THE ELGA SCHOOLS

INITIATIVE

Abstract

Preparing students for the working world and employment is important as imparting knowledge, and a large number of skilled graduates needed as increased responsibility given to employees at lower levels. Architecture and its practice was also affected by such influences, a drafts person with few knowledge about architecture and engineering may compete with a graduate architect for a job vacancy, such competition observed in assigning responsibilities of engineering nature that may exceed drafting for drafts persons working in architecture studios and design firms.

The tendency of businesses to minimize major running expenses represented in salaries of their employees verses quality and performance of their output has become an increasing dilemma, the growth of outsourcing industry, and use of internet as a fast, cheap and reliable means of communication facilitates new approaches for managing project phases;

A design of a project may be created in a design studio in the United States, while its civil work may be processed in Europe, and its workshop drawings and visualization may be produced in India, the major factor dominating such approach for managing a project regardless its size and scale of work is “Cost Reduction”.

Such influences strongly define where the architect will be standing in today’s world of employment. Architects equipped with “Broad” and “Diversified” skills may have mobility to survive the strong tides of such global change.

the initiative is...

Is a Strong Global Initiative...

For narrowing the gap between academic education and skills required in the job market. ELGA Schools deliver a comprehensive set of programs that develop students' success and align with skills needed in the workplace.

Birth of the Idea and a Dream that Came True...

For creating comprehensive programs that increase the mobility of graduates from various fields and specializations around the globe was a major concern of Dr. El-Gammal PhD dissertation. His research work in the field of education has turned from theory into a tangible reality through the ELGA Schools project. With the Motto "What You Did Not Learn in the University"

The Initiative Is...

Narrowing the Gap Between Academic Education and Professional Education

Ten to twenty years ago, students were much more satisfied with the path of their undergraduate study than in recent times. It rarely happened to hear a discussion among students arguing whether it was the right decision to continue studying at the university or withdraw to enroll at another institution providing vocational programs.
Students of today are aware of the increasing gap between academic learning and skills required by the job market. They became more daring and less hesitant in taking decisions to withdraw from the university and enroll into any other institution providing vocational programs that they feel may ensure a better job opportunity after graduation.
University students enjoy a greater degree of freedom in changing between majors due to the availability of a variety of study options, and programs that make the student like a “Consumer”, the curriculum like a “Product”, and the educational institution like a “Seller or a Producer”.
The initiative could be a possible solution that will narrow the gap between academic education and market driven curriculums, or curriculums designated for skill development, due to its double nature, or in a more slang expression: “Has the best of both worlds” in one learning package.
People attend postgraduate university programs since a postgraduate degree is more prestigious in the job market than a non-degree or a professional certificate awarded through vocational training, but at the same time academic postgraduate programs do not equip their graduates with skills acquired by the job market, unlike vocational training.
Moreover, the “Mental setup” of university professors is more inclined towards curriculums of academic nature, which means, when they are assigned the responsibility to create a new specialty for their faculty, they tend to think academically by emphasizing on “Scientific Research” as the core component of the new program.

Providing an Attempt to Overcome Problems of Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Research Programs

The recent evolving trend of most interdisciplinary postgraduate research programs did not solve the problem either, because it is still more inclined towards scientific research rather than developing skills.
Also, when a faculty or decides to create a new program, the traditional situation is like this: if the program is in a specific area, then, the mission of creating the program is assigned to the professor specialized in such area to create the syllabus in an individual manner. If the program is intended to be of an interdisciplinary nature, then, each professor prepares the course material of his/her specialization also in an individual manner. Afterwards, the team of professors makes a simple straightforward process of assembly, most probably just for the sake of organizing the new program attendance hours, academic load, and the creation of its academic calendar. This approach:
- Lacks a clear definition of the new program learning outcomes while goals of the program were usually expressed in a “Promoting tone” using phrases like “Research Excellence”, “Self-Paced Learning”, etc. as found in its website.
- In an interdisciplinary post graduate program applicants introduce a “Research Proposal” as part of their admission requirements for the enrollment to the postgraduate study, this is a normal academic requisite that usually takes place at an early stage before receiving a study offer, and/or acceptance to the program from the faculty. The students’ common complain about interdisciplinary graduate programs is whether the courses they attend are of direct benefit to the research area and interest expressed in their early research proposals, or at least; whether there will be a direct impact on improving their professional [job related] skills.
- A solution to such problem may be in creating an interdisciplinary program with double nature and double goals:
  - Contains a “Comprehensive” knowledge base that makes the program geared for extensive skill development
  - In addition, it contains a research component that makes the program geared towards academic research.
  - Retain its academic integrity and edge above non-degree programs.
  - Flexible for continuous updating and modifications that is capable of updating itself without the need for dedicated team of teachers, progressive course review, changing; regulations, administrations, policies, re-allocation of resources, and other complex institutional procedures.
- Such approach may qualify a new interdisciplinary program to compete not only within its local market, but within a free open global market

Rehearsing the double responsibility of university education

In case of creating curriculums for academia, it is quiet understood that focusing on research is essential, since the main responsibility of universities is to work on research for the purpose of contributing to knowledge, but at the same time it is also the responsibility of universities to graduate and also prepare thousands of calibers for the working world. Accordingly, establishing a curriculum that does not compromise for the goal of developing skills on the expense of research, and vice versa, in an interdisciplinary postgraduate format, and at the same time empowered by the academic accreditation and certification (In order to gain attraction and recognition) may be a suitable solution for such problem. Such solution may gain ingenuity only if all the strengths and privileges of:

1. 1. Academic and research curriculums
  2. Vocational training
  3. Latest education theories
  4. Good strategic planning
  5. Well defined success factors
  6. Good structure
  7. Good curriculum design
  8. And based on surveys of the latest contributions in the world of learning (In the academic world, the vocational world, and the job market world with its ever-changing and ever-increasing needs) are to be not only (I) “Seriously” taken in consideration, but also, (II) “Carefully” implemented in one “Single learning package”.

Introducing curriculums with a comprehensive knowledge base

Taking Architecture as an example:

If the architect fails to impress a potential client in early meetings, then establishing business with such client is not guaranteed. Creating good impressions depends on successful presentations. Comprehensive architectural presentations usually consist of:
Oral element: Represented in information delivered through speech by speaker to audience during presentation process.
Visual element: Represented in visual material introduced to audience in the form of an architectural illustration, a Model, a walkthrough animation, a PowerPoint or a multimedia demonstration, a video material, and an interactive internet-based demonstration, or even a brochure, a flyer, or a simple website.
Textual element: Represented in project studies, feasibility, project strategies, tables, diagrams, articles, and all other textual information delivered to audience in the form of hard copies or handouts.

Establishing a “Comprehensive” learning experience

Involves creation of curriculums that contain topics focusing on developing, oral, visual, and textual skills, forming the core content of its efficient knowledge base, and requires that the architecture student should develop: Strong visualization skills, Strong drawing and sketching skills, Strong ability to use both virtual and natural media environments, A broad range of soft skills represented in Verbal, communication, Writing, negotiation, managerial, and linguistic skills, Broad range of technical, general, and personal knowledge. Many architecture schools worldwide have responded to recent influences by expanding the realm of skills in their architectural curriculums, yet the aim of this change is:

Limited to facilitating migration of architects towards jobs in visualization and media industry, as topics added in modified curriculums were selected only to cover the range of skills that expands capability of architects who are working in media and visualization companies in order to satisfy their expansion strategies
Drifted by dilemma of competing with professional non degree training institutions, and strong pressure of changing market dynamics
Selected topics and overall layout of such modified curriculums were not structured in a manner that provides balance between subjects related to media industry and topics addressing architectural illustration, and soft and personality development skills
These modified curriculums are influenced by “Market Mania”, the later should not be the only factor driving curriculum structure and design since its changes are not always predictable
Do not satisfy all elements of presentation
Do not provide extensive coverage for soft skills training.
Are not structured in a manner that allows access to modifications
Do not provide an in-depth development of architectural visualization skills to the professional level.
Pedagogies for introducing information technology and topics related to computer and virtual environments mostly provide training on direct use of software applications. Architectural illustrators find difficulty in keeping up with fast release of new visualization software, and in their attempts of exploring new applications to reach photorealism and quality, it is better to equip them with skills and techniques on how to quickly get familiar with every or new software application, and how to develop a self-learning capacity, rather than training them on using a specific application just because it is commonly used by design studios or engineering firms.
Do not offer a “Comprehensive program”

Increasing mobility of professionals around the globe

The mobility of professionals between different countries
Mutual recognition for validation of degrees, certificates, and other formal qualifications.

Expanding job opportunities beyond a major field of study

Back to the architecture field: As an example: The job market for architects in most places of the world is a narrow segment by nature. In addition to the field of architecture, ELGA Schools expands the job market for its Architecture graduates to work in more than seventy specializations in the wide arena of:

All areas of the “Creative Industries”
Motion picture industry
Software development
Research and Development commonly known as “R&D”
Architect’s business development
Administration and management of the design office
And any other field that involves practicing some of the skills or type of
knowledge acquired across the (CMAS) curriculum
And more...

Creative Industries...

“Creative industries”, in particular, are seen to be a leading component of economic growth, employment, trade, innovation, and social cohesion in most countries with advanced economies.

An average of 5-to-6 % of the “GDP” of all (OECD - Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) member countries come from the creative industries. The United States is far ahead with over 11% of its “GDP” comes also from the creative industries.

Moreover, If taking the United Kingdom as an example, when comparing to other sectors, the creative industries make a far more significant contribution to its economic output than hospitality, or utilities. It delivers four times the output of agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, while in terms of employment; the creative industries sector is a major employer of between 4-6% of the UK's working population.

[Statistics taken between early (2000) and late (2007) before the (2008) recession]