Post date: Sep 24, 2010 1:56:56 PM
last Friday, I have finally defended my PhD pre-thesis that has stressed me lately and I can focus on the upcoming university year. Few days ago, we had a discussion among our teaching staff about the ECTS as a whole and although I sought of reaching some conclusions and calls to action not much has been agreed upon. Basically, as per all our society, there is not much enthusiasm in pursuing fundamental changes in our approach to the students. This is no disappointment, because the change will come anyway either from within or from the outside. The difference is that when it comes from within you kind of have the control as opposed to when it comes from outside and the wind of change takes you, not to say "blows" you. Still, as a consistent optimistic person I do have confidence in various other forces to drive the change.
One question, rather rhetorical I have been asking everybody to meditate about was to what extent did we get to know our students ? It is pretty strange for me that all teachers at all levels advocate for the "customer orientation", "customer focus", but how far do we go in trying to understand our customers at the university who are our students ? The question includes me and I am still looking for answers. However, I honestly believe that ECTS has advanced big time as opposed to just a few years ago.
As far as I am concerned I managed somehow to squeeze all of my classes totalling 26h in only 4 days, from Monday to Thursday, meaning I'll have a well deserved, I hope, long week-end to focus on some side projects. Moreover, I also managed to schedule most of my classes in the nicest location available at the moment in our university, namely the former Rometelecom building, a much better one in terms of cleanliness, modernity and equipments.
Last but not least, this year's personal focus in terms of informal education moves from various mass projects, which I don't believe that much in anylonger to elite projects for the talented ones only. Besides, at a mass level, I will try as much as possible to get involve into business skills & behaviour related campaigns. I would like to see these students getting out of the university with the right attitude and manners...more info on this will come!