SVC Final <strong>Evaluation</strong>. Background Report Lepori and Probst weiterzuführen, selbst wenn die Frage <strong>of</strong>fen bleibt, wie jene Hochschulen, die immer noch daran sind, ihr Kompetenzzentrum aufzubauen und noch keine klare E-Learning-Strategie haben, betreut und unterstützt werden sollen. 6
SVC Final <strong>Evaluation</strong>. Background Report Lepori and Probst Executive summary This report provides <strong>the</strong> background material for <strong>the</strong> final evaluation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Swiss</strong> <strong>Virtual</strong> <strong>Campus</strong> (SVC) programme and, more precisely, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> consolidation phase. It collects evidence from SVC documents and reports, an on-line questionnaire to SVC projects and interviews with leaders <strong>of</strong> <strong>Swiss</strong> Higher Education Institutions and directors <strong>of</strong> Centres <strong>of</strong> Competence, Service and Production (CCSP) concerning <strong>the</strong> following three issues: • <strong>the</strong> functioning and activities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CCSPs and <strong>the</strong> contribution <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SVC programme to <strong>the</strong>ir establishment; • <strong>the</strong> implementation and integration in educational curricula <strong>of</strong> SVC projects and <strong>the</strong>ir perspectives after <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> federal funding; • <strong>the</strong> functioning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SVC coordination and <strong>the</strong> contribution <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SVC mandates to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> elearning in <strong>Swiss</strong> HEI. The report serves as a basis for <strong>the</strong> evaluation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> programme done by three international experts in spring 2008. On <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> available materials, <strong>the</strong> authors have come to <strong>the</strong> following main conclusions: 1) Firstly, during <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SVC Programme most <strong>Swiss</strong> HEIs developed an elearning strategy and established a support centre which will be fur<strong>the</strong>r continued after <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> programme. Most respondents in rectorates and CCSPs were quite confident in <strong>the</strong> future and stated that responsibility for elearning can now be fully taken by <strong>the</strong> institutions <strong>the</strong>mselves. At <strong>the</strong> same time, a number <strong>of</strong> problematic cases emerged where <strong>the</strong> CCSP is still in development or <strong>the</strong> situation is largely unclear. Thus, in our opinion, support and promotion <strong>of</strong> CCSP has been <strong>the</strong> most successful part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> whole Consolidation Programme and a solid heritage for <strong>the</strong> future development <strong>of</strong> elearning. 2) Secondly, projects <strong>the</strong>mselves see <strong>the</strong>ir future perspectives as ra<strong>the</strong>r positive and affirm that <strong>the</strong> developed products are and will be used in education in most cases, even if lack <strong>of</strong> funding might impair future developments. CCSPs and monitoring visits give a more differentiated view, where <strong>the</strong> projects which are based on standard technical solutions will be maintained, while more innovative and niche projects will have more difficulties. Overall, both sides see <strong>the</strong> collaboration between projects and <strong>the</strong> CCSP as very positive and well-functioning. It is also stated that in <strong>the</strong> future, projects will be used not only by <strong>the</strong> leading house, but also by partners and, overall, <strong>the</strong> collaboration between different institutions has been judged as positive. 3) Finally, <strong>the</strong> steering and management <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> programme have been generally appreciated, while <strong>the</strong> mandates had a clearly lower impact, largely because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> additional functions assumed by <strong>the</strong> CCSP. In particular, <strong>the</strong> decision to establish a national LMS based on a commercial system revealed itself a posteriori as not a good one. Overall, <strong>the</strong> opinions collected give a ra<strong>the</strong>r positive assessment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> programme across its whole life. The SVC Programme gave a strong impulse to elearning and was decisive in introducing elearning in to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Swiss</strong> higher education institutions. Also, <strong>the</strong>re is a strong feeling in <strong>the</strong> community that, from an initial concept too strongly oriented towards <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> products and technology, <strong>the</strong> programme developed a healthy trajectory and <strong>the</strong> evolution to <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>mes decided for <strong>the</strong> consolidation phase – support to <strong>the</strong> CCSP, reduction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> size <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> projects, <strong>the</strong>ir integration with CCSP – was quite important in this respect. Thus, in our opinion, <strong>the</strong> decision not to continue with <strong>the</strong> programme is largely justified, even if <strong>the</strong>re remains a major issue <strong>of</strong> how to coach and assist <strong>the</strong> HEIs which are still developing <strong>the</strong>ir CCSP and/or are unclear concerning <strong>the</strong>ir elearning strategy. 7
Change language