University–Business Collaboration for the Design, Development, and Delivery of Critical Thinking Blended Apprenticeships Curricula: Lessons Learned from a Three-Year Project
-
Published:2023-10-17
Issue:10
Volume:13
Page:1041
-
ISSN:2227-7102
-
Container-title:Education Sciences
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Education Sciences
Author:
Rebelo Hugo1ORCID, Christodoulou Panagiota2ORCID, Payan-Carreira Rita3ORCID, Dumitru Daniela4ORCID, Mäkiö Elena5ORCID, Mäkiö Juho5, Pnevmatikos Dimitrios2ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Research Centre in Education and Psychology, University of Évora, 7000 Évora, Portugal 2. Department of Primary Education, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Western Macedonia, 53100 Florina, Greece 3. Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Sciences and Technology, Comprehensive Health Research Centre, University of Évora, 7000 Évora, Portugal 4. Teacher Training Department, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania 5. Department of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Faculty of Technology, University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer, 26723 Emden, Germany
Abstract
University–Business partnership for collaborative curriculum design, development, and delivery is an important dimension of University–Business Collaboration (UBC), but scarce information exists on how to enhance partnership for the design, development, and implementation of new curricula. With these questions in focus, this article intends to present and discuss the perceived experience during a three-year European funded project, namely, Think4Jobs. This project exemplifies the significance and benefits of UBC in the design, development, and delivery of curricula that meet the evolving demands of the labour market while promoting Critical Thinking (CT) as a foundational 21st century skill to contribute to graduates’ employability. Think4Jobs project brought together a multidisciplinary team of researchers and business organisations from five European countries (Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, and Romania) with interests in promoting and developing CT and mitigating eventual competence gaps. The project’s success was attributed to key practices, including defining a common conceptualization of CT, employing Participatory Co-Design, and providing common training for university and business partners. Clear objectives, explicit roles, effective communication, and ongoing evaluation further enhanced the collaboration. Experiential learning, real-work problems, and case studies reinforced the curricula, bridging the gap between academia and the labour market. By embracing these insights, future UBC initiatives can empower graduates with the necessary skills to stand out in an ever-changing labour market, contributing to enhanced education and successful careers.
Funder
“Critical Thinking for Successful Jobs—Think4Jobs” Project European Commission/EACEA, through the ERASMUS + Programme
Subject
Public Administration,Developmental and Educational Psychology,Education,Computer Science Applications,Computer Science (miscellaneous),Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
Reference63 articles.
1. Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions;Succi;Stud. High. Educ.,2020 2. Automotive engineering curriculum development: Case study for Clemson University;Mears;J Intell. Manuf.,2011 3. What drives and inhibits university-business cooperation in Europe? A comprehensive assessment;Plewa;Res. Dev. Manag.,2016 4. Meerman, A., Galan-Muros, V., Davey, T., Orazbayeva, B., and Baaken, T. (2018). The State of University-Business Cooperation in Europe: Final Report, European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Publications Office. 5. University-Industry Collaboration in Curriculum Development: Analysis of Banking and Finance Graduates’ Attributes from Educators and Industries Perspective;Tessema;Educ. J.,2017
|
|