Session A: Changes in University Organisation and Structure |
Yves Epelboin: Approach to new technologies of Information and Communication for Higher Education: the Cultural paradigm |
Does the American model apply to Europe?
The available funds are not of the same order of magnitude in Europe and universities cannot invest the same amount. Hopefully efficiency in teaching is not always simply linked to money: in the beginning of the eighties, the best US universities already started to invest in technology at levels which were unthinkable in Europe. 15 years later nobody makes reference to these projects such as Carnegie-Mellon and others. It does not mean that they failed but the success has certainly not been what was expected. Up to now no proof has been given that NTIC have been able to replace the classical approach. To quote Dr M. Zastrocky, VP for Education and Research from the Gartner Group, at the Olympics, in Sydney, swimmers were able to improve their performances because of a new pool and sophisticated swimming suits. But they had to train as hard as ever. Why should we think that technology might replace the personal training of the brain, i.e. the usual process of individual learning? This gives us some hope: NTIC may certainly improve education and we must hope, from the past experience, that we can, in Europe, achieve the same goals with less money. But this also means that we must do our best to be as efficient as possible, i.e. work together, develop common projects, and find what we have in common to establish common models to be used in all European countries.
What can we learn from the US experience?
Technology, not affordable today, will be tomorrow. Thus it is not the most critical part. However one must remain cautious about a direct transfer of US solutions. Education is a very long process and it takes years to see the results of a change. To estimate what we can learn from the American experience and what is transferable to Europe we must learn and understand the specificities of each European model in relationship with its culture. Europe is made of many different countries and cultures, however all European countries have a number of common points.
The university model, in Europe, is far from the American one. It is not business oriented: learning and teaching are under State control, either centrally controlled as in France or locally as in Germany. Delegation is given by the State to fulfill a mission. Thus the influence of the State through its funding and its demand is of the uttermost importance.
Diploma, courses are controlled by national agencies and a standardization is under way, at a European level, to permit exchange of students among different universities in different countries. Having a national mission to fulfill, means that the universities are submitted to a number of regulations and less reasons to compete. The freedom for initiative does not compare to the American one and quite often, when competition exists among universities; it is initiated by the State. Innovation is not as critical as in America thus universities do not regard NTIC as a means to fight for their survival. Universities have a long and rich historical background. The best ones do not resent NTIC as a means to attract students. Their reputation, the quality of their teaching, the opened opportunities for the students who receive their diploma is sufficient to continue to attract the best students. Of course they are interested in NTIC but more as a plus than as a basic tool. Smaller universities, less known, may find new opportunities to establish their position, especially in the new developing field of permanent education.
Writing courses using new technologies is a hard job, which does not pay. Careers are based on research thus it does not pay to be innovative in teaching. This is also true in the US but a pressure exists, due to the organizational model, so that professors must use the web. All developments, in Europe, are based on a voluntary basis thus there is not too much reasons to push the best professors in this direction. Due to our organization and the amount of available funds Europe cannot be so much innovation oriented.
Most European Universities are not involved in permanent education at the same level than the American ones. One may have many different explanations: the level of fees is so high in the US, so that students cannot afford to stay in the university as long as their European fellows. Thus they come back later when already engaged in their professional life. It may be also that diploma earned during the life «pays more and that the reputation of the university is less important as it has been said before. Nevertheless there is more motivation for e learning in the US. European universities do not resent too much its need and are not in a hurry to develop courses on the web. This is a very critical point. The demand for permanent education will rapidly become the driving force for changes. Following the American model people will need to renew their knowledge all along their professional life and will ask for knowledge skills, not for diploma. This is not yet very well accepted in Europe. The danger is that American universities will try to enlarge their basin of recruitment establishing outposts in Europe. They have already started in Eastern Asia, offering their courses in Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea... with outposts located in Australia. They are arriving in UK where there is no problem of language as well as in Eastern Europe where the Education system is in a big turmoil. Other European countries, such as France, Germany, Italy or Spain will only resist until US universities and enterprises are able to offer their courses in the native language. It already started for business schools where the American language is a natural requirement.
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