Abstract

1
Abstract

• Student involvement in cross-national
  decision-making processes hasdramatically
  increased over the last years. In Europe, BEST
  (Board ofEuropean Students of Technology) has
  provided a solid and sound input to engineering
  education policies at European level and
  beyond.Building up on the experiences of BEST, a
  new worldwide studentinitiative has been
  starting to take shape, under the acronym
  ofSPEED (Student Platform for Engineering
  Education Development). The challenges and the
  opportunities of such initiatives are
  beinghandled by an increasingly large group of 
  internationally diverse students, a new breed of
  global engineers who look beyond the borders of
  their education and of their countries. Our
  belief is that the involvement of this kindof
  students, in global processes dealing with
  engineering education ,can bring a significant
  contribution to the field, as well as
  anincreased connectivity of people and ideas
  that ultimately drive ustowards global
  understanding, social cohesion and reunion with
  nature.

2
Building, maintaining and expanding student
participation in engineering education
3
Building, maintaining and expanding student
participation in engineering education
4
Building, maintaining and expanding student
involvement in engineering education
5
Our message

• Student involvement is
• a crucial element in engineering education
• far from being mission accomplished all over
  the world
• an important (global) challenge
• We are working on it, you can help too!

6
What is student involvement?
A definition
to involve to have within or as part of
itself (source Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary)
7
What is student involvement?
3 levels
National
Faculty/University
Classroom
8
What is student involvement?
3 levels
National
Faculty/University

• feedback on course materials, structure, content
• responsibility of learning process

Classroom
9
What is student involvement?
3 levels
National
Faculty/University

• Sessions in GCEE

Classroom
10
What is student involvement?
3 levels
National

• shaping learning environment
• engagement in wider institutional goals

Faculty/University
Classroom
11
What is student involvement?
3 levels

• setting common frameworks of operation for
  educational system
• shaping future society

National
Faculty/University
Classroom
12
What is student involvement?
3 levels

• Norway (sanctioned by law)

National
Faculty/University
Classroom
13
Winds of change
Top-bottom
National
Determining a common ground to build upon
Faculty/University
Classroom
14
Winds of change
Bottom-up
National
Influencing practices on daily basis and
spreading the change
Faculty/University
Classroom
15
Winds of change
Daily business
National
Mutual interactions among stakeholders and
interdependencies among factors in the system
Faculty/University
Classroom
16
My experience
Shortcut approach
BEST Board of European Students of Technology
European
National
Faculty/University
Classroom
17
BEST

• Since 1989
• To promote Europe among Europeans
• Services for students Complementary Education,
  Educational Involvement and Career Support
  (discontinued)
• 1700 members in 75 local groups, gt20 countries

18
BEST - education-related activities

• EU Thematic Networks
• European organizations SEFI, FEANI, etc.
• BEST Events on Education, since 1996
• The link between students and their education

19
The impact of BEST

• Networks
• Input at local level
• Input at European level
• People
• Projects

20
Why student involvement is so important?

• Students catalysts of change
• Motivation
• Empowerment
• Pool of diverse ideas

21
Barriers to student involvement

• Need to overcome
• Habits
• Cultural barriers
• funding

22
Going international
Worldwide?
?
European
National
Faculty/University
Classroom
23
Continuing the Involvement on a Global Level
24
Current State Challenges of Global Student
Connections
25
Crafting a Global EE Student Society
26
Strategic Orientation of SPEED

• Local academic engagement on 3 initial levels
  specified by Nicolo
• Links with student unions

• Communicating central student ideas
• Forging new partnerships

SPEED

• Assuring we have the means and networks to act
  globally
• Assuring impact of our activities

27
Global Context of EE
28
Benefits of student involvement
29
Help us with the inclusion process
30
Thank you !
Questions Answers Andrej Bulat
Nicolo Wojewoda
?