MISSION

1.Information

Socrates Minerva Project: MISSION - Multy-Country Integrated System Support for Improved ODL Networking, Agreement no. 90389-CP-1-2001-1-MINERVA-HU

Director: Prof.dr.eng. Radu VASIU
Value: 20,581 EURO
Period: 2002-2003

Members:
Prof.dr.eng. Nicolae ROBU
Assoc.prof.dr.eng. Lacramioara STOICU-TIVADAR
Assoc.lect.eng. Diana ANDONE
Assoc.lect.eng. Daniel HAIDUC
Eng. Flavius RAICOVICI
Eng. Marius CONDREA

Partners:
Apertus Foundation, Budapest, Hungary
University of Miskolc, Hungary
UNED Madrid, Spain
Univ. Pierre and Marie Curie Paris, France
Dublin City University, Ireland
EADTU - European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, the Netherlands
University of Sunderland, England
Distance Education Center in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Distance Education Center in Kaunas, Lithuania
Distance Education Center in Gdansk and Krakow, Poland
Distance Education Center in Iasi, Romania
Distance Education Center in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Distance Education Center in Kosice, Slovakia
Distance Education Center Brno, Czech Rep.

Project web page: http://emrtk.uni-miskolc.hu/projektek/mission

2.Objectives

MISSION project aims to strengthen the links between the CEE PHARE ODL Centers - recently established by the support of the PHARE Multi-Country Program for Distance Education. At the same time it aims to improve the effectiveness and long-term stability of collaboration between EuroStudy Centers (coordinated by European Association of Distance Teaching Universities - EADTU) and PHARE ODL Centers. Establishing a central, multi-lingual (13 languages) WEB portal and electronic network based on ICT (e-newsletter, discussion groups, course catalog, staff development and mentoring, etc.) is a core activity of the project.

The MISSION project aims to elaborate effective methodology and advanced tools for international networking in Open Distance Learning - elements of these networking methods - as measurable outcomes, detailing its size, volume, etc. Intellectual property and copyright issues can be considered only in one aspect: tasters of courses are freely accessible, so permission of usage - even if in a very limited volume - is carefully treated.

Majority of the "Results" of the project can be used as tools for dissemination - WEB-based information system offers wide range of information not only to partner organizations, but well beyond them, to the widest, general public. Multilingual presentation of all the important information is followed by special attention. Feedback information is gathered from the widest range of people, being interested in ODL in any aspects, from any countries.

Also as an organic part of project activity plan, awareness raising is considered as an element of key importance - promotional materials are produced in English, as well as in native languages. Printed brochures are accessible in those areas where application of advanced ICT tools and web-based information resources are limited.

General objectives of the MISSION project:

• Strengthening the cohesion between the PHARE ODL Centers, promotion of good practice and avoiding duplication of efforts through building up and maintenance of a central, multi-lingual WEB-site of the Network.
• Improving stability and effectiveness of long-term collaboration between East and West European ODL Study Centers - identifying and widening the range of benefits offered by ODL Networking in a European dimension.
• Enhancing the awareness of ODL as the most effective and flexible methodology, as the most innovative tool for supporting the European dimension of Life Long Learning and for globalization in education.

Direct objectives of the MISSION project:

• Facilitating the exchange of information and sharing of experiences within and between the Networks
• Investigation, systematization, documentation (paper and electronic catalogs) and subsequent dissemination of practices, services and resources applied / offered by involved ODL centers
• Offering Internet-based collaborative tools and platforms to different actors in ODL activity (course developers, media-experts, managers, tutors, learners)
• Offering comprehensive, effective services for improving the activities of each partner in several (methodological, managerial, quality assurance, fund raising, marketing, etc.) aspects
• Collaboration in ODL staff development
• Initiating negotiation on the sustainability of the PHARE ODL Network
• Offering information service addressed to a wide range of public interest