ENHANCE Universities Join JEDI to Develop Joint European Degree Label
JEDI financed by European funds
A project entitled Joint European Degree Label in engineering – Toward a European framework for engineering education (JEDI) has been recommended for funding by the Evaluation Committee under the call ERASMUS-EDU-2022-POLEXP. 16 higher education institutions from 11 countries participate in this project proposed through the call about European policy experimentation in higher education. Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and Chalmers University of Technology (Chalmers) are a part of it on behalf of the ENHANCE Alliance, together with members of two other European Universities, EELISA and EUt+. The consortium aims to develop criteria for a European Degree Label (EDL) within Joint programmes in technology and engineering during the next 12 months.
Common goals for education in engineering and technology
The ENHANCE Alliance is very glad to be part of a project to develop the EDL, a concept mentioned in both the original ENHANCE proposal and the ENHANCE+ proposal for the second Erasmus+ application submitted just one week ago. The importance of the topic resides in the potential it holds regarding the future of education in Europe, especially in engineering. JEDI also stresses the EDL as an essential step that can help produce a consolidated European Engineering Space and a redefined education and degrees in engineering and technology. The ambition is set up high.
JEDI will develop a label prototype based on engineering measurements to reach its goals as a primary focus for this call. With both an academic and an institutional framework, the project aims to prove the feasibility of such an EDL and improve the “technological readiness level” from a proof of concept to a fully defined and qualified label. The ENHANCE contribution to the project will be the alignment of the EDL to the European Education Pathways, an innovative study offer, and exchange programme developed by ENHANCE to provide students maximum flexibility in their study plans and European study experiences.
Opportunities and benefits for all
The EDL is more than just another qualification that can be added to a curriculum; it covers many opportunities for everyone involved in higher education. It will help increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of the institutions offering it, putting more visibility on them and allowing them better development. The most important benefit is the recognition of experience from studies in another European country. An official label will facilitate the certification and recognition of mobility periods, but also the recognition of degrees on the international job market after graduation.
The technicalities of the work to reach these goals are complex and will probably take time. Still, JEDI, in its pilot phase, will contribute to this essential conversation that the European Universities are having, including the ENHANCE Alliance. This is why JEDI will be considered a success if the prototype the consortium develops can be generalised to other European institutions. By participating in JEDI, ENHANCE will be in an excellent position to introduce EDL in the next phase of the Alliance’s development.
The ENHANCE Alliance congratulates all the higher institutions and the other university Alliances taking part in this project for the grant they obtained and thanks UPV and Chalmers for their participation on behalf of the whole alliance.
