Future-proof Education at Ghent University: What?

Prompted by economic, social and environmental needs, the transformation of higher education is at a tipping point. 

Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalisation process and provided additional innovation opportunities. With this project, and based on criteria stipulated in various European policy agendas, Ghent University wants to review its education offer and make it future-proof: 

• those agendas include that of the European Education Area (2020), the European Skills Agenda, (2020), the European Strategy for Universities including the European Universities initiative, and a European approach to micro-credentials;
• European vision texts such as Universities without Walls, a vision for 2030 (EUA, 2021) and Possible Scenarios on the Path towards a European Degree (EUA & ENQA, 2020).

  

Ghent University wants to focus on a future-proof and flexible education offer. In the next five years, we will review our study programmes based on five future-proof criteria: 

• the T-shaped professional: does the study programme offer a well-considered balance between acquiring the discipline-specific competencies, which are still very important, and the generic competencies, which are gaining importance?
• inter-/multi-/transdisciplinarity in the curriculum: do students from different disciplines interact with each other during the study programme?
• the stepping stone principle: does the study programme systematically integrate the stepping stone principle into the curriculum, allowing students to acquire international and intercultural competencies?
• social embedding: does the study programme answer future social needs, based on/using 'real-life challenges'? Does it offer students opportunities for social engagement and work placement?
• student-centred: does the study programme offer flexible learning opportunities and learning pathways so that students can personalise their education in a competence-oriented way? Is there room for on self-management and coaching of the student?

    

The European Universities initiative ENLIGHT, of which UGent is a member, will support the implementation and reviewing of these principles.

In the context of the Apollo project, Ghent University will work on future-proof education through university-wide initiatives, and initiatives at faculty and study programme level. Find out more below!  

University-wide Initiatives

• developing a vision and methodologies to support the embedding of Ghent University's five future-proof criteria in the study programmes through innovation of the learning outcomes, curriculum, and assessment;
• setting up professional development initiatives and hands-on coaching for study programmes and lecturers, on how to implement future-proof education;
• supervising the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these future-proof curricula in a diverse group of twenty pilot programmes from various faculties.
  

The development of the vision and methodologies runs parallel to the processes in the faculties. We therefore aim for a co-creation process between the faculties, programmes and the support staff at university level.

  

Contact: Sabine Lamote, Evi Van Mol and Thibault Hoogstoel