Students’ point of view on the Role of Extracurricular

Activities

Developments in Engineering Education in Europe

30th May, Birmingham

Sara Núñez, ValladolidBEST Educational Committee

• Board of European Students of Technology

• Non-profit, non-representative, non-political and volunteer student organisation founded in 1989

• 79 Universities but constantly growing

(30 countries)

• Reaching 1,000.000

students

BESTEduCoEoEBEST in TREEOutcomes in C8

BEST is…

Educational Committee

• Contribute for the development and enhancement of Engineering Education at a European level.

• Participation in European Thematic Networks and Projects concerning Engineering Education such as

BEST

EduCoEoEBEST in TREEOutcomes in C8

• H3E

• E4

• TREE

• ReVE

• SPUTNIC

• VM-BASE

Events on Education• Participants: stakeholders in engineering

education

• One week events on educational topics.• Sharing opinions and experiences.

BESTEduCo

EoEBEST in TREEOutcomes in C8

Why Events on Education?

• Students are the most affected by the education changes

• Source of fresh opinions and ideas• Opportunity to raise awareness of

projects among students

BESTEduCo

EoEBEST in TREEOutcomes in C8

Events on Education in numbers

• 29 events on education from 1996 until 2008

• Outcomes of the discussions presented in conferences all around Europe (examples: Online EDUCA Berlin 2007, SEFI Deans Conference 2008)

BESTEduCo

EoEBEST in TREEOutcomes in C8

• Member of the Management Committee (Anna Fernández)

• Leading 2 Special Interest Groups (SIGs):

– B6: Stimulating student research in 1st cycle (Nicolò Wojewoda)

– C8: The role of extra-curricular activities in EE (Ömer Hantal)

• Students’ input in the project

BESTEduCoEoE

BEST in TREE

Outcomes in C8

BEST in TREE

BEST in TREEEvents on Education:

– B6:• Access to higher education and undergraduate

research, Ljubljana, May 2005• BEST Academics and Companies, “Service

Science and Undergraduate Research”, Brussels, March 2007

– C8:• The role of extra curricular activities in the

formation of Engineers Rome Tor-Vergata, July 2005• BEST Academic and Companies Istanbul, March 2006

BESTEduCoEoE

BEST in TREE

Outcomes in C8

BEST in TREEOutcomes of Events on Education

in other SIGs:– D6:

• Ethics and Sustainable Development in Engineering Education,

Madrid, March 2006– A8:

• Engineering Demand and offer in Europe, Milan, April 2007

BESTEduCoEoE

BEST in TREE

Outcomes in C8

Outcomes in C8 Meaning of extracurricular

activities in EE

Optional

Non Accreditated

Activities

During student’s free

timeNeed of useful information

Personal development

BESTEduCoEoEBEST in TREE

Outcomes in C8

Outcomes in C8 Role of Universities

Promote activities

inside&outside

Support groups (facilities/money)

Give a diploma or credits

Show flexibility for the students

involved

Encourage involvement of

studentsBESTEduCoEoEBEST in TREE

Outcomes in C8

Outcomes in C8 Recognition

Application based and voluntary

process

Unit for accreditation of prior and experiential

learning

Include in the Diploma Supplement

of the student

BESTEduCoEoEBEST in TREE

Outcomes in C8

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

QUESTIONS?

Contact: education@BEST.eu.org