The workshops were an anonym, so it wasn’t allowed to take pictures during the workshops. In this picture is a beautiful window view from the University of Mitrovica. (Hyvönen, Kaisa)
Cooperation between universities and work life partners is important for Universities of Prishtina, Mitrovica, Tirana and Korca in Kosovo and Albania. Working life-oriented teaching methods are included to study modules. Students for example practice in laboratories of universities, visit in farms and companies and practice e-learning skills. These skills what students learn with working life-oriented teaching methods, are needed in a work life in the future.
In Dual AFS -project (Dual curricula – Study and Work Practice in Agriculture and Food safety) six project partners from the agricultural and food sector from Finland, Germany, Albania, and Kosovo develop dual curricula and lifelong learning. Savonia’s natural resources and rural industries degree include a lot of working life-oriented teaching methods and cooperation with work life partners. Savonia has a lot of knowledge to export of these topics.
It’s important to meet work life partners and take a time with colleagues from the own university and share knowledge. In the end of September – beginning of October were workshops for all project partners in Albania and Kosovo. In workshops participants, mostly teachers, discussed together what does a working life orientation mean, what kind of working life-oriented methods teachers used at their lectures 2-3 years ago, what kind of methods they use nowadays and what kind of methods they would like to use more in the future.
Different kind of digital tools are part of working life orientation for many participants. Excel, Kahoot, Google Classroom and Zoom are few examples of digital tools which was mentioned. Students have for example short practices and visits at farms/companies and case studies included to their lectures. Cases teachers receive from research and a work life. Earlier lectures were included more of theory but nowadays there is more practical part also. Some universities have a challenge to find companies where students could do a longer internship trainee. Teachers hope that students could be there from several weeks to a few months. Many participants of the workshops hope that in the future a cooperation between university and work life partner will improve. A development process of cooperation takes a lot of time.
Results of the workshops will be published in the beginning of January 2024.
Kaisa Hyvönen
RDI-specialist
Savonia University of Applied Sciences
