Acquisition, Role and Value of Higher Acquisition, Role and Value of Higher Education CompetenciesEducation Competencies

Christoph MengChristoph MengResearch Centre for Education and the Research Centre for Education and the

Labour Market Labour Market Maastricht UniversityMaastricht University

AgendaAgenda

Competencies: ConceptCompetencies: ConceptRecent SurveysRecent SurveysAcademic or Discipline-specificAcademic or Discipline-specificRequired Competencies Required Competencies Acquired CompetenciesAcquired CompetenciesRole and Value of CompetenciesRole and Value of CompetenciesAcquisition of Competencies Acquisition of Competencies Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

CompetenciesCompetencies

Distinction between competency and skillDistinction between competency and skill

Group of skillsGroup of skills

Referring to a single underlying dimensionReferring to a single underlying dimension

Condition to fulfill complex tasksCondition to fulfill complex tasks

Recent SurveysRecent Surveys

CHEERSCHEERS– 3 years after graduation3 years after graduation– Survey in 1998/1999Survey in 1998/1999– European countries + JapanEuropean countries + Japan

REFLEXREFLEX– 5 years after graduation5 years after graduation– Survey in 2005/2006Survey in 2005/2006– European countries + JapanEuropean countries + Japan

CompetenciesCompetencies

Discipline-specificDiscipline-specific

Theoretical Theoretical knowledgeknowledge

Knowledge of Knowledge of methodsmethods

Academic Academic

Learning abilitiesLearning abilities

Reflective thinkingReflective thinking

Problem-solvingProblem-solving

Analytical Analytical

DocumentingDocumenting

RequirementsRequirements

RequirementsRequirements

3,75

3,8

3,85

3,9

3,95

4

4,05

4,1

4,15

4,2

Academic

Italy

Spain

France

Austria

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

Finland

Norway

RequirementsRequirements

3,1

3,2

3,3

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,9

4

4,1

4,2

Academic Discipline-specific

Italy

Spain

France

Austria

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

Finland

Norway

RequirementsRequirements

3,3

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,9

4

4,1

Academic Discipline-specific

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

France

Competencies Requirements and Competencies Requirements and ILM versus OLMILM versus OLM

Competencies Requirements and Competencies Requirements and ILM versus OLMILM versus OLM

ILM

OLM

Academic competencies orientation

NL

D

UK

FR

AcquisitionAcquisition

AcquisitionAcquisition

3

3,1

3,2

3,3

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,9

Academic Discipline-specific

Italy

Spain

France

Austria

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

Finland

Norway

AcquisitionAcquisition

3,1

3,2

3,3

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,9

Academic Discipline-specific

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

France

Competencies Acquisition and ILM Competencies Acquisition and ILM versus OLMversus OLM

ILM

OLM

Academic competencies orientation

NL

D

UK

FR

Role of CompetenciesRole of Competencies

OLM countriesOLM countries– Allocation: Discipline-specific competenciesAllocation: Discipline-specific competencies– Training: Academic competenciesTraining: Academic competencies– Wage: Mismatch in discipline-specific competenciesWage: Mismatch in discipline-specific competencies

ILM countriesILM countries– Allocation: no effectAllocation: no effect– Training: Academic competenciesTraining: Academic competencies– Wage: Mismatch in academic competencies (UK)Wage: Mismatch in academic competencies (UK)

Acquisition Acquisition

Acquisition Acquisition

AcademicAcademic Discipline-specificDiscipline-specific

Traditional styleTraditional style REF.REF. REF.REF.

School-classSchool-class 00 ++

PBL without teacherPBL without teacher ++ 00

PBL with teacherPBL with teacher ++ ++

Acquisition Acquisition

AcademicAcademic Discipline-specificDiscipline-specific

Formal EducationFormal Education (-)(-) ++

Self studySelf study ++ ++

Extra-curricularExtra-curricular 00 00

WorkWork 00 --

Study-related workStudy-related work ++ ++

Concluding remarksConcluding remarks

Institutional settingInstitutional setting– Competencies requirementsCompetencies requirements– Orientation of acquisition of competenciesOrientation of acquisition of competencies– Role of competencies in transition to labor Role of competencies in transition to labor

market market

Acquisition of competenciesAcquisition of competencies– Role of learning environmentRole of learning environment

The Bachelor/Master system provides HE The Bachelor/Master system provides HE institutes in the NL and the UK with the institutes in the NL and the UK with the same wrapping paper. same wrapping paper.

The Bachelor/Master system provides HE The Bachelor/Master system provides HE institutes in the NL and the UK with the institutes in the NL and the UK with the same wrapping paper. same wrapping paper. However, when the However, when the Dutch employees open their present, they Dutch employees open their present, they will realize that Sinterklaas (5will realize that Sinterklaas (5thth of dec.) still of dec.) still shops in a different place than Santa shops in a different place than Santa Claus (24Claus (24thth of dec.) of dec.)