11-th Warsaw Universities Conference, June 13-15 2012 VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY Models Tools and Practice Guglielmo Marconi University A new approach in Higher Education Prof. Giuseppe Iazeolla Software Engineering and System Performance Chair School of Informatics Engineering Faculty of Science and Applied Technology g.iazeolla@unimarconi.it http://www.sel.uniroma2.it/iazeolla
This talk objective Show that, to be successful, open universities should Invest in study models and technologies Which technologies Also invest in new courses to replace traditional ones Should invest in quality of teachers Be severe in passing students Economically competitive with traditional ones Be representative in research Be internationally connected
USGM Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi http://www.marconiuniversity.org Founded in 2004 Marconi has been the first Open university recognized in Italy by the Ministry of Education
3 Headquarter Buildings located in Rome In the heart of the Prati district (Vatican Area)
12 national branches MILAN GENOVA (CASARZA LIGURE) TRENTO FLORENCE FERRARA (CENTO) NAPLES SALERNO (VALLO DELLA LUCANIA), AVELLINO TRANI COSENZA (CORIGLIANO CALABRO) PALERMO CAGLIARI (SELARGIUS)
USGM STUDY METHOD Educational model that offers online and blended format combining face-to-face and interactive learning and promoting a student-faculty interactions
Marconi Virtual C@mpus platform Audio and video lessons, educational materials can be accessed by different supports Personal Computer e-learning Platform Mobile/mp3 Players ipod PDA Pocket PC Smartphone Television Web TV Marconi Channel e-book Book readers http://www.unimarconi.it/
WEB-TV MARCONI CHANNEL created to offer students an additional educational tool 8 thematic areas University, Art & Culture, Law & Economics, Sciences & Technologies, Society & Institutions, News from the World, Events, Live Broadcasts
additional resources MARCONI STUDIOS Experimental Center Film Television and Digital Media Marconi LANGUAGE CENTER Recognized by the European Commission
Virtual Labs
Interdisciplinary Multimedia Paths
Example Virtual Labs and Interdisciplinary Multimedia paths Macroeconomics Simulation Agricultural Mechanization Art Laboratory Amedeo Modigliani Thermodynamics Laboratory
EDUCATIONAL OFFER Marconi offer includes 1. More than 50 programs at graduate and postgraduate level that can be attended both online and face-to-face 2. Other cross-disciplinary and summer courses in the field of Arts, Literature, Economics, Political Science, Fashion and Design 3. Many programs are offered also in english
Graduate and Postgraduate OFFER Graduate Education 1st Level Degrees (3 years) 2nd Level Degrees (+2 years) no. 13 in total no. 16 in total Postgraduate Education 1st Level Masters (after the 1st level degree) 2nd Level Masters (after the 2nd level degree) no. 9 in total no. 6 in total
Graduate offer 1. School of Law 2. School of Economics 3. School of Training Sciences 4. School of Applied Sciences and Technology 5. School of Political Science 6. School of Arts
School of Law 1 st Level Degree: Legal Sciences 2 nd Level Degree: Public Administration Science Special Five-Years Degree: Law School of Economics 1 st Level Degree: Economic Sciences 2 nd Level Degree: Economic Sciences School of Training Sciences 1 st Level Degrees: Educational and Training Sciences Psycological Sciences and Techniques 2 nd Level Degrees: Pedagogy Psycology
School of Applied Sciences and Technologies 1 st Level Degrees: Civil Engineering Industrial Engineering Computer Engineering Geological, Cartographical, Estimative and Building Sciences Agricultural Sciences and Technologies 2 nd Level Degrees: Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Energy Engineering and Nuclear Engineering Industrial Engineering Urban and Environmental Engineering Agricultural Sciences and Technologies
School of Political Science 1 st Level Degrees: Political Science and International Relations Social Service Science 2 nd Level Degrees: Management of Politics and Social Services Political Science School of Arts 1 st Level Degrees : Modern Languages and Culture Films and Television Production 2 nd Level Degrees: Philology and Modern Literature Philology and Ancient Literature Languages for International Communication
Postgraduate offer 1. 1st Level Masters (after 1st level degree) 2. 2nd Level Masters (after 2nd level degree)
1 st Level Masters (after 1 st level degree) Business Administration (MBA) Global Marketing & International Trade Relations (MRC) Marketing Management (MMM) Fashion Management and Design Interior Design Coordination of Healthcare Professions (MCS) Healthcare Professions Management (MPS) Family Mediation (MMF) Human Resources and Organization (MRU)
2 nd Level Masters (after 2 nd level degree) Crime Sciences (MSC) Energy Production from Fossil, Renewable and Nuclear Sources (MPE) Executive MBA (EMBA) Education Leadership and Management (MDS) Public Administration Science (MSA)
Master in Fashion Management and Design This Master has been designed by Marconi University to capitalize the value of the Italian styling tradition and to improve professional training and refreshment in this ever-evolving sector. The course program is delivered in a hybrid modality including both online and face to face lectures and laboratories, offering a practical experience into the Italian haute couture tradition. The Master in Fashion Management & Design is the result of a partnership with Santangelo Collezioni, a renowned Italian brand which is currently standing out in the Italian and international fashion industry.
Master in Interior Design This master is meant for individuals interested in understanding contemporary interior design issues, taking into account several subjects like art, history of design, colorimetry and materials technology in a multidisciplinary perspective. In particular, the Master aims to train professionals able to enter the labor market with competence and responsibility, sensitive to the changeable modern needs and capable to control the entire planning process. Strategic planning and management skills together with the opportunity to experiment creative and unconventional forms and solutions give the students the right instruments to balance the interplay between desire, images and essential practical needs.
Master in Business Administration The MBA is specifically designed for high achieving individuals who want to take the next major step along their career path. By covering key disciplines such as finance, management, economics, marketing, operations and strategy in-depth, students gain the skills and knowledge needed to manage across departments, markets and entire organizations.
Additional Educational Offer Language courses ensure the acquisition of a broad range of competences and skills according to the Common European Framework for Languages. Available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian for foreigners, Italian Language and Culture. Language Levels: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced. European Certified Offer USGM PEL - European Language Portfolio allows students to assess their progress in the acquistion of language skills. It is recognized by the Council of Europe and by all the European Countries.
USGM the first among Open Universities in terms of no. of students Total graduates (year 2011) (1 st and 2 nd level Degrees) = ~ 12.000 (1st Level Degrees = ~ 10,500; 2nd Level Degrees = ~ 1,500) Total postgraduates (year 2011) (1st and 2nd level Masters) = ~ 3.000
Total graduate and postgraduates = ~ 15,000 students by including vocational courses we reach the number of = ~ 22,000 students The starting Year (2005) was of = ~ 500 students Growth ratio = ~ 3,600 students/year
graduates and postgraduates versus Schools 1. School of Law = ~ 3,700 2. School of Economics = ~ 2,700 3. School of Training Sciences = ~ 1,700 4. School of Applied Sci. and Technol. = ~ 5,400 5. School of Political Science = ~ 1,000 6. School of Arts = ~ 500
Computer Engineering Students 1st Level Degree = ~ 290 (2.2 times the average 1st Level classroom ( = ~ 130)) 2nd Level Degree = ~ 130 (2.6 times the average 2nd Level classroom ( = ~ 50))
Reasons of Computer Engineering attractivenss at UTGM? 1st Level new courses (replacing outdated ones, e.g. system control series ) 2nd Level new courses (replacing outdated ones, e.g. operating system series ) virtual labs (programming, databases, sw engineering etc) on line in-progress tests (in preparation of the final exam)
Example new courses in 1st Level Computer Engineering Energy distribution and management Advanced power-train systems Web Systems and Technologies Networks and the Internet
Example new courses in 2nd Level Computer Engineering System Quality and Performance Simulation Methods and Languages Software Quality Engineering Embedded Software Engineering Web Intelligent Systems Networks and Wireless Systems
USGM the only Open University with a 2nd Level Degree in Computer Engineering
Research at Marconi University
Research Departments 1. Energy and Environment 2. Mechanics and Energetics 3. Mechanics Installations and Infrastructures 4. Public Policies and Administration Sciences 5. Economics and Enterprise Sciences 6. Business Strategies and Technology Innovation 7. Philosofical Artistic and Philological Studies 8. Nuclear Physics, Subnuclear and Radiations 9. Enterprise Strategies and Innovation Processes
USGM International Active in promoting and implementing University relations with European and International institutions in establishing cultural and academic exchanges in the field of education and research in implementing physical and virtual mobility of students, teachers and academics, by use of digital technologies
Interuniversity Cooperation Agreements CEBI - Consultoria Empresarial Brasil Italia (Brazil) UTEPSA Universidad Tecnologica Privada de Santa Cruz (Bolivia) - Universidad De Aquino de Bolivia (UDABOL) (Bolivia) - Universidat EAFIT (Colombia) - UnisulVirtual (Brazil) Universidad INCA Garcilaso de la Vega (Peru) - Kaleidoscope Learning (USA) Saint Leo University (USA) - Argosy University (USA) - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) (USA) - Italian American Museum (Italy) - Shanghai TV University (China) - Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (China) - Kujawy and Pomorze University in Bydgoszcz (Poland) - Universidad de Oviedo (Spain) - North Kazakhastan State University named after M. Kozybaev (Russia) - Belarusian State University (Russia) - N. I. Lobacevskij State University of Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) - Siberian State University of Telecommunications and Information Sciences (Russia) - Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics (Russia) - Siberian Federal University (Russia) - ULBU - Université Lumière de Bujumbura (Burundi) - L universite Mouloud Mammeri De Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria)
USGM International Also active in operating GUIDE (Global Universities in Distance Education) the Association that promotes circulation of research results and best practices for blended e-learning
GUIDE has reached a global dimension with more than 120 member universities from all over the world
GUIDE International Conferences and Regional Workshops
GUIDE International Conference 2006 Towards the development of Common Platform for Global Cooperation Feb. 13th 14th 2006, Rome Thematic Workshop European Area 2007- Excellence Models for a Global University Network March 21st 2007, Tischner European University, Crakow - Poland Thematic Workshop African and Middle-Eastern Area 2007 Sustainable development of learning systems in Africa and Middle-East through Microcredit Nov. 25th 26th 2007, Dubai - UAE GUIDE International Workshop 2008 - E-learning and Multicultural Education: Digital Divide and Digital Opportunities May 15th 16th 2008, Rome
GUIDE International Workshop 2010 - New challenges for e- learning in cultural, scientific and socio-economic development, March 18th 19th 2010, Rome GUIDE International 2010 Seminar on Virtual Higher Education Oct-14th 15th 2010, UNISUL, Florianópolis-SC Brazil 5th International GUIDE Conference 2011- E-learning innovative models for the integration of education, technology and research Nov. 18th 19th 2011, Rome
GUIDE official journal FormaMente international journal dedicated to multidisciplinary research within the field of new communication technologies
FormaMente Is issued 4 times a year Articles summaries are available on the official website http://formamente.unimarconi.it also publishes books and papers after each annual conference and thematic workshops
Conclusions
My University life has seen 40 years of experience with traditional classroom education 15 years with the University of Pisa School of Computer Science and 25 with the University of RomaTorVergata School of Computer Engineering
Since the last 6 years (2006) I am conducting traditional classroom teaching at the University of Roma TorVergata in parallel with e-learning, distance education and open learning at the Marconi University (where I founded the School of Computer Engineering)
By comparing the two experiences I can say that 1. Distance education gives a solution to the growing economical problems of the university world. 2. E-learning enormously enlarges the number of people who can take advantage of receiving university education at low cost and of using at low cost all the technology that distance education can give.
3. The existing prejudices (on the quality of distance education) are only opportunistic and arise from the fact that traditional universities are afraid of not being anymore able to afford their economical problems and not being able to attract the necessary number of students since of their increasing fare rates
4. The prejudice is easy to contradict, since the quality of university education mainly depends on the quality of the teachers, and so if more funds arrive to the online universities better experienced and high quality professors can be hired
5. All these reasons should convince the governments to finally move better funds in favor distance education Since this is in the interest of the survival of good university education and of the opportunity of people to access to higher education.
6. By the way, Marconi University does not receive any one cent from the government and neverthless can put in place all the resources we have seen. 7. This may mean that distance education initiatives may be very efficient in economical terms and may also yield good returns to governments (in terms of tax entrances).
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! g.iazeolla@unimarconi.it http://www.sel.uniroma2.it/iazeolla (Delivered in cooperation with Dr. Laura Ricci Head of International Relations Office l.ricci@unimarconi.it)