Current Changes in Higher Education for the European Wood Industry - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

All Division 5 World Conference Forest Products and Environment - A Productive Symbiosis Taipei, 29 Oct. - 2 Nov. 2007 Current Changes in Higher Education for the European Wood Industry Dr. Heiko Thoemen Prof. Arno Fruehwald University of Hamburg, Germany

Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Higher Education in the European Content Content Wood Industry 1. General Trends in Europe 2. Situation and needs in the wood sector 3. Summary and conclusions Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 2

Today's situation Today's situation Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Higher education in Europe currently undergoes the most dramatic changes since the emergence of modern Higher Education in the European universities. Wood Industry Content y Driving forces: 1. General trends � Increasing rate of technical development 2. Wood sector � Globalization (harmonization of educational systems) 3. Conclusions � Social changes y European politics react with two action plans: � Lisbon Agenda (2000) � Bologna Declaration (1999) Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 3

Lisbon Agenda (I) Lisbon Agenda (I) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Reaction on the fact that EU (like other regions of the world) has Higher Education in the European developed to a knowledge-based Wood Industry economy and society Content � Within EU: 30% of existing jobs (50% of new jobs) are in the 1. General trends knowledge intensive sectors 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions y Aim stated in Lisbon Agenda: "Make Europe, by 2010, the most competitive and the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world". Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 4

Lisbon Agenda (II) Lisbon Agenda (II) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Universities play a key role in Lisbon process: Higher Education � Generate and transfer knowledge in the European � Education / training Wood Industry � Regional and local development Content 1. General trends y 34% of European researchers are at Universities 2. Wood sector (Greece: 70%, Germany: 26%) 3. Conclusions y Fundamental research: 80% at Universities y 4000 universities/colleges in EU-25 (17 Mio. students) y Organization on national or regional level � Heterogeneity of structures, conditions and degrees Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 5

Bologna declaration Bologna declaration Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Aim (among others): Make degrees comparable / transferable between countries Higher Education in the European Wood Industry y Expected effects: Content � Improve flexibility in designing individual qualifications 1. General trends (B.Sc. in mechanical engineering , M.Sc. in wood technology , 2. Wood sector or vice versa) 3. Conclusions � Improve mobility within EU � Shorten duration of studies for majority � Approximate universities and technical colleges y Transitional problems: Uncertainty among employers y Bologna declaration provides framework, with considerable flexibility on national and regional level. Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 6

Challenges (I) for tomorrow's colleges and universities Challenges (I) for tomorrow's colleges and universities Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Higher Education in the European Wood Industry Content 1. General trends 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 7

Challenges (I) Challenges (I) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Increasing demand on tertiary education Higher Education � Traditional programs (full-time enrollment) in the European Wood Industry Gross enrolment rates 2002/03 *) Gross enrolment rates 2002/03 *) 100 Content 90 1. General trends 80 2. Wood sector 70 3. Conclusions 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Austria Finland Poland Germany Sweden UK Malta EU-25 US Japan Italy France *) All students on tertiary level in percent of 20 to 24 year olds. Heiko Thoemen Source: Eurostat 2005 Arno Fruehwald � Increase in many countries expected � Increase in many countries expected 8

Challenges (I) Challenges (I) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Increasing demand on tertiary education Higher Education � Traditional programs (full-time enrollment) in the European Wood Industry � Life-long learning (continuing education) Content Enrolment rates 1. General trends Enrolment rates EU 25 US 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions 35-39 year olds 1.8 % 4.9 % Source: Winckler 2007 But: Limited human and financial recourses But: Limited human and financial recourses Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 9

Challenges (II) Challenges (II) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Competition (national level) on ... Higher Education in the European � Students Wood Industry � Excellent scientists Content � Industry partners 1. General trends � Public funding 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 10

Challenges (III) Challenges (III) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Internationalization of research and education Higher Education in the European � Competition on international level Wood Industry Content University costs per student 2002 in US-Dollar 1. General trends University costs per student 2002 in US-Dollar 25,000 2. Wood sector private 3. Conclusions 20,000 public 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 s n K n S a n y e y d i e n c i a U l U a l a n a d a n p p t a r e m a I a S t l s w r r J r F e u e S h A G Heiko Thoemen t e N Arno Fruehwald Source: Education at a glance - OECD Indicators 2005 (refined) 11

Challenges (IV) Challenges (IV) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Reorganization of knowledge Higher Education in the European � Diversification and specialization Wood Industry (scientists, programs) opposing Content developments 1. General trends � Interdisciplinary approaches 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions � Softening boundaries between fundamental and applied research ( "anwendungsbezogene Grundlagenforschung" ) Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 12

Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Higher Education in the European Wood Industry Content Content y General Trends in Europe y Situation and needs in the wood sector y Summary and conclusions Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 13

Profiling of programs (I) Profiling of programs (I) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Programs have to orient on demand, not on historically grounded structures. Higher Education in the European � Not all universities have taken this chance when Wood Industry restructuring their programs in recent years. Content 1. General trends 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 14

Profiling of programs (II) Profiling of programs (II) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Challenge: Programs have to suit a variety of different occupations Higher Education in the European Wood Industry Example: Graduates in Wood Science and Technology Example: Graduates in Wood Science and Technology from Hamburg University Content from Hamburg University 1. General trends Research and 2. Wood sector Teaching 3. Conclusions Publishing 23% Saw ing & 2% Trading Veneer Industry 3% 15% 4% Associations 6% Building Elements 6% 13% Consulting 8% Machine 11% 9% Construction Chemical Industry Heiko Thoemen Others Arno Fruehwald Wood-Based Panels 15 Source: Bund Deutscher Holzwirte

Profiling of programs (III) Profiling of programs (III) Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Diversification: Higher Education � Wood technology & wood based materials in the European � Processes & manufacturing Wood Industry � Products & product design Content � Forest products economics & marketing 1. General trends � One university cannot cover everything 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 16

Life- -long learning (I) long learning (I) Life Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Delphi Study on the German wood industry sector 2020 Higher Education in the European Wood Industry Question: Will life-long learning become an Question: Will life-long learning become an important task for the wood industry? important task for the wood industry? Content 1. General trends 57% 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions 16% 14% 11% 2% y y y e y l l l l e r e e e u k k k k s i i i i l l l l n n t o y u u r n e y v r e v Source: Knauf and Fruehwald 2004 Method: More than 500 experts 3 stages (questionnaires and interviews) Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 17

Life- -long learning (II) long learning (II) Life Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 y Backlog for universities in the wood sector Higher Education in the European y Types of courses Wood Industry � Short courses (days or weeks) Content � Part-time masters (avocational) 1. General trends � Full-time masters 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions y New financing schemes required (employees, employer, scholarships, loans) Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 18

International co- -operations operations International co Taipei 29.10. - 2.11.2007 Options Options Higher Education in the European y Exchange activities under the Life-Long Learning Wood Industry (ERASMUS) program of the European Commission Content 1. General trends y Joint programs (Dual master, ERASMUS Mundus) 2. Wood sector 3. Conclusions � Motivation: Bundle key competences of several universities, learn from best experts in the field y Student mobility & teaching mobility Heiko Thoemen Arno Fruehwald 19