The Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice, in its efforts to implement the Bologna Declaration guidelines, set out to sytematise and consolidate its cooperation with the business community. The UBICO project was designed to help identify the possibilities of cooperation with companies in the global dimension, and help remove the existing systemic and institutional barriers limiting the exploitation of these possibilities.
Aims and targets
Apart from the University of Economics in Katowice, the project included Norwegian partners: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Harstad University College, which presented their own successful models of cooperating with the business world. The acquisition and comparison of experience has taken place during study visits at the partner institutions and at a joint Polish and Norwegian seminar hosting representatives of the HEIs, business and students.
The results may be used both for seeking and implementing innovative solutions and research for practice, and for encouraging greater involvement of business representatives in study programmes design and delivery.
Strategy and actions
The aim is to identify the procedures and conditions for developing a curriculum with the involvement of business representatives, leading to the creation of a pilot study programme with students working on projects addressing the real needs of companies. All these activities will facilitate the improvement of organizational efficiency of university units responsible for contacts with business, and in addition they will have a significant impact on improving the quality of education and the competitive edge of our university and its graduates in the domestic and international labour market.
Monitoring and evaluation
To be assessed after 2010.
Funding/Cost effectiveness
Total budget: PLN 231,552, supported by EEA and Norwegian financial mechanisms.
Sustainability/Transferability
At the core of the project is an exploration of the transferability/adaptability of Norwegian experience to Polish conditions.
Outcomes/impacts
Achievements
The project results may be used in the area of developing innovative solutions and putting them into operation, to support research for practice, as well as to increase the involvement of business representatives in the development and delivery of study programmes. The Norwegian experience, paired with an analysis of the needs of companies and the university, constituted a basis for constructing a model of university’s cooperation with the environment, applicable in the Polish conditions. Moreover, the project sought to identify the procedures and conditions for including business representatives in the process of curriculum design, resulting in the development of a pilot study programme requiring the students to carry out projects addressing the real needs of companies.
Success factors
To be assessed after 2010
Unintended impacts
Strengths and weaknesses
One major strength is that the Norwegian experience combined with an analysis of the needs of companies and universities is intended to result in the development of a model of a university's cooperation with the business environment, applicable in the Polish conditions.
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