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PHE Definition and Characteristics Framework
Roadmap for succesful harmonisation of professional higher education in Europe – General Conference Report
Professional Higher Education in Europe: Characteristics, Practice examples and National differences
Chapter 2 gives information on research aims and methodology of the “HAPHE” (Harmonising Approaches to Professional Higher Education) initiative, which made this publication possible.
Chapter 3 is a central part of this book. The authors suggest a validated definition for PHE and present a structured set of characteristics (framework) including quality criteria. The three framework dimensions: policy and strategy, teaching and learning, and research, development and innovation are accompanied by examples of PHE from several European countries. Those examples where gathered from programmes and institutions that have developed a clear professional profile in all or most of the framework criteria.
Chapter 4 outlines differences in PHE systems in 15 EU member states for curricular requirements, PHE provision on EQF levels, the recognition of professional degrees, and, not less importantly, access to (research) funding.
Chapter 5 builds on the outcomes of all previous chapters and formulates recommendations to European and national policy-makers, the providers of PHE policy, and individuals/organisations working on quality development.
Diversity of Professional Higher Education in Europe / HAPHE project outcomes
The issue of institutional diversity has moved to the centre of policy discussions in Europe. With such questions as how to ensure the competitiveness of knowledge-based societies and respond to the diversity of students’ and stakeholder demands and needs.
Understanding professional higher education in Europe needs to take into account the complex reality of institutional responses and the internal mix of the HE institutions’ missions.
EURASHE and its members have found that there is no real consensus as to the definition of Professional HE, with variations being found in type of institution/programme providing it, EQF levels, qualifications offered and more. The diversification of HE Institutions is only exasperating the problem. Thus, among many ‘traditional’ professional education institutions, academic drift is being observed, (‘Fachhochschulen’ becoming Universities of applied Sciences), while on the other hand, a trend to provide professionally oriented -/practically orientated- study programmes (e.g. theoretical physicists promote "econophysics") is becoming popular among ‘traditional’ academic institutions.
The consortium’s motivation, dovetails neatly with that of the European Commission, who, in its modernisation agenda for universities, stresses the linkage between education, labour market, research and innovation as strategic and crucial for reaching the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy. The commission also identifies a huge gap between graduate competences and labour market’s needs, as well as the need to improve recognition of qualifications and to strengthen QA policy and practices.
EURASHE and the consortium members have explored the field of professional Higher Education extensively through collecting specific information in 16 European countries about national PHE systems, institutional profiles of providers and through quantitative and qualitative surveys and research. Harmonisation of the field of Professional HE across Europe as a key factor in enabling and strengthening growth of the EHEA as a whole which will:
• Accelerate development of the professional education at EQF level 6+
• Improve trans-national recognition of professionalised qualifications
• Improve coordination, and collaboration amongst actors in the sector
The overall aim of the project is building a consensus around the defining characteristics and quality criteria for professional education while developing policies, implementation guides and support tools for strengthening of that sector in a sustainable manner.
The place of PHE in the current debate on the role of higher education
A key part of the modernisation agenda for higher education, as advocated by the EU, is the reform of higher education in order to meet the requirements of the labour market.
In many countries, such a reform has involved either the creation or further expansion of a type of HEI, generally known as a professional HEI (sometimes also referred to as advanced vocational education), which is specifically targeted towards this goal, or the reform of current HEIs (of all types) through the professionalisation of courses, i.e. make them more oriented towards a future profession.
The workshop outline
For the purpose of this conference, Qualifications for the Labour Market, the workshop led us to a reflection on the diversity, nature and profile of PHE institutions and the discussion about:
• Will the importance of PHE further increase and if so, why?
• How to improve HE offerings to be adequate to market needs?
• How to improve the relationship between HEIs and employers?
The HAPHE consortium has carried out a wide mapping and surveying of different approaches to PHE provision throughout EU-member states. Major outcomes of the mapping exercise will be presented in the workshop. It will be accomplished by sharing best practices on how HE institutions adapt the criteria of PHE and how they collaborate with the world of work.
Workshop participants will share expertise among stakeholders in education, enterprises and civil society on PHE understanding, definition and defining characteristics and quality criteria.
Profiling and Quality Assuring Professional Higher Education
The PHExcel project tests the Feasibility of a Quality Label for Professional Higher Education Excellence” find out more: https://www.eurashe.eu/projects/phexcel/
Professional Higher Education in Europe: Characteristics, Practice examples and National differences
Profiling and Quality Assuring Professional Higher Education
• map the understanding of Professional Higher Education across Europe
• characterise and define the 'professional' element within PHE
• understand what qualifies as quality provision of this professional element
• express the quality element as a set of quality criteria
• test the validity of these quality criteria through piloting
• examine the feasibility of turning them into an operative quality instrument such as a label
The presentation will give an overview of progress so far, in particular focusing on the characterisation and definition of the 'professional' element, and invite participants to become involved in the next steps with the aim of reaching a common European understanding of quality PHE.
Professional Higher Education in Europe: state of the art and emerging trends
We observe two trends in professional higher education (PHE). On one hand, some institutions are trying to become more academic, while other insist on what differentiates them from traditional universities. PHE is at the crossroads of academic HE and higher vocational education and training (VET), it can offer bridges between them for a more consistent European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
Reckoning the importance of PHE and its changing features, the HAPHE project tries to harmonise approaches to professional higher education in Europe, strengthen PHE, enhance its quality and raise awareness on its importance. The project already produced the most extensive PHE survey to date, the profile of PHE in 15 countries, a collection of good practices, a definition and a mapping of PHE:
HAPHE General Introduction
Perceptions of Professional Higher Education in Europe – Report
To address this issue, the HAPHE research team performed a quantitative survey and analyses through a wide consultation with stakeholders from education, business and society the different approaches, demands and future trends to professional higher education (PHE) throughout 15 EU-member states. More than 350 stakeholders have participated in the survey since March 2013 and delivered their understanding and views on the nature of PHE in Europe.
WORKSHOP TOPICS
• Represent the views and attitudes of a wide-range of stakeholders towards PHE
• Discuss the various perceptions and definitions in PHE
• Setting out defining characteristics of professional higher education in Europe
Mapping and characterising PHE in Europe – Report
1. Standardisation– jobs are more standardised thus training also
2. Specialisation for institutions
3. HEIs growing larger
4. Diversification of HEIs
5. Permeability increasing
6. AHE and PHE drifting towards each other (binarity blurring) x3
7. AHE power and tradition favours itself (lobbying)
8. Different staffing profiles emerging for institutional types
9. RPL increasing importance of assessment
10. Finding its niche and enhancing research capacity
11. Place of learning changing
12. Increase of workload
13. Peer- Reviewed research still driver for career
14. Mobility
15. Types of research fundamental vs applied
16. Doctoral degrees remain in area of AHE
17. Employability for PHE
Perceptions of Professional Higher Education in Europe
To address this issue, the HAPHE research team performed a quantitative survey and analyses through a wide consultation with stakeholders from education, business and society the different approaches, demands and future trends to professional higher education (PHE) throughout 15 EU-member states. More than 350 stakeholders have participated in the survey since March 2013 and delivered their understanding and views on the nature of PHE in Europe.
WORKSHOP TOPICS
• Represent the views and attitudes of a wide-range of stakeholders towards PHE
• Discuss the various perceptions and definitions in PHE
• Setting out defining characteristics of professional higher education in Europe
Mapping and Characterising PHE in Europe
What are the main trends in profiling higher education in various European countries? Are there any emerging "European patterns"?
What kinds of performance indicators can be proposed to highlight the quality of Professional Higher Education?
Professional Higher Education in Europe: Towards an emerging model?!
To address this issue, the HAPHE project intends, to survey and analyse through a wide consultation with stakeholders from education, business and society the different approaches, demands and future trends to professional higher education (PHE) throughout EU-member states. The presentation will present first results, considerations and consequences.
Introduction to the theme Professional Higher Education
It is important to elaborate multidimensional characteristics of PHE, with adequate indicators of good practice or even excellence, and to make a comparative review of existing HE structures in European countries, identifying also problems and weak points of present systems. This is precisely one of the aims of the HAPHE project.