Chapter 1O. Looking to the Future

3. UCE Networking and Collaboration >> Establishment of national UCE networks

Case Study 61

Estonian Network for University Continuing Education

Supplied by Aire Ots and Aune Valk. University of Tartu, for ENUCE, Estonia.

Summary: This describes the recently established Estonian National UCE Network, ENUCE.

ENUCE was established in January 30, 2001 in Tartu as a informal and voluntary union of Estonian universities.In June 2002 the Network consists of eight Estonian universities, including all six public universities and two private universities.

MEMBERS OF ENUCE:

Concordia International University

Estonian Academy of Arts

Estonian Academy of Music

Estonian Institute of Humanities

Estonian University of Agriculture

Tallinn Pedagogical University

Tallinn Technical University

University of Tartu

New members are welcome.

Aims of ENUCE are the following:

  1. To promote the idea of the important role of university continuing education in Estonian Universities through cooperation among universities’ management, academic staff, joint conferences and seminars.
  2. To enhance staff development in open and distance teaching, adult and continuing education through joint projects, exchange of ideas and teachers
  3. To facilitate joint activities focused on the development of Quality Assurance Systems in UCE
  4. To facilitate links between UCE and society.

ENNUCE acts through

  1. meetings twice a year;
  2. e-mail list for sharing information and holding discussion;
  3. common activities that are agreed on for each year.

Possible areas of cooperation

  1. Exchange of information
  2. Research in UCE
  3. Staff, UCE project managers and teaching development
  4. Participation in working out legal acts regulating UCE
  5. Publications on UCE
  6. Evaluation of UCE management systems
  7. Mutual recognition of qualifications
  8. Joint courses

Activities for the year 2001

  1. Exchange of information
  2. Initiate research in UCE
  3. Evaluation of the organisation of UCE
  4. Staff and teaching development
  5. Courses for UCE project managers
  6. Publications

During the first year following activities took place:

  1. Exchange of information through e-mail list uce@ciue.edu.ee
  2. Evaluation system of UCE management was created
  3. Courses for teaching staff were organized
  4. Some publications were issued

Activities for the year 2002

  1. Continued exchange of information
  2. Creating a home page for ENUCE
  3. To proceed searching for financial support for research in UCE
  4. Continuous development of the UCE management evaluation system, first mutual evaluation (See Case Study 58)
  5. To specify and expand the aims of the Network (including work with UCE market and possible target groups)
  6. To continue joint summer school on ‘University teaching’
  7. To start courses for UCE managers
  8. To start discussion (via email list, and in seminars) on important issues in UCE among ENUCE members.

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