The reason for the development of this project week was the reform of secondary education in Flanders, requiring first-year pupils to make a broad choice regarding a particular subject cluster. By way of workshops, the project week enabled the pupils to sample the subject clusters of Economics & Organisation, Society & Welfare, Language & Culture, and STEM, thus discovering their talents in relation to those fields of study. For example, the schedule featured several creative labs to explore the concept of sustainability. Workshops focused on Greek, French or English enabled the pupils to sample different languages. Other workshops revolved around robotics and STEM. In other sessions, pupils explored their own body language and identity.

The workshops were developed and presented at four schools by a mixed team of students and teachers from the various schools. Third-stage pupils were also involved in teaching the robotics workshops. Each workshop was attended by the class teacher of the participating pupils.

The success of the project week can be attributed to the fact that it was prompted by an actual need in the professional field, boasted a strong bond of trust, and was developed in co-creation:

• The management teams of the four schools had already contacted one another prior to involving Odisee UAS and found one another in the joint ambition to provide pupils with a better perspective of their options. They chose to join forces with Odisee because of their bond of trust of many years’ standing with the programme involved, and because of their positive experience with work placements. The teacher has indicated Odisee’s openness and keen eye to the needs of (Brussels) schools as the entrance gate to this project. She has testified that the co-creation process has grown organically yet steadily, based on the bond of trust.
• From the very start of the project, all the parties pursued a win-win situation. All the partners contributed on an equal footing.
  • The students participated in the capacity f co-worker rather than trainee; the teachers did not assume the role of expert responsible for setting the course. The project involved a cllective searching process based n the ambition of having the pupils make apprpriate choices regarding the subject clusters.
  • The schols went to a great deal of trouble to receive the students as co-workers, for example, by giving them a tour to get to know the various schools and by setting up collective informal meetings. Rather than being delegated separate minor tasks, the students participated in the development team as fully-fledged members.
  • The need t explore an innovative concept and the cross-school collaboration required both the students and the teachers to step out of their comfort zone.
  • Virtually all the participants perated on a basis of intrinsic mtivation, cnvinced that the project would produce added value for the pupils and learning opportunities for all the participants. This has generated a positive energy in the collaboration.
    
    

After thorough preparations spanning a year and a half, the project week took place in February 2020. The students were involved from the start of the academic year 2019-2020.

Students

• Jointly developing instructional materials and workshops, and jointly teaching, familiarised the teachers and the students with each other’s educational approaches, while concurrently becoming acquainted with different school cultures. This has broadened the horizon of all the participants.
• Furthermore, the students and the teachers learned to differentiate and deal with diverse circumstances and school cultures, as the workshops were taught at different schools and involved different participants (e.g., general secondary education versus technical secondary education, differences in school accommodations, differences in school culture).
• Teachers and students spent a great deal of time together (the project featured, e.g., an introductory tour of the four schools and a collective meal), which provided many opportunities for exchange and informal learning. The work placement coordinator has identified this as the pre-eminent strength of the project.
• The teachers passed on their experience to the students (e.g., what activity is feasible in what context), whilst the students gained more co-developing and co-teaching skills.
• The students collaborated closely in the schools’ day to day operations, which immersed them more fully in the routines. This created learning opportunities that work placements generally do not involve (e.g., participating in difficult meetings with parents, involving parents in the project week).
• The project week has motivated the students to assume ownership: the authentic situation and the challenge to make the project week a success ensured that they continually adapted in order for the project week to achieve its goal.
• Some of the students lived at a considerable distance from the schools. In order to enable such students to participate in the project week without mobility issues, the schools offered them a stay in a nearby youth hostel. The ability to “live together” enhanced the intensity of the collaboration among the students and provided an added incentive to participate.
  
• Several students were subsequently offered jobs by the schools involved.

Teaching staff

Being able to offer students learning opportunities that do not arise during a standard work placement (cf. under “Added value for students”).

The programme

Reinforcing the network with the schools involved. The project has boosted their willingness to provide work placement positions.

The professional field

• Cf. the first three bullets under “Added value for students”.
• More manpower at the schools for the realisation of the workshops.
• The students came to know the Brussels schools as an attractive work environment. This boosts the probability of their wanting to work there.
• The teachers were provided with fresh, creative ideas from the students and their supervisors participating in the project week.
• The presence of class teachers during the workshops created a ripple effect. Several of them also became interested in participating in #fab4+1.

Participating pupils

• The pupils become aware of their talents;
• It increases the probability of the pupils making more confident study choices later on;
• The pupils become acquainted with the curricula offered by the four schools; this perspective enables them to make more targeted study choices.

•  Fitting the projectinto the Bachelor of Secondary Education curriculum required some effort. In 2019-2020, the project replaced part of the regular work placement; in 2021-2022, it will be accommodated in the alternative work placement track.
• The slight misalignment between the academic year calendar and the school year calendar posed something of a challenge in terms of scheduling time for collaboration.
• In a subsequent edition, Odisee would like to involve some subject teachers. These teachers will need to be aware of the fact that they are not participating as steering experts but rather as co-creators.

PXL University College has opted for an educational concept revolving around authenticity, innovation, and co-creation. To support the design process, it has developed its own PXL model in which several elements play a distinct role: authentic context, authentic learning tasks, professional processes, reflection, and articulation of the thought process. This means that every component of the programme must feature a certain degree of authenticity, taking account of the above elements.

The model comprises five core elements:

1. The continuous coordination of conceptualisation and contextualisation (horizontal axis);
2. On the one hand, the university college as a place of learning and on the other, the professional field as a place of learning and working (dark grey range vs green range);
3. Critical reflection throughout all the authentic teaching and learning activities (blue line);
4. Five clusters of authentic teaching and learning activities (clusters A, B, C, D, and E):
   • Developing discipline-based building blocks;
   • Exploring the professional field;
   • Project-based working;
   • Participating in actual practice;
   • Practice-oriented research;
5. Clusters C, D, and E account for at least one-third of the activities.

The community-driven educational model within the Information Technology cluster of programmes is a pre-eminent example of how the PXL Authentic Teaching Model is being substantiated. This model focuses on integrating the daily practices of the business community and the research centres. The collective creation of education for and by the community of junior co-workers (students), co-workers, companies, and researchers is the linchpin within the operation of the cluster of programmes.

The Applied Computer Science professional bachelor’s programme and the System and Network Management first degree programme of the Information Technology cluster have used the model to authenticate their curricula. Figure 2 provides insight into the division of authentic learning activities across the various components. The model affords the programmes the opportunity to render authentic teaching quantifiable, comparable, and open to discussion.

Within the Applied Computer Science professional bachelor’s programme, the model is implemented via programme components (clusters A and B) and via authentic projects (clusters C, D, and E). Cluster A equips the students with specific building blocks (knowledge elements and basic skills) of the Information Technology discipline. Theory is given meaning by establishing links with reality through, e.g., Pluralsight courses, guest lecturers, and authentic assignments that tie in with the students’ social environment (developing MasterMind games, setting up a databank for a cinema et cetera). In cluster B, the students explore the professional field. In seminars, workshops, and innovation routes they observe IT professionals and/or workplace processes. They sample new/modern technologies (chatbots, clean code, test automation, social engineering et cetera) that are subsequently explored, analysed, and ultimately linked to theoretical concepts. Furthermore, with effect from the 2020-2021 academic year, the programme has embarked on designing and teaching a full programme component in collaboration with the professional field. Taking the attainment targets as their point of departure, business professionals develop authentic curriculum content of the eBusiness programme component in collaboration with lecturers and equip students with the essential building blocks in a co-teaching process. In the lessons, they continuously establish links with the actual professional practice.

The third-year IT Project programme component is situated within the clusters C, D, and E; it is a pre-eminent example of authentic teaching. Within the IT Project, junior co-workers collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams (cluster C) on a project basis, working on an authentic assignment for a client/principal in a realistic professional context (cluster D). The result is a final product/prototype providing an innovative solution to a complex, actual practical problem (cluster E). For example, students have developed an omni channel shop prototype, in co-creation with the Elision company, aimed at helping customers find the product they are looking for in a shop while reducing the boundary between their physical and digital experience:

PXL iSpace is creating a realistic professional context at Corda Campus, the IT site of the Dutch province of Limburg, the Euregio Dutch-German collaborative network, and the Belgian community of Flanders. iSpace spans more than 1000 m² and features such facilities as an open project hall, a classroom, and innovation labs. It offers students a place to experiment and collaborate in an authentic framework, 7/7 and 24/24. Furthermore, iSpace is being enhanced with additional project halls embedded within companies based at Corda Campus.

Within the System and Network Management first degree programme, the Authentic Teaching Model is being implemented via flanking programme components (clusters A and B) and work-based learning (clusters B, C, D, and E). It goes without saying that the programme has also embraced community-driven education. The learning process in work-based learning features a four-phase structure, as reflected in Figure 3.

In the Work-based Learning 1 phase, students are offered learning activities that enable them to get to know themselves and become acquainted with the professional field (cluster B, exploring the professional field). The emphasis is on becoming acquainted with the profession of system and network manager and on exploring technological evolutions within the domain. During guest lectures and company visits, hands-on experts explain their jobs and introduce students to present-day technologies. In addition, several workshops are organised to have students gain insight into their personal and professional identity and talents. In the Work-based Learning 2 phase, work-based learning is simulated via an authentic project (cluster C, project-based working). The project brief is formulated in consultation with the professional field. The professional field partners regularly provide interim feedback and assess the final product in collaboration with the learning coaches. The realistic professional context is once more created by iSpace at Corda Campus. The simulation projects ensure that students are sufficiently prepared before transferring to actual work situations in the Work-based Learning 3 and 4 phases (cluster D, participation in actual practice).

Students

Throughout the curriculum:

• Students are learning at and across the boundaries of school context and workplace. This expands their learning potential;
• Students are encouraged to adopt a project-based approach to finding solutions to practical problems;
• Students are practicing integrated professional skills, professional expertise, and professional mindsets in a realistic professional context;
• Students are learning to devise, field-test, and implement new methodologies and products that will result in the desired innovations;

Teaching staff

• Preserve a strong link with the professional practice;

The programme

• An up-to-date curriculum that ties in with the evolutions in the professional practice;

The professional field

• Influence on the study programme and the formation of excellent professionals;
• Graduates ready to start work immediately upon graduation;
• Opportunity to present themselves more distinctly to students (war for talent).
  

• Continued investment in the collective interests of co-creation;
• Coordinating and continuing to focus on the collective goal;
• Transparency in the collaboration in terms of expectations and responsibilities;
• Continued commitment to attracting good partners;
• Expanding collaboration with organisations/companies that are not active in the IT domain.

In both the first and the second semester, we are interrupting the regular lessons after six weeks in the purview of a Challenge Week. During this week, all attention will be focused on a real case commissioned by an external principal. The students study the target group and work in a result-oriented manner on the goals defined by the principal. Here, the process is more important than the product.

We are looking for assignments that are socially relevant and render students aware of the role played by the media in societal issues. In this respect it is important for the issues to be topical, concrete, authentic, and meaningful.

In addition to the assignment, the students are provided with supporting information and methods delivered on a just-in-time basis. The students also apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired previously, in an integrated manner. All this must take place within a timeframe of 1 work week, which inevitably has the students working against the clock.

The selection of a relevant context and issue gives students an incentive and inspires them. This is enhanced by additional presentations and an efficient use of space and place.

The win-win outcome is that the principal is genuinely interested in the opinions of the 18-24-year-olds and harbours a genuine expectation of what can be delivered within such a limited timeframe. The week is rounded off with a jury session in which both the principal and the students select the top 3 entries, which are awarded a nice prize.

The ideas are collected and submitted to the principal. Not uncommonly, the principals will build on the ideas within their own companies.

Students

• Quickly delving into new issues and learning to work under pressure of time;
• Stepping out of their comfort zone;
• Collaboration between teachers and a team of students;
• Networking with businesses;

Teaching staff

• Being and remaining alert;
• Connection with Partners in Education;
• Networking;

Researchers

• Submitting relevant research to students and teachers, enabling them to take account of the latest insights;

The programme

• Firm connection with partners;
• Learning from one another;
• Focus on what is going on;

The professional field

• Being and remaining alert;
• Getting to know the programme and the dynamics of collective learning;
• We set great store by substantiating our programmes in co-creation with the professional field. That is why we have structural collaboration agreements in place with several media and entertainment companies such as DPG Media, Roularta, and Telenet as “Partner in Education”.

• Expanding good partner network;
• It takes power of persuasion to have companies work with first-year students;
• Emphasising to the principal that students operate as a shadow cabinet; importance of proper expectation management;
• Selection of a case that can be handled within a single week;
• Very strict timing;
• Teacher competencies: project management, coordinating project set-up / good briefing, providing students with proper inspiration;
• Coaching;
• Guiding rather than judging; the public and the principal decide.

What is PAUW?

PAUW stands for Partnerships in AUthentic Workplace Learning.

The “authentic” refers to the learning tasks, which are based on an actual, realistic, and topical need of the school. The learning tasks are thus embedded in the school’s requirements regarding the provision of care, on which the school is already working. All the teaching competencies are involved in the performance of the tasks. It is a full-task-approach, representative of an actual teaching position.

“Workplace learning” refers to actual work situations. In addition to subject-related work placements conferring teaching and pedagogical competencies, students will also participate in the school’s process of care, confer on the work floor, attend meetings, elaborate plans, and initiate activities, thus acquiring the teaching competencies that cannot be conferred directly at the application level during a teacher training programme or work placements.

The PAUW project has been rolled out under the overarching aim of the teacher training programmes provided by EhB University, VUB University, and the COOVI and Oranjerie adult education centres, united in EduXL, to develop partnerships with the professional field: schools and teacher training programmes joining forces in order to enhance one another and to bridge the gap between education and the labour market.

The EhB is keen to remain tuned in to what is happening on the work floor. PAUW is the pre-eminent opportunity for programmes to meet and reinforce one another. In this project, the professional field is part of the programme and the programme is part of the professional field. Our aim in every case is to ensure good collaboration between three parties: student, work placement school, EhB teacher training programme.

Examples of PAUW work placements are:

• Developing educational materials for multiple lessons: a series of lessons, a theme, et cetera;
• Elaborating and supervising a theme-based day, e.g., global citizenship, feeling good about yourself, diversity, et cetera;
• Giving workshops during a theme-based day;
• Developing evaluation instruments, e.g., adaptive evaluation, observation lists, et cetera;
• Organising and providing additional support during field trips;
• Integrating useful IT tools in a theme;
• Developing independent learning kits for several lessons;
• Participating in school care process;
• …

PAUW aims and objectives

A PAUW work placement is offered to all the students enrolled in the Secondary Education Teaching associate degree programme or (abridged) Bachelor of Secondary Education programme provided by EhB University. The work placement is aimed at enabling the graduates, upon completing their teacher training programme, to demonstrate their capability of adopting an inquisitive attitude.

The abridged programme lacks the time and space for thorough academic research. Within the small-scale context of the work placement, we are nonetheless confident that students can develop some of the skills and attitudes required of a researching teacher.

It is essential for a PAUW task to be substantiated in a highly concrete manner within an authentic educational context. That is why we set great store by good collaboration and open communication between the (work placement) school and the teacher training programme. A PAUW work placement can be regarded as a success if it fosters the learning process of the three partners: the student, the PAUW school, and the teacher training programme.

How is the PAUW work placement structured?

Students have several weeks (depending on the period in which they will be doing the PAUW work placement) to work on their PAUW task and the associated work placement. The full PAUW project comprises four stages.

1. Preparation

The students look for a school at which to do their work placement. This can be either a school at which they have already gained previous work placement experience or a school that is new to them. Schools that are already acquainted with the PAUW and Researching School concept may also submit proposals regarding projects in which they perceive a researching and participatory role for our students. Furthermore, via the forum/Intranet, EhB University regularly presents proposals for PAUW projects in which students can participate.

After defining the research question, the students draw up an action plan (associate degree programme) or a research design (bachelor programme), comprising a concrete schedule. This calls for good and transparent agreements between supervisors (mentors) and students. A good schedule is a guideline for the students and enables the (work placement) school to properly monitor the process and adjust course wherever necessary.

2. Execution

The students work out the action plan in concrete details: students and work placement school jointly elaborate the product, under the supervision of the EhB teacher training programme. Furthermore, students also formulate conclusions based on their interpretation of the research results.

The students record the PAUW task in a file that, preferably, can be disseminated in a digital format (e.g., via the Klascement network). In principle, the students and other co-workers from the professional field can immediately set to work with the PAUW task and the products developed in a teaching setting. For that reason, we request students to field-test at least one element of their PAUW task in an authentic (teaching) context (within the framework of another programme component).

3. Reflection

The students reflect on their role as a researching teacher on the basis of the research process that they have completed. Furthermore, the students reflect on the final product that they have designed, the process, the development of the eventual PAUW task, and the collaboration within the group.

Throughout the PAUW project, the students keep a portfolio on their own research process. In this portfolio, they delve more deeply into the preparation, execution, and their self-reflection. The work placement school and the teacher training programme have the right to peruse the portfolio at any time.

4. Reporting

The final stage in the research process revolves around reporting. In short: the students provide feedback on their research to the workplace (the work placement school). This reporting stage is embedded in the final result: we expect the experience gained during the field tests to be incorporated into the final result.

5. Presentation

During the PAUW event, the students present their PAUW tasks to one another and to the professional field. This event is open to any interested party from the “participating” school. It thus opens up opportunities to expand networks and become acquainted with the graduates who will shortly be joining the teaching force. For the students, it is a good exercise in communication, in which they learn to present themselves to the professional field and to external parties.

Students

Students have the opportunity effectively to be a member of a staff team at a school, to a much greater degree than they would during a subject-related work placement. This enables them to acquire competencies that are not specifically focused on teaching as such, but rather on such other professional skills as collaborating and elaborating projects in an effective team, with all the associated organisational and administrative duties. The work placement also enables students to expand their professional contacts.

Teaching staff

Consultation with work placement schools is embedded in the process. Teachers can thus keep a finger on the pulse. By supervising students on work placement, teachers also keep in touch with the professional field.

The programme

Supervision of students by the teacher training programme fosters the exchange of expertise between the university college and the professional field. Research and innovation flow back to the schools and vice versa.

The PAUW project fosters a (cultural) change in which the professional field is increasingly regarded as a fully-fledged extension of the learning environment, whose involvement in work placements extends beyond merely offering work placement positions.

The professional field

The product can be used for years on end, not only by the work placement school but also by other teachers and schools once the student has shared the material in the Klascement network.

Via the PAUW work placement, the EhB teacher training programme can tie in with the needs of the professional field.

Supervision of students by the teacher training programme fosters the exchange of expertise between the university college and the professional field. Research and innovation flow back to the schools and vice versa.

Challenges

The VOEG programme comprises two different programmes that are being organised in conjunction:

• Associate degree in Secondary Education Teaching (level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework);
• Abridged Bachelor of Secondary Education programme (level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework).

This calls for differentiation by respective level in all the programme components, including the PAUW work placement. The aims and objectives defined for the PAUW work placement differ according to the student’s level. In the research stage of the work placement, first degree students (e.g., someone who has worked as a hairdresser for 20 years and now wishes to become a teacher) will take the first steps in a research track: drawing up the research question, collecting data, et cetera. Bachelor’s students will need to exert full research competencies in their work placement. The differentiation by level is both a challenge and something to work on.

Furthermore, the group of VOEG students is diverse as well. The group usually consists of:

• Fulltime students;
• Students combining the programme with a family and/or a (fulltime) job;
• Students already employed as a Trainee Teacher who wish to earn teaching qualifications.

For the second category, that of working students, planning the PAUW work placement poses a challenge. Because their time is limited, this category tends to treat the work placement in a slightly stepmotherly way. Furthermore, in many cases they fail to see any added value. Convincing these students is a challenge.

The third category, that of Trainee Teachers, has the option of doing their PAUW work placement within their own work environment.

Differentiation between the students poses a challenge to the programme. For that reason, VOEG is exploring other ways to tackle the PAUW work placements.

The supervision of VOEG students is currently realised by dividing the students among the teachers. The teachers are thus assumed to be all-rounders who are familiar with the content and set-up of all the other programme components. In some cases, the school fails to sufficiently encourage the teachers to accommodate the PAUW work placement.

Opportunities

With effect from next year, designated PAUW coaches will be appointed to supervise the students in a more specific and efficient manner, thus garnering more support for the work placement. The appointment of designated PAUW coaches will also enable translation of the (abstract) aims, objectives, and expectations of the PAUW work placement to the student context.

As indicated under “Added value”, the programme intends the PAUW work placement to foster a change in which the involvement of the professional field in work placements extends beyond merely opening up to trainees. By the following academic year, VOEG intends to join forces with the regular Bachelor of Secondary Education programme (which also organises PAUW work placements) and expand its partnerships to a limited number of schools that are explicitly committed to the PAUW work placements. Its ultimate goal is the joint training of students through the PAUW work placement. The programme is still exploring ways to convey this message to potential partner schools.

Because of its research element, the PAUW work placement fosters lifelong learning among (first degree) students. Insight into research leads to an inquisitive and critical attitude, thus supporting lifelong learning.

Under the ESF project on “Smart organisation of a dual education system: Electromechanics professional bachelor’s programme” (March 2019 - February 2021), Agoria joined forces with nine university colleges in Flanders to set up a framework for the introduction of the dual education system in higher education. Our programme has participated in these efforts. Within this context, we launched the learning communities with effect from the 2020-2021 academic year. The ESF project has now been completed; however, the learning community that we have built with our partners (Agidens, Agoria, BASF, DRiV, EMDS, Engie Solutions, Maintenance Partners, PDM, Plascobel, REM-B Hydraulics, Somati Systems, Soudal) will remain in place and continue to work on this issue.

Our aim is to introduce students step by step to the business community and to workplace learning. To this end, we have designed a growth scenario in concert with Agoria and the university colleges, extending across the three bachelor’s years:

• Phase 1 (building dual learning learning competencies): This phase is focused on social skills and on an introduction to actual business practice, in order to prepare students for workplace learning. Students are put in contact with the companies on a limited number of occasions.
• Phase 2 (dual learning): At the workplace, students are taught technical competencies relating to one or more programme components. Attention is also paid to the acquisition of such generic skills as project management skills, independence, and problem-solving skills. Workplace learning accounts for a larger proportion of students’ workload.
• Phase 3 (dual learning): At the workplace, students acquire integrated knowledge and competencies that extend across several programme components. Workplace learning accounts for a considerable proportion of the students’ workload and is primarily linked to the project involved in the bachelor’s thesis.

Our programme has set to work with this framework. To this end, we have established a learning community which also involves businesses. Every meeting of this learning community addresses a specific theme and has a clear focus, e.g., which soft skills are especially important for our students, what technical competencies can students acquire at the workplace and what is the best approach, et cetera. The number of sessions and the methodology employed vary according to the goal. In the early stages of the excellence track, bi-monthly consultations are in order. Due to the current Covid-19 situation, all consultations have had to take place online. Synchronous document sharing ensured efficient communication. For example, when collectively setting down the soft skills, we simultaneously shared a document enabling a teacher to register the soft skills being discussed. As all the other participants saw this document as well, the final result was clear to everyone. This sparked a highly educative discussion, as the collective formulation of the soft skills once more demonstrated the importance of properly defining the soft skills.

Within this learning community we have translated and further developed the framework.

During the first session of the learning community, we explored, in concert with interested companies, which soft skills are especially important for our professional field. After all, our goal is to have each student acquire work-based learning competencies, starting in phase 1, by focusing on soft skills.

Our programme had prepared a framework in which, in our opinion, the soft skills could be accommodated. The framework was based on the soft skills required within dual learning in secondary education.

• Step 1: Together with the professional field, we reviewed and adjusted the framework.
• Step 2: In a focus meeting with the professional field, we drew up a list and definitions of the required soft skills. Discussions among representatives of the professional field and discussions with teachers generated innovative insights among both parties.

We will collectively explore how we can teach these skills in college and/or at the workplace.

During the second session of this learning community, we elaborated the framework for dual learning within the programme, together with the companies. Our vision is to create a curriculum for excellent students that enables them to acquire technical competencies associated with particular programme components at the workplace. In preparation for the second learning community, we have selected several course units. During the second meeting of the learning community, we reviewed the selected course units with the participating companies in terms of content. The issues that were addressed and jointly substantiated included:

• What substantive competencies will be given priority in the course unit?
• Which of these could be offered at the workplace, in whole or in part?
• How can this process be supervised by the college and by the company?
• How can this be evaluated?

These discussions have ensured that both teachers and companies continue to focus on the same aims and objectives.

We will continue this approach and thus address the following issues in more detail:

• Evaluation dossier on Soft Skills phase 1;
• Evaluation dossier on course units being taught at the workplace;
• Selection and matching of student – company – course unit.

Students

Students will acquire work-based learning competencies, starting in phase 1. Creating this framework in concert with participating companies will ensure that students’ soft skills will be geared to the professional field in which they will end up.

Excellent students will be given an additional challenge in order to inspire them to raise the bar even further.

Teaching staff

Substantive consultations on the technical competencies within the course units will ensure that teachers can thus check their course unit against the professional field and that the course units will remain up-to-date.

The programme

• Proper emphasis on soft skills within the programme;
  
• Subjects to be included in the excellence track will ensure cross-pollination with the programme.

The professional field

• Contacts with students will provide companies with a forum for campus recruitment;
• Employees who are ready to start work immediately upon graduation.

We are requesting companies to teach several technical competencies at the workplace. This calls for some commitment among these companies. Ergo, the challenge is to find a sufficient number of companies that perceive the added value of what we are asking from them.