National training on “Apprenticeship – oriented teaching & learning" was held

The Erasmus+ MONGWBL project funded by the European Commission has been successfully implemented under a goal of improving the apprenticeship system of Mongolian higher education, domesticating the potential apprenticeship learning and improving graduates’ employability. This project has been started in 2021 and will last in 2024.

The honorary guests and representatives expressed that international perspectives and reform policies of higher education are aiming to upgrade the higher education quality in alignment with global standards and develop comprehensively a system of “Education – Research – Industry”. Basic conditions for embedment of the work-based learning in the higher education system and development of respective tools should be accurately – promulgated policy and governance system. Obviously, the Ministry of Education & Science should dominant leadership but creating convenient governance and efficient policy cannot be done solely the ministry. To develop such a system, engagement of social partners in the higher education, employers, stakeholders, HEIs, business enterprises and companies is so necessitated.

The Concept Note of Work-based Learning and Flexible Apprenticeship Model based on to be implemented in tourism and banking programs will be piloted at partner universities starting 01st October, 2022.

The capacity – building training for core stakeholders was organized in Ulaanbaatar City during September 19 – 21. It is 4th sequential training in range of this project.  The given training was conducted under mentorship and guidance of professors and experts from Berlin School of Economics & Law of the Federal Republic of Germany, Transylvania University of Brasov of Romania, University of Macedonia of Greece and University of Lumiere Lyon of France. 

The training covered around 80 stakeholders and delegates such as university students, faculty staff, employers, WBL coordinators, mentors, administrative officials of the Ministry of Education & Science, executive officials of partner universities and HR officials of the businesses. 

A purpose of this training lies in strengthening capacity – building of national mentors, supervisors and coordinators at universities and banks as well as tourism companies and improving required knowledge and skills.

This training will continue for 3 days and aims to equip participants with comprehensive knowledge regarding European benchmarks and experiences the WBL intending learning outcome, implementation steps, frequency, assessment, students’ evaluation, quality assurance and continuous improvement.

As a result of this project implementation, it expects to build up efficient mechanism and tools to conduct the work-based learning, upgrade the university –business partnership policy and relations and disseminating the good practices and benchmarks of European universities and consequently, make actual contribution to creating outcome – based system of “Education – Research – Industry” that is accented in the national development policy for higher education.

Training participants are supposed to have knowledge and capability to organize the practical training at workplace according to the program, develop creative partnership between university and enterprise, align in – classroom teaching & learning with the work-based learning, develop specified curriculum for students, orient students to learn at the workplace, keep monitoring, make respective assessment and recognize acquired skills of students and disseminate WBL importance and values to other HEIs and companies. 

The Otgontenger University is serving as a general coordinator for this project and universities of Germany, France, Romania, and Greece, Mongolian universities including University of Finance & Economics, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Dornod University, Mongolian State University of Culture & Arts and Ministry of Education & Science as well as Golomt Bank, State Bank and Mongolian Tourism Association representing employers.