Concept note
The labor market is rapidly changing at the national, regional and global levels. Global mobility, connectivity and new technology are some of the drivers that are reshaping the labor market and the skills needed to be an active contributor in society. A number of research studies have presented the necessity and the drivers of change and the skills needed for the future (Jones (2016), Becker (2017)).
Davies (2011) identified six main drivers for this change: the increasing global lifespans, the workplace automation, the massive increases in sensors and processing power, the new communication tools, new forms of production and value creation and the increasing interconnectivity. These drivers define the demand for many skills needed for the future labor market:
- Self-learning: ability to lifelong learning according to new challenges and professional changes. This requires enquiry and research skills.
- Sense –making: ability to determine the deeper meaning or significance of what is being expressed
- Social intelligence: ability to connect to others in a deep and direct way, to sense and stimulate reactions and desired interactions
- Novel & adaptive thinking: proficiency at thinking and coming up with solutions and responses beyond that which is rote or rule-based
- Cross-cultural competency: ability to operate in different cultural settings
- Computational thinking: ability to translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts and to understand data-based reasoning
- New-media literacy: ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new media forms, and to leverage these media for persuasive communication
- Transdisciplinarity: literacy in and ability to understand concepts across multiple disciplines
- Design mindset: ability to represent and develop tasks and work processes for desired outcomes
- Cognitive load management: ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximize cognitive functioning using a variety of tools and techniques
- Virtual collaboration: ability to work productively, drive engagement, and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team.
How can universities, in general and professors in particular, reshape their programs and pedagogical methods to adapt to this changing environment?
To answer this critical question, the Erasmus+ Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs), in collaboration with the National Erasmus+ Office of Lebanon, propose to expand on program design and delivery modes of skills for the 21st century, through a seminar that would present international and local practices on alternative ways to deliver such skills in demand in today’s labor market.
This seminar is designed to help universities reshape their programs, teaching content and methods to help their students navigate this uncertain and rapidly evolving world.
Bibliography
Becker, S. A. (2017). NMC horizon report: 2017 higher education edition (pp. 1-60). . The New Media Consortium.
Davies, A. F. (2011). Future work skills 2020. Institute for the Future for University of Phoenix Research Institute, 540.
Jones, T. &. (2016). Future Agenda: Six Challenges for the Next Decade. Profile.
Location of the seminar:
Auditorium of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, 12th floor
Target audience:
- Decision makers at universities
- Officers from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
- Faculty members representatives. Particularly those who work on curriculum development and members of centers for teaching and learning at the universities
- Researchers
- Other stakeholders such as labor market representatives
Languages:
French and english
Expected outcomes:
At the end of the seminar the participants will be able to:
- Identify the new skills needed in modern societies that impact teaching and learning in higher education
- Identify the new paradigms and modes of delivery and evaluation of these skills in higher education
Programme
08:30 - 09:00 Registration
09:00 - 09:15 Opening: NEO Lebanon (Aref Alsoufi), Director General of HE (Ahmad Jammal), Higher Education Reform Experts (Nada Moghaizel-Nasr)
09:15 -10:15 Keynote presentation: The new skills needed in modern societies that impact teaching and learning in higher education
- Moderator: Chafic Mokbel
- Speaker: Alastair Creelman
10:15 - 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 - 11:45 Keynote presentation: New paradigms and modes of delivery and evaluation of these skills in higher education with examples of new technologies
- Moderator: Hana El Ghali
- Speaker: Alastair Creelman
11:45–13:30 Lunch break
13:30–15:30 Lebanese experiences: Presentation and discussion of good practices for mutualisation and networking through two working groups .
|
Group 1 Moderator |
Group 2 Moderator |
|
Transforming Education at Higher Education Institutes : Fadia Homeidan (AUB) |
Science of Human Innovation : Mobile Leadership Strategy: Elie Samia (LAU) |
|
Teaching through simulation: Omaya Kuran (UOB) |
Developing new century needed skills through sport: Lindos Daou (USEK) |
|
E-portfolio to evaluate new century needed skills: Rima Mawad, Wadad Wazen (USJ/AUF) |
Youth empowerment: Nicolas Khabbaz (NDU) |
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Teaching through real cases in collaboration with the industry: Tina Habib (USEK) |
Teaching of innovation: Ursula El Hage (USJ) |
15:30–16:30 Next steps: Discussion about a potentiel digital platform for sharing conferences’ videos and materials in the development of qualifications needed for the new century
- Speakers: Ahmad Jammal and Aref Alsoufi
