EURASHE organised a Workshop on Learning Outcomes (LOs) titled ‘Community of Practice Workshop on Learning Outcomes within PHE Context‘ in Prague (Czech Republic) on 13 December 2013. It is organised by EURASHE, the Czech Association of Schools of Professional Higher Education (CASPHE) and the College of Nursing (VŠZ). Underneath are further information on:
(Photograph: CC by-sa by Andrés Nieto Porras)

Day 0 – Thursday 12 December 2013
19.00 – Welcome reception
‘Trick bar’ in Malostranská Beseda – 7.00 pm; Malostranské náměstí 21, 118 00 Prague 1
Day 1 – Friday 13 December 2013
08.50 – Pick up from recommended hotel
Meeting point: 8.50 am in the reception area of the IBIS Praha Malá Strana Hotel, Plzeňská 14, 150 00 Prague 5
09.00 – Registration
09.30 – Welcome and opening of the workshop
EURASHE and its policies, Michal Karpíšek, Vice-President of EURASHE, Executive Officer of the Czech Association of Schools of Professional Higher Education (CASPHE) (Czech Republic)
09.40 – Plenary session I: Learning outcomes, their formulation and relevance within the wider context
Characteristics of PHE across Europe, Anthony F. Camilleri, Senior Consultant at Knowledge Innovation Centre (KIC-Malta) (Malta)
Labour market & Learning Outcomes (Flemish case), Irene Hermans, Leuven University College (KHLeuven) (Belgium)
Learning Outcomes – Reflection of the labour market and its assessment (Austrian case), Gabriele Abermann, Professor of English and Intercultural Communication at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (Austria)
10.40 – Working group themes
10.50 – Coffee break
11.10 – Working groups I: Learning outcomes and external factors
Reflecting labour market trends and developments
Feedback from stakeholders
Accreditation & quality enhancement
12.10 – Report from the working groups I and discussions
12.30 – Lunch
13.30 – Plenary session II: Methods of delivery and assessment
Meeting Learning Outcomes: Linking Theory and Practice Irish experience with Work-based learning, Oran Doherty, Work Based Learning (WBL) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Facilitator at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) (Ireland) – supporting documentation
Meeting Learning Outcomes: Methods of Delivery & Students’ Assessment Experience of Dean Faculty of Business, Danutė Rasimavičienė, Vilniaus Kolegija/University of Applied Sciences (Lithuania)
14.10 – Coffee break
14.30 – Working groups II: Reflection of learning outcomes in methods of delivery and assessment
Methods of teaching & learning
Practical dimension in curricula
Methods of students’ assessment
15.30 – Report from the working groups II
16.00 – Workshop conclusions
16.20 – Closing of the workshop
18.00 – Optional social programme (additional fee)
‘Mysterious Prague’ tour – 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm; Meeting point: 5.45 pm in the reception area of the IBIS Praha Malá Strana Hotel, Plzeňská 14, 150 00 Prague 5
View the programme in the portfolio here.
Learning Outcomes within PHE context
Issues of learning outcomes and employability have been given a core attention in EURASHE’s policy documents, reflecting the recent developments within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the position of EURASHE as the representative of professional higher education (PHE).
Building study programmes on the basis of labour market needs, translation of these requirements into expected learning outcomes and adopting relevant methods of teaching & learning including practical elements, adequate methods of students’ assessment, as well as their reflection in quality assurance seem to be profiling characteristics of PHE throughout Europe.
EURASHE has paid attention to these issues on the systemic policy level, running the project on mapping generic characteristics of PHE across Europe (HAPHE project), reflecting European policy documents on higher education developments and competitiveness. In 2013 efforts concentrated on better understanding issues of graduates’ employability resulting into a draft policy statement. However, the external limitations and conditions, as well as practice in different countries and institutions seem to differ.
Policy statement and conferences may provide a good basis for further discussion; yet provide very little opportunity to share concrete experience and practices. Thus, there comes the proposal to bring together a group of practitioners in order to allow them to discuss challenges, barriers as well as good practices, to learn from each other, build new contacts – but also to get from the discussion more inspiration and input for further policy endeavours of EURASHE at European level. The event is also a part of EURASHE’s efforts to provide more practically oriented events and strengthen its communication with institutions, in particular its members.
This EURASHE Community of Practice Workshop on Learning Outcomes within PHE Context proposed discussions and debates on the following topics: reflection of labour market needs, promotion of graduates’ employability, learning outcomes translation into content, methods of learning and assessment in PHE.
Workshop proceedings
A Community of Practice Workshop should be based on a few presentations of practice in different countries and institutions providing PHE, which should feed into further discussion of participants in small groups and consequent plenary sessions.
The Community of Practice Workshop is a new format for sharing experience within EURASHE events; it allowed participants to share and discuss their concrete experience and practices as regards reflections of labour market needs in learning outcomes, curricula, methods of teaching & learning and students’ assessment, as well as used practices regarding reflection of these key aspects within accreditation and evaluation procedures.
In the working groups, the discussions centred around issues of labour market needs mapping, their reflection in learning outcomes and curricula, approaches to evaluation of relevance and achievements as regards learning outcomes and practical aspects of education, experience with different methods of delivery of the courses and assessment of students’ performance.
The experience and evaluation of the workshop allowed for the development of the core of the Community of Practice, which should continue in sharing the experience on teaching & learning in professionally oriented programmes and courses at higher education institutions.






Seminar map
View EURASHE Workshop on LOs in Google Maps here.
Workshop location
The workshop was hosted by College of Nursing (VŠZ) at Duškova 7, 150 00 Prague 5. It is shown (in yellow) on the map above.
Social programme
Welcome reception on Thursday 12 December at 7.00 pm.
‘Trick bar’ in Malostranská Beseda – 7.00 pm; Malostranské náměstí 21, 118 00 Prague 1 (in blue on the map underneath).
Mysterious Prague optional social programme on Friday 13 December at 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm – additionnal 25 EUR fee.
One hundred towers, a thousand streets, a million little secrets, one river… Prague. A city, where you can love a hundred times every day. Street, embankment, churches, parks. Tile scuffed history and arcade throbbing with life. The sites draw only a fraction of reflection of the real beauty. The tour ‘Mysterious Prague’ uses the beautiful scenery of the capital, its streets and guides you through the important personalities of the Golden history.
Organisers



- 2013 Workshop LO: Evaluation summary (0.5 MB)
- 2013 Workshop LO: Portfolio (1.5 MB)
- 2013 Workshop LO: Programme (0.4 MB)
- 2013 Workshop LO: Rationale (0.4 MB)
- 2013 Workshop LO: Report (1.1 MB)
- Labourmarket and learning outcomes (The Flemish case) (1.2 MB)
- Learning Outcomes and Labour Market - Communication Curriculum Design in Information Technology at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (6.1 MB)
- Linking theory and practice with Work Based Learning (WBL) (1.2 MB)
- Linking theory and practice with Work Based Learning (WBL) supporting documents (1.9 MB)
- Outcomes of teaching: Methods of teaching and student assessment (Experience of Lithuanian Colleges) (2.8 MB)
- Profiling and Quality Assuring Professional Higher Education (1.7 MB)