2. Question?
Does knowledge of Standardisation
among students provides value to
businesses? Or should students know
something about standards as they get to
work at companies?
2
3. Session 1
• Not a lot of students know what “standardisation” means, more awareness is
needed!
• “Standardisation” is unknown with young employees
• There is a clear need in the industry to bring the knowledge with young
employees at a certain level. The industry organises own courses around
standardisation in certain domains.
• The education for a civil engineer is very theoretical, technical but doesn’t refer a
lot to practical things, like standards.
• If PhD will teach at Master level in the future, there is a risk that curricula will
become more theoretical, with less contact with “reality”.
• Standards are very broad. (catalog of > 30.000 standards in Belgium)
• Why is there so little knowledge about “ standardisation”? Teachers and
professors are willing to put this on their program, but there is not enough
information coming from the industry and NBN.
4. Session 1
• Only a limited amount of construction companies have employees (students)
with knowledge about standardisation.
• Time is limited for teachers and professors and the preparation time for courses
can be long. Professors need access to standards but these are protected and not
freely accessible.
• Sometimes standards are put on the agenda, but more ad-hoc and in function of
the subject, but also in a general context.
• To address standardisation in detail in not useful, but students should better
understand the benefits and the process of standardisation, with links to practical
cases.
• Not only engineers should be educated about standards.
•Master Security/Prevention (ManaMa) already exists. There standardisation is
partially included in the programme.
• Some colleges and universities already teach about Quality Systems.
4
5. Session 2
• Knowledge about standards should be endorsed/cultivated by management
in companies.
• Societal impact of standardisation should also been considerd in education
about standardisation
• Europe = lack of drive in education about standardisation
• Knowledge about IP (intellectual property) is overrated in innovation centers
to the detriment of standardisation. Standards and IPR should be treated at
the same level. PhD level is aware of IPR in relation to R&D, less about the
use of standards to distribute know-how.
• “durf ondernemen” -> Is standardisation a part of this project ?
• Students should not be experts in standardisation, but should at least know
that standards exist and how to get to standards.
• Limitations: lack of room in the education programme, what are priorities ?
“opleidingscommissie” within faculty decide on the programme. Advise form
external advisory groups from industry, alumni, ...
5
6. Session 2
• Content about education = f(target audience).
• Legal & Business impact & issues (management level)
• Technical : standards and standardisation process (technical level)
• Principles of standardisation are at least as important than detailed courses
on specific standards.
• Who must drive education about standardisation?
• If we do not act, we will loose technology advantage and have to follow
worldwide standards, and not create standards.
• A free subject is easier to change than a fixed one. Standardisation should
be made attractive.
6
7. Session 3
• Industry has a need for students with a basic knowledge of standards and
depending on the subject of education have a more detailed approach to
standardisation. Make a difference between “Awareness” vs “Expertise”
• Influencing decision makers “Onderwijsraad”/ “commission de visitation” might
be key.
• Students are clients.
• Is need for knowledge about standardisation at companies expressed in
recruitment adds from those companies ?
• Employees can have training at company level or at university , depending on
the business need.
• Education – should be focused on the management aspects of standards (also
related to law, IP)
• Depending on the course – some standards should be included in more detail.
7
8. Session 3
• Non-availability of standards for students and professors = obstacle. Copying
part of a standard should be possible.
• Develop/make available education material on standardisation (PPT,e-
learning, case studies) + make people available to provide courses.
• Contact person in each college/ university.
• Influence by means of visitatiecommissie/ organisme d’acreditation.
• Create awareness at decision level in education landscape.
• PhD trainings – include standardisation in the curriculum to get a PhD
• Professors in general do not have much contact with the industry and as such
with standardisation. Academic professors are not interested/have no incentive
with regard to standardisation. More important is to produce papers.
• Include standardisation in TFE/thesis programmes
• Incentive at TFE/thesis: price for best thesis wrt standardisation.
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