Quality of higher education and. using the potential of higher education to increase competitiveness Compared internationally, the quality of universities is very low compared to countries of a similar size (e.g. the Netherlands, Austria), and this situation is not visibly improving31. The quality of university graduates is perceived as a serious problem by employers32. It can be summed up that university education suffers from the following problems that are mutually interlinked: There is no specialisation according to the strengths of the different universities. The offer of study programmes, that would be linked to the labour market, is limited. This results in a higher number of graduates with a master´s degree33 and a small number of graduates with a comprehensive bachelor´s degree coming to the labour market. The long average time of university studies and a high level of premature termination of studies. Insufficient innovative methods of teaching including interactive teaching. No cooperation with specialists from the field and no emphasis on related soft competencies. No system of quality evaluation has been introduced – closely connected with the issue of effective financing of universities that is pointed out by Country-Specific Recommendation 2014 No 5. Low level of international cooperation and internationalisation of Czech universities including insufficient use of the potential offered by cross-border cooperation between universities, and between universities and the application sphere. Unsatisfactory school equipment that does not meet the standards of modern research and educating trends. Unsatisfactory appliances and software equipment, and the premises for practical training. This situation is particularly serious at Prague universities. Insufficiently developed top-class teaching combined with research that would generate highly qualified human resources – the main driving force of knowledge-intensive fields and innovations. The problem is also a shortage of talented technically oriented individuals and individuals interested in natural sciences. This problem is further augmented by the construction of a number of new research centres and their need for top human resources (see the section on Research and Innovation System). Development needs: 31 QS Word university Ranking: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/ 2012; Times higher education; xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx/world-university-rankings/2012- 13/world-ranking/range/301-350/order/country%7Casc. 32 Eurobarometer Survey 2010 ranked the Czech Republic as one of the last among all European countries in terms of employers´ satisfaction with graduates. The best evaluation of quality was awarded to university graduates by only 19% of employers in the Czech Republic; in Finland it was 27%, in Germany 35%, in Austria 45% and in Sweden even 52% of employers. Confirmed by outputs from the national-level single project “Support of Technical Fields and Natural Sciences”, National Education Fund: Survey of employers´ requirements for graduates of technical fields and natural sciences. 33 According to the Czech Statistical Office, among the population with tertiary education there were 73% of people with a master´s degree, 17% with a bachelor´s degree, 7% with higher vocational education and 3% with a PhD (Human Resource in Science and Technologies in the Czech Republic in 2012,xxxx://xxx.xxxx.xx/csu/xxxxxxx.xxx/i/a_lz_vt/$File/1_lzvt_13.pdf). With regard to the significant increase in the number of university students, the investment into the quality of university education represents a significant growth potential. To exploit this potential it is necessary to: Support specialisation of universities in accordance with their individual identified strengths, including essential investment into infrastructure and equipment. Significantly extend the segment of high-quality fields of study that correspond with the labour market needs, show a large degree of cooperation with practise and are suitable for a wide group of people. In line with the Country-Specific Recommendation 2014 No 5 to introduce a system of evaluating teaching quality based on objective indicators and serving as a basis for evaluating the quality of the institution for the purposes of financing and accreditation. Introducing innovations in teaching, as well as close cooperation with employers and developing transferable competences necessary for long-term employment, including entrepreneurship competences in line with the Youth Guarantee programme. Develop international environment at universities, i.e. to open up to foreign students, teachers, research staff, and international cooperation. Adopt measures leading to decreasing the level of premature termination of university studies (guidance, dealing with individual problems of disadvantaged students etc.). Develop excellence of university education in connection with excellence in research and to develop research cooperation with the application sphere. In connection with the demand for highly qualified human resources in natural sciences and technical fields, to direct the interest of gifted children, pupils and students towards these fields. This measure has a strong link to the smart specialisation strategy (see chapter 1.1.1.3) at the national and regional levels.
Appears in 2 contracts
Samples: Partnership Agreement, www.dotaceeu.cz
Quality of higher education and. using the potential of higher education to increase competitiveness Compared internationally, the quality of universities is very low compared to countries of a similar size (e.g. the Netherlands, Austria), and this situation is not visibly improving31. The quality of university graduates is perceived as a serious problem by employers32. It can be summed up that university education suffers from the following problems that are mutually interlinked: • There is no specialisation according to the strengths of the different universities. The offer of study programmes, that would be linked to the labour market, is limited. This results in a higher number of graduates with a master´s degree33 and a small number of graduates with a comprehensive bachelor´s degree coming to the labour market. • The long average time of university studies and a high level of premature termination of studies. • Insufficient innovative methods of teaching including interactive teaching. No cooperation with specialists from the field and no emphasis on related soft competencies. • No system of quality evaluation has been introduced – closely connected with the issue of effective financing of universities that is pointed out by Country-Specific Recommendation 2014 No 5. • Low level of international cooperation and internationalisation of Czech universities including insufficient use of the potential offered by cross-border cooperation between universities, and between universities and the application sphere. • Unsatisfactory school equipment that does not meet the standards of modern research and educating trends. Unsatisfactory appliances and software equipment, and the premises for practical training. This situation is particularly serious at Prague universities. • Insufficiently developed top-class teaching combined with research that would generate highly qualified human resources – the main driving force of knowledge-intensive fields and innovations. The problem is also a shortage of talented technically oriented individuals and individuals interested in natural sciences. This problem is further augmented by the construction of a number of new research centres and their need for top human resources (see the section on Research and Innovation System). Development needs: 31 QS Word university Ranking: xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/ 2012; Times higher education; xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx/world-university-rankings/2012- 13/world-ranking/range/301-350/order/country%7Casc. 32 Eurobarometer Survey 2010 ranked the Czech Republic as one of the last among all European countries in terms of employers´ satisfaction with graduates. The best evaluation of quality was awarded to university graduates by only 19% of employers in the Czech Republic; in Finland it was 27%, in Germany 35%, in Austria 45% and in Sweden even 52% of employers. Confirmed by outputs from the national-level single project “Support of Technical Fields and Natural Sciences”, National Education Fund: Survey of employers´ requirements for graduates of technical fields and natural sciences. 33 According to the Czech Statistical Office, among the population with tertiary education there were 73% of people with a master´s degree, 17% with a bachelor´s degree, 7% with higher vocational education and 3% with a PhD (Human Resource in Science and Technologies in the Czech Republic in 2012,xxxx://xxx.xxxx.xx/csu/xxxxxxx.xxx/i/a_lz_vt/$File/1_lzvt_13.pdf). With regard to the significant increase in the number of university students, the investment into the quality of university education represents a significant growth potential. To exploit this potential it is necessary to: ⮚ Support specialisation of universities in accordance with their individual identified strengths, including essential investment into infrastructure and equipment. ⮚ Significantly extend the segment of high-quality fields of study that correspond with the labour market needs, show a large degree of cooperation with practise and are suitable for a wide group of people. ⮚ In line with the Country-Specific Recommendation 2014 No 5 to introduce a system of evaluating teaching quality based on objective indicators and serving as a basis for evaluating the quality of the institution for the purposes of financing and accreditation. ⮚ Introducing innovations in teaching, as well as close cooperation with employers and developing transferable competences necessary for long-term employment, including entrepreneurship competences in line with the Youth Guarantee programme. ⮚ Develop international environment at universities, i.e. to open up to foreign students, teachers, research staff, and international cooperation. ⮚ Adopt measures leading to decreasing the level of premature termination of university studies (guidance, dealing with individual problems of disadvantaged students etc.). ⮚ Develop excellence of university education in connection with excellence in research and to develop research cooperation with the application sphere. In connection with the demand for highly qualified human resources in natural sciences and technical fields, to direct the interest of gifted children, pupils and students towards these fields. This measure has a strong link to the smart specialisation strategy (see chapter 1.1.1.3) at the national and regional levels.
Appears in 2 contracts
Samples: Partnership Agreement, www.dotaceeu.cz
