professional associations research network linking professional bodies and higher education:...

Professional Associations Research Networkhttp://www.parn.org.uk/

Linking Professional Bodies and Higher Education:

Building on a Research Enriched Network

Andy FriedmanDirector of PARN

IHEQN Conference - 17 October 2006


Agenda

Introduce PARN Research information on accreditation and

relations between Professional Bodies & Higher Education Institutions

Suggestions on what can be done in future in terms of research and networking through PARN


PARN- Professional Associations Research Network

Set up in 1998

Located in Bristol, England: connected to Bristol University

A Membership organisation for Professional Associations (including regulatory bodies, learned societies, trade unions for professionals)

133 Professional bodies

113 UK 15 Ireland 3 Canada

2 Australia


Professional Associations Research Network

PARN: A Research-Enriched NetworkAims

To increase the profile of issues relating to professionals, professionalism and professional associations through research and networking with the aim of determining and promoting professional good practice

To encourage professionalisation; particularly of professional associations

To become the premier international knowledge base on Professional Associations


Research projects

Continuing Professional Development member relations and routes to membership governance professional ethics operational strategy

Current projects Ethical Competence CPD and the Internet

Future projects Long-term visioning for professional associations Extension of ethical codes analysis to Ireland, Canada &

Australia Changing Patterns of Volunteering Competition Acts and new (de)regulation


Research Project Books

Member Relations and Strategy: supporting member involvement and retention 19 October 2006

Governance of Professional Associations: theory and practice 2006

Analysing Ethical Codes of UK Professional Bodies 2005

Critical Issues in CPD 2005

Professional Associations in Ireland: comparative study with the UK 2004

The Professionalisation of UK Professional Associations: governance, management & member Relations 2004


Research Project Books

Other books published 1999-2003 include:

2 on governance

4 on CPD

1 on ethical codes

1 on routes to membership


Conferences and workshops

London 19 Oct 06 Strategy & Member Relations

Bristol 17 Jan 07 Growing Pains of Smaller PA’s

Dublin 15 Mar 07 Professionalisation of Irish PA’s

London 24 April 07 Ethical Competence

Ottawa 15 May 07 Professionalisation of Canadian PA’s

London 21 June 07 PARN Annual Conference

Sydney Sept/Oct 07 Professionalisation of Australian PA’s


Information services – Consultancy - Website

Information service for members Short desk research activities Member Enquiries

Consultancy & training Governance reviews, Induction, Individual Board Member

Evaluations Member Services Support for Professional Ethics

Website with many useful resources some publicly available, most in members only section including CPD Spotlight


Information Bases

Surveys of professional associations

UK (April- July 2006) 111 responses of 340

Ireland (June-Oct 2006) 21 responses of 120 so far, survey open until the end of this month

Canada (Oct–Dec 2006) launching this week

Australia (Feb-April 2007) Australianising now


Information Bases

128 questions in 7 sections Organisation, Governance, Operations, Membership, Initial Qualification &CPD, Ethics & Standards, External Affairs & PR

Books will include case studies from follow-up calls Models from previous research projects


Awarding and accrediting: National

Interaction Ireland UK

Awarding Body below degree level 21%

Awarding body above degree level 21%

All Awarding 41% 54%

Accrediting body 47% 44%

Both awarding and accrediting 11% 25%

Accept specific qualifications offered by others but neither award or accredit

26% 38%

Respondents 19 104


Awarding & accrediting: size in Ireland

Interaction <500 501-1500

1501-3000

>3000

Awarding 50% 33% 40% 50%

Accrediting body 50% 33% 60% 50%

Both awarding and accrediting 25% 17% 0 25%

Accept qualifications by others but neither award or accredit

25% 50% 0 25%

Respondents 4 6 5 4


Awarding & accrediting: size in UK

Interaction <500 501-1500

1501-3000

>3000

All Awarding 22% 31% 22% 67%

Accrediting body 22% 15% 33% 54%

Both awarding and accrediting

0 8% 11% 33%

Accept qualifications by others but neither award or accredit

56% 69% 56% 28%

Respondents 9 13 9 72


Size distribution Survey vs Population

<500 501-1500

1501-3000

>3000 Number

Irish Survey 21% 32% 26% 21% 19

Irish Population

22% 33% 9% 35% 51

UK Survey 9% 13% 9% 70% 103

UK Population

4% 11% 18% 67% 227


Member Enquiry on accreditation

1. Does your organisation accredit education or degree programmes?

2. Have you experienced any hurdles (e.g. differences in perspective or priorities) when working with educational institutions?

3. If so, how have you overcome these hurdles?

4. How do you think professional bodies and educational institutions could collaborate more effectively?

5. What are your views on ‘Breathing fire: Professional bodies have a stranglehold on higher education’

Guardian, 18 July 2006Sent out 2 October, 13 responses so far


Breathing Fire: VC - U Central England

‘Slaying dragons can be fun … when the dragons in question are bureaucratic monsters flying on wings of red tape. …multitude of professional societies that have taken it upon themselves to validate university courses in their discipline …

Their only consistency is inconsistency.… real objection … not their sentimental attachment to bits of the

syllabus that should have been abandoned in the last ice age; … interference in the process by which students gain qualifications.’

Insisting on particular staff student ratios, that some staff be fellows of the association.

‘Another scam is for the society to demand only students with three As at A-level and a minor Nobel prize be allowed to join the course…

‘lecturers …come up with vaguely plausible demands for resources. They then decree that these are essential … insist that universities stuff extra staff and cash into their course.

‘any unfortunate subject that doesn’t have a professional body to run an extortion racket on its behalf. Bad luck … humanities’


Players in the Field containing Higher Ed

1. Governments: encourage perceived gap between higher education and (business) employment needs to be removed for national economic development and security.

2. Many business people have a similar view, but self-train.

3. Most university administrators - get on with becoming entrepreneurial on their own terms. Able to act quickly in response to strategic opportunities. New courses quickly. Some want to maintain international research reputations.

4. Academics - get on with their research and teaching free from administrative burden from top and from outside bodies.

5. Students - get good jobs at the end, good social experience, pursue interests in subject and potential career, good teaching.

6. Professional associations - attract best entrants to profession and maintain standards. This can also => restricting supply.


Member Enquiry Responses

Hurdles experienced I Reluctance to apply for accreditation by some institutions

(costs? lack of perceived benefit?) Resistance of universities to relate what they do to a

professional outcome Knowledge gap of some academics re where practice has

been developing Competing demands academic/research vs clinical/applied Reluctance to accept higher standards for entry and

completion esp. subjects (and institutions) that are vulnerable re student numbers

Overseas universities and those who are only in the subject in a limited way are challenged



Hurdles experienced II Direct teaching requirements mean a higher staff/student

ratio than many institutions are willing to provide We want to ensure training leads to capable ethical

practitioners and universities seem to want to meet their targets re numbers and income



Overcoming Hurdles I Collaboration among players on accreditation guidelines:

education institutions, employers, postgrad students Annual updates ed framework & accreditation process Dedicated accreditation coordinator to ensure regular

updates and guidance to assist ed institutions Benchmarking vs other accreditation procedures to support

coordination Get ed institutions to rely more on their internal expertise Better links in advance of accreditation: prep for questions Carry more research based articles in our journal and

citing more sources for recommended practices



Overcoming Hurdles II Better use of Council members who are senior academics Need clearer differentiation between general Humanities

degrees and pre-professional programs degree about journalism vs degree designed to prepare you to

become a journalist. Have representatives of degree awarding universities on

ed committees of professional bodies Better coordination at universities between department and

faculty academics with academic managers concerned with quality control

Certificates of excellence scheme from prof bodies for top students on each accredited course



Reaction to article Cynical Professional bodies aim to protect the public and promote

the highest professional standards possible. This is a worthwhile aim and requires policies.

View of author not that of heads of departments who have been through our accreditation

Prof bodies have a better understanding of what is happening in the real world than lecturers which reflect theoretical world as understood by lecturers

Some universities are profoundly resistant to the idea of relating what they do to a professional outcome.


Ethics – Analysing Ethical Codes

Analysed 70 professional ethical codes

Accessed through association websites

Examined clause by clause and classified by: type of obligation, to whom obligation owed, severity of obligation

Found problems of Accessibility Clarity Consistency


Ethics – Analysing Ethical Codes

To Whom are obligations owed

Types of Obligations

Client Society The Profession

Self

Good Citizen

Expertise/

Competence

Character/

Values

Conduct


Ethical Competence

1. Knowledge2. Capacity3. Technical Competence4. Ethical Competence

Ability to apply knowledge in an ethical manner as in ethical codes of professional associations knowing when to apply & when to forbear from applying

knowledge, based on ethical principles what is ‘right’ + not ‘right’, taking into account client

needs & what is morally correct + sensitive to the situation of clients + other stakeholders in broad sense


Further research and benchmarking

Develop models of accreditation based on benchmarking Philosophies and aims Nature of standards Processes and procedures Supports and connections to ethical codes, prizes. Collaboration: who involved and when

Incorporate normative elements

What works

Interesting practice

Benchmark education institutions as well as professional bodies

professional associations research network linking professional bodies and higher education:...

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