Koloman Ivanička – Juraj TomlainSlovak University of Technology

Global Perspectives on the Future of Real Estate EducationApplication of MyUniversity portal in PhD real estate education

University of Reading December 2nd-3rd 2011

7th Annual ERES Education Seminar

Introductory information

Project website: www.myuniversity-project.eu

MyUniversity is innovative project of the EU Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Policy Support Programme of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)-(CIP-ICT PSP-2009-3bis) solved by consortium of European universities and institutions

Duration of the project: 30 months (October 2010-March 2013)

The project has begun on October 1, 2010

MyUniversity project objectives

The main aim of the project is empowering all university members and stakeholders in the higher education decision process, by the means of a transparent and user friendly e-Participation platform. The aim is achieved by developing individual applications by member-universities.

MyUniversity purpose

To equip universities from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Spain, Slovakia and Sweden with a cutting edge e-Participation platform so they can actively participate in the higher education decision making process with valuable input towards future policies and legislation, both locally and at European level.

The project engages the university members and stakeholders in the higher education decision making process and gather their opinions on specific policy issues, action plans, strategies, student mobilization and university life in general.

The Bologna process

One of the key aspects towards the success of the Bologna Process and the creation of unified European Higher Education Area is the close cooperation and interaction between governments, higher education institutions, students, staff, employers and quality assurance agencies

MyUniversity offers

MyUniversity is oriented on increasing the direct participation of university members and stakeholders in the higher education decision making process

Allowing university members and stakeholders to easily participate in the policy-making process of the higher education area

Allowing university members and stakeholders to understand the impact of the policy and then use the interactive e-Participation tools to provide their contributions on the subject

MyUniversity benefits

How citizens of different countries can benefit from contents, results and best practices generated by other

How issues being debated in one country can initiate a new discussion in a different one, or even a cross-border discussion on European matters

How easy is for decision makers to include e-participation initiatives as a new factor in their decision making processes

Which countries participate?

Project is at present used at 17 universities.

The platform will cover up to 400,000 participants

Spain - 10 universities (255,500 potential users)

Sveden - 1 university ( 55,000 potential users)

Slovakia - 3 universities ( 45,150 potential users)

Bulgaria - 2 universities( 21,100 potential users)

Lithuania- 1 university ( 25,500 potential users)

Platform Tools

Indicative tools for the users of the platform

• Configurable Front Page• News area• Calendar of events• Letters to officials• Forum• Newsletter archive• Participation processes• e-Petitions• Polls• User registration tool• User profile management• Contact form• Search engine

Platform’s technical principle

MyUniversity portal page

MyUniversity discussion page

MyUniversity and education

One of the applications is being developed for PhD. students (with majority of the topics related to real estate) at the Institute of management of Slovak University of Technology (the consortium member). In the presentation we are presenting our main ideas.

The first MyUniversity „process for the PhD. students

Opinions in study in English language Satisfaction with cooperation with tutor Proposals for the lecturers –practitioners Advantages of the study abroad (the part of

PhD. Study Satisfaction with the organization and content of

the seminars Proposal for the new topics for discussion Upload of important documents

Support of the international network of ERES PhD. students

Participation on the content of the studies – the ability of the PhD. students to propose the topics of the lectures (and setting their preferences of the lectures by voting or petition procedures – these functionalities are available at MyUniversity platform), that reflect the realities in the industry.... and also to provide the feedback on lectures that were realized

Use of the results of the discussions

For decision making processes related to PhD. Study

The special functionality of MyUniversity: digestion of the information from the forums and discusions is under the preparation – This is expected to be used by the university decision-makers

Support of the international network of PhD. students

The Exchange of information and documents through MyUniversity server among the different Universities

The contribution to the development of the common European education area,

Informing about the credit systems in the different universities, the courses taught in the different universities, the internships,

Informing about the mobilities in the universities as well as in the companies, etc.

Publication of regular newsletter edited by PhD. students with the information on mobilities and news in the area of the PhD. study within the individual university, but also in the ERES PhD. network

Support of the international network of ERES PhD. students

Platform for the mutual cooperation among the PhD students in the different countries.

Informing about the development of their thesis, and the publications that they published in journals or books, informing about the research and grant schemes, about the possibilities to join the young researchers networks.

Forums oriented on the preparation of the conferences: Here we may suppose that the PhD. students will be able to propose and to discuss the content of the workshops, panel discussions etc on the scientific conferences and submit their opinions to the organizers of the conferences

Support of the international network of ERES PhD. students

Use of the platform of MyUniversity for informing the students on the master level regarding the opportunities to study PhD. in various countries in Europe. Possibility for them to have an access the discussions

MyUniversity platforms by tutors

Electronic discussion of the tutors of the PhD studies concerning the methods and procedures of the PhD. study in Europe and possible innovations

Preparation of the content of the summer schools

E-discussions on the standards of PhD. studies throughout the Europe

Blogging: The blogs about the experience attained during the PhD. studies, and during the mobilities, suchas Socrates Erasmus

MyUniversity platforms by tutors

E- discussions on the implementation of the Bologna process, quality management

MyUniversity also as the platform, that can support the contacts among the PhD. students, the graduates of the PhD. studies and academia

MyUniversity & other stakeholders

Practitioners: practitioners are often interested in the scientific results presented in the digestible form. So MyUniversity platform may provide the basic information on what was attained.

Proposition of the new topics that are interesting for the practitioners to be studied by the PhD. Students

Proposition on the provision of access to information in companies, etc.

Support for the creation of the network of the practitioners and the researchers and PhD. students

Propositions to join the research consortia

MyUniversity & social networks

MyUniversity also leverage the success of social networks such as Facebook, by advertising its content on them in order to ‘hook’ new users.

Facebook allows users to create and join different groups that are related to as many topics as the imagination of the users allow. Universities can create their own groups or join groups that are related to topics which they find interesting.

Many of these groups attract a large number of university stakeholders that are very active in the corresponding topic.

MyUniversity & social networks

MyUniversity & social networks

The integration of Facebook with MyUniversity will allow information published on university’s e - Participation portal to appear on the Facebook groups mentioned above.

If a user is interested in the subject, and clicks on the information, he/she will be taken to the MyUniversity portal

Automatic translations of Forums into English

One of the new features of MyUniversity platform is the automatic translation.

This will give the access of users to the content of discussions and Forum in the local languages, so that it will be possible to react from abroad

Future work on portal AT STU

Discussion on the University strategy E-participation for the preparation of Academic

Senate decisions Involving the University stakeholders in the

MyUniversity platform Numerous forums related to the pressing

problems of the University life

Thank you for your attention

Project website: www.myuniversity-project.eu

http://www.e-myuniversity.eu/stuba/

E-mail: koloman.ivanicka@stuba.skjuraj.tomlain@stuba.sk