The 1st Meeting. Kick off Meeting. Erasmus+ KA2 Capacity Building in Higher Education Project “Excellence in Engineering Education through Teacher Training and New Pedagogic Approaches in Russia and Tajikistan
EXTEND 586060-EPP-1-2017-1-RO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP
NMSTU has successfully initiated Erasmus+ KA2 Capacity Building in Higher Education Project entitled EXTEND “Excellence in Engineering Education through Teacher Training and New Pedagogic Approaches in Russia and Tajikistan”. The project consortium consists of 12 higher educational institutions coming from Romania, Portugal, Latvia, Russia and Tajikistan.
The following HEIs are the members of the consortium:
- University Politehnica of Bucharest (Romania);
- University of Minho (Portugal);
- Riga Technical University (Latvia);
- Warwick University (Great Britain);
- National Research Moscow University of Civil Engineering (Russia);
- Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Russia);
- Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Russia);
- National Research Ogarev Mordovia State Technical University (Russia);
- Tajik National University (Tajikistan);
- Khujand State University (Tajikistan);
- Kulob State University (Tajikistan);
- Technological University of Tajikistan (Tajikistan).
During the period of 3 years, the project consortium will be working in close collaboration to solve three specific problems of Russia and Tajikistan higher education field:
- Development of comprehensive model and descriptors of the competences needed for the university teachers of engineering disciplines.
- Establishment of Excellence in Engineering Education Centres Network (EXTEND Centres), that will offer training courses, research work and consultations on engineering disciplines in each Russian and Tajik partner university.
- Development of suitable training programmes for PhD students and teachers in teaching engineering disciplines.
ERASMUS+ KA2 project "EXTEND" has been created for Project promotion
1st consortium meeting took place in Moscow, at National Research Moscow University of Civil Engineering, 20.12.2017 – 21.12.2017
At the first meeting the coordinator of the project Elisabeth Lazarou (University of Politehnica Bucharest) outlined the main objectives and outcomes, logical framework and tasks of Work Package 1 and Work Package 2. Members of the consortium discussed the working plan for 2018, nominated Evaluation Working Group (EWG) and External Quality Control Team (EQCT). Also the dissemination and sustainability plans, financial rules and documents for correct reports have been discussed and agreed upon. All HEIs made presentations about their universities and project teams. Professors from Bauman Moscow State University carried out Online Platform Needs Analysis and developed the draft structure and requirements for the Project Online Platform. The Methodology for monitoring of Russian and Tajikistan practices in teacher training and competence enhancement has been discussed (with focus on teaching engineering disciplines).
2nd consortium meeting took place in Saransk, at National Research Ogarev Mordovia State Technical University, 24.02.2018 – 03.03.2018
From February 24th till March 3rd 2018, a joint meeting was organized by Erasmus+ KA2 capacity building in higher education project “EXTEND” (Excellence in Engineering Education through Teacher Training and New Pedagogic Approaches in Russia and Tajikistan) consortium in Saransk, Russia, hosted byNational Research Ogarev Mordovia State University. The meeting was dedicated to the introduction of Russian and Tajik teachers to the innovative pedagogical approaches used in the EU, namely Romanian, Portuguese and Latvian examples. Various training sessions were organized and carried out by Politehnica University of Bucharest, University of Minho and Riga Technical University. The main outcomes of the seminar are considered to be:
- finding similarities and differences between Russian and Tajik education systems;
- mapping out the main documents used in higher education;
- preparing nominated teachers for further training (Train The Trainer);
- performing a needs analysis for EXTEND excellence centers that will be deployed;
- finalizing a questionnaire design for student and teacher survey.
In addition to the overall activities, Technology-Enhanced Teaching in Engineering Disciplines, as well as Alternative Methods of Assessment have been discussed in detail.
3rd consortium meeting took place in Bucharest at University Politehnica of Bucharest, 03.06.2018 – 09.06.2018
Members of the consortium studied examples of Centres of Excellence in European countries, as well as best European practices in teaching engineering disciplines. Prof. Robin Clerk from Warwick University made a presentation on Teacher Professional Development. EXTEND Quality Plan has been thoroughly discussed and agreed upon. Much attention has been paid to Project Management issues: tendering, staff conventions, travel reports, financial statement and templates. All HEIs made presentations on Distance Learning at their universities. A special focus has been given to the issue of Quality Assurance and its dissemination, as well as to the refinement of the “centre model”. The Partnership Agreement has been signed.
