Description
There is a need for evaluation of the importance of competition in higher education, especially in Poland and Norway. Competitions are a method of teaching which is used and developed in both countries. The objective of the project is the implementation of Norwegian educational project (24H competition) in Poland. The competition will be organized in Lodz with 10 teams of five persons representing various academic institutions (including the Norwegian team). The interdisciplinary task will refer to the problems of tourism in the city and it will be prepared in cooperation with Lodz authorities. The result of the discussions will be a Polish-Norwegian publication, and potential users of content will be all those interested in using competitions in the sector of academic education. The role of the partner is to support the implementation of all project events: participation in the 24H competition, assisting in the preparation of the study tour, and preparation of a publication.
Summary of project results
The project SCHEDULE - Significance of competitions in higher education sought to verify the effectiveness of competitions organised in higher education. It was meant to focus on topics linked to research conducted by the Faculty of Geographical Sciences at the University of Łódź, which is business tourism. As regards its contents, the project included a student-oriented education pathway and one involving academic research. Owing to this concept, the implementation of the project managed to attract academic teachers, researchers and students. The 24HOURS competition that was run in Łódź in cooperation with the Poland Convention Bureau, Novotel Łódź Centrum Hotel, Regional Tourism Organisation of the Łódź province and the Włóczykije Tourism Geographers’ Student Club operating at the University of Łódź was the most publicised activity of the project. The participating teams in 24 hours prepared a draft strategy for the development of business tourism in Łódź. A study visit to Lillehammer University College with the participation of the winners of the 24HOURS competition was a supplementary activity. The project outcomes were presented in Naples at an international conference entitled The Tourism Intelligence Forum (t-Forum).The project SCHEDULE was intended to support and stimulate mobility (17 in total) not only among students of the University of Łódź, but also among students of all other HEIs interested in the participation in 24HOURS as an integral part of the project. As a result, the positive outcomes of mobility were multiplied and they benefitted not only outstanding students of some Polish HEIs but also those of the partner college. The most important project outcomes and impact: (1) the project motivated the staff of the Faculty of Geographical Sciences at the University of Łódź to extend the offer of subjects provided in foreign languages; (2) experience gained in the course of the project helped introduce subjects provided as project-based learning; (3) LUC’s very effective and highly-rated cooperation with the University of Łódź was an encouragement to develop further cooperation in research. Project website:
http://schedule.edu.pl
Summary of bilateral results
The positive outcomes of mobility with Lillehammer University College were multiplied and they benefitted not only outstanding students of some Polish HEIs but also those of the partner college. Now back in their home HEIs, cities and country, Lillehammer University College students participating in the project are the best ambassadors of the University of Łódź, Łódź itself and Poland. The fact that LUC researchers’ interest in scientific cooperation with employees of the University of Łódź has grown so significantly is a direct outcome of the project SCHEDULE. LUC’s very effective and highly-rated cooperation with the University of Łódź was an encouragement to develop further cooperation in research. The benefits for both the University of Lodz and Lillehammer University College included: the use of existing, developing and popularizing new good practices in the use of competitions in educational activities, and the extension of the formula of previous cooperation between the institutions. Results of the project brought both University of Lodz and Lillehammer University College closer to the idea of establishing double diploma for the students of tourism programs.