The Italian University Continuing Education

Network

Paolo De MariaUniversità degli Studi “Gabriele d’Annunzio” di Chieti-

Pescara

Joannina, 6th -9th November 2007

•1982- the Libera Università degli Abruzzi becomes the “G. d’Annunzio” State University (Ud’A)

•2001- as Full Member of EUCEN, seat of the 22° EUCEN Conference (Inauguration of C.Edu.C)

•2001- Member of the Italian Network of UCE. Represented in the Steering Committee (7 Universities represented)

•2002-2005 Partner of the Equipe (European Quality in Individualised Pathways in Education) Project

•2003- 2008 Partner of the present Equipe Plus Project

•2005- Establishment of the Leonardo Da Vinci University, the first Italian on-line University, as a part of Ud’A

• 2006- about 37.000 students enrolled at the 12 Faculties in the 2 Campuses of Chieti (registered Offices) and Pescara

Faculties:• Architecture• Economics• Pharmacy• Philosophy and Humanities• Foreign Languages and Literatures• Medicine and Surgery• Psychology• Sport Science and Physical Education• Education• Management• Geology• Social Sciences

the Leonardo Da Vinci University on-line Courses

1. Bachelor in History and Safeguarding of the Architectural, Historical and Artistic Patrimony

2. Bachelor in Training and Education for the Teaching Professions

3. Bachelor in Economics and Management of the Health Service4. Bachelor in Psychology5. Master in Law

•Created in the year 2000 by the “G. d’Annunzio” Foundation in Torrevecchia Teatina, with the aim of constituting, at a national level, a steady point of reference in Continuing Education and Training for all those who operate in professional work fields

•At present it is the site of the “Leonardo da Vinci” University and a Center of Research for Phd students in e-learning

Parliament law n.229/1999↓

E.C.M.║

a structured national system of Continuing Education in Medicine

issues training credits toany health operator

within and outside the University↓

10 credits = 1 day training ↓

150 ECM over a 3 years period

Training is compulsory for health operators

ECM Centres are accredited by the Ministry of Health

LEGISLATIONLEGISLATION

Recent Legislation on APEL

A = accrediationP = of priorE = experentialL = learning

Law n.144, May 17th 1999

• IFTS- Istruzione e Formazione Tecnica Superiore:

post -secondary Education and Technical Training System organised by the Regions (Providers: Schools, Enterprises, Universities)

• 1200-2400 hs Courses (2-4 semesters)

• Purposes

• to promote the access of young people to the labour market; • to re-train and give a second chance to workers who have lost their job

• The acquired credits can be used to access the University curricula

• A System of monitoring and evaluation of the results is provided

Decree Law of MIUR n.509, Nov. 3rd 1999

• More autonomy for the University System (curricula, budget, administration)

• According to the Bologna Process • the BMD System • a CFU (ECTS) credit system • the Diploma Supplement

were adopted

• Universities can recognize as credits certified knowledge and professional skills acquired in post-secondary training curricula designed and realised in cooperation with the University

Law n. 448, Dec. 28th 2001 • Special categories (e.g. medical attendants; accountants;

journalists; labour inspectors; civil servants who have completed a training process at police, military or finance police academies etc) can have their training recognized as credits towards a degree at the University.

• Rules for this procedure are determined within an agreement between the single University and the involved Ministry.

• No limitation to the number of recognized credits

• Accreditation for a whole category of civil servants belonging to a Ministry ONLY as a function of the level and not on an individualized base

Law n.262, Oct 3rd 2006

… no more than 60 (CFU = ECTS) credits!(probably as an effect of unsatisfactory APEL procedures)

APEL’s Recommended Procedures(widely unfulfilled)

• Verify if qualifications and the past experience are relevant for the profession corresponding to the academic degree one applies for

• Check that the applicant’s personal job experience matches the curricular requirements defined by the Insitution

• Provide evidence of that learning either in writing or through an interview

Forms of learning

• Experiential learning in paid, unpaid and voluntary work

• Uncertified learning from self-directed study

• Certified learning from abroad

• Certified work-based learning

Responsibility of the Institution

• Ensure that the information about the content of the course is accurate

• Have people specialized in the process

• Verify that the evidence offered by the applicant is authentic and valid in relation to the learning outcomes

• … relevant for the level and the volume of the credits

Good practices

• Policies and procedures should be explicit

• Roles and responsibilities of both certifying staff and applicants should be clearly defined

• Procedures and policies should be monitored and reviewed

• Inspectors should be trained

The debate is open• Only formal learning in non accreditated institutions

• Only non formal learning

• A mix of formal and non-formal

• Domestic vs International APL

• Formal learning recognition should require at the national level the accreditation of institutions

• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) guidelines for the economic cooperation of multinational enterprises in the major areas of business ethics

Conclusions• It is evident that a new legislation is necessary to frame the issue

and reduce the discrimination towards traditional students

• In Italy there is not a System of Quality Assurance on UCE at the national level

• It is fundamental to establish an adequate System of Quality Assurance in order to define the benchmarks for the control of the procedures

• However in the year 1998 (Decree Law n. 204), a national Committee of 7 Members (CIVR, Comitato di Indirizzo per la Valutazione della Ricerca) was appointed to evaluate the Quality of Research in the single Universities

• Guidelines adopted by CIVR published in 2003 (http://www.civr.it/ecivr/guidelines/guidelines_NUVm.pdf). Evaluation effective from 2004

• The funds supplied by the Ministry to support the Italian Universities (about the 80% of the total funds) depend in part (about the 10%) on the evaluations of CIVR

Conclusions• In the year 1999 (Law n. 370) a similar national Committee

(CNVSU, Comitato Nazionale per la Valutazione del Sistema Universitario) was established in order to evaluate the premises and quality of the didactics provided by the different Universities and Degree Courses

• Recently the Government has decided that the two Committees should be unified in one (ANVUR, Agenzia Nazionale di Valutazione del Sistema Universitario e della Ricerca)

• Guidelines on LLL (17th March 2007) approved by MIUR state, inter alia, that ANVUR should also evaluate the quality of UCE offered by the different Universities

• However a final approval by the whole Government and Parliament is necessary before implementation

Useful references www.unich.it

http://www.unidav.it

http://www.ministerosalute.it/ecm

http://www.bdp.it/ifts

www.oecd.org/daf/investment/guidelines

http://www.governo.it/governoinforma/dossier/anvur/index.html

http://www.civr.it/

http://www.civr.it/ecivr/guidelines/guidelines_NUVm.pdf

http://www.cnvsu.it

http://www.civr.it/ecivr/guidelines/guidelines_NUVm.pdf

www.miur.it/.../Notizie/2007/Conferenza%20Napoli%20-%20Linee%20Indirizzo

%20Apprendimento%20Permanente.pdf