POZNAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AT THE FOREFRONT OF DEVELOPMENT IN WIELKOPOLSKA

On September 28 this year two projects were opened in the Poznan University of Technology Senate Room as part of the technical knowledge accelerator programme. The projects were born thanks to the initiative by Poznan University of Technology in cooperation with partnering institutions: Marshall Office of Wielkopolska Voivodship and Poznan City Office. The event was hosted by Krystyna Poślednia – Member of Wielkopolskie Voivodship Board, and HM Chancellor of the Poznan University of Technology, Professor Adam Hamrol.

The Wielkopolska Monitoring and Forecasting System project is an answer to the problem of adjusting professional competencies and skills to labour market needs. Poznan University of Technology is the leader of Wielkopolska Monitoring and Forecasting System project and its partners are Wielkopolskie Voivodship, the City of Poznan, and Central Ostrobothnia University for Applied Sciences from Kokkola in Finland. Descriptions explaining the implemented projects are first of all:

– adjusting competences on labour market,

– current and forecasted data supporting vocational education system management,

– utilising Finnish solutions,

– intuitive, friendly, and free solution for users,

– innovative character of monitoring and forecasting system,

– real-time access to data on labour market needs for vocational competence,

– ability of the system to adjust itself to changing user needs,

– decision making support for local authorities and labour market institutions.

Based on data from the system, interim reports are going to be prepared, which will include information on competence gaps on the Wielkopolska labour market. Processed data could contribute to eliminating ineffective and creating new vocational faculties in Wielkopolska.

The project will utilise experiences of the Finnish partner. Its choice is not accidental. It is widely known that Finland has one of the best vocational education systems in the world. Solutions reached as part of the project are aimed at students of vocational schools, employers, labour market institutions, schools and local authorities in Wielkopolska, among others. The final version of the system is going to be released in the first half of 2012.

Next project implemented under Technical Knowledge Accelerator (Akcelerator Wiedzy Technicznej® – AWT®) is the Partnership of Science and Progress, which is an answer to contest announced by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education regarding development of skills by the B+R system personnel and rising the awareness which science has in developing the economy. Marshall Office of Wielkopolska Voivodship is the leader of the project, partners are Poznan University of Technology (originator of the idea) and Polish Television, Poznan Office.

Basic aims of the project are to popularise achievements of Polish and international science, promotion of innovativeness in connection with new technologies implemented in the economy, popularising faculties creating modern economy, and popularising examples of transfers of knowledge into the economy, presenting science as means to increase competitiveness and innovativeness of the economy. The project is addressed primarily to students, but also science unit employees, and personnel employed in B+R sector.

Wielkopolska Monitoring and Forecasting System and Partnership of Science and Progress are financed by the European Union as part of European Social Fund.