EUROPEAN UNION POLICIES AND THE STRATEGIC CHANGE FOR eLEARNING IN UNIVERSITIES

Edited by E. Mancinelli, SCIENTER and Noelia Cantero, Coimbra Group

The project “Higher Education Consultation in Technologies of Information and Communication” (HECTIC) was set up in the year 2000 following discussions between the European Commission and organisations representing higher education in Europe. The process aimed to achieve an effective dialogue between the eLearning activities developing within higher education in Europe and the policy initiatives of the European Commission. These developments in eLearning were, and are still, occurring very rapidly, which has made it essential for policy formation to look forward 5 or 10 years.

When looking ahead and considering how new technologies can be most effectively utilised, one must consider that, while new ICTs are having a variety of direct effects on teaching and learning in universities, there are also a number of other important factors having a major influence. For example, the implementation of the Bologna Declaration is impacting on the development of curriculum structures and quality control attitudes and procedures, while the widening of access is attracting new learners with contrasting educational backgrounds. Also, the increase in demand for higher education has created a bigger market which is attracting new providers, many of whom are “for profit” organisations.

This large and diverse market is expected to produce a more diverse range of higher education institutions, as universities seek to specialise in specific niche areas in an effort to be more successful. These changes represent challenges, but also opportunities, for policies aimed at the development of eLearning within Europe. This changing perception of universities also creates important challenges for the institutions themselves in implementing eLearning.

One of the most important factors to consider is the question of staff motivation. What recognition and rewards can be used to persuade academic staff to change their teaching methods and incorporate new technologies? What structural and legal changes might facilitate such changes? The effectiveness of leadership within institutions, not only to stimulate, enable and reward the uptake of eLearning, but also to create a level of strategic planning for the university is also very important.

In this respect, significant perceptive, conceptual and practical frictions exist between the two worlds of policy objectives and educational developments. These need to be bridged in order to generate real synergy and the implementation of eLearning serving institutional strategic priority achievement.

ICTs also have great potential for creating virtual mobility for students, but there is a strong feeling that it should complement and not replace physical mobility. This implies the development of virtual university activities on a European scale which could best be achieved by building on existing activities. As such, achievement of the full potential of eLearning would require targeted action by a number of players.

Considering all of this, HECTIC developed a number of recommendations, directed both at institutions and the European Commission. Key recommendations for institutions include those concerning strategic leadership and management, while HECTIC recommended that the Commission improve the ICT infrastructure across Europe and incorporate eLearning in the development of the Bologna Process. However, the majority of the recommendations require coordinated action by the Commission, the higher education system and, in some cases, the relevant national governments or their agencies. Among the topics contained in these recommendations are:

• work with the European Commission to develop coordinated virtual university activity across Europe
• the coordination across Europe of European and national objectives in eLearning review of funding mechanisms and procedures
• investigation of multiple sources of funding for eLearning the need to evaluate current experience and disseminate good practice
• the promotion the spread of virtual mobility
• research into the effectiveness of eLearning
• consideration of the impact of Intellectual Property Rights.

The key conclusion, however, was a need for an overarching framework to drive forward the recommendations which need coordinated action. HECTIC recommends the creation of a standing body with representation involving the Commission, European university associations and students. Practical ways to engage national governments and agencies on relevant topics would need to be found. Not only would this body have the responsibility of considering how the specific recommendations are to be implemented, but it would also be able to monitor all further developments in eLearning for higher education and make appropriate additional recommendations for concrete actions.

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