19-COP-0042_SUBFLY - Students Democracy

Project facts

Project promoter:
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca(RO)
Project Number:
RO-EDUCATION-0095
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€113,986
Final project cost:
€95,722
Donor Project Partners:
University College of Southeast Norway(NO)

Description

UBFLY-SD Project is a bilateral cooperation between BBU and USN, built on cooperation between researchers and professors from the two academic institutions and mutual exchange of students.
The project is natural extension of the fruitful cooperation between BBU and USN, and in the same time of the successful SUBFLY Project financed by SEE Grants 2014-2021 under the contract EY-COP-0082.

Objectives of SUBFLY-SD Project are:
1. increase understanding and skills related to democratic processes in organizations;
2. make students aware about their role, duty and power to improve things by getting involved in social/economic/decisional activities and acting;
3. improve academic staff through cooperation and elaboration of shared educational material and teaching methods;
Educational material will be developed to sustain implementation of joint events organized (mobilities) and achievement of objectives.
A questionnaire will be elaborated to evaluate perception of students for understanding democratic processes, involvement in activities and act. Questionnaire will be applied at the initial and final stage of each mobility. By comparing results (paired sample is statistics) we will be able to determine the efficiency of our tools and materials and if perception of students has improved. Results will be synthesized and consolidated in a Performance Report.

Summary of project results

The previously created cooperation framework between USN and UBB was extended and developed under SUBFLY Student Democracy (SD Project) 19-COP-0042.
Well educated students, able to use specific business concepts, to understand business models and processes is one of the goals of our HEIs. However, for a successful business carrier, all these must be combined with capacity of making decisions and assuming them, with involvement, responsibility and commitment. On top of these, ability to act in an international environment is required.
Romanians have a tendency for disorder and avoidance of responsibility, conducting to delayed or not even initiated action. Understanding and utilization of student democracy concept is limited among Romanian students and HEIs. Students are not aware that their direct or via responsible representants involvement in academic processes, is a useful training for their future carrier.
Opposite, Norwegians clearly define the objective, appoint an accountable person, plan activities and resources, make decisions and to assume them for achieving the objective on time and with a high added value. The student democracy concept has a wider spread among Norwegian students, probably influenced by Norwegian tripartite model balancing interests between employees, employers and authorities.
Activities of SD Project have contributed to education of responsible and committed graduates.
Under the framework of SD Project we have: implemented 4 Intensive Programs; developed Intellectual Output; elaborate a research article submitted for publication; disseminate results and ensure their long term availability via project''s webpage.
The 109 students and 8 staff involved in SD Project understood importance of involvement and decision, enriched knowledge, enlarged vision, improved pedagogical skills, extended their network, improved dialogue and English language, bridged the gap between theory and practice.

Summary of bilateral results

Involvement of USN in the partnership created several benefits for UBB members.UBB students worked in mixed teams with colleagues from a different culture and with different habits. They benefit from pedagogical methods used by Norwegian professors, shared knowledge and sources of information with fellow students, learned the Norwegian structure of a Report, visited Industry 4.0 Lab from Kongsberg Campus. Visit at Norwegian company Technip FMC exemplified the importance of Norwegian tripartite model and opened a window towards Norwegian business model. UBB distance-learning students were involved for the first time in an international IP.UBB staff extended their network, created opportunities and gain international experience.Partners debate and agree for the structure and content of: IPs, Intellectual Output, research article.Covid-19 generated delays in implementation of IPs. HEIs focused to accelerate the IPs and to realize them until end of implementation period. Ionut L and Eivind F were responsible for organizing IPs. Host university was responsible for inviting company/NGO/authority at IP. Assignment for each IP was a joint decision. Supervision and evaluation of student reports were performed by staff from both HEIsAccountable for IO was Ionut L. Structure and contend were decided after team debates. Erik L had the lead for Cultural management and Trust in cultures, Ralf H had the lead for From Lyceum to lecture hall, Cristian C had the lead for the survey.Lead for research article was Ionut L, content being result of team work.Future collaboration is assured by POI 4.0 (21-COP-0044), teaching cooperation between Erik L and Aurelian S, cooperation of Ralf H with FSPAC faculty from UBB, potential cooperation between SINTEF and Romanian companies.

Information on the projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is provided by the Programme and Fund Operators in the Beneficiary States, who are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of this information.