eSTART

POSDRU Project Human Resources Development Project: “Multi-regional master studies program in the field of eActivities - eSTART”, Project No. POSDRU / 86 / 1.2 / S / 54956

Director: Prof.dr.eng. Radu VASIU
Value: 2,081,662 RON
Period: 2010-2013

Members:
Diana ANDONE
Florin ALEXA
Marian BUCOS
Mihai ONITA
Aurel GONTEAN
Lacramioara STOICU-TIVADAR
Stoicu-Tivadar Vasile
Sorin NANU
Marius OTESTEANU
Innocent MANIU
Nicolae ROBU
Vasile GUI
Dan LASCU
Vladimir CRETU
Delia TANASE
Andrei TERNAUCIUC
Bogdan DRAGULESCU
Muguras MOCOFAN
Dreucean Mircea
Popa Gheorghe
Pintea Romina
Iasmina ERMALAI
Vlad MIHAESCU
Silviu VERT
Tatiana TERNAUCIUC
Ivanc Daniel
Tecu Cristian

Partners:
Technical University of Cluj Napoca
Transylvania University of Brasov
Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca

Project web page: www.estart.utcluj.ro

The general objective of the project is to create new learning, training and improvement opportunities at master level based on a multi-regional approach by developing a study program focused on the use of new ICT technologies and innovative approaches in the field (collaborative environments) in the process of organization, teaching and operation, in accordance with the Bologna process. The program will be piloted in order to train professionals in the field of use, implementation, implementation and development of e-services, e-activities, e-applications and related platforms and technologies.

Achieving the general objective is conditioned by the achievement of the following specific objectives:

the acquisition at institutional level of competencies, procedures and methodologies regarding the organization, implementation and promotion of master's degree programs developed at multi-regional level, carried out on the basis of the support and solutions offered by the new ICT technologies
achieving an open structure for the organization and functioning of a student-centered master training program, developed in a multi-regional form and allowing flexible access (time, location, curriculum) to the educational process based on ICT
description in terms of professional and transversal competencies together with the development and implementation of a corresponding curriculum dedicated to the field of e-Activities (with the specializations of e-Business, e-Health, e-Government & Administration, e-Media), respecting the CNCIS desideratum
providing a study program focused on the use of an integrated online education and training platform, based on the innovative concept of "blended-learning" and the support provided by new technologies that include intelligent systems for evaluating and monitoring educational activities to promote quality
conducting a pilot training program using procedures (flexible organization), methodology, educational materials and technology implemented together with the creation of a virtual community in the field of e-Activities.
The project improves the quality and relevance of the specializations offered at master level in partner higher education institutions through the methodologies and processes chosen for the implementation of the study program and the relevance of the chosen field for specialization: e-Activities, aiming to involve a total of over 320 beneficiaries from the eligible target group (120 in program development and 200 students in the piloting phase). The open nature of the project will allow the transfer of knowledge and skills acquired for the restructuring of other related curricular areas (computers, informatics, information technology, etc.).

In order to achieve the main objective, an integrated, multidimensional approach will be promoted, based on the following components:

Management & promotion - activities related to project management, including procurement, information and promotion activities
Concept / general functioning framework of the multi-regional master's degree - activities dedicated to the realization of the general functioning framework of the proposed master's program
E-Activities study program - activities provided for curriculum development and implementation of a study program in the field of e-Activities (with specializations e-Business, e-Health, e-Government & Administration, e-Media)
Development and implementation of software tools for the educational activities of the multi-regional master's program
Promotion and piloting study program - providing multi-regional training and development program
The use of new ICT-based teaching-learning techniques, as well as of new online information technologies and platforms, in the elaboration of a training program at multi-regional master level requires first of all the creation of a generic structure of adequate functioning, in accordance with the existing desideratum and to ensure a high quality standard (the need for a multi-regional approach is justified by the contribution of multi-disciplinary expertise that characterizes the field of e-Activities).
Thus, the project begins with the training activities of the staff and decision makers involved, along with conducting studies and analyzes on the most appropriate form of organizing the study program, both at the general institutional level (future partnerships) and in particular. (current partnership) for accreditation, as well as at the operational and functional level. Operatively, activities are provided for the implementation of the master's operating regulations, together with the specific methodology for evaluating and validating the performance and quality of the educational process, which can be integrated into an online platform. Functionally, activities are included for documenting and drawing up the set of specifications for the educational platform, as well as activities related to the actual development of the program. Finally, he will accredit the master's program. In order to achieve the results of this group of activities, experts will be attracted in the elaboration of policies in higher education, in the development of university study programs and management of teaching activities, as well as in evaluation and accreditation, members of sectoral committees, quality assurance commissions. , regional and national and respectively of the social partners in education.

Within the created organizational framework, the study program dedicated to the field of e-Activities will be implemented, starting with the description in terms of professional and transversal competencies and continuing with the curricular development and the didactic material related to each specialization: e-Business, e-Health, e-Government & Administration and e-Media. Experts with competencies will be involved: in the development and management of qualifications at system, university and faculty level; in the development of university study programs; and experts in writing educational materials in multi-media format.
The elaboration of the curriculum and of the didactic material will take place in parallel with the realization of the complex electronic platform developed in accordance with the elaborated specifications, using the collaborative environments.

It will have to fulfill several categories of functionalities: implementation / development of the software module explicitly dedicated to the educational process (including knowledge testing), of the software module for content management (course materials, laboratory and seminar materials, additional materials and resources), the module used to evaluate the performance and quality of the learning process developed based on the results and specifications developed. Course materials will be integrated into the educational platform and the technical support necessary for the initial use of the platform during piloting will be provided. The activities will be carried out with the contribution of experts in the development of complex software tools with relevant experience in object-oriented programming, information content management, collaborative environments, shared virtual spaces.

Following the completion of the platform and the inclusion of the didactic material, the validation stage will start by piloting the proposed study program among a target group of 200 beneficiaries; the program will be piloted in two consecutive years, each year having allocated 100 seats (25 for each partner); during the participation in the program students will benefit from scholarships, and the structure of the schooling period will include 4 semesters, 3 study and 1 semester allocated to the elaboration of the dissertation project, according to the guide for the multi-regional master program. In parallel, a network of specialists in the field of e-Activities will be created to give value to the proposed master, by encouraging the exchange of good professional practices resulting from the transfer of knowledge accumulated during and after (employees in the field) graduation. Thus, experts in the fields of study for educational activities and respectively representatives of the social partners in education (dissertation project, employment) will be involved.

The entire experience gained in organizing and conducting the study program based on the use of new ICT technologies and innovative teaching methods proposed will be the subject of activities to develop guides to good practice, disseminated in the seminars provided for this purpose.