Proposal of joint european project CHAIN-E

Proposal of joint european project CHAIN-E

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Directorate-General XXII - Education, Training and Youth

Tempus Tacis

application form for a

Mobility Joint European Project

for the Russian Federation

beginning in November 1998

SECTION I: DECLARATION

We enclose documentation confirming that the other consortium members in

the project have endorsed the content of the application.

Name of the coordinating institution: University of Ghent

(Belgium)

Name of the Coordinator: Name of the legal representative:

Mrs. Lieve Bracke Prof. Jacques Willems

Function: Director International Relations Office Function: Rector

Done at: the University of Ghent Done at: the University of Ghent

Date: Date:

Signature: Signature

Official stamp or seal of the coordinating institution

SECTION II: BASIC DATA ON THE PROJECT

Title:

|C reation of the |

|H igher |

|A cademic |

|I nternational |

|N etwork for |

|E conomists |

|(CHAIN-E) |

Specific objective:

Creation of a mobility network for students in economics based on

internationalised curricula in the field of financial and industrial

management, banking and insurance.

In which language do you wish to receive future correspondence?:

English French German

Subject Area Code: 240 (Economics)

Project Coordinator (contact person at the coordinating and contracting

institution):

Title: Mrs. First name: Lieve Last name: Bracke

Sex: M F

Name of the institution: University of Ghent

Name of the department or faculty: International Relations Office

Address: Het Pand, Onderbergen 1

Country: Belgium Post code: 9000 Town: Ghent

Phone: 32/9/264.82.38 Fax: 32/9/264.83.99 E-mail:

Lieve.Bracke@rug.ac.be

Higher education institutions involved in the MJEP

Reference number: 1 - Coordinator Contact person: Lieve Bracke

Name of the institution: University of Ghent

Reference number: 2 - Second higher education institution Contact

person: Igor Kolobkov

Name of the institution: Ural State Vocational Pedagogic University (USVPU)

Name of the department or faculty: Institute of Economics and Law (USVPU),

Institute of Municipal Economy and Enterpreneurship.

Town: Ekaterinburg Country code: RF

Phone: 7/3432/31.23.52 Fax: 7/3432/31.94.63 E-mail:

Igor.Kolobkov@usvpu.ru

Reference number: 3 - Third higher education institution Contact person:

Andrey Maltsev

Name of the institution: Ural State University of Economics

Name of the department or faculty: Faculty of Finance; Faculty of Trade and

Economics; Faculty of Economics; Faculty of Management and International

Economic Relations.

Town: Ekaterinburg Country code: RF

Phone: 7/3432/22.96.15 Fax: 7/3432/22.71.47 E-mail:

Valentin.Kamyshov@usue.ru

Reference number: 4 - Fourth higher education institution Contact

person: Darya Nesterova

Name of the institution: Ural State University

Name of the department or faculty: Faculty of Economics.

Town: Ekaterinburg Country code: RF

Phone: 7/3432/55.21.65 Fax: 7/3432/55.59.64 E-mail:

Darya.Nesterova@usu.ru

Reference number: 5 - Fifth higher education institution Contact person:

Oleg Nikonov

Name of the institution: Ural State Technical University

Name of the department or faculty: Faculty of Economics and Management.

Town: Ekaterinburg Country code: RF

Phone: 7/3432/74.84.26 Fax: 7/3432/74.38.84 E-mail:

postmaster@rcupi.e-burg.su

Reference number: 6 - Sixth higher education institution Contact person:

Boris Igoshev

Name of the institution: Ural State Pedagogical University

Name of the department or faculty: Faculty of Economics.

Town: Ekaterinburg Country code: RF

Phone: 7/3432/34.13.01 Fax: 7/3432/34.97.71 E-mail:

Elena@sgpi.e-burg.su

Reference number: 7 - Seventh higher education institution Contact

person:

Name of the institution: “X” university of the Santander Group

Name of the department or faculty:

Town: Country code:

Phone: Fax: E-mail:

Reference number: 8 - eighth higher education institution Contact

person:

Name of the institution: “Y” university of the Santender Group

Name of the department or faculty:

Town: Country code:

Phone: Fax: E-mail:

SECTION III: THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE PROJECT

SECTION IV: PROJECT DESCRIPTION

IV.1. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

* Tempus priorities

The project will be implemented in the Urals - one of the major economic

regions of Russia, which has a huge industrial, academic and scientific

potential.

Today one of the most important tasks is the provision of skilled

personnel for realization of this potential. Of special importance here

is the preparation of qualified experts who are capable of solving most

complicated problems on the development of market relations in

conditions of continued reforming of market economy. The present project

should facilitate the solution of this task.

The public authorities of the Ural Region see great importance in the

development of financial and industrial management, banking and

insurance. The solution of the given task is complicated by the shortage

of qualified experts with higher education. The field of business is new

to the Russian Federation. Therefore, the system of economic education

in the country and, in particular, in the Urals needs to be enriched

with the foreign experience of education in these subject domains.

Thus, the problem of economic education at the universities of the Urals

completely falls within the framework of the priorities set by the

Tempus program in Russia.

Deriving from this, economics (code 240) was chosen as the priority

subject sphere.

This subject area also was chosen because the possibility and advantage

of the universities-participants satisfy its requirements. Each

participating university has its faculties and/or institutes preparing

students to economic and management specialities.

The given project, devoted mainly to the creation of a network for

student mobility, includes also:

elements of teaching staff retraining;

introduction of new information technological methods into educational

process;

intensive language preparation;

development of distance learning.

* Previous cooperation

During 1994-98 a consortium of 4 Ural universities was established in

the Urals. And it still continues functioning:

5. the Ural State Vocational Pedagogical University (USVPU);

6. the Ural State University (USU);

7. the Ural State Pedagogical University (USPU);

8. the Ural State Technical University (USTU).

The consortium was created for solving joint tasks in the field of

improvement of the university management, educational activity in

subject spheres and scientific research. The consortium has been

functioning as a structure within the framework of bilateral and

multilateral agreements with the University of Ghent (Belgium) in

carrying out the following projects:

9. URAL-MANAG (university management)

A foundation was laid for international activity of the Ural

universities. A coordinating center for managing international

activities in the region was created.

10. URAL-NET (development of interuniversity computer communications)

As a result of interaction of the given project with other similar

projects the universities of the consortium had an opportunity to

access the global computer network Internet.

11. URAL-INFO (information technologies in learning)

A base of relevant materials and facilities was created, information

technologies are mastered, the teaching staff and programmers are

trained to be able to introduce new information technologies in the

educational process.

12. URAL-LAN (language preparation)

The modern Language Center has been established. The Center was

supplied with the newest equipment. The technology of intensive

foreign language teaching is mastered. Regular teaching of the staff

and students of the consortium universities take place.

13. URAL-ECON (teaching and research in the field of economics)

The existing curricula were modified and new courses were developed.

14. URAL-DISTANCE (development of distant methods of learning on the

example of economic education)

A special course was given by Prof. Pasmiller. Workshops were held with

a participation of the Ural State University representatives and the

Ghent University ones.

15. URAL-ELECTRO (teaching and research in the field of electric power

industry)

The technology of internationalized curricula development, procedure of

their coordination and introduction in the educational process was

elaborated.

16. URAL-METAL (teaching and research in the field of metallurgy)

17. URAL-LIT (teaching and research in the field of literature)

18. URAL-LEX (teaching and research in the field of comparative

lexicography)

The positive experience of international cooperation in the domain of

higher education was obtained.

The indicated outcomes visually testify, that they are directly

connected to the objectives and tasks of the stated project and

completely correspond to the Tempus priorities. It is possible to

consider the given project to be a continuation of joint activities of

the Ural consortium.

Besides, in 1994-98 Tempus/Tacis activities were jointly carried out by

the universities of Ghent (Belgium), Rotterdam (the Netherlands),

Valladolid (Spain) and the USVPU. In the course of implementation of the

URAL project: Upgrading of Regional Academic Level T-JEP-10094-95-RF

four structural subdivisions were created in the USVPU for the

realization and management of international activities:

19. Regional Office for International Cooperation (RO);

20. Information Network Centre (INC);

21. Language Centre (LC);

22. Regional Centre for Student Exchanges (Vagant Centre) (VC).

The activities of these subdivisions are of a regional character and are

extended to the other universities of the Ural consortium. The Regional

Office for International Cooperation assists in the teaching staff and

student mobility organization. The Language Centre provides language

preparation of the trainees from different universities. The Regional

Centre for Student Exchanges has developed mechanisms and procedures of

student exchanges, ways of realization of credit transfer, a method of

definition of student workloads and credit allocation, has instructed

the ECTS-coordinators appointed at the consortium universities, has

mastered and disseminated the technology of producing information

packages. The VC provides informational and organizational support for

student mobility. The Information Network Centre provides the

subdivisions with communication means, with access to local and global

electronic networks.

The administrative and academic staff of all the consortium universities

have been trained in activity domains of the above-mentioned

subdivisions at the universities of Ghent (Belgium), Rotterdam (the

Netherlands), Valladolid (Spain) and other European universities.

The Ural State University for Economics (USUE) joining the consortium

(as a 5th member) in 1994/98 has established a number of partner

connections with some European universities and institutes. The

University has already acquired a certain experience before joining in

the new project. Among them: Student and teachers exchanges procedures,

language training, coordination of educational programs, creation of

joint teaching materials, academic recognition of study results,

agreements for rendering educational services, management of

international cooperation. Student exchanges were conducted with Marburg

University, Cologne University, Munich University (Germany), Higher

educational commercial schools of Po and Lyons Cities (France). Teachers

exchanges were conducted between USUE and Technical University of

Roitlingen (Germany), Utrecht University (the Netherlands), London

Economics School and NorthWestern College of London (GB).

At the present time all 5 Ural universities have their own offices for

the international cooperation. It is seemed that their presence will be

helpfull for the new project fulfilment.

* Links with other programs

The described Tempus JEP “URAL” is obviously directly connected with the

objectives and tasks of the proposed project, which can be considered as

its natural sequel. The achieved outcomes can be significantly

multiplied in the course of implementation of a new possible project to

influence not only the Ural Region but also the educational system of

Russia, which will allow to use the Tempus funds with a maximum

efficiency.

Some positive experience was accumulated also during the international

project "Distance Learning in the Economic Zone of the Urals"

ww.91.05/01.01/BO41, which was carried out by the USVPU in cooperation

with the Italian Institute of Foreign Trade. In the course of the

project more than 300 workers for small business were prepared with the

distance learning method. This experience also will be used in the

execution of the stated project.

It is very important that, the USVPU heads the Association for

Scientific Research and Educational Methods in Vocational Education

(ASREM/VE), which unites more than 130 educational institutions in

Russia. The ASREM/VE meets the problems of development of State

education standards of higher and secondary vocational education and

preparation of normative documents for a multilevel educational system

(bachelor and masters' courses). The ASREM/VE can really affect the

system of education in Russia, besides it has a possibility to provide

official recognition of the mechanisms and procedures of educational

degrees award. The education internationalization process in the USVPU

and other universities of the Ural consortium has a real chance to be

expanded within the institutions of the ASREM/VE because the USVPU leads

the educational policy in the Association.

In USU together with Moscow state university the preparation of masters

is carried on in the field of an economic theory. Together with St.-

Petersburg state university scientific and research work is carried on

in the field of the international economic relations. With the foreign

partners, for example, with Technical university of Munich (Germany) the

research projects on a theme " International economy of the firm", and

with University of state Illinois (USA) a common theme of researches "

Market of labor " are executed.

In USTU on faculties of the Analysis of systems and decision making and

banking researches are conducted within the framework of the regional

programme financed by the regional budget of Sverdlovsk region of the

theme of the state budget N 2980 "Mathematical and computer modeling of

economic-organizing systems "; grants of Ministry of Education of

Russian Federation N 2992 "Theory and methodology of an evaluation of

efficiency of the investments on the basis of mathematical methods of

the theory of management (section economy) and N 97-0-1.9.68 "Theory of

the guaranteed management and evaluation in the tasks of financial

mathematics ", and also are supported by the grant of Russian fund of

fundamental researches (PFBR) N 97-01-01003.

USPU during many years participates in economic programmes of Sverdlovsk

region on creation of economic culture in market conditions. Joint work

by the grant with North-East Illinois university (USA) on the programme

"Economic, social and cultural initiative. Russian-American partnership

" USA N IA-AFJL-J4190526 was executed.

Within two last years USUE has received positive experience of exchange

of the students with university of Visbaden (Germany), and also with

other mentioned before universities on a specialty « World economy ».

These programs of students' exchanges of USUE are directly connected

with the stated project, as have the common objectives of creation of

stable channels of students' mobility on the base of agreed educational

programs in the field of economy.

IV.2. OBJECTIVE AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES

2.1. Objective

In general the objective of the project is to make the student mobility

possible and to update the content of higher economic education, its

methods and forms of teaching with the help of international cooperation

in this area what will promote the development of market relations in

Russia and its integration in the world economic community.

The improvement of higher economic education should be realized by its

adaptation to the European education dimensions. Russian economic

education has not sufficient experience of operating in market

conditions therefore the students trained do not always correspond to

the requirements of the new market conditions. The solution of this

problem can be reached as one of the outcomes of international

cooperation in the field of economic education. Such cooperation is

inevitably connected with students and teachers exchanges, with problems

of development of joint professional education programs, with problems

of academic recognition of educational degrees and diplomas.

The outlined problems in the field of economic education allow to

formulate the specific objective of the project: " Creation of a

mobility network for students in economics based on internationalised

curricula in the field of financial and industrial managament, banking

and insurance for making the student mobility possible and for upgrading

of education quality". Such a constantly functioning network will allow

not only to accumulate and generalize the experience of teaching the

students, but also to prepare the background for scientific exchange.

Doubtlessly, in the course of student exchanges the growth of the staff

participating in the development of internationalized educational

programs will also be ensured. To achieve this objective it is necessary

to set the following tasks:

23. Strengthening of the existing and creation of new organizational

structures dealing with student exchanges;

24. Development of internationalized curricula and joint short-term

internationalized educational programs;

25. Development of new and improvement of the existing procedures of

recognition of the results of abroad study courses;

26. Realization of student exchanges;

27. Analysis, generalization and dissemination of the experience obtained;

28. Taking special measures to provide the stability and sustainability of

the network created.

2.2. Outcomes, activities and inputs

OUTCOME TABLE

Outcome reference N°: 1 Description of the outcome: 73 students

and postgraduates, having taken part in the students exchange programs

between Russian and European universities.

Deadline: June, 30, 2001 Institutions involved (reference N°): 1-8

Страницы: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7