Continuing Professional Development Trade Union – University Collaboration Lars Skjold Wilhelmsen

Continuing Professional DevelopmentTrade Union – University Collaboration

Lars Skjold Wilhelmsen

European Conference on Lifelong EducationBergen 28.- 30.April 2005

A collaboration between:A collaboration between:

The Norwegian Engineers and The Norwegian Engineers and Management Association (Flt)Management Association (Flt)

University of BergenUniversity of Bergen Bergen University CollegeBergen University College

FLTFLT (Norwegian Engineers & Managers Association)(Norwegian Engineers & Managers Association)

Organizes engineers & Organizes engineers & managersmanagers

18 000 members18 000 members More than 90% within More than 90% within

private sector/industryprivate sector/industry Collective agreements Collective agreements

for all members on for all members on national levelnational level

Member of the Member of the Norwegian Norwegian Confederation of Trade Confederation of Trade UnionsUnions

HistoryHistory

19901990The Flt-congress The Flt-congress decides to focus on decides to focus on education as the education as the major membership major membership benefit.benefit.

HistoryHistory

19921992

FLT establishes an education FLT establishes an education fund - financed by the employers fund - financed by the employers - through collective agreements- through collective agreements

The fund is administrated by FLT The fund is administrated by FLT owned company Addiscoowned company Addisco

Allots scholarship to members Allots scholarship to members after application after application

Scholarship amount varies with Scholarship amount varies with the educations form & length – the educations form & length – but are but are considerableconsiderable

HistoryHistory

19961996FLT started to developFLT started to develop

systems for e-learningsystems for e-learning

……as an offer to as an offer to

members working offshoremembers working offshore

- on oil rigs- on oil rigs

HistoryHistory19961996

The focus now changed from The focus now changed from knowledge acquisition to knowledge acquisition to competence developmentcompetence development

The employees need to The employees need to provide, maintain & develop provide, maintain & develop his or hers competence his or hers competence continuously to secure continuously to secure employabilityemployability

19991999FLT establishes Addisco Ltd, FLT establishes Addisco Ltd,

a company which both develop a company which both develop

and provide educationand provide education

- mainly through e-learning- mainly through e-learning

Addisco is Latin for “to learn in Addisco is Latin for “to learn in additon”additon”

HistoryHistory

ADDISCO`s objectives are to ADDISCO`s objectives are to secure the employability of FLTs secure the employability of FLTs members by:members by:– deliver tailored education the members deliver tailored education the members

and the industry needs & demandsand the industry needs & demands

– to provide a flexible form to provide a flexible form of teachingof teaching - - tailored to meet employees need for tailored to meet employees need for further education and lifelong learning in further education and lifelong learning in a “working context”a “working context”

– to continuously develop new courses to continuously develop new courses tailored to meet existing & future tailored to meet existing & future competence needscompetence needs

Learning the Addisco way means:Learning the Addisco way means:

Flexible learning based on the students needs, not the Flexible learning based on the students needs, not the UniversitiesUniversities

The opportunity to combine education, work & family The opportunity to combine education, work & family lifelife

The possibility to enter all programs based on factual The possibility to enter all programs based on factual knowledgeknowledge

All programs are at university level and give credit All programs are at university level and give credit points according to ETCSpoints according to ETCS

1999:1999:

2005:2005:

The first courseThe first course

* Frontline Management* Frontline Management

Licensed from Flts sisterorganizationLicensed from Flts sisterorganization APESMAAPESMA Rewritten and adapted to a Rewritten and adapted to a

Norwegian Norwegian setting – 15 credit points – volume setting – 15 credit points – volume literatureliterature

Model for teaching/learningModel for teaching/learning

Part time (half time)Part time (half time) Self-studySelf-study 4 gatherings (Friday – Sunday)4 gatherings (Friday – Sunday) Assignment to each module (5)Assignment to each module (5) Interaction with the other students Interaction with the other students

(LMS)(LMS) Interaction with the teachers (e.mail)Interaction with the teachers (e.mail) Seminar related to each module (LMS) - Seminar related to each module (LMS) - asynchronousasynchronous

Use of the LMSUse of the LMS

MinMin MaxMax

No loggingsNo loggings 3535 366366

TimeTime 6.5 hrs6.5 hrs 316.3 hrs316.3 hrs

Average: 113 times, 77.5 hrs

Satisfaction with the courseSatisfaction with the course

1 2 3 4 5 6

3. helgesamling

1. helgesamling

2. helgesamling

5,4

5,3

5,1

ResultsResults

CompetanceCompetance AA BB CC DD EE FF ∑∑

Non-formalNon-formal 22 44 22 22 22 1212

FormalFormal 11 22 33 -- 11 -- 77

1st cohort:

Today 127 of 158 have passed final examination90% enrolled with non-formal background – the 7thcohort is now taking the course

The technology programmeThe technology programme

FrontlineManagement

ManagerialEconomics

TQM in OperationalControl

PersonnelPsychology

From non-formal to formal From non-formal to formal statusstatus

In February 2004 the UoBs Board decided with pursuant to a provision that students enrolled in the Frontline Management course on the basis of non-formal qualifications, and who fulfil the 4 courses in the technology programme, will be given formal admission qualification!

ChallengesChallenges

* To design courses combining participants world of practice and working experiences with accademic requirements

* To create a context for the teaching and learning which stimulate and motivate the students

* To learn the students to transform their experiences into an accademic context

MBA Technology MBA Technology ManagementManagement

A course based MBA composed of 8 compulsoryunits + 4 units chosen from a list of 15 units.

Conducted through distance education.

With 2 units concurrently – 3 years of study.

La Trobe University/APESMA

The MBA collaborationThe MBA collaboration

A staff member from Bergen University College orUniversity of Bergen is working as a tutor in relationto each of the compulsory units – except forone of the units

Legal Studies a compulsory Legal Studies a compulsory unitunit

While Australia belongs to common law countries,Norway belongs to civil law countries.The Legal Studies unit was rewritten to the Norwgian setting, approved by the Faculty of Law, UoB. The unit is given 15 credit points (ECTS)Conducted in the same way as Frontline Mangement, but with an counting assignment in combination with a final examination

Volume activityVolume activity

Frontline Management: 158 7th cohort

Managerial Economics: 60

TQM in Operational Control: 49

Personell Psychology: 16

MBA – Legal studies: 9

The main reason for successThe main reason for successwith the collaborationwith the collaboration

?

The main reason for successThe main reason for successwith the collaborationwith the collaboration

Flts policy+

The academics involved!=

osmosis

Def. of osmosis:

An gradual, and often hardlynoticeable, acceptance of ideas, etc.

Thank you for your attention !

Flt