Formation Continue du Supérieur

2-3 October 2014, Fontana di Trevi Conference Centre, Rome, Italy

Context

As part of the agenda of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union , an international forum on “Universities, Businesses and Co: Together We Can - Strategic Inter-sectorial Partnerships for Economic & Social Change & Growth", organised by the European Commission and the Italian Rector's Conference , will take place in Rome on 2nd and 3rd October 2014.

Summary

The event will bring together a group of multi-disciplinary representatives from both academia and the business sector.
The forum is structured around the following themes:

• Rethinking and opening up education: New and innovative approaches to delivering education more suitable to preparing graduates for the job market, for continuing education and the upgrading and requalification of employees.
• Business creation and employability: Quality education and entrepreneurial skills boost growth and competitiveness. Which transversal skills can be taught in cooperation with business to strength employability, creativity and new professional paths?
• Strategic alliances and the creation of ecosystems: The role of the public sector, of businesses and HEIs in implementing local, smart specialization strategies, for a greater impact on regional development.

The forum will host two high level panel discussions.

• The first will examine the most marketable skills needed to compete on the global market and how HEIs can provide the right mindset, knowledge, skills and motivation to engage in entrepreneurial activities.
• The second will focus on the development of a corporate culture within HEIs and how they can engage and improve their cooperation with external stakeholders for greater impact on innovation and growth.

Short presentations will be given on practices of University-Business cooperation such as the Knowledge Alliances (an action in the Erasmus+ programme that supports UB cooperation) and examples of innovative teaching delivery and programmes (industrial doctorates) and digital technologies (like MOOCs). There will also be a presentation of HEInnovate , the new online self-assessment tool for HEIs developed by the European Commission and the OECD.

Reference documents