Tools for Enhancing and Assessing the Value of International Experience for Engineers

Globalisation has made ‘global competence’, (i.e., the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to communicate and work constructively, creatively and ethically in environments characterised by cultural and social diversity), a prerequisite for successful engineering. Addressing a problem vital to HEIs, students and society, the overall objective of the project is to develop strategies and tools for enhancing, assessing and valorising global competence for engineering students and graduates.The consortium, consisting of partners from five leading technical universities and nine associate partners representing stakeholders from industry, government and the educational sector, developed a comprehensive and assessable framework of competence building on research and best practice that are at the heart of a set of strategies for enhancing, assessing and valorising global competence in a valid and reliable way. By doing this, we aim to strengthen European engineering education, encourage and make it possible to reliably validate the outcome and value of international mobility and other international experiences, meet industry’s and society’s need for engineering graduates with global competence, and improve matching between employers’ needs and the competences of European engineers. Building on existing literature and known practices, new data have been collected through interviews, focus groups as well as questionnaires, and following a well-defined project plan the partners will work together towards the project’s four objectives: Objective 1: Identity the global competence (knowledge, skills and attitudes) needed by engineering graduates to work and communicate effectively in organisations and companies characterised by cultural and social diversity. Result 1: Global competence (knowledge, skills and attitudes) needed by engineering graduates to work and communicate effectively in organisations and companies characterised by cultural and social diversity, are identified and structured in a detailed framework. With the help of this framework, we have been able to design learning activities and strategies in connection to international experience that will better help students meet the needs of the labour market. Objective 2: Develop a toolkit for assessing global competence and the impact of training and international experience, thus enhancing quality assurance of education and international mobility. This toolkit will help HEIs as well as companies and organisations assess the competences of engineering students and graduates. Result 2: A toolkit for assessing global competence based on theory and the framework of global competence for engineers mentioned above (Objective 1) has been developed (http://surveytavie.industriales.upm.es/). This toolkit will help HEIs as well as companies and organisations assess the competences of engineering students and graduates, and it will also help HEIs with quality assurance of training and practices in connection with international learning experiences. Objective 3: Develop innovative and effective teaching and training strategies for students in higher education, drawing on theory and current best practices, and making better use of the many existing opportunities for embedded mobility and cooperation. Result 3: A guidebook to enhancing global competence building at HEIs is written. This guidebook contains general strategies for HEIs, as well as specific suggestions for staff and students, drawing on theory and current best practices, in line with the competences identified above (Objective 1) and utilising the toolkit for assessment and quality assurance (Objective 2). The strategies highlight the importance of comprehensive internationalisation to make the most of the many already existing opportunities for international exchange and cooperation. Objective 4: Develop strategies and forms for promoting employability that valorises the competences of engineering graduates with international experience. Result 4: A guidebook has been written to outline how to improve the employability of engineering graduates with international experience through international forums, job fairs and job networking sessions. The guidebook built on case studies and best practices, increase the international visibility of HEIs, strengthen cooperation between students, graduate and partners on the labour market, as well as help companies/organisations attract talents. Activities and results have been continuously communicated via the project web site and multiplier events, as well as through publications, conference presentations and with the help of the active and very extensive networks already in place at the project’s partners.