The professionals of practice-oriented higher education will be more important in the future.

The 29. annual conference of EURASHE was held in Budapest on the 15 – 16 May 2019. An excellent organiced Event. EURASHE “European Association of Institutions in Higher Education that offer professionally orientated programs” they are engaged in applied and profession-related research within the Bologna cycles. Urs Gassmann, President of EurEta was present and talked to some of the representants of the Institutions from different countries.  Even all of the Institutes work in the education within the Bologna cycle, there are big differences and challenges between the different countries and single schools. Some also are in the field of education in the short cycle education. Short cycle education is a practical oriented study, but very individual structured. Every country has a different type, in lessons, duration and title. This means this education is outside of the own country not known or compatible. EurEta brings this education together and makes international mobility possible. However, EurEta has his criteria’s to be a “EurEta Professional” or an “Ing. EurEta”. To get a member and apply for membership this are the minimal requirements: 2-year fulltime study at higher Education and EQF Level 5.  In this way, we provide the important transparency in the jungle of education.

Welcome speeches Prof. József Bódis, Minister of State for Education of Hungary and  by Mr Stéphane Lauwick, President of EURASHE. Followed by the keynote speech by EC Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Mr Tibor Navracsics and keynote speech ‘The Future of Education in the Digital Age’, Dr. Gerald Bast, President of University of Applied Arts Vienna. Thias was the start of the conference.

One thing is clear there are big changes coming out of the economy needs. It will be a challenge for the students and the Universities, then the educations takes 2 – 5 years and nobody knows, what the expectation, towards the graduates is after this time. In many countries, the challenge is to provide the graduates places in the economy for them to gain the important practical skills. Knowledge will be the past and Competences will be the future. As the need of the economy changes rapidly, people needs new Skills, the knowledge of the past studies will be outdated. Up-skilling and re-skilling will get more important to be a part of the future workforce. The challenges will be: who provides this kind of education and who will be financing it.

EurEta will be an important player in providing transparency towards the practice-oriented Professionals with Higher Education.