances for upward mobility have deteriorated among low-skilled workers. In the past, employment was modelled on the life-long job. Ideally, workers were guaranteed yearly raises and informal job security. In return, employers got a committed workforce and a customized training system that automatically prepared workers for jobs higher up the career ladder. When Austria took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 January 2006 there were some critical points on the agenda, like an assessment of the progress made since the re-launch of the Lisbon process one year before, or the finalisation of the new financial perspective for the period 2007-2013. Apart from these more technical problems, the wider public was concerned about the roughly 20 Million people unemployed within the Union. That is why the Austrian presidency put great emphasis on jobs and growth at the European Council in March. The European government leaders there agreed on an increase in European employment of at least 2 Million jobs every year until 2010. But what is of more importance in that context is the prominent role education and training was assigned to. In order to focus the renewed Partnership for Growth and Employment on the most urgent problems the Spring Council added four specific areas for priority action, whereas investment in knowledge and innovation being one of them. People go to school and firms do R&D. These activities result in human capital accumulation and new ideas and technologies which make economies grow. Increasing the productivity of the European work force is the key to higher living standards and stronger economic growth in the future. Investments in R&D are the key to increasing productivity. The Council has repeatedly emphasised the dual role – social and economic – of education and training systems as well as of innovation. Thus, the improvement and development of each country’s factor endowment is crucial for strengthening Europe’s competitiveness. This was recognized by the Heads of State and Government at the Spring Council when accepting country specific expenditure targets for R&D to be reached by the year 2010. By adjusting their individual mix of support instruments in the field of R&D each individual Member State will contribute by stimulating additional private R&D expenditures, thereby optimizing the environment for private research investment. This self-commitment of the Member States is only but one element of a multi-faceted package, tied up under Austrian presidency. Among others are the modernization agenda for universities and the nurturing of entrepreneurship. National lifelong learning strategies should provide all citizens with the competences and qualifications they need. The 7th Framework Programme for Research, covering the period 2007 to 2013, is an additional opportunity for the EU to match its research policy to its ambitions in terms of economic and social policy by consolidating the European Research Area. When a political agreement on the Inter Institutional Agreement finally was reached in April, the threat of financial and political paralysis had been banished. Since then, the first “Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme” (CIP) has been adopted, with about € 3.6 billion to be invested in all forms of innovation and growth. Another important element is the EIB’s commitment to a more competitive European economy. Financial markets and financial institutions are often reluctant to invest in R&D projects. This is due to the fact that there is a higher uncertainty for R&D projects, compared to more traditional business projects. To tackle this market failure and improve access to loans for R&D projects, the Community has proposed the Risk-Sharing Finance Facility. It consists of a contribution from the 7th Research Framework Programme to the European Investment Bank. By sharing the risk with the EIB this facility will allow a larger volume of loans for R&D projects and the financing of bankable projects with a higher risk than would otherwise be possible for the EIB. Up to € 30 billion in venture capital and guaranteed bank loans are expected to be leveraged by this new financial instrument.



Finally, the European Council also proposed the foundation of a European Institute of Technology, which will be part of the Union’s strategy to create a thriving and dynamic environment for research, education and innovation. According to the Commission plan the Institute is a complementary to other EU actions to strengthen innovation in Europe. It should consolidate a close connection between research, education and innovation, each one being a constituent partt of the knowledge triangle. Of course, investing in education and training has a price, but high private, economic and social returns in the medium and long-term will outweigh the costs. Reforms should therefore continue to seek synergies between economic and social policy objectives, which are in fact mutually reinforcing. Human capital is a decisive factor in each country’s potential for excellence, innovation and competitiveness. At the same time, education and training are an integral part of the social dimension of Europe, because they transmit values of solidarity, equal opportunities and social participation while also producing positive effects on health, the environment, democratisation and general quality of life. All citizens need to acquire and continually update their knowledge, skills and competences through lifelong learning, and the specific needs of those at risk of social exclusion need to be taken into account. This will help to raise labour force participation and economic growth, while ensuring social cohesion. These considerations are highly relevant to the Union’s current reflection on the future development of the European social model. Europe is facing enormous socio-economic and demographic challenges associated with an ageing population, high numbers of low-skilled adults as well as high rates of youth unemployment. At the same time, there is a growing need to improve the long-term sustainability of Europe’s social systems. Education and training are part of the solution to these problems.

Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel



2) Contributions of Interest:

a. Jan Figel´

Vocational Education and Training and the Challenge of the Knowledge economy

Credits for Lifelong Learning - the ECTS experience

I am pleased to have been invited to share my thoughts with you about the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). I will present the system in brief and consider how it could evolve in a lifelong learning perspective. ECTS - What it is about ECTS is about points (ECTS credits) which indicate the volume of student workload necessary to achieve a given set of learning outcomes. ECTS is based on descriptions of higher education programmes of study in a clear and understandable way (Information Package/Course Catalogue), on agreements about what to study (learning agreements) as well as on reporting (transcripts of records). ECTS is based on the principle that 60 credits measure the workload of a full–time student during one academic year. ECTS has gained critical mass ECTS was launched by the Commission in 1989 as a pilot project within the Erasmus programme. In those days about a hundred universities participated in the pilot project, grouped in five subject areas. Nowadays ECTS covers entire systems. The system is adopted by most European countries—both EU and non–EU members—and has been formally endorsed by the European University Association (EUA). ECTS is one of the Bologna reform action lines. Millions of students collect ECTS credits throughout their academic careers, particularly during their study abroad. Discovering Learning Outcomes The starting point of ECTS has always been the content of learning described in Course Catalogues. In the past few years, universities have discovered the possibility to describe content in terms of learning outcomes and competences. As you know, this learner–centred approach is much more common in vocational education and training than it is in higher education. Descriptors based on learning outcomes are also at the heart of the emerging European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The Commission therefore encourages universities to use this new language and to integrate learning

Ján Figel’ is Member of the European Commission for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism Mr Figel’ was born in Vranov nad Topľou, Slovakia and completed his Master studies in Power engineering at the Technical University in Košice, later, after the fell of Communism he studied international relations at Georgetown University, Washington and European studies at UFSIA Antwerp, Belgium. Mr Figel’ started his professional career as a researcher. After 1989, he begun to be politically active within Christian-Democratic Party in Slovakia and was member of the Slovak Parliament (1992-1998) and chairmen of the Committee for Foreign Affairs. In Slovakia he was known as the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chief Negotiator of the Slovak Republic in the negotiations on the accession to the EU. He was also the representative of the Slovak Government in the Convention on the Future of Europe (2002 – 2003) and teacher of European studies at University of Trnava. Furthermore he is the author of various publications on international relations, including several publications on the road of Slovakia to European Union.



outcomes in everyday teaching, learning and assessment. Special training seminars are organised and groups of academics have started to write European reference points for programme descriptors based on learning outcomes. These efforts will allow future ECTS users to situate their learning credits at a certain level within the EQF and to express their learning results in EQF–related learning outcomes. I expect this approach to make education and training systems more transparent, to make recognition easier, and to contribute to employability, as employers become used to thinking in terms of competences. ECTS and Lifelong Learning The European workforce is in constant need of updating and upgrading their skills. In my view, universities should open their doors to workers and welcome non–traditional learners. I am thinking of people without formal qualification and people wishing to renew or expand their knowledge and skills. For this to happen, universities are invited to create assessment centres and reorganise their study programmes around credit–based modules. Within a given region or sector, universities, other training institutes and employers could agree to recognise certain types of learning and thus enhance the predictability of recognition arrangements for those individuals, who are willing to embark upon a new learning or work experience. If we could use credit systems in this way—not only for cross–border mobility, but also for cross–sector mobility—we would make a concrete contribution to the Europe of Knowledge and to the Lisbon Strategy. ECTS and ECVET As I wrote in your Newsletter in February, the Commission has taken the initiative to develop ECVET, a credit system that will address the specific needs of the vocational education and training sector. A public consultation on ECVET will be launched in the second half of the year and I invite you all to contribute to the debate. I hope and expect that, on the basis of the experiences both in higher education and in vocational education and training, we will eventually arrive at an integrated credit system for lifelong learning.

Ján Figel’



b. Dr. Christian Dorninger

e-learning strategies in EDUCATION

Our main objective in education has become more relevant than ever in today’s knowledge-based society: Rather than focusing our attention on merely reproducing knowledge, we are concentrating on its application as well as critically reflecting upon how this knowledge is constructed. It is a matter of finding solutions to new challenges. First-rate education and training not only secure existing jobs and create new ones, they also provide young people with a foundation for personal development, for a meaningful life and a successful career. The trends in Europe are therefore to integrate IT-application and e-learning in the whole learning process, dealing with electronic “content” (electronic supported learning materials) and using IT-applications outside school and lessons for personal and professional life.

Figure 1: Trends of IT-integration in Europe (made by R. Apflauer, bm:bwk)

Trends for IT in Europe (EC, 2005)

IT-Infrastructur

Learning about IT

Learning with IT

Training of actors

IT-Use outside of the school

Intensity and importance in the near future E-Content

Dr. Christian Dorninger is the head of department in the Austrian Ministry of Education, in the section of the Vocational Education and Training. His main work focus is the development of the schools, pedagogic research projects specialised on VET, IT applications and coordination of academic elearning initiatives. He is also member of the IT guidance group in the Austrian Ministry of Education.



Frequent internet access, frequent use of e-learning for life and employment and positive attitudes towards IT-applications are common issue for young people in industrial countries. The OECD pub-lished data from PISA 2003 (=Programme of International Students Assessment) background question-naire on students familiarity with ICT. 33 countries took up this option in PISA 2003. The responses were summarized as follows (OECD, Are Students ready for a technology rich world?, Paris, 2006): • Almost all 15-year-old students in OECD countries have experience of using computers, but the

length of time for which students have been using computers differs greatly across countries. • Access to computers at home and at school has increased since 2000 and most students now

have access to computers in both. However, students without computer access at home are likely to come from low socio-economic backgrounds, especially in those countries where overall access to home computers is comparatively low. The number of computers per student in schools has increased since PISA 2000, but it remains highly unequal across countries.

• Social inequalities across countries in terms of access to resources for home study are wider for

computers than for books. • Even though access to computers is more universal at school than at home, 15-year-old

students use their computers at home most frequently. Nearly three-quarters are using computers at home several times each week.

• Students use computers for a wide range of functions, not just to play games. Various common

uses, such as Internet research, have educational potential, but students use specific educational software less frequently.

• The vast majority of students are able to tackle basic ICT tasks and students are generally

confident about their Internet abilities. While fewer can perform high-level tasks unaided, most think they could do so with some help.

• Overall, female students use computers less frequently, and are less confident in ICT, than their

male counterparts. However, this varies by type of use. Females are now about as confident as are males that they can perform basic computer functions, but males remain much more confident in high-level tasks such as programming, suggesting that the male bias in advanced computer studies may persist.

In most of the industrialized countries computer and internet use is part of the lifestyle and quite common for young people. It will be possible to bridge the digital gap. The education system must act quickly to integrate all these developments in a very comprehensive way. The Lisbon process was an important motivation for European countries to fulfil ambitious targets and plan a lot of activities to integrate information technologies in education. After five years of work the driving forces are shallow, the public attendance is decreasing, all is getting more usual. We must set a second impulse to move on young minds again. The Austrian school administration took the initiative 2000 by consolidating and specifically funding the implementation of new media in education and culture. With financial backing our “eFit Initiative” quickly developed and has become a success story.



Portals:education, culture,…

E-Learning

Approach Content Services

eFit-Austria: The Network

E-Education

E-Science

E-Training

E-CultureE-Government/E-Administration

IT-Infrastructure

Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture Figure 2: Matrix structure of eFit2 (made by R. Apflauer, bm:bwk) In 2005 eFit Austria entered its second phase and, funded by the “Education Innovation Money” eFit will be continued until 2006. eFit Austria2 aims to strengthen the sustainability of the eFit projects so far and to ensure that the necessary technical, infrastructural and didactic/teaching pre-conditions are in place so that both the new media and the changes in learning culture are embedded in the Austrian education system. The new paradigm is to bring main stream education topics like quality programmes and change processes at school or education standards in different subjects in coordination with e-learning topics. One example is the connection of basic skill testing like the ECDL (European computer driving licence – with 530.000 single tests in 4 years a success-story in small Austria) and education standards or the application of “reusable” learning objects as testing tasks of education standards (see project description below). eFit Austria, with over 150 projects, has succeeded in providing a stong impetus to a new teaching and learning culture. More than 25,000 pupils and 4,000 teachers made use of eLearning implements. The very fact that 80% of these projects under eFit Austria-I are being continued shows their sustainability. Objectives to be achieved in area of eEducation by 2006: • Across-the-board agreement with regard to application software, teaching and learning software

and software for school administration. • Concrete support and funding but also with clear structures and defined areas of responsibility

within the eContent Initiative (department, education server, publishers and authors) • Comprehensive e-learning clusters (collaboration of schools and school partnerships)

comprising at least 20 school locations in each federal province. • Preparation of eLearning pilot school classes before integration into the formal school system • Revision of IT qualifications in the BMHS/BS (TVE - Technical Vocational Education) sector • Review of mid-level administration with regard to IT education standards, IT support at schools

and also guidelines for the provision of an eLearning environment. • Conduct of projects with subnotebook-PCs /PDA/individual learning tools • Increase in research projects • Innovative impulses for teacher in-service training • Critical confrontation with the new media (critical media reception)



In this context, here are important projects to be completed by 2006: eLearning clusters (eLC)/eLearning in everday school life (eLSA): The focal point of this school development project for lower and upper forms that have eContent and platform utilization (partly in notebook classes) concentrates on the development of learning methods, on teaching/learning culture and education standards. By 2006 a didactic model should be in place for all locations together with installed networks for schools and their users. About 120 schools of all types are involved. The idea of clustering means cooperation under themselves and with companies and university institutes. eContent Initiative: Within the scope of the whole project, teaching/learning software and eLearning material are being developed specifically for teaching and are being offered via provider structures such as education servers in the federal provinces but also via independent subject servers and school servers (eContent clusters). Here it is important to involve all authors from publishing houses, school locations and education server editors etc and to develop teaching materials for a wide range of subjects. By the end of 2006, it will be possible to carry out approximately a third of classroom instruction in all subjects at secondary school level using eLearning materials. Media-Manual.at: This website provides information on the topic of “active media work in schools” in the form of lectures and workshops, with pupils and teachers as target groups. Parallel to this, more than 12,000 pupils and 500 teachers received support as part of the Media Literacy Award. This project was awarded the Comenius Medal in 2004. eLearning Strategies at Teacher-Training Institutes: The objective is a common platform for eLearning seminars, new seminar concepts and a greater exchange of experiences. It involves also special in-service training-features, which has been progressing systematically, involves setting up networks for INTEL I and INTEL II graduates. It aims to optimize the implementation of SbX contents. Strongly encouraging teachers to visit each other’s schools will promote the exchange of experiences. IMST3 – with the core areas eLearning and eTeaching – Teaching and Learning with New Media, financed by the MNI fund (mathematics, natural sciences, informatics) is to be integrated at the planned, national centres for subject-related didactics. Education Portal and eServices Within the framework of eFit Austria, projects were carried out that drew a great deal of interest: Based on a scientifically sound, worldwide platform evaluation, the bm:bwk recommended nine cost-free learning platforms (LMS and CMS). In the meantime, not only schools but also Fachhochschulen, universities and private industry are following these recommendations. The Schoolbook Extra (SbX) project, with approved electronic teaching and learning materials, has become a successful exemplary content project. The ministry education portal (www.bildung.at) offers a one-stop-shop for all eLearning activities within the framework of eFit Austria and it will undergo further development to become an eContent clearing house offering an interesting range of qualitative, web-based, educational contents for Austria’s teachers and pupils. eFit Austria2 will promote significant developments in innovative IT services for education in Austria. After a phase of trial and errors with first e-learning approaches in the nineties of the last century, a phase of clear strategies to roll out e-learning programmes for all university institutes, Fachhoch- courses and schools in the late 90er we have now a phase of consolidation and evaluation of the project structure and the project results. eLearning had become an usual aid for learning processes (or even not) for students and adult people but not meaningful or euphoric, but rather tool oriented and practical. The surplus for academic learning or application in professional fields has to be investigated. The positive changes in all learning processes, stimulated by e-learning environments, are proved and thus irreversible. We should find rational strategies to convince “mainstream education workers” and to find mainstream solutions for all learners.



References:

1) Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur (2005) eFit²-Austria, The New Quality in Education, Vienna.

2) OECD (2006) Are Students Ready for a Technology-Rich world ? – ICT in PISA and Educational Policy, OECD-Publ., Paris.

Christian Dorninger

Federal Ministry of Education, Dep. II/8 1014 Wien, Minoritenplatz 5

Email: [email protected]



c. Prof. Alan Barrell

KNOWLEDGE – A “GOLDEN GOOSE” FOR EUROPEAN ADVANCEMENT IN THE ERA OF “ NEW GLOBALISATION”

We will all leave our homes tomorrow – whatever day that is, travel as we have for some years in the same way to our work place. We will have “a good day” and return home feeling we have done a great days work – and maybe we will have done so, But, we may be overlooking or not noticing enormous changes – seismic shifts in the world’s economy. The USA is in decline as the great Superpower. The West is no longer the leader of Globalisation. Brands like MacDonald’s will have a limited life – oh my, the world is changing ! The chart accompanying this text shows how the “Tiger and the Elephant” – China and India, are moving inexorably to take positions as the largest economies in the world. By the time my grandchildren are adults China will be the world’s largest economy. The Chinese economy is already bigger than the UK and German economies, in real terms. Two fifths of the world’s population live and work in China and India. In 2004 China and India produced 4 million new graduates – more than the whole of Europe and the USA combined. India alone produced more graduates than Europe – and many were in the science subjects, such as Chemistry which numbers of our Universities are giving up. 700,000 Chinese students are studying today in Western Universities. 70,000 of them are in my country – the UK. I personally am happy to welcome them. But the portents for all of this for Europe are serious. The USA, with its enormous trade deficit, and with almost 1 trllion $ of US $ Bonds held in China, is effectively dependent on the Chinese economy for survival. China has a massive trade surplus. China the “tiger” is probably a generation ahead of India “the elephant” in terms of economic growth and development – but it too has a massive population and is growing its economy at about 8 % a year – not far behind China’s 9.5%. Both China and India have moved very rapidly from being agrarian economies, through industrial production in high volumes ( especially China – India has done great things in Software and International Service Industry provision ) - and into an era of R and D development. China’s

Professor Alan Barrell DBA/, FRSA., is Entrepreneur in Residence at University of Cambridge, Visiting Professor of Enterprise at Universities of Luton, Essex and Xiamen – Fujian Province, China . In 2005 he was awarded The Queens Award for Enterprise Promotion and is the UK representative on the Advisory Board of EBCL – the Kuratorium.



investment in R and D is increasing at 25 % every year – far in excess of the rate in the west, although they have a long way to go to catch up. But they will. It is worth remembering ( if we ever knew ) that it was a Chinese admiral mariner who circumnavigated the world before the more famous European – Christopher Columbus. The seven feet tall Cheng He did it 100 years before Columbus set sail, and with 62 ships, each ten times bigger than that of Columbus. Also, in terms of discoveries and education – the Chinese, centuries before Europe discovered / invented lamps, the compass, iron and steel smelting, mining, paper production, musical notation, viniculture, tea, porcelain production ( “china” ) and the mathematical principals we all depend upon today. The Chinese, centuries ago had a vaccination system to protect against smallpox. The failure in China was an inability to codify knowledge and pass it on through the generations – so that others were able to exploit many of China’s great inventions. That has all changed – China is now well in the front line in terms of information technology and data handling. Its modern discoveries are being documented, protected and exploited. All of which, I see as POSITIVE. China, India, Thailand, Korea and other Asian nations are keeping the World economy growing when some of our more mature western economies are limping along with slow growth and outdated attitudes to “how to compete in tomorrow’s world” Without that Asian growth and increasing consumer sophistication and demand , the west would be in dire straits. BUT – and there are big buts – what should be our response in Europe to this dramatic change in world economic dynamics. In far too many countries it has become protectionist and nationalistic. Europe will NOT cope with the new world economy through “working time directives”. Protectionism is not likely to be the answer. Obsessions with “welfare” will not do. Any of us who travel frequently to China know that the obsessions there are more with improved industrial and economic performance than with “pensions and welfare”. A new order of inspirational leadership is called for. Europe needs “inspirational heroes” who can rise above the general compost heap of European politics and motivate our people to new heroics. Where is Europe’s Nelson Mandela ? Where are the REAL change agents ? NOT for sure in the labyrinthine corridors of the ineffective European Parliament. To be POSITIVE – there is much that can be done at the level of REAL people – and REAL people are the ones that make things happen. Improving education and engagement of many more people through ongoing education in business and culture – as through schemes such as that engineered under the banner “EBCL” – “European Business Competence Licence” will bring great value. Engagement of the populace and the development of more “Communities of Common Purpose, Enterprise and Social Inclusion” will be key. Where we see them working well, we can take heart that Europe can work with the new Asian Superpowers as well as the USA to provide excitement, challenge and prosperity for our populace. So, returning to that wonderful European story of the Golden Goose which all our children know – we have to ensure that the Golden Eggs of International Education – and a desire to “cooperate” rather than compete – “co-opetiton, not competition” – become the orders of the day in Tomorrow’s World” It will all require new realisations and new behaviours. Can Europe and Europeans do it ? It will require a return to “The Columbus Spirit” of exploration and adventure – but YES – I am hopeful.



Prof. Alan Barrel



d. Prof. Dr. Phys. Doru Ursutiu, Prof. Dr. Eng. Cornel Samoila

CVTC Founded Creativity Laboratory (National Instruments - NIELVIS and Freescale - MCULSK)

"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."

Henri Bergson Through its entire history, mankind is characterised by creativity. From the dawn of civilisation, there is no field of knowledge that had not been touched by creativity.

Prof. Dr. Phys. Doru Ursutiu ([email protected]) is the Executive Manager of Center for Valorization and Transfer of Competence CVTC from „Transilvania” University of Brasov (relbv.unitbv.ro). He completed his studies of Physics at the „Babes-Bolyai” University from Cluj – Romania and is specialised in Opend and Distance Learning (LOLA course - Heriot Watt University UK). The key qualification of Prof. Ursutiu are Physics, Electronics (with a doctorate in Noise and Fluctuaitions in Electronic Systems and Devices), Graphical Programming, Remote and Virtual Instrumentation. He is member of Executive Committee - Central European Chapter of Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) and member of Scientific Commetee and reviewer for many international conferences and publications.

Prof. Dr. Eng. Cornel Samoila is Coresponding Member of Romanian Technical Academy and the General Manager of Center for Valorization and Transfer of Competence CVTC from „Transilvania” University of Brasov (relbv.unitbv.ro, www.unitbv.ro). The fields of expertise there are: heat transfer, furnace design, industrial equipment in metalurgy. He is scientific advisor for PhD thesis in the field of Materials Science. Is member of Romanian National Research Council, Association of Engineers and Architects of Israel, ASM-International USA, Referent of Metalurgia Review, Referent of Surface Engineering and Heat Treatments review.



But what is creativity? A plain definition of creativity would be: the ability to create knowledge. Creativity is subject-specific: it is the meta-knowledge of how to solve a specific class of problems. Creativity is first and foremost development, progress. The creation of previously non-existent information. All new information is based on preceding one. But there is no simple jump from one information to an innovative one. Between these two there is always something subjective that enables the jump from one level of the information towards the real, authentic progress – that new information or knowledge that really changes something. That subjective interference is comprised in the question What if? that arose in the minds of philosophers, mathematicians, economists. What if? A dubitative and rather inappropriate question when we consider the exact reasoning of science is clearly the question that opens the possibilities of knowledge. What if the earth is not plain, but round? Naturally, such a question does not pop out of nowhere into someone’s head. There are facts, proovable facts that are the basic background of the question. But only intuition and the courage to ask yourself what if things are different from what they appear to be could open the possibility of development and progress. In fact, what if defines the true nature of subjectivity, that courageous thought that there is no end in thinking, that there is always something to discover and to unveil. In spite of the practically character of engineering, there is a strong philosophy in its achievements. „To do list” has in fact, inside of it, the philosophy of the good done work. Engineering is in fact a real system of thinking. Many scientists recognised that after engineering studies, a person has own inference rules, different from other. And internal values are organized in other system after engineering graduating. Our experience in training of engineers had noticed that, in any situation, there is necessary an interface between academic world and industrial world. There are a lot of problems which didn’t touch during of training (due to limited time, due to conservative character of training system, etc.) but are needed in career, or other problems which appeared when the companies wanted to improve their technical capacity, and it need lifelong learning for employees. In short these were the fundamental reasons which determined our team to start an interface named CVTC Centre of Valorization and Transfer of Competence in „Transilvania” university of Brasov, Romania.

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We try to tell a story that began some years ago, a story about one university - University „Transilvania” of Brasov - Romania, a Center for Valorization and Transfer of Competences CVTC (founded in a TEMPUS project in 2000) and a new Creativity Laboratory founded in 30 June 2005. Brasov is situated in the central part of Romania and is considered the second largest town in Romania. Located 160 km from Bucharest, Romania's capital, Brasov is surrounded like a halo by the Carpathian Mountains and is situated in the middle of the country at the crossroads of Eastern and Southern Carpathians. Across the mountains to the south and east, are Walachia and Moldavia and to the west, the Banat region and to the north, the rolling hills of Northern Transylvania. Brasov's natural tourist potential is closely connected with its geographical scenery since the nearest Eastern and Southern Carpathian Mountains are able to satisfy the taste and desires of all tourists, who are longing to take part either winter or summer sports.

A new concept of „competence transfer” and a CVTC center emerged in 2000 out of a successful TEMPUS collaboration at which took part: „Transilvania” University (the manger of this project) with INSA Lyon France, TEUCOS Versailles France, UPC Barcelona Spain and University of Sibiu Romania.

Looking behind in time, fifteen years ago, we started to collaborate with a prestigious company „National Instruments” NI from USA and Marius Ghercioiu Development Engineer at this company. All this time, we were one of the active partner, collaborateures and promoteur of NI industrial and educational technologies in Romania.



Relying on this start and on an adequate development policy the CVTC developed and a strong team of specialists joined it. In the last years this team was involved in a high number of National and International projects (TEMPUS, Socrates, Minerva, NATO, World Bank, Comenius, CNCSI, MATNANTEC, etc.) and participated with publications in well known conferences and publications. In the CVTC center was organised from 2000 in collaboration with CREDIS center from Bucharest (Coordinated by Prof.Dr.Fiz. Bogdan Logofatu) a CISCO Academy and from 2005 was started a new Microsoft IT Academy.

At this moment the CVTC team in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Eng. Michel Auer from Carinthia Technical University of Villach Austria, initiated the first International Symposium on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation Villach REV2004. The REV conferences was supported by prestigious companies (National Instrumensts, Pemstar, Freescale Semiconductor, Agilents, etc.) and by a high number of participants from around the world (more like 26 countries).

The REV2005 conference was organised by CVTC in „Transilvania” University of Brasov – Romania. Before the conference the CVTC team send one project proposal to National Instrumenst and received a 76000$ grant from this company based on the new and modern educational system NIELVIS. This was the start of the Creativity Laboratory (a darty room and a generous National Instrumensts grant, from where with a good support and management was developed a modern creativity facility).



Creativity Laboratory founders: - CVTC University „Transilvania” - Romania - National Instrumensts - USA - PEMSTAR – Holland (and Romania) - 2NET Computer – Romania - Agilent – USA - Europa – Asia Foundation – Romania - Crocodile Clips – UK - LabVIEW Technical Resources – USA - Freescale Semiconductor - USA

The CVTC team was happy to made the reception of National Instruments equipments and softwares (the NI Grant) at their arrival in January 2005. The new and modern NIELVIS training system was instaled in Physics Department and implemented togeter with the National Instrumensts softwares (LabVIEW, LabWINDOWS-CVI, etc.) in the graduate and undergraduate teaching and research system.

Meanwhile, the new Creativity Laboratory was prepared and all the systems were transfered in this new facility. At the NI systems was aded hardware and software also from the other colaborateurs and supporters (CrocodileClips, Agilent, Microsoft, Mailhause, LabJack, Inex, EcoChemie, Keithley, etc.)



Top universities from around the world are using NI LabVIEW and NIELVIS (Nationa Instrumensts Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite) to enhance their engineering curriculum. Courses in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, and biomedical engineering all use the powerful combination of LabVIEW and NI ELVIS to teach topics including instrumentation, circuits, measurements, controls, and signal processing.

At the address: http://www.ni.com/academic/ni_elvis/universities_using_nielvis.htm can see „Transilvania” University between this top universities due to its Creativity Laboratory.

Adding the MCUSLK´s from Freescale to the Creativity laboratory, students can develop their creativity in the field of Digital Electronics and Microcontrolers.

By all this developments and partnerships the Creativity Laboratory was well integrated into the network of graduates and undergraduates trainings (see in picture the engineers from the Continental Automotive happy after an intensive training course in LabVIEW). In the same time the laboratory started to be one active places involved in the creative research and development and especially in transfer of technologies and competences.



The above overview, too short for many readers to be able to create an accurate impression, leads us to the conclusion that remote engineering and virtual instrumentation will shortly become a standard in education and research. To sustain our point of view, we want to indicate that at the release of the Internet, nobody was able to predict its rapid development. Today, Internet not only determine a lot of jobs, but it become a lifestyle. Internet has changed the concept of neighbourhood, of sharing space, the learning methodology, and so many chapters of our life that our above sentence might be as extrapolation of this „wind of change”. It is clear for us and for many scientists that engineering education without remote experiment will be impossible in short time. Oystein Dahle-ESSO vicepresident has a famous sentence about socialism and capitalism: Socialism collapsed because it did not allowed the prices to reflect economical truth. Capitalism might collapse if it does not allow that the prices to reflect ecological truth” Using these ideas we have the possibility to state that: „ engineering might collapse if it doesn't accept that remote engineering and virtual instrumentation is a needed and creative way for development”.

Prof.dr.Phys. Doru Ursutiu Prof.dr.Eng. Cornel Samoila

___________________________________________________________________________



Hohenloher Spezialmöbelwerk Schaffitzel GmbH + Co. KG Postfach 1360

74603 Öhringen, Germany Tel.: 0049 7941 696-0, Fax: 0049 7941 696-116

[email protected] / www.hohenloher.de



e. Elspeth McOmish

UNESCO gives TVET a boost with entrepreneurship training

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) must be an integral part of its economic, social and environmental contexts. As new forms of exchange and lifestyles emerge, TVET must respond by remodelling its content and delivery so that it not only remains relevant, but stands at the forefront of change. Until recently, TVET programmes aimed primarily to build a workforce mass that would sustain large-scale industries run by a major corporation or by the state. A single company came to dominate many regions, with the very identity of numerous districts or towns (or, in some instances, countries) being built around the central factory or the agricultural produce farmed. Generations of workers growing up in households dependent on the industry for their income and trained in high schools oriented towards the technical fields relevant to that industry, progressed naturally to employment with the same company. In many cases, the company positioned itself as a wider family, providing subsidized accomodation, organizing social events and offering spaces for religious observance. Globalization, bringing economic liberalization in its wake, has sent shock waves through this structure. As we all know, many state industries have been privatized and national industries are exposed to competition from foreign entities. At the same time, many former company strongholds have chosen to move their production or base their services outside the national area in order to reduce labour costs. This has led to a mad scramble among developing, but also developed nations, to convince enterprises to open operations in their country or region. Governments are becoming aware that a qualified workforce is essential to securing – and maintaining – foreign investment. However, as the instability associated with dependency on a multinational or state-owned corporation becomes increasingly evident, many actors in the field of TVET have begun to reflect on whether TVET systems should focus more attention on building endogenous economic growth in local communities. This would involve stimulating development of the local business community, and thus of local production of goods and services.

Elspeth McOmish is an Assistant Programme Specialist with the programme for technical and vocational education at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). A former trainee of the European Commission (DG Education and Culture), she holds degrees in education history and law from the University of Melbourne and a Masters degree from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.



The benefits of fuelling local growth are numerous and include the following:

poverty alleviation through sustainable job creation; a decreased need for transporting goods, leading to reduced impact on the environment; strengthened social ties within the communities; goods or services adapted to the needs of local populations; diversification of business; and transmission of cultural intangible heritage, among others.

Given its position at the intersection between learning and the world of work, TVET is uniquely placed to participate in stimulating endogenous economic growth. It can do so by establishing training systems that develop not only strong technical skills in individuals, but also the creativity and confidence to step out into the world of self-employment as well as the knowledge, in the form of business skills, to do so. In addition to implementing a problem-solving approach to pedagogy beginning at the basic education level, TVET programmes benefit significantly from the inclusion of specific training in entrepreneurship. This training should not be restricted to high achievers in the engineering or design disciplines, but offered across the broad spectrum of TVET fields. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or marginalized populations, who in many cases may already be operating in the informal economy through petty trade or service provision, may prove particularly receptive to entrepreneurship training. Indeed, many youths who face constant prejudice in their attempts to enter the labour market due to their ethnicity, gender, religion or family background are formidably combative, determined and motivated, and may for these reasons become highly successful businesspeople as long as the appropriate support and guidance are provided to them. Moreover, by using their skills to start a successful business, they may become a model for their community and help address intolerance and discrimination.

Conscious of the benefits of entrepreneurship training, and responding to concern expressed by its Member States over the lack of materials appropriate for learners outside higher education, UNESCO decided to develop modules on entrepreneurship for use in TVET settings. As the Organization’s priority is to work with the least developed countries, curriculum specialists from one of the target regions, Africa, were brought together in seminars held in Lusaka, Zambia, and Kampala, Uganda, to design a stand-alone course that could be adapted to a variety of different economic and social settings. Given the range of learners being targeted, they decided to create two distinct modules for use in different learning contexts: a module for students in TVET streams of secondary schools; and a module for non-formal learners. Each module contains a facilitator’s guide and participant’s workbook. The module for secondary students in TVET streams aims to stimulate students preparing for a particular trade to gain the confidence and basic business skills to consider self-employment as a viable career option. Whether they become entrepreneurs directly after graduating or not, it is expected that the training will stay with them and assist them to make the step to starting a small business if and when they so desire. If, following the training, they do not feel that they have the personality or support necessary to establish their own business, their performance in their chosen field of work will be positively affected by the creativity, motivation and confidence they will have gained. The module can be taught as an intensive course, or as a timetabled subject in the penultimate or final year of secondary education. The module for use in non-formal settings can be adapted to a very wide range of learners. It is anticipated, however, that it will be used primarily to train marginalized groups living in precarious circumstances and having benefited from little formal education. The module is therefore designed to stimulate learners to become aware of the skills they have acquired through informal means or that are inherent in them, and that they can use to start a small business or to transform their existing informal economic activities into a formal business. Throughout the training, which should ideally be



held as an intensive, interactive course, learners should therefore gain a sense of themselves as responsible for both their own lives and the development of their communities. In both modules, the emphasis is on personal integrity, ethical business and a concern for environmental sustainability. The materials were published in English in February and have generated significant interest, particularly among Member States in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. A French version will be ready soon, and it is hoped that versions in other languages will become available. PDFs of the modules are available at the following addresses:

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001449/144935e.pdf http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001449/144930e.pdf http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001449/144933e.pdf http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001449/144928e.pdf

To obtain hard copies of the training materials, please contact UNESCO’s Section for Technical and Vocational Education at: [email protected] or [email protected]

Elspeth McOmish ___________________________________________________________________________



f. Werner Sattlegger

Education as the answer to global challenges

Dynamics, the willingness to learn and innovation are the three major reasons for European capitalists to begin investing in Asia every day. They rev up the Asian economic engine (in China alone economic growth amounts to more than 9%. By comparison, it is a mere 3% in Europe). The global competition of different regions is speeding up more and more, and the business location Europe is increasingly under pressure. Does Europe have the right answers to these global challenges? What are the key factors in the age of digital communication and information? There are two key factors for economic success in the development from industrial age to information age (“knowledge society”): education and research. The world economy has become more transparent and open. As a result, businesses are more flexible within economic framework requirements in their decision of where they want to grow in the future. Enterprises invest where the smartest brains answer tomorrow’s questions today. Strategic focus on the “winning horses” education and innovation has guaranteed some regions success in the global competition of the best business locations. High rates of economic growth show that they are right. China already saw these opportunities years ago; highly qualified knowledge is on the rise with around 415,000 graduates of technical fields of study. In the comparison period, Germany had only 35,000 such graduates. The European Commission’s annual report gives valid cause for concern: 6 million young Europeans drop out of high school; every fifth 15-year-old has reading problems; and numbers of graduates of technical educational institutions are diminishing, despite the fact that there is urgent need for qualified personnel. Consequently, the gap between the economy’s requirements and graduates’ qualification continues to grow and causes job openings for specialized staff to remain vacant, despite rising unemployment rates. Europe needs to radically change its focus towards education and innovation if it does not want to be run over by an “Asian economic locomotive”. Many initiatives on a European level testify to the many efforts that have already been taken; the European Commission’s latest report does give valid cause for concern, however. It is uncertain if these efforts will suffice.

Werner Sattlegger

Mr Werner Sattlegger, is currently Senior Manager at the Infineon Technologies IT-Services GmbH, and President of the European Federal Movement Carinthia. Before, he gathered work experience in the European Parliament for several years and was Managing Director of the Austrian Federation of Industry in Carinthia.



g. Univ.- Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerhard Ortner, MMag. Victor Mihalic

1. Vienna Congress „Business Competence for Europe“ „Ready for the global economy?“

Vienna, May 18th 2006. The level of Business Competence in Europe is non satisfactory. Current studies show, that only a fraction of the population can relate company targets like profitability, liquidity and productivity correctly. Who ever already doesn’t understand these basic concepts, will not only have problems to follow the business reports in the media but will also stay aside in business” says Univ.-Prof. Ortner, CEO of the Council Business Competence for Europe. „Today this applies in the global competition with the Chinese dragon and the Indian Tiger even more, adds Allan Barrell, Professor at the University in Cambridge and Shanghai and he documents this very impressively at the Vienna congress “Business Competence for Europe”. It is known that it is not the income advantage alone, that makes

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerhard E. Ortner is CEO of the Council Business Competence for Europe. He studied Business- Law- and education sciences. He has the professorship for Business Management, and in particular Human Resource Management and Company Communication at the University of Hagen, participates as a honorary professor at the Free University of Berlin in the qualification of academic skilled employees of the Human Resource Management and teaches frequently as a Visiting Professor at the Danube-University Krems. Aside to his scientific qualification he has made practical experience as independent entrepreneur and has been successful for many years in political and economical consulting.

MMag. Victor Mihalic is co-initiator of the European Business Competence* Licence, EBCL, the international certification standard of business management education and head of the EBC*L representative Austria (EBC Licencing GmbH). Since June 2005 he is CEO of the European central and is in charge of the further spreading of the EBCL in all Europe. After his graduation in Economics and Business Pedagogy he worked in a renowned insurance company in the education department. 1995 he wrote the book “ABC of Business Administration” and formed the enterprise KEA Business Training. He is one of the most recognized business trainers in the German-speaking region and created a classic of e-learning with his “easy business” CD-Rom.



these countries economic leaders. They also dispose of an enormous potential of adaptive people. India has more University graduates than Europe altogether. More than 700.000 Chinese study abroad. „Business Competence is one of the key qualifications, to be able to face the new challenges of the working world” Karl Fakler is convinced. As the deputy national managing director of the Public Employment Service (AMS) Lower Austria he knows, which qualifications are being requested and what the expectations of the economy towards their employees and conversation partners are. Therefore AMS-employees also complete a business managerial education with the EBC*L-certificate (European Business Competence* Licence) as an internationally recognized graduation. Uniqa, as an international successfully operating insurance group, took the same way. All in Sales working executives have to complete the EBC*L exam. Meanwhile there are 180 certified employees at Uniqa. „All graduates are highly satisfied with this kind of education method, many gained appetite for more and want to climb up more steps of the EBC*L. By the beginning of next year we will be able to offer this to our employees“ reports Astrid Napetschnig from Uniqa Human Resources at the congress. While Austria is leading in the number of EBC*L graduates in adult education, likely eastern Europe, and Hungary in particular, will lead the way in the school range. In Budapest the ministry of education set on the EBC*L certificate and makes it an integral component of commercial vocational training, communicates Mrs. Ildiko Görgeny. Mr. Kibedi-Varga, chairman of the network of national education in the Carpathian basin has transnational plans for this. For him the whole topic of business competence is a central topic in the entire Carpathian region- from Slovakia to Serbia. With the help of European funds the EBC*L training should be made accessible to as many as possible here too. Victor Mihalic, CEO of EBC*L International based in Vienna, was very satisfied with the course of the congress, where 50 education experts from 14 countries where represented. „With this meeting Vienna could, as the European central of the international business management-certificate - European Business Competence* Licence - fortify its crucial role as centre of business competence”. The same opinion has EU-Commissar Dr. Ferrero-Waldner, who emphasized in her greeting, that this congress will accomplish an important contribution to the fortification of Europe’s business competence. You will find further information about the 1. Vienna congress „Business Competence for Europe“ and all lectures to download on the Website of EBC*L International: www.ebcl.info/congress



Short Information about EBC*L, European Business Competence* Licence The international certificate „European Business Competence* Licence, EBC*L developed within a few years to a recognized standard of business management education. It offers the possibility, to acquire and proof within short time the accurate business management core knowledge that is being requested in business in renowned companies like VW, Siemens, Baxter, T-Mobile. These skills are being proven with the EBC*L certificate, that the participants receives after passing successfully the internationally standardized exam. That offers – also in the international context-better Job chances and a solid basis for vocational advancement. The EBC*L is currently represented in 13 countries in Europe (and by the middle of May also in Kenya). By the End of 2007 it will be established all over Europe.

Your contact partner: MMag. Victor Mihalic International Centre of EBC*L CEO Aichholzgasse 4 ++43-1-813 99 77 45 1120 Wien [email protected] Austria www.ebcl.info

Council Business Competence for Europe e.V. Rathenaustraße 16 D-33102 Paderborn Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerhard E. Ortner CEO www.wirtschaftskompetenz.org

International Centre of EBC*L Aichholzgasse 4 A-1120 Wien MMag. Victor Mihalic CEO www.ebcl.info



h. Richard Collyer

Poland; The start of our journey; Approximately two years ago we (the Chamber of Commerce for Bedfordshire) became aware that about a quarter of our existing project income was going to run out in about eighteen months time, as EU funds were switched from UK to the new Accession Countries. This forced us to think very seriously about how we could replace this shortfall in our predicted project income. Where could we go to find the additional sources of funding that we needed? We started by looking at our organisations strengths and what made our region unique? A reality check: We represent the smallest county in the East of England, and we had only just started to develop a consultancy business and to be honest it was progressing slowly. We had very little overseas experience outside the project team. However Bedfordshire has a historic connection with Poland and an airport in Luton, which is the largest town in Bedfordshire. Through Luton Airport there were excellent connections to Poland, there was also a large and long established Polish community in the county. Mostly for these reasons and a little research, which identified that Poland was being allocated large amounts of EU funds, we decided that it should be our target market and our first tentative steps into international consultancy began. The first steps: We began our journey into international consultancy by making all the classic mistakes and not fully researching or planning our activities before we started. We knew that we needed to investigate our selected market and very quickly discovered that the European Commission had allocated €8 billion to regeneration and structural development in Europe. So we went to the European Commission to learn how this funding was allocated. We quickly found that the money for these regeneration projects was allocated to themes in Brussels but to specific projects in Poland. So if we wanted to access any of the huge amounts EU funding that had been allocated to Poland, we had to be operating in the country. This created a new problem as none of the Chamber’s European project team could speak Polish, so we needed to develop strong Pan-European partnerships.

Richard Collyer is an experienced project manager who has been associated with the design and development of regeneration projects for more than twenty years. During that time he has worked in more than 40 countries to design, develop and deliver projects. Over the years he has spoken in thirteen countries and published papers in nine countries including America and Japan specialising in the development of trade policy and the removal of technical barriers to trade.



The partnership approach: In some ways our inability to speak Polish was the major breakthrough and the catalyst for our success. We had the clear advantage of being able to use the Chambers of Commerce network, being in the Eastern region of England we selected a Chamber of Commerce in the South Eastern region of Poland as our key partners. We signed a memorandum of understanding with the Zamość Chamber of Commerce in the Lubelskie region of Poland and working with the help and support of the Zamość Chamber we quickly found that to make anything happen in that region of Poland, we needed the support of the Town Marshal. We also started to make contact with the Town Marshal’s offices and to speak at local development conferences, investing a lot of time into identifying what they really needed and building relationships. We also found that we needed international partners and started to build those relationships through our contacts with organisations like, Euro Chambers and EVTA (the European Vocational Training Association). Through the links that we developed with these organisations we have been able to form the partnerships with K.I.S.T and others, which have enabled us to successfully bid for and win European Funding. We are now convinced that the strength of the partnerships we create to develop and delivery our projects will be an increasingly important factor in the success of our bids. A bid to any major EU funds that has less than three international partners will almost certainly fail. Creation of ‘eprd’ : The European Partnership for Regional Development (e.p.r.d) was established earlier this year as the final stage in our development of the Polish market when it became clear that if we were going to bid successfully for EU funding and develop new projects in Poland we had to do so as a Polish company. Establishing the Polish company e.p.r.d., as a partnership with the Zamość Chamber, has confirmed our commitment to Poland and enabled us to access funds which are not normally available to European consultancies. The Future: Using e.p.r.d., and the partnerships that we have developed over the last two years with the Marshals Offices, Chambers of Commerce in Zamość and key partners like K.I.S.T we will create what is potentially the strongest development partnership in Eastern Poland, we will identify and deliver projects that address the regional needs: establish long term and sustainable growth for the region through a skills centre network that facilitates the delivery of training to develop management capacity, re - skill the work force and delivers the regeneration which is so badly needed in what is still the poorest region in Europe’s twenty five member states.

Richard Collyer - President of e.p.r.d.



3) Special Topic: Training Enterprise

a. Ingrid Trenner, Manfred Pötsch

What a training enterprise is all about

1.1. The concept of work within training enterprises in short

A training enterprise is a virtual business that simulates very realistically the business processes occurring in our economy – it is a model of what the economy is like in reality. Through training enterprises, there is room for the principle of action-oriented teaching and learning in the vocational education and training in commerce. National and international networking of training enterprises results in the development of realistic scenarios of essential operational functions and processes.

Team meeting is a part of the daily routine

Ingrid Trenner is an Economics graduate from Graz University where she specialised in Marketing, Accounting and Human Resources Development. She has had 20 years experience as a teacher and teacher-trainer covering the complete range of business and marketing activities. Her industry experience includes working with a tax-adviser, in the hospitality industry and as the Austrian representative of a publishing company. She has special expertise in the Training Enterprise Concept, one of the most successful approaches world-wide to hands-on Business Training. Besides intensive and wide-ranging assignments in Austria, she has worked in Germany, Serbia, Albania and Jamaica. Currently Ingrid Trenner is the CEO of KIST Consult, specialised on the development, marketing and transfer of national and international human resource development projects.

Manfred Poetsch is an Economics graduate from Vienna Business University and University of Linz where he specialised in Pedagoigic, Marketing, Accounting and Human Resources Development. He has had more than 30 years experience as a teacher and teacher-trainer covering the complete range of business and marketing activities. He has special expertise in the Training Enterprise Concept, one of the most successful approaches world-wide to hands-on Business Training. Besides intensive and wide-ranging assignments in Austria, he has worked in Germany, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Russia, China, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, France. He developped Training Enterprise Concepts in Russia,CZ, Slovakia. He is specialised in evaluation for Training Enterprises.



Thousands of training enterprises in more than 50 countries enable all participants in vocational education and training in commerce to deepen their mercantile knowledge and to strengthen and practice their individual talents. An especially important function of training enterprises is the opportunity to learn of and study important key qualifications, and to train interpersonal communication and contact to other cultures right from the beginning. Furthermore, this action-oriented, networked acquisition of knowledge has considerable advantages for the school, local businesses and the national economy. 1.2. Training enterprises in detail The economy has repeatedly demanded a more practically oriented vocational education and training. Future associates are required to strive for an increase in national and international business relations, and to continually advance in their knowledge of foreign languages. Also, state-of-the-art technologies have become an integral part in vocational training. Consequently, training and education through and in training enterprises was implemented as an answer to these demands. The training enterprise is a model of an existing company. The model allows for a reproduction of a real business firm’s operations with varying degrees of complexity. This makes it more transparent for the learning processes of business students.

IT-support of an employee in a

Training enterprise In the training enterprise, students deal with all cases concerning their business, from goods and services to sales volume. Students conduct all connected mercantile and administrative work with regards to commercial usage and legal requirements. However, goods and services as well as monetary assets do not exist for real. Students mainly issue all necessary information and documents needed by a business person and exchange them using future-oriented technologies.

Confirmation of orders at the office Every training enterprise is divided into departments, just as it is in reality: Human Resources, Office, Marketing, Sales, Controlling, Accounting, Logistics, etc. Students run through each department and accomplish all specific work. Teaching in a training enterprise is a challenge for the teachers: their role as the firm’s director changes in time from lecturer to associate in a team, and from boss to coach and advisor. The following is an example of students’ work in the training enterprise: Students working in the training enterprise’s purchasing department have to apply their mercantilist knowledge in procurement while taking into account the company’s economic situation. In cooperation with their associates, they also need to make an ideal decision for their purchasing intentions, identify possible consequences for the company’s success and justify their decision with the executive board. Permanent feedback at work This example shows that a training enterprise enables students to experience economic processes with all senses. Be it production, services or trade, each training enterprise chooses its own business purpose, making learning a dynamic process. Students learn to act like responsible executives and associates and develop entrepreneurial spirit. Teachers take the role of business advisors.



Simulation, in addition to national and international business contacts, is another advantage of training enterprises. Erroneous decisions that in real life could endanger the company do not have serious

economic consequences. They are, however, an essential factor in the learning process and in the students’ increasing self-awareness. The main goal of teaching in a training enterprise is the comprehensive, action- and problem-oriented as well as student-centered communication of knowledge that is compliant with real business procedures. Learning about internal processes and connections between companies and the business partners’ activities in particular provoke learning processes and great motivation. teamwork in all departments

Key qualifications such as ability to work in a team, comprehensive thinking, autonomy, sense of responsibility, and excellent language competencies enable the students to be flexible and mobile within the international world of work. In order to complete the work in training enterprises it is possible to participate at an international trade fair for training enterprises (e.g. Vienna, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, New York, Sofia, Salzburg, Canberra, Prag).It is a culmination of the work.

New York Salzburg Sofia

• To run selling talks • Presentation of the company- all marketing instruments are used • Business-behaviour • Presentation of the own products • Presentation of the own person • Also to use the different languages learned

Cooperation with real businesses is very important. More than 70 % of all training enterprises have partners in the national economy who support them with know-how and through sponsoring. Training enterprises are present in the national and international market of training enterprises, working together with other training enterprises worldwide and a contact point for all of them. The Internet is of utmost importance here because it is the medium through which networking occurs. Many training enterprises maintain business contacts worldwide mainly via email. Accordingly, a network of training enterprises is an open system of networks within which training enterprises and contact points are cooperating. The organization “Europen” offers such a network; as a member of Europen, training enterprises can participate in the international exchange. 1.3. Target groups

• Students • University students • Employees undergoing additional training • Young entrepreneurs • People without employment



• Employees with handicaps • People who reenter employment

1.4. Advantages for businesses

• Employment of people who are familiar with state-or-the-art technologies • Reduction of time needed for employees to become acquainted with work • Reduction of costs in employee’s orientation period • Possible future employees have knowledge of branch of trade and products • Knowledge of business operations • Product and marketing research at no cost (there are more than 5000

training enterprises in 50 countries) Teaching students in the practically oriented environment of a training enterprise is an excellent preparation for their entry into the business world. Hence, it becomes calculable for both employees and employers, and students’ expectations are more realistic and can come true sooner. Costs of on-the-job training for new employees are reduced due to a shorter time period needed by the employee to become acquainted with his work. Understanding of work processes, of individual cases within the corporal context and of chances and risks increases motivation and flexibility and encourages independent action. The profit for the economy is surely indisputable. Furthermore, working in training enterprises fosters entrepreneurial thinking and support the founding of one’s own enterprise. Simultaneously, it reduces entrepreneurial risks. Well educated, motivated

and flexible business people and employees will successfully assert themselves in a market economy that is characterized by fast changes in society and technology and that is subjected to multiple intercultural influences. The connection to training enterprises in foreign countries increases the students’ foreign language competencies and their expertise in social, cultural and economic differences and specialties of their partner countries. This, in turn, is a valuable basis for the import-export business.

Diary in a training enterprise 1.5. Where training enterprises can be installed

• Schools • Extracurricular institutions • Universities • Adult education • Real companies in the economy

1.6. short summary: what is a training enterprise? A training enterprise is a business that simulates very realistically the business processes occurring in our economy – it is a model of what the economy is like in reality. Through training enterprises, there is room for the principle of action-oriented teaching and learning in the vocational training in commerce. National and international networking of training enterprises results in the development of realistic scenarios of essential operational functions and processes. Thousands of training enterprises in more than 50 countries enable all participants the construction of diverse relationships that are organized in compliance with the intentions of their vocational training. Practicing economic work in practice enables students to deepen their mercantile knowledge, to strengthen and practice their individual talents, and to acquire important key qualifications. Communication with and contact to other cultures starts at an early stage in their vocational education and training.

Ingrid Trenner Manfred Pötsch



Mobile Skills Academie ( MSA )

A training enterprise in a mobile space solution

What is a training enterprise? A Training enterprise is a company simulating business reality as closely as possible – a model of economic reality. This allows to implement action-oriented learning in business training. National and International networks of Training enterprises create realistic scenarios for covering all major business tasks functions. Several thousand Training enterprises in more than 50 countries allow all participants to establish a multitude of business relations – guided by the objectives of the training designed. Training in Training enterprises equips future workers with in-depth business experience and provides an excellent opportunity to improve their social skills develop their key qualifications. Communication and relations with business associates from other cultural backgrounds are being experienced at an early stage.

romotion of a simulation-based practical Training in a country – The establishment of a job-oriented training network for commercial, administrative and business training in a country, based on the needs of a western market economy. The training network will be implemented as a Training enterprise network. The project will utilise existing resources, both capital and human. Networking between the education and the business sectors will render a relevant contribution towards employment and economic development.

P



Here you can see the 3D picture as an example of a training enterprise in a mobile space solution.

The first picture shows the mobile space-solution from the outside, and the second and third how the training offices can be arranged in the inside.

The connection between training enterprises and real firms is the big goal to reach. It is necessary for the technical students to get ideas how to sell goods produced by them. Technical knowledge and business knowledge should be connected optimally. Business students should get knowledge about the technical environment and the production area too. All variations of education and training are possible. All facilities which are necessary for that Mobile Skills Academy are at your disposal (e.g. working rooms, learning rooms, leisure rooms, sleeping rooms, eating rooms).

Powered by:

CHV Container Lastenstrasse 30

1230 Vienna, Austria, Europe

www.chv.at

Dr. Ing. Paul Christiani

GmbH & Co. KG Hermann-Hesse-

Weg 2 78464 Konstanz, Germany, Europe

www.christiani.de

International Centre of

EBC*L Aichholzgasse 4

1120 Vienna, Austria, Europe

www.ebcl.info

KIST Consult

Project Management Kohldorferstrasse 98

9020 Klagenfurt, Austria, Europe

www.kist-consult.com



b. Ingrid Trenner

HOW TO SPICE UP YOUR STUDYING

Schools of human and agricultural sciences and forestry offer great opportunities to apply theoretical know-how in actual procedures and problems – in Austria well done. I would like to introduce a new approach towards training enterprises which connects the work in the virtual world of training enterprises with the practical implementation of know-how. This proposition constitutes a new teaching-and-learning method on the basis of a methodical-didactic approach of training enterprises. This way, the integrity of the virtual operational approach is preserved and, through the aspect of practical implementation of knowledge, students can have an even stronger experience of a company’s comprehensiveness.

Nadja has nothing in common with a witch. She has neither hunchback nor grey hair, and she does not wear an apron, either. And yet, she knows that gargling with sage water helps against a sore throat, and that peppermint tea eases stomach pains. She also knows that the taste of hyssop becomes almost any soup and that melissa helps her to go to sleep. Nadja is 17, wears jeans and extra-short T-shirts, and nobody knows more about herbs than her. She is in fourth grade at the HBLA Pitzelstätten in Austria, Europe (Secondary College for Agriculture and Nutritional Economics).

How can that be?

Starting in December 1999, the HBLA’s lesson plans have been renewed completely. Civil engineer Hermann Benedikt founded a training enterprise in order to enable students at the HBLA Pitzelstätten to add actual economic practice to the theoretical knowledge they are acquiring throughout their vocational education and training. Nadja and her colleagues know so much about herbs because they cultivate and nurse them. They harvest at the right time, dry the herbs and make teas and other herbal products. The

Ingrid Trenner is an Economics graduate from Graz University where she specialised in Marketing, Accounting and Human Resources Development. She has had 20 years experience as a teacher and teacher-trainer covering the complete range of business and marketing activities. Her industry experience includes working with a tax-adviser, in the hospitality industry and as the Austrian representative of a publishing company. She has special expertise in the Training Enterprise Concept, one of the most successful approaches world-wide to hands-on Business Training. Besides intensive and wide-ranging assignments in Austria, she has worked in Germany, Serbia, Albania and Jamaica. Currently Ingrid Trenner is the CEO of KIST Consult, specialised on the development, marketing and transfer of national and international human resource development projects.



teenagers sell their products in a yard sale and handle bookkeeping and professional marketing all by themselves. Of course, herbal products are not their only commodities. They sell virtually all agrarian products, including meat, milk and cheese. With her school-leaving diploma, Nadja is not just going to be a perfect farmer. She will also know how to build up her own business, comprehend the subtleties of book keeping and taxation, and be able to develop her own ideas of an alternative production of agrarian manufacture. She has picked up that knowledge all while watering sage, picking peppermint and chopping hyssop. The HBLA Pitzelstätten is applying a 3-phase-concept: Therefore, two training enterprises were founded in which the teenagers are taught everything but theory.

Phase 1: The training enterprise “Erntehof” contains all agricultural production. Here is where milk products, smoked as well as baked goods, and seasonal specialties come from. They are made in the agrarian and the horticultural sector and the kitchen. In the agrarian sector, students manufacture cheese, yogurt, sour cream and meat. Bread, cakes, jams, liquors, and mixed pickles are all results of the work in the practice kitchen. The horticultural sector hosts fruit trees, flowers, vegetables

and herbs. Here, Nadja has learned the secrets of the growth and cultivation of herbs, and has acquired the dirty fingers of a gardener, the instinct of a gatherer, the sensitivity of a cook, and a gourmet’s sense of indulgence. The necessary theoretical background knowledge has been taught to her in the subject-specific classes.

Phase 2: The marketing of produce through the training enterprise “PAN” (Pitzelstättner-

Agrar-Naturprodukte; “Pitzelstättner agrarian organic produce”) Through their own yard sale, students come into contact with customers and arrange for a market-driven placement of their products.

Nadja is convinced of her products’ high quality and grows naturally into the role of a sales person. As with all of Erntehof’s products, she is taking her merchandise to market herself. Students learn how to arrange teas, liquors and jams in a way to attract customers and quickly come to understand that it takes more than simply making bread, cakes and meat to successfully market their goods. Selling her herbal teas and receiving money for them is not only the reward for her work, it also gives Nadja deep satisfaction.

Phase 3: Nadja has to prove that she can handle her business on paper as well, not just in the garden. She has to comprehend how much money she needs for means of production and processing, and how much she actually earns by selling her products. Her herbs are in the black. Focusing on her business, Nadja learns essential knowledge about book keeping, taxation and marketing on the go. She still has one year to go at the HBLA Pitzelstätten. Throughout this year, she will grasp that even customers from



overseas are interested in her herbal mixtures, that the firm’s own sheep’s cheese is very popular in Italy, and that she needs to advertise her herbs on the Internet in order to utilize all marketing possibilities. As mentioned above, she has nothing in common with a witch. She wears Jeans, a short top that does not cover her belly, and she loves to go to dance clubs. She is 17, an average girl and nobody would know her special knowledge about herbs. She is just an ordinary girl with a certain something. A few more details about the lessons: All students work in both training enterprises simultaneously. Each class is divided into 3 groups, cyclically experiencing all sectors. A maximum of 12 students is taught in units of 4-hour sessions. These units are divided into individual parts – office management, marketing, book keeping, and business management. Furthermore, students rotate between these jobs, leaving a mere advisory function for their teachers. Each phase the group of students runs through is supervised by a teacher with expertise in the respective fields. The school itself functions as the framework within which all operations and activities are coordinated. Once students have reached fourth grade, they experience work in the school’s own training enterprise. The successful completion of their time at the training enterprise is rewarded with a certificate. Students acquire basic knowledge in subject-specific lessons and immediately apply their new knowledge in practice. Hence, the training enterprise is a work place that enables them to actively participate in commerce and economics, and it is a learning place that provides them with opportunities to develop their individual talents and ideas. As successful graduates of the HBLA Pitzelstätten, they know how to think in entrepreneurial ways – in their own businesses as well as in the public economic sector.

Ingrid Trenner



4) KIST-Consulting Top Seminars

Our vision is to build a bridge between the economy and education as well as to form lasting, demand - orientated networks between cooperative partners. We are a competent network partner of both the private enterprise and educational spheres for national and international education and training as well as further education. All below mentioned seminars are both organised as open seminars and as company-internal seminars. If you want to get further information about the KIST Seminars, please order the complete seminar catalogue at: [email protected].

• Change Management

• Charisma Training

• Conflict Management

• DACUM – Qualification Needs Inquiry

• English Business Language

• Fundraising

• Intelligence Traps

• Intercultural Training

• Italian Business Language

• Knowledge Management

• Knowledge Mining and Anchoring

• Knowledge Multiplication in Enterprises

• Mental- and Intuition Techniques

• Moderation

• Moderation in Big Groups – Open Space

• Modern Rhetoric

• Motivation Behaviour Training

• Presentation techniques

• Process Management

• Project Management

• Teamwork



5) Announcements & News

2nd ASEAN TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONALTRAINING HRD CONFERENCE & CAREER EXPO 2006

2. to 3. August 2006 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, Asia

www.ppks.edu.my ABOUT THE CONFERENCE Technological advancement is rapidly reshaping our business environment and pushing globalization to its limits. The resulting connectivity between and among producers, service providers and consumers has led to greater choices for all. This, in turn, heightens business competition, forcing companies to continuously sharpen their competitive edge through the development of their core competencies. Thus, the need for endless learning, unlearning and relearning experiences. Fortunately, technological advancement has also contributed to improvements in the development and delivery of training services, which Training & Development (T & D) professionals may explore and take advantage of. The rationale of this conference is to promote a better quality education to prepare and enhance the future generation towards becoming a dynamic workforce. It will explore emerging trends in the training and development profession in the light of the influences of globalization and how training and development professionals across the world may connect and network with each other. Several opportunities are expected to be achieved at the conference such as:

• Forge new business contacts through interaction and networking with fellow participant from the ASEAN region.

• Learn about the technical and vocational education system in each participating countries

• Gain precise perspective into Sarawak’s economic prospects, especially in the heavy industry and tourism sector

• Exchange ideas and thoughts on developing the workforce through Vocational Education and Training

• Opportunities to form new partnership in HRD

Contact address:

Pusat Pembangunan Kemahiran Sarawak Sarawak Skills Development

Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan Jaya, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Tel: 6082-362279/364198/9 Fax: 6082-364197

[email protected]



15th International IVETA Conference

21 to 27 August 2006 Moscow, Russia, Europe

www.iveta.org

Topics:

• Barriers to learning (social issues, including poverty, stratification of society, digital divide, etc.) and ways to deal with them;

• CVT and adult education • Learning and migration • Internet and e-learning

Conference organizers:

• Centre for VET Studies (Moscow), Association of Secondary VET Principals of Russia Participants:

• IVETA members, international and national VET policy-makers and stakeholders, representatives from international organizations

Proposed presentations and discussion formats:

• Keynote speeches on each of the above topics • Short presentations to illustrate country experiences • Panels and small-group sessions for an in-depth exploration of topics and preparation of

Conference resolution and recommendations • Field symposiums to take place during “field visits” to VET schools and enterprises

Keynote Speeches will aim at presenting an overview of the topic from an international perspective, and will be followed by short country presentations to reflect perspectives from different countries and regions, and by panel small group discussions Official Language of the Conference: English, Simultaneous translation into Russian will be provided Contact person: Dr. Olga Oleynikova, Director of the Centre for VET Studies Email address: [email protected] Telephone: 7 095 580 92 80 Telephone/Fax: 7 095 298 55 30



9th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

INTERACTIVE COMPUTER AIDED LEARNING Villach, Austria

27. to 29. September 2006 www.icl-conference.org

9th International Conference on Interactive Computer aided Learning (ICL2006)

This event, which we have been organizing since 1998 in Villach, Austria will take place from 27 – 29 September 2006. In the mean time this conference has been established as one of the most recognised in Europe in this field. This interdisciplinary conference aims to focus on the exchange of relevant trends and research results as well as the presentation of practical experiences gained while developing and testing elements of interactive computer aided learning. Therefore pilot projects, applications and products are also welcome. So it aims to bridge the gape between pure academic research and more practical works. The conference is organized by the Carinthia Tech Institute, Villach/Austria in cooperation with:

• European Distance Education Network (EDEN) • Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture of Austria, • IEEE Education Society, • Austrian Computer Society (OCG) • International Society of Engineering Education (IGIP) • International Association of Online Engineering (IAOE)

Traditionally we have participants from almost all European countries and also from overseas. ICL2005 had about 300 participants from 51 countries and we expect the same this year. Conference language is English. An accompanying exhibition related to the conference topic will round off the conference. More information about the conference and exhibition:

Tel.: +43 (4242) 90500-2115

[email protected] [email protected]

www.icl-conference.org



Conference Calendar: UP-COMING EVENTS – Get your calendars out and fill in these dates!! 2nd ASEAN TECHNICAL HRD CONFERENCE & CAREER EXPO 2006: 2. to 3. August 2006; Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, Asia www.ppks.edu.my 15th International IVETA Conference: 21 to 27 August 2006, Moscow, Russia, Europe www.iveta.org ICL - International Computer Aided Learning Conference: 27. to 29. September 2006, Villach, Austria, Europe www.icl-conference.org Computers and Advanced Technology in Education: 4. to 6. October 2006; Lima, Peru www.iasted.org MONTESSORI CONGRESS 2006: 13. to 15. October 2006; Vienna, Austria, Europe www.montessori-europe.com ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2006: 29. November to 1. December 2006; Berlin, Germany, Europe www.online-educa.com Fourth Saudi Technical Conference and Exhibition: 2. to 6. December 2006; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia www.stcex.gotevot.edu.sa



6) Pinboard

Partner Search: Austria – KIST Consulting: Companies and organisations related to education and vocational education and training have three major benefits of being a cooperation partner of KIST Consulting:

Having access to a worldwide database of around 6000 contacts (decision makers and persons related to VET)

Promotion of your company through all the print and electronic media of K.I.S.T. Consulting Cooperation partners will be the first choice for the implementation and out-fitting of projects in

their realm of expertise If there are any companies who would like to or are interested in becoming a KIST-Consulting partner, please go to the homepage (www.kist-consult.com) where you can read all about the partner packages which are available. KIST Consulting is also looking for Experts and Senior Experts of different areas of expertise. If you want to be involved in one of the future projects, please contact [email protected] India – Serve the Women and Poor (SWAP): Prof. P. T. Rajan is the Principal of a Polytechnic College in India and heading an NGO named “Serve the Women And Poor( SWAP)” in Coimbatore city of South India. His mission is to train young men and women matching to the skills demanded globally. The city he lives and works in is an Industrial city and has high potential of providing opportunities for the skilled people. He would like to establish a vocational training centre to train the youth in the fields of technology, computer and health sectors to suit the needs of European countries by collaborating with any such VET colleges in Europe. In this connection, he would like to request a partner to provide the assistance and guidance regarding:

the institutions interested in collaborations the funding agencies to offer necessary funds the areas in which the youth could be trained the demand in the European labour market

Benin – Ong Tino Lobozounkpa: This NGO offers professional training in the following areas:

departmant of general studies (nursery, primary and secondary school) department of vocational school (computer studies,secrtaryship and marketing)

This institution is now creating a language center which meets the international standards. Therefore they are looking for financial support to build the language center and to help the needy students. If your organisation is also looking for project partners, we will be happy to place your project draft in our newsletter (Pinboard) or send it out to our international contacts. For further information on the above mentioned topics please contact: [email protected]



7) Feedback

If you have any comments, suggestions, ideas or just want to send me a friendly line, please email me at [email protected] I am looking forward to hearing from you! Elke Schmidt

_________________________________________________________________________________ KIST Consulting specialises in development, marketing and transfer of national and international educational, vocational education and training projects. Moreover, we offer solutions within the Human Resources Development sector.

• Planning, organisation, implementation and evaluation of Knowledge- Transfer projects within education and training.

• Development and implementation of marketing concepts in Education and Training. • Planning of development programmes and fundraising strategies for national and international

education projects. • Planning and transfer of EU educational projects within the EU further development

programme framework (eg: Leonardo Project) • Planning and organisation of international conferences and exhibitions.

If you want to get more information about our company, services and projects please contact us at:

KIST-Consulting-GesmbH Kohldorfer Strasse 98

9020 Klagenfurt, Austria, Europe Tel.: 0043 463 499 398

Fax.: 0043 463 499 398 14 [email protected] www.kist-consult.com

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