International Affairs - Relations Internationales - EPFL

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Progress-Report_DEF.qxd:Layout 1 5.6.2007 3:00 Page 30 A 30 VPRI International Affairs portfolio of projects of the “Fondation EPFL+”, developed in close partnership with the Advisory Board of the President. A preliminary survey of Swiss foundations able to provide fellowships has also been completed. The resulting database, which elicited much interest at EPFL, has already yielded a positive result: the Swiss Baltic Net (SBN) – a network for postgraduate funding and academic relations between Switzerland and the three Baltic States. It was initiated and funded by the Gebert-Rüf Stiftung (GRS). As EPFL has very few academic contacts with institutions from these Baltic States, VPRI approached the GRS and concluded an initial three-year agreement. Under this agreement, young researchers and students from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will be offered scholarships (funded by the GRS) to complete a 2-5 month scientific project at EPFL. EPFL students will undertake a research project in one of these three countries. 2 to 4 students per year from the Baltic countries will benefit from these scholarships to come to EPFL and that this will help our office to develop ties with their institutions. 3.9 Recognition of EPFL Diplomas for Higher Education and Employability 29 Recognition of academic titles facilitates the free movement of students and graduates in Europe. On the occasion of the “Prague Ministerial Conference” on Higher Education (May 2001), the Ministers strongly encouraged universities and other higher education institutions to take full advantage of existing national legislation and European tools aimed at facilitating academic and professional recognition of course units, degrees and other awards, so that students and graduates can effectively use their qualifications, competencies and skills throughout the EHEA (European Higher Education Area). The instruments of academic mobility are: 29 Dr M. Jaccard and Dr A. Fromentin. 1) The Lisbon Convention: the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region was developed by the Council of Europe and UNESCO and adopted in 1997. The Lisbon Convention has since been ratified by most European countries. 2) Bilateral agreements with Germany, France, Austria and Italy signed by the swiss government. 3) Mutual recognition of academic titles of members of university associations (for instance CLUSTER). 4) Bilateral recognition (MoU) of academic titles for specific education programmes. VPRI looks for crucial international information and takes initiatives for the development of instruments 3) and 4). Main activities are initiated in collaboration with VPAA. Employability is the capability to gain initial employment, maintain employment and obtain new employment. The international employability of EPFL graduates is distinct from academic recognition of EPFL bachelors and masters. As regards recognition for professional purposes, it is important to distinguish between professions that are regulated from the standpoint of qualifications and non-regulated professions. A profession is said to be regulated when it is a statutory requirement to hold a given diploma or other occupational qualification in order to pursue the occupation in question. In that case, lacking the required national diploma may constitute a legal obstacle to access to the profession. To pursue a regulated profession (whether employed or self-employed) in an EU Member State, EPFL graduates may invoke a specific law with which the national authorities must comply. Right of establishment, freedom to provide services and the free movement of workers are fundamental principles of the EU Treaty 30 . Regulation is especially significant for the so called “brick and mortar” graduates of EPFL: landscape planning, civil engineering, architecture. It seems of little consequence 30 In order to enable these freedoms to be exercised, several legal instruments concerning the recognition of diplomas, applicable solely to regulated professions, were adopted at European level (Directive 89/48/EEC) and signed by the Swiss government. VPRI 31
Progress-Report_DEF.qxd:Layout 1 5.6.2007 3:00 Page 32 A 32 VPRI International Affairs for Electronics Engineering, Computer Sciences and Communication Systems, Biomedical Engineering and the Life Sciences. International accreditation of the academic curricula enhances the employability of EPFL graduates. EPFL’s strong branding policy also plays a major positive role. EPFL’s numerous projects with the private international sector are another asset. Outside the EU and overseas, the employability of EPFL graduates varies from one nation to another. For example, the USA have developed a significant protection of their national labour market. VPRI collects relevant information concerning international employability and develops its data gathering system in close collaboration with the EPFL alumni association. 3.10 Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Master’s Programs 31 The developing international education market needs greater transparency, both in the administrative structure of academic institutions and the content of their educational programs. This is why the Bologna process includes the implementation of Quality Assurance. Moreover, this is a worldwide trend and, in Anglo- Saxon countries, accreditation often follows an audit procedure. The American agency ABET 32 is widely acknowledged in these countries, but the ABET standard, often regarded as burdensome and over-directive, is used neither in the EHEA nor in the UK. Anticipating the implementation of the CUS 33 Quality Assurance Directives of December 2006 based on the standards of ENQA, the European umbrella organization for quality assurance, EPFL decided to have its 17 Master’s programs accredited by two agencies – OAQ 34 and CTI 35 . A project group (VPRI and VPAA) prepared the visit by the audit committee. Over 15 experts from the EU audited EPFL and met over 380 persons on campus at the end of November 2006. The 31 Dr M. Jaccard. 32 Accrediting Board for engineering and technology. 33 Swiss University Conference. 34 Organ für Akkredittierung und Qualitätssicherung; Switzerland. 35 Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur; France; delivering academic and professional recognition). extremely positive preliminary audit report was sent to EPFL on 15 January 2007. Confirmation of accreditation from both agencies is expected in June 2007, and implementation of the experts’ recommendations will start in the first half of 2007. This dual recognition makes the EPFL a pioneer in transparency and education quality both in Switzerland and at European level. It also enhances the institution’s visibility. A working group has now been established with the Dean of the Doctoral School to define the standard of excellence of PhDs at EPFL. Ultimately, a Quality Assurance implementation will follow the recommendations of the forthcoming Conference of European Ministers of Education, to be held in London in spring 2007 (objective: 2009). 3.11 International Alumni Relations: PhD Alumni Network 36 36 C. Magnani. PhD alumni are a premium source of academic information for internship opportunities for our students, and also potentially an important future personnel resource for EPFL. To keep them connected with the institution, VPRI is establishing a program for EPFL PhD graduates – about 3,700 alumni worldwide. An up-to-date, dynamic database, a Web site, a newsletter and relevant programs and activities for our alumni’s personal and professional development are presently being developed, in close collaboration with the EPFL alumni association. According to a preliminary study with EPFL PhD students, the desire for mentoring and coaching, especially in careers, as well as opportunities to network, were consistently mentioned. A small sample of alumni will be contacted to validate this information and to gather initial feedback about and ideas for the alumni initiative. A more comprehensive alumni survey will be performed once the database is complete and operational. VPRI 33
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