Enhancing European Higher Education through Student Engagement

1. COUNCIL OF EUROPE Directorate of School, Out-Of-School And Higher Education, Higher Education and Research Division and PEOPLES’ FRIENDSHIP UNIVERSITY OF RUSSIA INTERNATIONALSEMINAR MAKING THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA A REALITY: THE ROLE OF STUDENTS

2. The learning environment Making the European Higher Education Area a Reality – the Role of Students Moscow, 2-3 November 2006 Martina Vukasović Centre for Education Policy, Alternative Academic Educational Network, Serbia

3. EHEA a reality in 2010 • (Student) learning as the central process of higher education • One of the indicators of the fulfillment of Bologna goals – quality • => Quality of learning • To enable quality of learning it is necessary to improve the quality of the learning environment

4. Learning and learning environment • How one learns? • Where does learning take place? • Formal learning setting – e.g. a higher education programme • Non-formal learning setting – e.g. a language course • Informal learning setting – e.g. student union • => External learning environment • => Internal learning environment

5. Elements of the internal learning environment - 1 • Structural • Organisation of programmes and class schedule • Size of classes • ICT • Library facilities • Physical accessibility • Peer interaction

6. Elements of the internal learning environment - 2 • Teaching methodology • Teacher’s approach to teaching (-> student’s approach to learning) • Learning with understanding, for application in practice/deep approach or rote learning/surface approach • Inclusive teaching techniques • Classrooms are full with different students

7. Elements of the internal learning environment - 3 • Link between teaching and research • Does research always enhance teaching? • Too much or too little research? • Link between learning and work • Non-learning elements • Supporting extra curricular activities

8. External learning environment • Acknowledge that it exists • Acknowledge that there are (and should be) “spill-over” effects • Enable recognition of prior and experiential learning

9. Improvement of the learning environment – who? • Public authorities • Legislative framework • Sustainable funding solutions • Quality assurance and accreditation procedures • Higher education institutions • Integrate! • Student unions • Advocacy • Organising extra curricular activities