TRANS-DOC TRANS-Atlantic and TRANSferability aspects of DOCtoral training 2010-2012 Vicerrectorado de Relaciones Internacionales y Cooperación al Desarrollo

TRANS-DOC TRANS-Atlantic and TRANSferability

aspects of DOCtoral training2010-2012

Vicerrectorado deRelaciones Internacionales

y Cooperación al Desarrollo

Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo Santander, 4 de julio de 2013

Nuevas Estrategias del Doctorado Internacional

Vicerrectorado de Relaciones Internacionales y Cooperación al DesarrolloUniversidad de Granada

TRANS-DOC (2010-12)

Concentrated on transversal skills of PhD students as common area of interest

Partners from target area play major role

Partners developed increased ownership of the project

Used the BALANCE network


Background

The BALANCE Project (2006-2009) concentrated on information on the development of a European Higher Education Area and the opportuinites open to partners in North American universities.

An Information Campaign Four training seminars at the universities of

Barcelona, Cambridge, Graz and Turku Two evaluation conference-type meetings in North

America.


TRANS-DOC consortium

Coimbra Group, Belgium (Co-ordinator)University of Graz, AustriaUniversity of Leuven, BelgiumAarhus University, DenmarkUniversity of Granada, SpainUniversity of Alberta, CanadaYork University, CanadaUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New York, United StatesUniversity of California, Davis, United States


Associate Partners

Europe: University of Barcelona, University of Goettingen, University of Groningen, University of Iasi, University of Jena, University of Padova, University of Turku, University of Uppsala, Åbo Akademi

Canada: Dalhousie University, University of Manitoba, McGill University, McMaster University, University of New Brunswick, University of Ottawa, University of Western Ontario

United States of America: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, University of Yale.


Overall objectives

Facilitate collaboration at doctoral levelStimulate networking between universitiesEnhance employability prospects for PhD studentsEnhance global citizenship and social responsibility through increased quality and multi-disciplinarity of researchProvide universities with their own in-house trainers, through the train the trainers component included in the project


Main activities

Survey on PhD structure and administration at European and North American universities

Generic Template for a Transferable Skills Course Buffalo SUNY pilot course on Transferable Skills for

PhD students (July-August 2012) Participation in the evaluation of LEADER training

programme at Aarhus University (August 2011) 3 Train-the-Trainers courses (March 2012) Seminar on Trans-Atlantic Cooperation in Doctoral

Training


TRANS-DOC Survey

Questionaire (19 questions)

A) PhD organization at institutional level

B) Structure of PhD programmes

C) Information on Graduate Schools, PhD Schools, PhD Programs or Research Schools

D) Policies Support to mobility Transferable skills and employability

On-line survey available from December 2011 through June 2012

Answers: 170 (17 Canada, 56 USA, 97 Europe)


Survey Main Findings

Structural differences:Time-to-degree duration (integration of MA in US)

Emerging trendsInternationalisation dimension at HEIs in Europe is particularly strong, but internationalisation efforts growing in North America tooProvision of transferable skills courses: growing awareness


Possibilities? Research co-operation – joint research labour market The future Horizon 2020 “Third country” co-operation Transferable Skills and Employability Support Joint/double degree programmes

Challenges and Structural Challenges? Leadership and institutional structures Master’s level Fees Language of Instruction


Train-the-Trainers Courses

Goals To help those involved in training doctoral students

understand the what and why of transferable skills To develop an in-depth understanding of the potential

audiences and their needs To develop and gain practical experience in the

delivery of a transferable skills seminar that informs doctoral students about:o Communicationo Team buildingo Project leadershipo Entrepreneurial skills


Train-the-Trainers Courses

UC Davis (5-6 March 2012) Granada (12-13 March 2012) York University (22-23 March 2012)

Target audience 12-15 individuals involved in graduate student

professional training


Template Transferable Skills Course

Coimbra Group Summer Course, Bergen 2007 LEADER course at Aarhus University, 2011 Experiences with transferable skills courses from individual

universities on both sides of the Atlantic May/may not have overarching theme Mix of disciplines Experiential learning Group discussions Daily evaluation sessions + final evaluation session Focus on communication, collaboration, self-awareness,

knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, ethics and social responsibility

Publication of Template (+- 200 copies)


Buffalo Pilot Course

22 PhD students from Europe and North America

Selection procedure: CV + letter of motivation + letter of support

Mix of academic disciplines

Instructors from Europe, US and Canada

Course Coordinator from Buffalo

In-Progress Evaluation and Summative Evaluation

What I found most compelling of today’s workshop is how to understand the meanings of transferable competencies and how to develop these competencies/survival skills to be a responsible professional.

Student C in week 1

Meta-cognition of the importance of Transferable Skills

Transferring the kinds of knowledge that we acquired in graduate studies to the campus-external community is a presentation of personal aspiration for socioeconomic mobility; but at the same time it is a contribution of higher education professionals to the society. The nature of knowledge transfer is well indicated in Dr. Genco’s key position that the goal of transferring technology (or knowledge) is ‘about society’, not anything like commercializing our ideas.

Student I in week 2

Knowledge Transfer


Societal needs - graduate programs need to be responsive to societal needs and advance our societies in the 21st century

From challenges to TRANSferability recognize the changing landscape of graduate education develop the students’ potential for social roles and social

responsibility

Buffalo Pilot Course - Conclusions


Graduate students needs - graduate education needs to responsive to its students – develop domains of competencies increase their capacities in transferable skills increase their awareness of different career paths raise the students’ potential to play multiple roles

Graduate Schools need to develop a greater integration of content areas and the processes of socialization of the graduate student

Buffalo Pilot Course - Conclusions


Closing SeminarTransferability Across the Atlantic

Seminar on Trans-Atlantic Cooperation in Doctoral Training

Brussels, October 15, 2012 +- 50 participants Distribution of Template (paper version) Follow-up activities- Future plans

continue collaboration establish new project framework evaluate the use of the template develop train-the-trainer courses revise the survey build on trust and mutual interests

¡Muchas gracias por su atención!

¿Preguntas, comentarios, …?


www.coimbra-group.eu/transdoc

Documents

TRANS-DOC TRANS-Atlantic and TRANSferability aspects of DOCtoral training 2010-2012 Vicerrectorado de Relaciones Internacionales y Cooperación al Desarrollo