CURRICULUM INVOKING BOLOGNA-ALIGNED EDUCATION LEADING TO REFORM IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Duration: 2010-2012

Type of project: Curriculum Development

Main objectives:

• to  professionalize  Higher  Education  and  specifically environmental studies within three areas in Central Asia and the Caucasus through the implementation of the Bologna Process at all three levels, BA-MA and PhD;
• to improve the cooperation between EU and partners from the third countries in the field of environmental studies;
• to prepare future managers and scientists in the third countries in order to protect their environment in a more effective way.

Specific objectives:

• to implement the Bologna process in environmental studies according to the specific realities of different countries;
• to harmonize the curricula in three distinctive areas at BA level (forestry, industrial safety and water and soil science);
• to create a Master program in environmental protection;
• to create doctoral schools in at least four NIS countries;
• to improve the training skills of at least 120 teachers;
• to train 450 BA students and 150/180 MA students during the pilot project;
• to improve the employability of the students;
• to prepare joint Master and PhD diplomas between EU and the third country partners in the field of environmental studies;
• to prepare at least 5 professional centers for environment protection and accreditation of ISO 14000.

TARGET RESULTS

R1: Need analysis of environmental industry and competence analysis for new curriculum (2010-11):

• Development of the key job description in environment related professions and the link to BA, MA courses in conformity with

Bologna process and Lisbon strategy (4 fields of study = 4 programs);

• professors  from  each  HEI  and  2  professionals  from environmental sphere in each country are taught how to develop job descriptions;
• 60 analysts will be trained from 6 countries (24 HEIs).

R2 : Harmonization of programs, content of course units, pedagogic resources and curriculum of MA in environmental protection (2011-2012):

• In 5 countries, all BA programs should be adapted to be in conformity with Bologna process and ECTS, the content validated by

EU experts  and  pedagogic  resources  will be  identified  and transferred;

• 5 to 10 professors and teachers from each HEI should receive the orientation training in Bologna system, ECTS, and the third cycle level.   

R3: Establishment of Doctoral schools (2012-2013):

• Establishment of at least 5 doctoral schools.

R4 : During the 3rd year of pilot project there will be 450 students at В A level and 150/180 at MA level (2012-2013):

• In every country except Turkmenistan at least 90 students will have access to third year of studies    according to the renewed curriculum at В A level;
• In every country except Turkmenistan at least 30 students will have access to the first year of studies according to the new curriculum atMAlevel;
• During the lifespan of the project, the programs and resources will be adapted through a quality control by UNTVAQ (450 BA students and 150/180 MAstudents trained).

ACTIVITIES

R1:

• Elaboration of a frame methodology for all partners with the action plan (what, who, when);
• Strategic study visit to CA by EU experts (e.g. KG & KZ together);
• Training of 60 people to define key job descriptions (10 to 12 analysts in every country). Analysis and writing of job descriptions. Link of job descriptions and conformity with BA-MA programs (competence-based approach).

R2:

• In every region the  training of 50  people  in  curriculum development methodology according to the recommendations of

Bologna (22 HEIs,  agencies, professional sector, association of students);

• Elaboration of renewed and new curricula at BA-MA level;
• In 4 fields of study the harmonization of content, identification of pedagogic resources, development of common MA;
• Training on establishing doctoral schools.

R3:

• Opening of pools of excellence in environmental research domains.

R4:

• Formation of 450 students at ВA and 150/180 students at MA level;
• Implementation of monitoring and quality control system by UNIVAQ;
• Feasibility study for joint or double diplomas between partner universities.

CONSORTIUM

• Georg-August Universitat Gottingen (DE) - Grant holder and coordinator
• Universita de 1'Aquila - UNIVAQ (IT) - Transversal expertise in the 4 curricula
• Carl von Ossetzky Oldenburg University - OU (DE) - Transversal expertise in Bologna and 3rd cycle level
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel - VUB (BE) - expert in Water and Soil science
• Ghent University - Ughent (BE) - expert in Water and Soil science
• Universidad d'Alicante - UE (ES) - expert in Water and Soil science
• University of West Hungary - UWH (HU) - expert in Forestry
• Politechnico di Torino - POLITO (ГГ) - expert in Industrial Safety
• Universita de Udine - UNIUD (IT) - expert in Industrial Safety
• University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy - UCTM (BU) - expert in Industrial Safety and Environment Protection
• Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW (PL) - expert in Forestry and Environment Protection

Forestry

• Samarkand Agricultural Institute - SAI (UZ) - trans-regional coordinator
• Khorog State University named after M. Nazarshoev - KSU (TJ)
• Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University - TESAU (GE)
• Akhmet Baitursynov Kostanai State University - KoSU (KZ)
• Kyrgyz National Agrarian University named after K. I. Skryabin - KNAU (KG)

Industrial Safety

• Academician E. A. Buketov Karaganda State University - KarSU (KZ) - trans-regional coordinator
• The Kulob Branch of Technological University of Tajikistan -KBTUT (TJ)
• Tashkent Chemical-Technology Institute - ТСП (UZ)
• Kyrgyz State Technical University named after I. Razzakov - KSTU (KG)

Water and Soil sciences

• Talas State University - TSU (KG) - trans-regional coordinator
• Tajik Agrarian University - TAU (TJ)
• Bukhara State University - BSU (UZ)
• Kokchetau State University named after Sh. Ualikhanov - UEKO (KZ)
• Turkmen Agricultural University named after S.A.Niyazov-TkmAU (TKM)

Environment Protection

• Ilia State University - ILU (GE) - trans-regional coordinator
• Kazakh-British Technical University - KBTU (KZ)
• S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University - KATU (KZ)
• Tajik National University - TNU (TJ)
• Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly - TkmSUM (TKM)
• Urgench State University - URSU (UZ)
• Issyk-Kul State University named after K. Tynystanov - IKSU (KG)
• Osh Technological University named after M. M. Adyshev - OTU (KG)

State agencies

• National Attestation Commission of Kyrgyz Republic - NACKR (KG)
• State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry - SAEPF (KG)
• Physical-Technical Institute of Academy of Sciences - РП-ASU (UZ)

Professional organisations

• TeachEx Academy for Teaching Excellence in Higher Education - TeachEx (KG) - communication platform
• Chamber of Ecoauditors - CEA (KG)
• Solar Plus Ltd. - SolarPlus (UZ)