Context
In Europe, despite official attempts for the creation of regular paths starting from TVETs (in Italy ITS) and continuing with a third year and a bachelor’s degree, this connection is not systematized yet. Only few TVETs assign ECTSs for their modules, making it difficult for Universities to recognize their exams and therefore forcing TVET graduates wishing to continue their studies to start their Bachelor’s degree from the beginning, discouraging them as it entails a huge quantity of additional time.
Only specific agreements between TVETs and universities allow this recognition, which, anyway, is often incomplete, requiring some integrations.
Fondazione ITS JobsAcademy (Italy), Institut Escola del Treball (Spain), Institut de Vic (Spain) are among the TVETs that have activated agreements with Universities (such as project partner e: Atlântica – Instituto Universitário – Portugal) to recognize ECTS and enable students to complete their studies obtaining a Bachelor’s or a Master’s with an additional 1-3 years of study.
This system has proved to be very effective and needs to be adopted on a larger geographical scale to become ordinary practice in the medium term and – hopefully – officially systematized with dedicated policies in the longer term.
Overcome the skill gap
encountered by students wishing to work in international business environments. A set of dedicated methodologies and techniques will be developed and tested, and teachers will be trained, so that our joint international curricula will foster the development of key entrepreneurial and cultural awareness competences.
Establish a synergy between Universities and TVETs
A synergy that will facilitate the transition between different EQF level courses and degrees (from EQF 5 to 6 and 7), thus increasing the learning and job opportunities of TVET students and all Europe.
Connect technical higher education with the market.
By involving market representatives in all stages of the design and delivery of new joint international courses, technical education in the fields of marketing and business management can meet the requirements of today’s international job market.
Upskill teachers
Enabling them to successfully contribute to the development of entrepreneurship and cultural awareness competences among their students.
Specific objectives
Aim and Objectives
Main aim of I-THEN is to establish a strategic and structured cooperation between European and non-European Universities and TVETs delivering technical higher education creating a network for the development of joint international courses and able to constitute – in the medium term –a European University.
