EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
K-Competencies Project IT/04/B/F/PP-154061
Leonardo Da Vinci Programme 2004
Budapest, 9-10.06.2005
Hotel Unio, Dob str. 73
MINUTES
Thursday 9
9.30 – 17.00
/ PHASE 1 - Definition of key competencies’ standards in EU’s traditional and new member states./ Registration, welcome and opening remarks
Artemisszio
Manpower Formazione
/ Presentation of activities and outcomes of Phase 1:
- Survey of EU guidelines
- Survey of national standards and guidelines
- Comparative analysis and processing of outcomes (Matrix 1)
IFOA
Discussion and approval of the mapping of key competencies:
- The general framework (Matrix 1), the single areas of competenciesPartnership
Presentation of dissemination products:
- The web site: www.ifoa.it/manpower-kcom
- The official brochure
Artemisszio
Manpower Formazione
Friday 10
9.30 – 17.00
/ PHASE 2 - Analysis of needs of beneficiaries of training and employment systems/ Registration and opening remarks
Manpower Formazione
IFOA
Presentation and planning of Phase 2:
- Objectives
- Activities and expected outcomes
IFOA
Presentation and discussion of the Questionnaire for the surveyPartnership
Definition of criteria for the survey of needs:- The sample: numbers and type of beneficiaries
- Survey methods
Partnership
Any other business and conclusions
PARTICIPANTS
Name
/ Organisation1. Dario Scalella
2. Luigi Coppi
3. Riccardo Leone
/Manpower Formazione (I)
4. Luca Boetti
5. Andrea Bellani6. Alessia Planeta / IFOA – (I)
7. Udo Meriste
8. Maris Sagar / Tallinn College of Tallinn University of Technology (EE)
9. Zsuzsanna Komjáthy
10. Vera Várhegyi / Artemisszio Foundation (HU)
11. Edith Ecker
12. Fritz Birnstiel / Volkshochschule Passau (D)
13. Yves Courteaud
14. Marie-Pierre Vila Flor / Groupe ESCI de l’Ain (F)
15. Eugenija Vagnerienì
16. Daiva Lepaite / Kaunas Business College (LT)
17. Sam Carlin / North West Institute of Further and Higher Education (UK)
18. Sergio Veroli / NIDIL-CGIL (I)
19. Paola Mencarelli / UIL Milano e Lombardia (I)
Thursday 9
9.30 – 16.00
/ PHASE 1 - Definition of key competencies’ standards in EU’s traditional and new member states./ Registration, welcome and opening remarks
Artemisszio
Manpower Formazione
Vera Várhegyi (Artemisszio) welcomed the participant to Budapest and opened the meeting with some practicalities concerning the organisations, venues and logistics.
Luigi Coppi and Dario Scalella (Manpower Formazione) were pleased to open the meeting and whished a profitable and valuable work for the conclusion of Phase 1 and the start up of Phase 2 of the Project.
It was then communicated that the only partner missing was LDDK from Latvia.
/ Presentation of activities and outcomes of Phase 1:
- Survey of EU guidelines
- Survey of national standards and guidelines
- Comparative analysis and processing of outcomes (Matrix 1)
IFOA
Andrea Bellani and Alessia Planeta (IFOA) introduced the main features of the project, by recalling: definition of key competencies, field of application and target group of the project, goals and activities. Main outcomes of Phase 1, concerning the EU and national standards were then remarked:- Starting point: 2003-2004 Report of the Working Group B – DG Education and Culture of the European Commission
- 8 domains of competencies were highlighted by the survey: communication in the mother tongue, communication in a foreign language, mathematical literacy and basics of science and technology, digital competence (IST), learning to learn, interpersonal and civic competencies, entrepreneurship, cultural expression.
- Mother tongue and mathematics and science: it was proposed and approved not to take them into consideration, since they are already fully developed by national systems, since compulsory education curricula.
- It was proposed and approved to include, within the Foreign language domain, both the English language (considered nowadays as the global idiom) and a second European language (according to the specificities, borders etc. of the country where a citizen lives). The approach is also taking in the recent EU guidelines regarding a European area of languages.
- It was proposed and approved to separate Interpersonal and intercultural competencies from Civil and social ones, being the latter more focused on civil, social and employment issues.
- According to the surveys’ outcomes and partnership’s proposals the project will focus on the development of the following domains: communication in foreign languages (English, 2nd European language), IST/digital competence, learning to learn, Interpersonal and intercultural competencies, civil and social competencies, entrepreneurship, cultural expression.
- Some important specifications were made on the German contribution, under request of VHS Passau, that can be found on the introduction of Matrix 1.
Discussion and approval of the mapping of key competencies:
- The general framework (Matrix 1)- The single areas of competencies
Partnership
Following the presentation of main outcomes, the partnership discussed about the contents and the definitions, after the introduction made by Luca Boetti (IFOA) concerning the fields and the methodology adopted for the design of Matrix 1. Competencies’ domains were designed considering the most comprehensive definition highlighted by the surveys (mostly EU contribution) and adding further elaborations useful for completing and giving more detailed description of the domain.
The main outputs of the discussion were:
- To keep the title Civil and social competencies, according to trade unions’ demands and most of partners’ consensus, though some doubts arose about the wide meaning of the word “social”. The rationale adopted was to consider anything concerning “individual relationships and dynamics” under interpersonal and intercultural competencies, while “relationships and dynamics” with institutions (administrative, political, economic, social) were put under the Civil and social domain. Trade unions remarked the importance of labour and employment issues addressed in this field.
- To change the title of the Cultural expression domain into “Cultural awareness”, in order to include wider topics such as environment, as proposed by Artemisszio.
- Sam Carlin from North West Institute proposed to consider ECDL only as a part of the digital competence domain, referring mainly to the field of Skills. Therefore it was suggested not to develop this already highly standardised certification, but to move the focus on less investigated issues.
The session concluded with some decisions taken on:
- the need to revise the Matrix according to the above outcomes,
- checking the wording of the document,
- checking, merging and/or revising items of the Matrix, with the contribution of each partner,
IFOA will have to produce a final version of Matrix 1, according to partners’ feedbacks, which will have to be sent by them by the 20th of June 2005. By the same date partners will have to provide with financial tables and copies of evidences of expenses concerning the Budapest meeting for the devise of the Cahier de bord required by ISFOL – the Italian managing authority.
Presentation of dissemination products:
- The web site: www.ifoa.it/manpower-kcom
- The official brochure
Manpower Formazione
Riccardo Leone (Manpower Formazione) presented the dissemination materials of the project by explaining the idea and the meaning of the logo, the structure and, supported by Alessia Planeta (IFOA), the facilities of the web site. It was highlighted that the site allows to download main products, newsletters, documents concerning key competencies and VET and education systems of partners. Partners were delivered copies of the official brochure and were also required to send comments and materials in order to enrich the web site.Friday 10
9.30 – 16.00
/ PHASE 2 - Analysis of needs of beneficiaries of training and employment systems/ Registration and opening remarks
Artemisszio
Manpower Formazione
The Hosting partner Artemisszio and the Project promoter Manpower Formazione introduced briefly topics to be discussed and practicalities concerning the day.
Presentation and planning of Phase 2:
- Objectives
- Activities and expected outcomes
IFOA
Goals, activities and expected outcomes of Phase 2 were recalled: particular attention was paid to the two main products, the questionnaire and Matrix 2, which represent the integration of the top-down (surveys of EU and national standards) and the bottom-up approach (interviews to final beneficiaries).Presentation and discussion of the Questionnaire for the survey
Partnership
Luca Boetti (IFOA) in charge of products and methods development illustrated the questionnaire: structure, fields, privacy statement.An open discussion followed the presentation, and the main issues emerged were:
- The English version of the Questionnaire, including some definitions of Matrix 1, represents the only reference for translation into national languages.
- Sam Carlin (NWIFHE) provided with the English proofreading of the document.
- It is not possible, for space and usability sake, to include all matrix items referring to knowledge, skills and attitudes in the questionnaire.
- The items to be included in the Questionnaire will be chosen by the partnership, by using the same tool adopted for revising the matrix. Deadline was fixed by the 20th of June.
- Some concerns were expressed regarding beneficiaries’ capability to understand the items, as provided in the top-down approach. It was then decided that each partner will translate and “phrase” them in order to facilitate both the understanding and a smoother submission of the questionnaire.
- Concerning Artemisszio suggestion to involve the employers in the interviews, it was agreed to have them as beneficiaries, but not as key testimonials for opinions concerning competencies possessed by the employees and needed by the companies.
- Finally, arrangements were taken on privacy issues and details recording.
Definition of criteria for the survey of needs:
- The sample: numbers and type of beneficiaries
- Survey methods
Partnership
The partnership discussed about the main requirements to be adopted for the bottom up survey.
Concerning the sample of beneficiaries it was decided to keep the minimum number of 10 per partner (as indicated in the project proposal), up to a maximum of 30, following the suggestion of Yves Courteaud (Groupe ESCI). Manpower Formazione will address from 50 to 80 beneficiaries as already decided at the Steering Committee of Milan together with the trade unions.
The type of beneficiaries to be involved, at least 50% of women, should include students, employees and unemployed people with at least a compulsory education qualification. It was agreed to keep a balanced rate of the above type of beneficiaries: e.g. on 30 people, about 10 should be students, 10 employees and 10 unemployed. Anyway each partner will involve a sample of people also according to its mission and target groups of the organisation.
Considering the complexity of the topics, it was decided to opt, when possible, for an assisted submission of the questionnaire in order to facilitate the understanding of the contents on behalf of the target group involved. The last part of the questionnaire is devoted to the record of individual details (for statistical processing purposes) and privacy statement. It was agreed that each partner will treat the above issues according to their national regulations.
Deadline for the completion of the bottom up interviews was fixed by the end of October 2005. Originals or paper copies of all documents have to be sent to IFOA.
Any other business and conclusions
The Partnership fixed the next venues of the project:
- Derry (Northern Ireland), 1st-2nd December 2005: outcomes of Phase 2 and Planning of Phase 3
- Kaunas (Lithuania), Spring (April?) 2006
- Passau (Germany), Autumn 2006
- Italy (Rome, Milan, Naples), March 2007: Final Event
Finally, the Partnership congratulated for the intense and profitable work done and thanked Artemisszio for the brilliant hospitality and organisation.
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