PurposeHonours programs prepare talented students to become future excellent professionals . However, competences defining an excellent professional have not been elucidated yet. We investigated how professionals characterize an excellent communication professional, aiming to develop a competence profile to guide honours education at Communication Institute of Hanze University of Applied Sciences.Conceptual frameworkThe amount of freedom in honours education is an important aspect distinguishing honours from regular programms. However, also for honoursstudents an amount of structure is needed. Explicit learning goals are an effective way to offer structure and enhance performance (Locke & Latham, 2006). Competence profiles can direct these learning goals in honours education. Research questions and designWe performed empiric research to understand how professionals characterize an excellent communication professional and implemented this competence profile in honours education. One year after implementation, perceptions of students and staff on the profile and its implementation were analysed.Using a mixed-method approach, three focus group discussions were conducted with communication professionals (N=16), followed by a Delphi panel with experts (N=30). In each focus group, professionals discussed competences and behaviors characterizing an excellent communication professional. After validation, the profile was implemented in the honours programme. One year after implementation, students and staff evaluated the use of the profile.Data collection and analysisAll focus group sessions were recorded and transcribed. Analysis was done by two researches independently, using open coding on ATLAS ti., based on the grounded theory method. In a consensus meeting, a concept profile was developed. This concept profile was validated through a Delphi survey with Dutch experts to achieve a quantifiable consensus. One year after implementation, perceptions of students and staff on the profile and its implementation were collected and analysed.Results Data clarify that in addition to possessing solid technical skills and practical knowledge, excellent communication professionals are differentiated by their capacity to be strategic, empathic, expressive, decisive and to see patterns and interrelationships. In a second phase, honours faculty used the excellent professional profile as a benchmark to develop a set of six undergraduate level learning outcomes to structure the honours programme and assessment standards. For each of these learning outcomes, smaller developmental milestones were defined to help students gauge their development and reflect on their progress during three honours years. A digital assessment tool was created to monitor student growth and structure annual summative assessment processes. One year following creation and application, students and staff were asked to evaluate the implementation of the excellence profile and learning outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of implications for both curriculum design, operational effects and assessment quality. Conclusions This research promotes an connection between the professional field and educators, resulting in curricular changes. The implemmentation of competence profiles of excellent professionals in honours curricula offer clear learing goals to guide student’s development and, furhtermore, improves the transition from educational programs to professional practice, allowing students to develop (or strengthen) competences and behaviors which are, according to professionals themselves, essential for that profession. This exchange between professional field and educators can lead to new standards needed to face future challenges.Theoretical/Practical implications This is the first empiric study profiling the excellent communication professional. Practical relevance of this profile is twofold. For the work field, it describes competences which could be used for strategic selection of high potential candidates. For educators, it offers guidelines for assessment and curricular development, especially in honours education. In this presentation we explain 1) the research conducted to develop a competence profile for the excellent communication professional, 2) how it was subsequently used to guide curricular development and 3) the experiences concerning implementation by staff and students one year following implementation.
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Honours programs are selective programs that offer challenging educational opportunities for talented students who are willing and able to do more than regular programs offer them (Wolfensberger et.al.,2012). For optimal learning, these programs should focus on three dimensions of teaching approaches: community building; enhancing academic competence, and offering freedom. The amount of freedom in honours education is the most distinguishing aspect from regular programs (Wolfensberger,2012), however, also for honoursstudents an amount of structure is needed to enhance engagement (Lang et.al.,2010) and performance (Locke & Latham,2006; DeShon & Alexander,1996). Explicit learning outcomes can be a way to provide this strucure. In the Netherlands, honours programs of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) aim to prepare students to become the excellent professional of the future. Since it is not clear which competencies define this excellent professional, each institution determines the learning outcomes for their honours students. For instance, Hanze University of Applied Sciences (UAS) focusses on how the working field defines an excellent professional, developing an evidence-based competency profile specific for each discipline. Rotterdam UAS, developed the profile for Innovative Action for all disciplines, and Saxion UAS established the Reflective Professional profile to define learning outcomes for their honours students, both based on literature research. In a collaborative project, these three aforementioned HEI gathered honours programs descriptions of 8 HEI to assess overlapping competences they adopt as learning outcomes for honours students. Preliminary results indicate substantial overlap and an alignment between working field perceptions and available literature.In this session, the following issues will be discussed: •The added value and content of competency profiles defining learning outcomes in honours education;•how specific these profiles should be (discipline-specific or general);•the added value and possibility of a shared (inter)national honours competency profile;•potential risks: limiting freedom in honours education, cultural differences regarding definition of excellence. Description of the session (100 words): the session starts as focus group discussion facilitated by a moderator and concentrating on the question: Which competences / learning outcomes should honours programs concentrate on? Aim is to explore opinions and views of the participants. Afterwards three higher education institutes present shortly the competencies and learning goals they adopt. Next, a round table discussion takes place, based on statements. Participants choose their position (pro or con) before the discussion starts, discus their views, and indicate afterwards whether their opinion is changed. Aim is to indicate pro’s and con’s for (inter)national uniform honours competences and learning goals.
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The European creative visual industry is undergoing rapid technological development, demanding solid initiatives to maintain a competitive position in the marketplace. AVENUE, a pan-European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence, addresses this need through a collaboration of five independent significant ecosystems, each with a smart specialisation. AVENUE will conduct qualified industry-relevant research to assess, analyse, and conclude on the immediate need for professional training and educational development. The primary objective of AVENUE is to present opportunities for immediate professional and vocational training, while innovating teaching and learning methods in formal education, to empower students and professionals in content creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation, while supporting sustainability and healthy working environments. AVENUE will result in a systematised upgrade of workforce to address the demand for new skills arising from rapid technological development. Additionally, it will transform the formal education within the five participating VETs, making them able to transition from traditional artistic education to delivering skills, mindsets and technological competencies demanded by a commercial market. AVENUE facilitates mobility, networking and introduces a wide range of training formats that enable effective training within and across the five ecosystems. A significant portion of the online training is Open Access, allowing professionals from across Europe to upgrade their skills in various processes and disciplines. The result of AVENUE will be a deep-rooted partnership between five strong ecosystems, collaborating to elevate the European industry. More than 2000 professionals, employees, students, and young talents will benefit from relevant and immediate upgrading of competencies and skills, ensuring that the five European ecosystems remain at the forefront of innovation and competitiveness in the creative visual industry.
Achtergrond: Door klimaatverandering worden in stedelijke gebieden steeds vaker normen en/of acceptatiegrenzen voor neerslag, hitte en droogte overschreden. Gemeenten en waterschappen hebben de taak om te zorgen voor een klimaatbestendige inrichting. Samenwerking met bewoners is hierbij voor hen essentieel. Vraagarticulatie: Om de stap naar uitvoering te kunnen maken hebben professionals van gemeenten en waterschappen behoefte aan inzicht in: • effecten op microniveau (straten/gebouwen); • lokale ervaringen en beleving door burgers; • hoe burgers betrokken kunnen worden bij maatregelen. Hoofdvraag en doelstelling: Hoe kunnen professionals van gemeenten en waterschappen met inzet van burgers klimaatadaptatie in stedelijk gebied in praktijk brengen? Het doel is om een praktisch toepasbare werkwijze te ontwikkelen voor ‘burgerparticipatie in klimaatadaptatie’. Aanpak: Het onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd in 5 living labs waarin 10 keer een participatieproces op straat/buurtniveau wordt doorlopen. Hierbij worden verschillende benaderingen uit de burgerwetenschap toegepast. Professionals en bewoners voeren samen metingen uit (participatieve monitoring), verzamelen in een korte periode gegevens over fysieke en sociale kwetsbaarheid (city climatescan) en werken maatregelen uit (cocreatie workshops). De werkwijzen worden via een vergelijkingskader binnen en tussen living labs gemonitord, geëvalueerd en aangescherpt. Resultaat: Het resultaat is een praktisch toepasbare werkwijze voor ‘burgerparticpatie in klimaatadaptatie’. Deze kan worden toegepast door professionals van gemeenten en waterschappen in samenwerking met buurtbewoners, maar ook actoren zoals scholen, lokale bedrijven en woningcorporaties kunnen hierbij worden betrokken. Consortium: Het consortium betreft een unieke samenwerking tussen vier hogescholen (HZ University of Applied Sciences, Hogeschool Rotterdam, Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, Hanzehogeschool Groningen), vijf gemeenten (Vlissingen, Middelburg, Rotterdam, Leeuwarden, Groningen) en twee waterschappen (Wetterskip Fryslân, Waterschap Noorderzijlvest). Het consortium is ontstaan uit het Lectorenplatform Delta en Water en verstevigt de strategische samenwerking tussen praktijkprofessionals, onderzoek en onderwijs. Doorwerking wordt gerealiseerd via een expertgroep waarin diverse sleutelspelers zijn vertegenwoordigd (o.a. City Deal, Deltaprogramma, Global Centre on Excellence for Climate Adaptation).
Door klimaatverandering worden in stedelijke gebieden steeds vaker normen en/of acceptatiegrenzen voor neerslag, hitte en droogte overschreden. Gemeenten en waterschappen hebben de taak om te zorgen voor een klimaatbestendige inrichting. Samenwerking met bewoners is hierbij voor hen essentieel.Vraagarticulatie Om de stap naar uitvoering te kunnen maken hebben professionals van gemeenten en waterschappen behoefte aan inzicht in: effecten op microniveau (straten/gebouwen); lokale ervaringen en beleving door burgers; hoe burgers betrokken kunnen worden bij maatregelen.Hoofdvraag en doelstelling Hoe kunnen professionals van gemeenten en waterschappen met inzet van burgers klimaatadaptatie in stedelijk gebied in praktijk brengen? Het doel is om een praktisch toepasbare werkwijze te ontwikkelen voor ‘burgerparticipatie in klimaatadaptatie’.Aanpak Het onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd in 5 living labs waarin 10 keer een participatieproces op straat/buurtniveau wordt doorlopen. Hierbij worden verschillende benaderingen uit de burgerwetenschap toegepast. Professionals en bewoners voeren samen metingen uit (participatieve monitoring), verzamelen in een korte periode gegevens over fysieke en sociale kwetsbaarheid (city climatescan) en werken maatregelen uit (cocreatie workshops). De werkwijzen worden via een vergelijkingskader binnen en tussen living labs gemonitord, geëvalueerd en aangescherpt.Resultaat Het resultaat is een praktisch toepasbare werkwijze voor ‘burgerparticipatie in klimaatadaptatie’. Deze kan worden toegepast door professionals van gemeenten en waterschappen in samenwerking met buurtbewoners, maar ook actoren zoals scholen, lokale bedrijven en woningcorporaties kunnen hierbij worden betrokken.Consortium Het consortium betreft een unieke samenwerking tussen vier hogescholen (HZ University of Applied Sciences, Hogeschool Rotterdam, Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, Hanzehogeschool Groningen), vijf gemeenten (Vlissingen, Middelburg, Rotterdam, Leeuwarden, Groningen) en twee waterschappen (Wetterskip Fryslân, Waterschap Noorderzijlvest). Het consortium is ontstaan uit het Lectorenplatform Delta en Water en verstevigt de strategische samenwerking tussen praktijkprofessionals, onderzoek en onderwijs. Doorwerking wordt gerealiseerd via een expertgroep waarin diverse sleutelspelers zijn vertegenwoordigd (o.a. City Deal, Deltaprogramma, Global Centre on Excellence for Climate Adaptation).
