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Description
Improved STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) competencies of students in using the RESPO-VI application and conducting trainings; improved cross-sectoral and bilateral cooperation between higher education institutions, companies and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of digital solutions for monitoring the development of competences in students. Higher education is facing changes that bring new forms of acquisition and transfer of knowledge and competences that involve innovative models of formal and informal training. They intertwine and build on artificial intelligence and mass data. University teachers and students are forced to develop the competences of Society 5.0 and Industry 4.0, which was already indicated by the Covid-19 pandemic which revealed the gaps between current skills and the skills that the industry needs due to the constant technological progress. The general goal of the project is to use decision support systems to monitor the development of STEM students'' competencies during formal and informal education, which they need for an easier transition into the 21st century society. The specific objectives of the project are: to identify the general and specific skills of STEM students for the labour market; promote cross-sectoral and bilateral exchange of good practices in the use of digital tools for the development of 21st century skills; to design a new teaching and learning approach for students with the RESPO-VI system that provides support in decision-making.
Summary of project results
The RESPO-VI project addressed several key issues and challenges in a modern higher educational environment. One major challenge was ensuring that STEM students (STEM - Science, Techology, Engineering, Mathematics) and university teachers develop the necessary skills for the 21st century job market, such ascritical thinking, communication skills, creativity, problem solving, collaboration, information literacy, technology skills and digital literacy. To tackle this, the project created the RESPO-VI decision support system - a digital tool/application to help track students'' career progress in developing essential competencies sought by employers now and in the future. Additionally, the project focused on sharing knowledge and best practices in education, especially in enhancing digital and STEM skills through training for university staff and students. Another challenge was improving cooperation between different educational institutions to help STEM students fill gaps in their skills that current study programmes might not cover. This was achieved by offering personalized interdisciplinary training and using the RESPO-VI application. Finally, the project aimed to integrate this new system and training into existing university programmes and courses, helping students develop and track essential skills more effectively and fostering better collaboration between universities using digital solutions.
Within the project, a comparative analysis was prepared between large companies, SMEs, research institutes and development centres and the existing Competence Centre model to obtain data on competences needed in the labour market. Also, the current state of digital competences in the participating higher education (HE) institutions was examined.On that basis, the project developed an innovative online application (RESPO-VI application) that monitors the development of student competencies during formal education and informal training. This application uses artificial intelligence and extensive data analysis to provide tailored training programmes based on students'' study programmes, skills and employers’ demands. The effectiveness of the application was tested in workshops, involving students, HE staff and key stakeholders from Slovenian and Norwegian institutions in the HE field. Based on participants’ feedback from these workshops and validation activities, guidelines were created for integrating the RESPO-VI application into higher education programmes to ensure continuous monitoring of competency development in a rapidly advancing society.
The RESPO-VI project achieved significant results in enhancing STEM students'' competencies using the RESPO-VI application and targeted training programmes. The project fostered improved intersectoral and bilateral cooperation among higher education (HE) institutions, companies, and NGOs in implementing digital solutions for tracking student competency development. It contributed to direct impact indicators by involving more than 40 staff members in developing and testing innovative teaching models. Additionally, the project conducted various mutual learning activities, including training sessions for HE teachers and students (20 staff members were trained to use the application and 6 were trained to transfer knowledge to other colleagues), a workshop for stakeholders in HE, and a conference for the wider public, benefiting more than 100 participants. The development of the RESPO-VI application and related training programmes, alongside the study of competency needs for both, students and HE teachers, were key intellectual outputs of the project, positively impacting not only participating HE institutions - the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School and Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), but also other HE stakeholders and companies in Slovenia and Norway. By participating in the two international conferences and publishing a scientific paper in the journal Sustainability, we further increased the project’s impact, extending its inspiration to the wider public from different parts of the world.
Summary of bilateral results
The bilateral collaboration enabled a comprehensive approach to identifying and addressing competence gaps among students and employers’ demands in Norway through the survey performed between Norwegian companies. NTNU with advanced expertise and technologies also contributed to the development of a competency monitoring application that utilizes artificial intelligence and large-scale data processing. The NTNU played a crucial role in enhancing the quality of student training by ensuring that training programmes aligned with the latest industry needs while contributing to strategic alignment with broader European and global goals. Together, the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School and the NTNU prepared a comprehensive report on the competency needs of STEM students as required by employers in both Norway and Slovenia and adapted the research and surveys to align with national and European policies. This joint effort led to development and implementation of a training programme, which included active participation from Norwegian professors and students. The students completed individual assignments that provided valuable insights into new teaching practices and approaches for seminar work. Both institutions collaboratively developed guidelines for integrating the RESPO-VI application into higher education systems in both countries. The RESPO-VI application itself emerged as a product of this bilateral cooperation. Both institutions continue their bilateral collaboration through further educational and research activities, for ex. in new international projects. They will further join the efforts by preparing shared contributions for conferences and journals as well as seeking new funding opportunities. Their ongoing collaboration aims to develop and realise innovative educational ideas that will support higher education teachers and students in acquiring the skills needed for today''s and tomorrow''s job market.