EDU-LAB New Danubian Governance in Labour market Relevance of Higher Education

New Danubian Governance Model

Skilled-workforce emigration is one of the most urgent societal problems that Central and Eastern European and Southeastern European countries of the Danube Region face. The New Danubian Governance Model (NDGM) was developed by the EDU-LAB project consortium to offer a sustainable solution for this problem by developing a practice-oriented higher education model that aligns education and training with the demands of the job market.

NDGM proposes solutions for linking basic knowledge to problem-solving, expertise to systemic understanding, theory to practice, analogue to digital forms of learning, individual learning and independent work to cooperative learning and team work, personal cultural identity to intercultural understanding, and self-reflection to social interaction.

The major goals to be achieved by the New Danubian Governance Model are thus the following:
• A combination of theory and practice is incorporated in the tertiary education.
• A life-long learning system is developed in a systematic and sustainable way.
• A cooperation between universities and companies in the field of teaching and research is enabled by law and stimulated by financial incentives.
• The cooperation is a major stimulus for university research and practice-oriented study programmes.
• In order to combine theory and practice, companies take over a binding and long-lasting commitment and responsibility in the learning partnership with universities.
• The educational system is flexible and sustainable enough to follow the economic and social challenges, and continuous technical development.

The development of NDGM was a joint effort of policy makers (education ministries and municipalities), higher education institutions, as well as employers’ organisations (chambers of commerce and industry) from 10 countries of the Danube region. The Model offers a practical policy guide for policy makers, higher education institutions and businesses.

Read the full description of the New Danubian Governance Model,  including the "Policy Guide “How to Start – Implementing the New Danubian Governance Model” here.

The New Danubian Governance Model is available as a prezi presentation here:

 

Programme co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA, ENI)