nd us on website: pascl.

eu
PASCL
Placing students at the heart of learning
PASCL First Annual Conference and
28th European Students Conventon
28
th
-30
th
of September 2014 European University Insttute, Florence, Italy
Conference Reader
The PASCL project aims to assist in implementng sound student centred learning (SCL) strategies and approaches at
insttutonal level and to foster a culture of SCL in higher educaton insttutons across Europe.
The project aims to:
develop a peer assessment framework (PASCL guidelines) for student centeredness of a higher educaton
insttuton, which will lead to the award of a European recogniton for student centred insttuton. The award is
there to conrm that an insttuton has successfully incorporated the elements of student centred learning in its
teaching and learning strategy and delivery of its educaton. The project is based on the consortums commonly
agreed framework dening student centred learning and will focus on both enhancement and rewarding
excellence in its provision.
exploit the knowledge gathered in the project during a training for experts, three conferences and research
study on SCL in Europe. The project will deploy an online repository with case studies, practcal advices for
implementaton of student centred learning, feedback from partcipatng insttutons and students.
give higher educaton insttutons insight into their performance regarding implementng student centred
learning and provide with the means for further improvements.
address the queston of students motvaton to take an actve role in co-creatng their learning experience.
give deserved visibility to the teaching mission of HE insttutons, reward excellence in teaching, which is
benecial for students, insttutons themselves and society.
facilitate peer learning through the presentaton of existng practces, discussion and evaluaton of the
approaches in teaching and learning through the project website.
Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
pascl.eu
Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
Table of content
1. Welcome messages 2
2. UDU, ESU, EUI .. 6
3. 1
ST
PASCL Conference ...8
4. Detailed agenda . 9
5. Speaker Informaton ..12
6. Breakaway sessions ...20
7. Background on SCL policy in HE in Europe .21
8. Venue and practcal informaton ....23
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
1. Welcome messages
LETTER FROM ESUS CHAIRPERSON
Dear partcipants,
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 28th European
Students Conventon. We have been highly antcipatng this event in
ESU and we are very excited that it is nally here. We look forward to
greetng old friends, meetng new ones and discussing one of our
favorite topics with our member organisatons. This topic is of course
Student Centered Learning (SCL), this concept has been a contnued
success story for the European Student Union. It is a concept that we
shaped and that has impacted and even become imbedded in
educaton policies within the European Higher Educaton Area and the
European Union.
It is also a concept that has deep grassroots support with local student
unions and councils within Europe and that is reected in the work of the Natonal Unions of students. It is very
excitng for us to see the concept of Student Centered Learning come into a new phase of impact. Just the week
before we meet in Florence, the nal draf of the European Standards and Guidelines, which will be put forward to
the Ministerial conference in Armenia, was adopted. One of the biggest changes to the document was the inclusion
of Student Centered Learning as a standard. This will motvate insttutons all around Europe to address how they
approach learning and teaching.
The global discussion around open educaton resources has put teaching and learning in the center of the global
discussion regarding educaton. This is a golden opportunity to broaden the impact of Student Centered Learning, a
concept which could be the dening change in how educaton impacts society in the coming years. In additon to the
policy frameworks ESU is also commited to Student Centered Learning in a very practcal way. The PASCL project
funded by the European Union offers us renewed chances to impact learning and teaching across the contnent and
beyond. The 28th Student Conventon is one of the rst milestones in this work. The success for Student Centered
Learning on the policy levels brings new questons into focus and in Florence we will begin to address them anew.
I would like especially like to thank our gracious hosts UDU Unione degli Universitari and EUI- European University
Insttute without whom this event which holds such promise would not be possible. We deeply thank you for you
hard work and generous contributons to what will surely be a successful event. In additon I would like to thank our
very hardworking team in ESU, and in relaton to the ESC especially Erin Nordal, Fernando Miguel Galan Palomares
and Tijana Isoski for their hard work in organising the event. I am very proud of the hard work that everyone in the
ESU team has put in so far and the 28th ESC is proof and testament of this.
Again I welcome you all to the 28th European Students Convention and I look forward to meetng and discussing
with all of you!
Sincerely
Elisabeth Gehrke
Chairperson, The European Students Union
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
LETTER FROM UDUS CHAIRPERSON
Dear board, dear friends,
On behalf of UDU Unione degli Universitari,
the Italian Students Union, it is my pleasure to
welcome you here in Florence for the 28th
European Students Conference and rst PASCL
Conference.
I believe in the central importance of the main
themes of this Conference and I strongly feel the
urgency for us, as Italian and as European
students representatves to discuss these
partcular issues here in Italy.
I am really happy for having this important event here in Italy because I think it can also represents the possibilty to
discuss of higher educaton in a wider way of those that are used by our natonal stakeholders. Talking about
Student-Centred Learning for UdU means talking about the future of the higher educaton, building a dierent
approach not only to the teaching and learning process but mostly giving a dierent aim to the educaton. SCL is stll
something we need to understand deeper in all the analysis and in all the implicatons it has. However I think all the
society needs to have a SCL higher educaton. The importance of critcal thinking in the learning process is something
that is underestmate. In the past years we didn't have any critc to the main economic theories but now we are
facing one the biggest economic crisis ever happened. Of course I am not saying that the educaton system is just the
main cause of the crisis; indeed huge cuts have been done in the educaton budget saying that "it's the crisis, we
don't have money". I am sure that we all have to queston the knowledge and be ready to think again a dierent
higher educaton system and therefore a dierent society, a really knowledge-based society.
In the last years many changes have been made in our natonal higher educaton system. I am really sorry to see that
no one has been speaking about Student - centred Learning involving the students representatves and the main
reforms that have been done. The evaluaton system of the university was designed and implemented without a real
involvement of the students and a real SCL approach. The reform of the university programmes have been done
almost always without a real SCL approach and also when discussing about other reforms - such as the student
support system reform or the reform of the access to the higher educaton - we do not see any kind of awareness of
the SCL challenge in the educaton policy. Therefore we want to call the Natonal Government, the Higher Educaton
Ministry and all the HE Insttutons to face the challenge of seeing the students as part of the HE system, as peer
partners and begin to create a new path for the future.
We all understand that it won't be easy to change the view of all our educaton systems stakeholders, but we need to
understand that the learning process has to face many dierences and dierent needs and this can be done only
with a dinamic and complex approach.
We need to give answers to all the dierent learning styles, interest, needs and aims, the dierent experience and
backgrounds learning of the students. We have to create an environment that can create a cooperatng between
students and teachers, enabling all the potental of the educaton process.
I want to remind a sentence of the great Galileo Galilei right today that we are all in Florence: "You cannot teach a
man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself". this is something that all the HE stakeholders have
to face with and I think this is also the reason for ESU has writen this sentence on the rst page of the specic toolkit
made on the SCL. Galileo Galilei understood the dynamism and complexity of the educaton process centuries ago.
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
I hope all our Government and moreover all the Governments of the World can start discussing about HE as a priority
and not as a budget voice to cut. I hope they can start looking at all the HE with the perspectve of the SCL approach
and create a cooperatve environment with all the students and all the students' unions.
SCL, though with its complexity, is certainly one of the main challenge of our tme. We are here to face it and I hope
all the Governments will be standing by our side.
I feel very honored to be part of this important event because I believe in the importance of discussing Higher
Educaton at the European level. The work that we can do together is crucial and it gives us all the possibility but
also the responsibility to push every Natonal Government to get engaged in Higher Educaton and in all the
problems we focus on every day, even though they are ofen putng Educaton outside the natonal debate.
I think that we are all going to do a great job here together and we are going to have the chance to inuence the
politcal debate at dierent levels and this is going to give us stronger tools in our work for improving students rights
and the students life conditon, which has always been the core theme of UdUs acton.
I want to thank you all for taking part in this conference and I also want to thank you all for the important work we
can do with ESU every day in all our Natons. I strongly believe that we cannot give any answer to the future debate
on the higher educaton, as for many other public issues, without being the leading actor of the internatonal debate.
Therefore I wish you all once again a wonderful and fruitul tme here in Florence and I hope that all of you will bring
back a real good experience.
Gianluca Scuccimarra Chairperson UDU
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LETTER FROM EUI SECRETARY GENERAL
It is a pleasure for the European University Insttute (EUI) to host the 28th
European Students Conventon. Being a distnctly internatonal
postgraduate teaching and research insttute, the EUI is naturally
interested in the evoluton of the learning process, including
developments in the Bologna Process and opportunites oered by new
tools, such as eLearning. Moreover it is a fortunate occasion to hold the
event during the semester of Italian presidency of the EU Council.
For more than forty years, the EUI has successfully pursued its aim to
provide advanced academic training in the social sciences for doctoral and
post-doctoral researchers and to foster research in elds which are of
partcular interest for the development of Europe.
Today, the EUI today hosts a community of more than 1000 scholars from
over 60 countries. The Insttutes doctoral programme excels with an integrated, mult-disciplinary approach to both
teaching and research across its four departments of Economics, History and Civilizaton, Law, and Politcal and Social
Sciences.
The EUI is truly unique for its internatonal character, its range of intellectually stmulatng challenges and
opportunites, its mult-disciplinarity, and its facilites supportng advanced research in a singularly extraordinary
setng.
I hope that the partcipants at the 28th European Students Conventon will be able to experience rst-hand the
uniqueness of the EUI during their stay in Florence.
Pasquale Ferrara
Secretary General
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
2. UdU, ESU, EUI
UDU
Unione degli Universitari UdU is a confederaton of students associatons that are actve in the most important
universites of Italy. Every year around 10.000 students join UdU, becoming part of the students syndicate.
UdU was founded in 1994 by local student unions in Italy that wanted to have a common viewpoint on natonal
issues. The choice of the model of the Students Union was based on the idea of the centrality of the student,
recognized as an individual with its own specic identty and necessites, separated and autonomous from the family.
UdU is ghtng for students rights and the social recogniton of students; UdU is ghtng every day to create a system
where Higher Educaton is accessible for everybody, against the numerous clauses and against economic
discrimination, with beter life conditons for those who study and with a system of democracy and representaton .
UdU runs for local and natonal electons for students representatves and counts a high number of elected in every
University at every level and has the majority and the presidency of the Natonal Council of Students.
But UdU is also culture and fun: concerts, magazines, festvals and summer camp. From the batles in the ocial
representatve bodies to the help in students everyday life, going through bureaucracy, health assistance, housing,
partes and cultural events, UdU is the Italian Students Union.
ESU
The European Students' Union (ESU) is the umbrella organizaton of 47 Natonal Unions of Students (NUS) from 39
countries (December 2012). The NUSes are open to all students in their respectve country regardless of politcal
persuasion, religion, ethnic or cultural origin, sexual orientaton or social standing. Our members are also student-
run, autonomous, representatve and operate according to democratc principles.
Being the only European-wide student platorm ESU represents and promotes the educatonal, social, economic and
cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant bodies and in partcular the EU, BFUG (co-
chairing the work group on social dimension), Council of Europe and UNESCO. ESU builds capacity of its members on
policy developments in higher educaton (HE) at the European level and aims on inuencing the HE agenda.
ESU has been actvely involved, in designing and promotng the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality
Assurance (ESG), being one of the four founders (EUA, EURASHE, ESIB and ENQA) of the European Quality Assurance
Register for Higher Educaton (EQAR). Since 2012, ESU received a BFUG mandate to co-chair Social dimension
working group and one of the acton lines of the working group is to support widening access to educaton through
innovatve pedagogical approaches.
ESU works to bring together, resource, train and inform natonal student representatves on policy developments in
higher educaton at the European level. Since decisions concerning higher educaton are increasingly taken at the
European level, ESU's role as the only European-wide student platorm is similarly growing. ESU's work centers
around supportng its members through organizing seminars, training, campaigns and conferences relevant to
students, conductng European-wide research, partnership projects and campaigns, providing informaton services
and producing a variety of publicatons. for both students, policy-makers and higher educaton professionals.
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
EUI
The European University Insttute (EUI) is a unique internatonal center for doctorate and post-doctorate studies and
research, situated in the Tuscan hills overlooking Florence.
Following its establishment in 1972 by the six founding members of the then European Communites, The EUI opened
its doors to the rst researchers in November 1976 and has since then earned a reputaton as a leading internatonal
academic insttuton with a European focus.
The four departments Economics, History and Civilizaton, Law, and Politcal and Social Sciences host a community
of more than 1000 scholars from more than 60 countries, studying for the Insttutons doctorate or the one-year
master in law.
The doctoral programmes are well-structured and departments are commited to high levels of faculty-researcher
interacton. The EUI faculty is composed of internatonally recognised scholars from some of the nest universites in
Europe and beyond, and their expertse covers a wide range of teaching and research topics.
The EUI oers excellent career prospects for its researchers and fellows. 71% of its graduates go on to careers in
academia or research (universites and research centres), 15% play a role in the internatonal arena by joining
European Insttutons and internatonal organizatons (ECB, European Commission, European Parliament, IMF only to
cite those with the highest number of EUI graduates), while 14% develop their careers in the private sector and in
natonal public authorites.
The EUIs distnctly internatonal environment oers unique academic training, enriches the intellectual experience
and provides exceptonal opportunites for academics across disciplines and borders.
The EUI is home to The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, which conducts inter-disciplinary,
comparatve, and policy research on integraton, governance and democracy, regulatng markets and governing
money, and 21st Century World Politcs and Europe; and the Max Weber Programme for Post-doctoral Studies, the
largest internatonal postdoctoral programme in the Social Sciences and Humanites in Europe, which provides
advanced training to young academics from around the world.
The Historical Archives of the European Union, located on the EUI campus in Villa Salviat, is a valuable resource for
scholars interested in European integraton. It conserves documents produced by the European Insttutons and
private archives deposited by individuals, associatons or organisatons involved in the process of European
integraton.
The EUI departments and centres are housed in 14 historic buildings scatered about the hillside which have
undergone extensive renovaton in recent years.
Heads of states, leading politcians and professors are regular speakers at the EUI, as part of the Insttutes long-
established programme of conferences, workshops and summer schools.
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
3. 1
ST
PASCL Conference
28
th
European Students Conventon will also be the First Annual PASCL Conference, focusing on one of ESUs hot
topics for the year Student-centred learning (SCL). PASCL (Peer Assessment of Student-cented Learning) is a project,
led by ESU, focused on bringing more visibility to the implementaton of SCL and importance of the teaching and
learning mission of Higher Educaton insttutons in general. One of the main objectves of the PASCL project is
undertaking intensive research on SCL policy and practce in European Higher Educaton Area, on both university and
natonal level with integrated students perspectve, which will then result in critcal analysis of the state of
implementaton of SCL since the Leuven Communiqu, when SCL concept was introduced. The rst results of the
research conducted by this project cover institutonal implementaton of SCL, targetng European Universites, giving
their self-reecton on implementaton of the concept and its further development. We would like to share with the
Board ndings of the research and promote further discussion in order to receive much needed input from the
NUSes.
Consultaton with the Board is necessary in order to raise awareness about the paradigm shif, and ensure transfer of
understanding for the concept to the everyday student. Therefore aim of this conventon will be to provide our
member NUSes with substantal knowledge of the concept and advocacy guidelines for its promoton. Special
atenton will be given to topics such as student-centred learning as part of e-learning processes, inclusive pedagogy
of student-centred learning, correlaton of student-centred learning with both quality assurance and
commodicaton, and dierent denitons applying to student-centred learning and its relevance to the curriculum,
assessment and learning outcomes. We hope that pints raised will promote discussion and result in beter
understanding of SCL concept and its value to dierent stakeholders
Further stages of research call for more actve student involvement in evaluatng the process of implementaton of
SCL on insttutonal level, but also commentng eorts on natonal level when creaton policy on SCL. This is where
our members will play a key role in providing input and creatng a platorm for sharing best practces.
Before we start discussing closely the concept, we would like to draw your atenton to the adopted deniton of SCL
by ESU, and the one used in the project:
Student Centered Learning represents both a mindset and a culture within a given higher educaton insttuton and is
a learning approach which is broadly related to, and supported by, constructivist theories of learning. It is
characterized by innovatve methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communicaton with teachers and
other learners and which take students seriously as actve partcipants in their own learning , fostering transferable
skills such as problem-solving , critcal thinking and reectve thinking.
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4. Detailed agenda
SUNDAY, 28th SEPTEMBER
Villa La Fonte, European University Insttute
Via delle Fontanelle, 50014 Fiesole (Fl)
16:00 - 16:30 Ocial opening
16:30 - 17:15
17:15 - 17:45
- Elisabeth Gehrke, Chairperson of the European Students Union
- Gianluca Scuccimarra, Chairperson of Unione Degli Universitari (UDU)
- Elly Schein, MEP, Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
17:45 - 18:15 The concept of student-centred learning
- Jussi Valimaa, Professor, University of Jyvskyl
18:15 - 18:45 Introducton to ESUs policy, current work with student-centred learning and the Peer
Assessment of Student-Centred Learning-project
- Tijana Isoski and Blazhe Todorovski, ESU Executve Commitee Members
MONDAY, 29th SEPTEMBER
Villa Salviat, European University Insttute
Via Bolognese 156, 50139 Firenze (FI)
09:30 - 10:00 SCL and Open Learning: How innovatons in teaching and learning can truly put students
in the centre
- Anthony F. Camilleri, Senior Partner, Knowledge Innovaton Centre
10:00 - 10:30
Presentaton of the High-Level Group on Modernisaton of Higher Educatons report on
new modes of teaching and learning in higher educaton
10:30 - 11:00
- Frank Petrikowski, DG EAC, European Commission
Questions and discussion
Moderator: Tijana Isoski, Executve Commitee member, ESU
Agenda on Your Mobile
9
Coee Break
Learning to learn: new teaching methods for putting the students needs in the centre

- Lee Harvey, Emeritus Professor, Copenhagen Business School
Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
11:00 - 11:30 Coee Break
11:30 - 13:00 The growingly diverse student populaton
- Melanie Frhlich, Equality Coordinator, ESU
13:30 - 14.30 Lunch
14:30 - 16:00 Group discussions on the current state of aairs with regards to the implementaton of
student-centred learning: from the natonal level down to the classroom itself
Facilitated by:
- Marzia Foroni, Bologna Follow-Up Group, Italian Minister of Educaton
- Maria Stcchi, coordinator of the Italian team of Bologna Experts
- Koen Geven, PhD student, European University Insttute
16:00 - 16:30 Coee Break
16:30 - 18:00 Policy discussions (only ESU full members)
TUESDAY, 30th SEPTEMBER
Villa La Fonte, European University Insttute
Via delle Fontanelle, 50014 Fiesole (FI)
9:30 - 11:00 Breakaway sessions
Group A: Aligning teaching and learning actvites, learning outcomes and assessment
methods
Group B: Commodicaton, internships and SCL: quality internships
Group C: Student-centred learning in the classroom: inclusive pedagogy
Group D: Dening learning outcomes in a student-centred approach
11:00 - 11:30 Coee Break
11:30 - 13:00
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
10
Breakaway sessions
Group A: Aligning teaching and learning actvites, learning outcomes and assessment
methods
Group B: Commodicaton, internships and SCL: quality internships
Group C: Student-centred learning in the classroom: inclusive pedagogy
Group D: Dening learning outcomes in a student-centred approach
Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
14.00 - 15.00 Group discussions based on the results of the breakaway sessions: policy
recommendatons for the classroom, insttutons, educatonal systems and Europe as a
whole
15.00 - 16.15 Panel discussion with stakeholder organisatons about their perspectves on student-
centred learning
- Lva Vikmane, The Student Union of Latvia (LSA)
- Luke Shore, Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU)
- Guntars Catlaks, Research Coordinator, Educaton Internatonal (EI)
- Michael Gaebel, European University Associaton (EUA)
-Maria Kelo, European Associaton for Quality Assurance in Higher Educaton (ENQA)
16.15 - 16.45 Coee break
16:45 - 18.00 SCL in a policy context: conference conclusions and panel discussion
General rapporteur: Viktor Kjeldgaard Grnne, European Students Union
- Erin Nordal, Vice-Chairperson, European Students' Union
- Daniele Livon, Director General for Higher Educaton, Italian Ministry of Educaton
- Karolina Kasperaviciute, Internatonal department of Congregaton for Catholic
Educaton, Holy See
- Silvia Costa, Chair of the Commitee for Culture and Educaton, European Parliament
18:00 - 18:30 Closing Remarks
-Dieter Schlenker, Director of the Historical Archives of the European Union
(HAEU), European University Insttute
-Elisabeth Gehrke, Chairperson, European Students Union
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5. Speaker Informaton
Lee Harvey
Professor Lee Harvey has been researching higher educaton issues since the
early 1990s. He has been on UQAIB since its incepton. Lee was Professor at
Copenhagen Business School untl 31st December 2010. Prior to that he
established and was Director of both the Centre for Research into Quality at
University of Central England in Birmingham and the Centre for Research and
Evaluaton at Sheeld Hallam University. He was also Director of Research at
the Higher Educaton Academy. Lee has wide experience of social research as
a research methodologist and social philosopher. He has a teaching
qualicaton alongside his masters in informaton technology and doctorate
in sociology. Lee taught sociology at the University of Central England in
Birmingham for 20 years from 1971. His current and recent research areas
are: higher educaton policy; quality, quality assurance and quality culture;
employability; student feedback; learning and teaching, diversity and
funding. He is widely published with over 35 books and research
monographs and over 120 artcles in internatonal journals, books and
compendiums. He has been a quality advisor to insttutons across the world.
He is regularly invited to major internatonal conferences and has given over 50 keynotes at such events. Current
work has also returned to a focus on research methodology, which he is developing on
qualityresearchinternatonal.com
Jussi Vlimaa
Dr. Jussi Vlimaa is a Professor in higher educaton studies at the University
of Jyvskyl, Finland. He is responsible for leading the research strength
area Educaton and Social Change at the Finnish Insttute for Educatonal
Research. Being trained as a historian and a social scientst professor
Vlimaa has expertse in social studies of higher educaton. His research
expertse covers the topics from academic work and disciplinary cultures to
the relatonship between higher educaton and society. Currently his
comparatve research interests focus on the relatonships between higher
educaton insttutons and knowledge societes in USA and Europe. Dr.
Vlimaa is joint editor-in-chief of Higher Educaton and actve in many
internatonal and natonal academic organizatons.
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Anthony Camilleri
Anthony F. Camilleri is a senior partner at the Knowledge Innovaton
Centre, a company specialising in educatonal research, knowledge
transfer and advocacy support founded by a group of KSU alumni. He is an
expert in open educaton, in partcular with respect to developments
linked to quality, assessment and recogniton.
He has been investgatng the linkages between higher educaton,
innovaton, quality and open educaton for the last three years and has
recently coordinated a bevy of projects on OER, in partcular the Open
Educatonal Quality Initatve (htp://www.oer-quality.org), the OERTest
Initatve, and the VMPass Consortum (htp://www.vmpass.eu). He
recently authored a report for the European Commissions Insttute on
Prospectve Technological Studies on OER Quality (htp://goo.gl/gvgOEk).
He is also an ESIB alumnus - having served as KSU representatve on the board, member of the CoCo (Commitee on
the Commodicaton of Educaton and GATS) as well as ESIBs rst project ocer.
Marzia Foroni
Marzia Foroni works in the Italian Ministry of Educaton, Universites and
Research on internatonal cooperaton and European reforms. She
graduated from Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, in
Internatonal Relatons, with a nal dissertaton on the implementaton of
Bologna reforms in degree structure in three European countries. She
further studied management in higher educaton and research insttutes
at the Politecnico di Milano. She works as consultant in the Italian Ministry
of Educaton, Universites and Research on internatonal cooperaton and
European reforms. Her main areas of expertse are the Bologna Process,
European Union policies, internatonalisaton and student mobility.
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
Maria Stcchi
Maria Stcchi Damiani (IT) is a former Professor of English who is now
actng as one of the two Italian representatves in the Bologna Follow-Up
Group (BFUG) and the coordinator of the Italian team of Bologna Experts.
She is also actve as an internatonal ECTS/DS counsellor.
Maria Stcchi Damiani used to teach at the Free Internatonal University of
Social Studies (LUISS) in Rome where she served as Head of the
Department of Modern Languages and Rectors delegate for Internatonal
Relatons. She was President of the European Associaton for Internatonal
Educaton (EAIE) in 1992 and Erasmus prize for Italy in 1994. She was the
Italian member of the Socrates/Erasmus Sub-Commitee and of the
Erasmus Mundus Commitee for many years. She was a member of the
Management Commitee of the European Project Tuning Educatonal
Structures in Europe.
She has published extensively both on language-related issues and on
internatonal educaton.
Koen Geven
Koen Geven is a PhD Student at the European University Insttute (Florence).
His research focuses on the dynamics of inequality in higher educaton, with
a partcular interest in public policy (fees, student support, structural
reform). He holds an MA in Public Administraton from the Central European
University (Budapest) and the University of York; and a BSc in Politcal
Science from the University of Amsterdam. Previously, he was chairperson of
the European Students Union (2007/8), member of the executve committee
of the Dutch Students Union LSVb (2004/5). He has also worked as a policy
advisor for the internatonal teachers union federaton Educaton
Internatonal (2008-2011).
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
Lva Vikmane
Lva Vikmane has been in student movement for four years, currently she is
working as an Internatonal Aairs Ocer at the Student Union of Latvia
(LSA), however she started at the local level of student representaton as a
Vice-chair on Internatonal students' integraton at Student Council of Riga
Stradi University. Previous experience in all levels of student
representaton allows her not to lose the very important aspect of our work
here - connecton with students and their interests.
While previously have studied Internatonal relatons, she is now doing
Bachelor's degree in Sociology.
Luke Shore
Luke Shore (17) is a Board member of the Organising Bureau of European
School Student Unions (OBESSU), the platorm which unites the natonal
school student unions actve in general secondary and vocatonal educaton
in Europe; founded in Dublin in 1975, it brings together Member and
Candidate organisatons from more than 20 European countries. He lives
and works in London.
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
Guntars Catlaks
Guntars Catlaks is currently a senior research co-ordinator at Educaton
Internatonal World federaton of educaton unions in Brussels, Belgium.
His work includes monitoring on-going research as well as undertaking
original surveys worldwide in the elds of educaton quality, equal access
and teacher employment, development and work conditons. His primary
focus is on current educaton policies in these areas. An important aspect of
Guntars work is the exchange of informaton among the EI Research
Network's aliates. Guntars previously worked as an expert and co-
ordinator in educaton policy analysis. He has partcular experience in social
sciences and citzenship educaton, as well multcultural/bilingual educaton
and reform policies in Central Eastern Europe. Guntars has working
experience as a teacher, curriculum developer, textbook writer and
researcher both in natve Latvia and internatonally.
Born in 1963 in Riga, Guntars graduated from the University of Latvia as a
Historian in 1986, and received a Doctorate in History in 1995. He has been
aliated with the Latvia Insttute of History, Ministry of Educaton, Soros
Foundaton Latvia, Indiana University and the Centre for Civic Educaton
(USA). Between 2002 and 2004, Guntars was Director of Civitas Internatonal-
World associaton of civic educators based in Brussels.
Michael Gaebel
Michael Gaebel is the head of the Higher Educaton Policy Unit, which
focuses on issues related to higher educaton learning and teaching,
including the Bologna Process, lifelong learning, e-learning and MOOCs,
internatonalisaton and global dialogue. When he rst joined the
organisation in 2006, he was in charge of developing EUAs international
strategy and global exchange and cooperation.
Before joining EUA, Michael worked for more than a decade in higher
educaton cooperaton and development in the Middle East, the former
Soviet Union and Asia. From 2002 to 2006, he was the European Co-Director
of the ASEAN-EU University Network Programme (AUNP) in Bangkok.
Michael graduated with a Masters in Middle Eastern Studies and German Literature and Linguistcs from the Freie
University Berlin, Germany.
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Maria Kelo
Maria Kelo is the Director of the European Associaton for Quality Assurance
in Higher Educaton (ENQA). Together with the Associatons President she
represents ENQA in the E4 group and in the Bologna Follow-Up Group. She is
also a Vice-President of the Executve Board of the European Register for
Quality Assurance (EQAR).
Prior to joining ENQA in 2011, Maria worked for nine years in the eld of
internatonal higher educaton, rst as a trainee at the European Commission
DG for Educaton and Culture, and subsequently as a research assistant at
Eurydice (2003), Senior Ocers at the Academic Cooperaton Associaton
(2003-2009), Programme manager at EUA (2010), and as independent
consultant (2010-2011). During these years Maria carried out a number of
project and studies on internatonal higher educaton, in partcular in the
elds of transnatonal educaton, student mobility, student services,
promoton of European higher educaton, and human resource management
in higher educaton. Maria is a graduate of University College London (1996-
2000) and London School of Economics (2001-2002).
Daniele Livon
Livon Daniele works as Director General for Higher Educaton at Italian
Ministry of Educaton. He studied at the Faculty of Economics in Udine, Italy
and received masters degree in Public Management at Bocconi.
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Karolina Kasperaviciute
Karolina Kasperaviciute was born in Lithuania. In 2010 started working for the
Congregaton for the Catholic Educaton (Holy See) in the Internatonal relatons
department that deals with Bologna Process, Recogniton Conventons of
UNESCO and recogniton practces.
She is a part of the Holy Sees delegaton assigned for the Bologna Process co-
presidency for the present semester.
In 2009 graduated Licence degree Insttutonal Social Communicaton Sciences at
the Pontcal Holy Cross University and in 2012 has started her Doctoral research
at the same Faculty.
Silvia Costa
Silvia Costa was born in Florence and graduated in Modern Literature at the
University of Rome. As a professional journalist, she has worked in magazines,
newspapers and the realizaton of some television programs of Rai. From 1976 to
1985 he was a City Councilor in Rome for two terms, and has served on the
Boards and School Culture.
Member of the House for three Legislature, Silvia was an eectve member of the
Commission and therefore of the Interior Commitee on Culture, Science and
Educaton. State Secretary at the Ministry of University and Scientc and
Technological Research, she has been President of the Commitee on Equal
Opportunites between men and women at the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers untl September 2000.
In 2003 she was awarded the ttle of Grand Ocer of the Republic by President
Ciampi. From 2005 to July 2009 he was Minister of Educaton, the Right to
Educaton and Training in the Lazio Region.
In June 2009 she was elected to the European Parliament. Silvia was elected Vice President of the Delegaton for
relatons with Iraq of the European Parliament and is a member of the Commitee on Culture and Educaton and
deputy member of the Commission on Women's Rights and Gender Equality and the Commitee on Civil Libertes,
Justce and Home Aairs Interior.
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Dieter Schlenker
Dieter Schlenker is the Director of the Historical Archives of the European
Union since January 2013. Before, he worked for UNESCO, rst as archivist
at the Paris Headquarters, then as head of Informaton and Knowledge
Management in Bangkok, Thailand. He holds a PhD in Modern History
from the University of Heidelberg, Germany.
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
6. Breakaway sessions
On the third day of the Conventon, partcipants will be asked to choose to atend and actvely partcipate in two of
four breakaway sessions, covering concept of student centred learning from dierent aspects. Topics are: Aligning
teaching and learning actvites, learning outcomes and assessment methods; Commodicaton, internships and SCL:
quality internships; Student-centred learning in the classroom: inclusive pedagogy; Dening learning outcomes in a
student-centred approach. Due to the fact that all topics are extensive and of remarkable importance, we decided to
approach each topic by working in smaller groups, ensuring greater involvement and eciency.
Session A: Student centred learning when properly implemented benets all. So what is most important when
adoptng this concept? The key is to build up mutual respect between student and teacher in inclusive and learning-
friendly insttutonal context. In order to achieve that, a constructvist alignment of teaching and learning actvites,
as well as learning outcomes and assessment methods needs to be created, which will lead to deep learning and
understanding. Drifing away from the conventonal, modern ways of learning are crucial for the implementaton of
SCL, therefore leading a shif towards innovatve teaching (e.g. research-based teaching) and actve learning,
including peer learning, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning and self-learning.
This session will encourage the partcipants to think, create and present. We will discover multple components of
above mentoned parameters of SCL and will together try to answer the queston how to apply theory in practce
from dierent perspectves.
Session B: Commodicaton refers to the changing percepton of higher educaton from a public good and public
responsibility to a private and limited commodity. One of the ways commodicaton impacts, both negatvely and
positvely, student centred learning is through partnerships between HEIs and businesses partcularly in work placed
learning programs including internships. In this session we will look at the dierent trends across Europe in
internship culture, examine high quality internships and explore how negatve practces impact the students
experience. Before joining us in Florence you can nd out about the internship culture in your country by asking
some simple questons: are students partcipatng in internship programs provided with optons, mentoring and
dened learning outcomes? Are businesses paying interns or using them as free workers, replacing full tme paid
employees? Is the learning students complete on internships recognized by their Higher Educaton Insttuton?
Session C: If society would be asked what the main aspect of the student life is, the majority would probably answer:
party and enjoying life. But we know, that this is not (entrely because lets face it, who hasnt encountered these
kind of arguments) true. For all of us the center of academia life happens in classrooms and concerns mainly the
quest to develop the masters plan who to get all the required knowledge as fast and ecient as possible in our heads
disregarding the teaching method and learning environment. And who of us did not wonder if that was really the
satsfying way to enroll in our studies? Who of us did not have the thought at some point: I would have done this
course/lecture/ seminar so entrely dierent and therefore in a much more interestng way!?
This workshop asks you to tell your very own stories and to queston the traditonal way of teaching and learning.
Therefore we are going to look into dierent learning approaches to learning such as inclusive pedagogy and the
theory pedagogy of excellence. These theories shall be discussed and questoned on the basis of your own
experience and the so far learned at the ESC.
Session D: This session slightly differs from the others, since the issue of dening precise meaning of Learning
outcomes has been raised by the Board, and this session will result in recommendatons to ESUs policy. Dierent
stakeholders use term Learning outcomes with slightly dierent meaning in mind, some of them have dened LO,
those denitons will be presented and discussed at this session, while we have not came to consensus on what LO
are and what we want them to be. In order to beter understand the meaning and engage in discussions defending
students positon, we are initatng constructon of ESUs deniton of Learning outcomes, as a part of the
conventon on SCL, as this approach should inspire us to dene LO trough students needs and learning environment.
*Please divide and organize your delegaton in order to cover as many sessions as possible, with respect to NUS and individual interest and priorites
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7. Background on SCL policy in HE in Europe
Constant changes in societal and educatonal needs request that further emphasis is given on teaching excellence. It
is expected that this will enhance Europes compettveness in this knowledge-based economy, which requires
increased and multple higher skills and competences through a paradigm shif in the classroom towards student-
centered learning. Student-centered learning (SCL) gained politcal recogniton in Bologna process agreements only in
2009 through the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Ministerial Communiqu. ESU/ESIB has been a strong advocate for
interacton between teacher and student, which we consider crucial for quality and relevance of learning outcomes.
Also Student-centred learning has an immense impact on the process of acquiring those learning outcomes, responds
to the diversity of proles and needs of learners and therefore improves the higher educaton retenton rates.
Despite Ministerial commitments and ESU eorts to gain more atenton to the concept and benets of SCL, there
have been litle progress on the natonal level to introduce strategies on rewarding excellence in teaching. Neither
higher educaton insttutons themselves were putng much eort in developing and implementng teaching sta
development policies across the whole insttuton. ESU has been keeping a close track on the implementaton of the
SCL concept since Leuven/ Louvain-la-Neuve through its project Time for a New Paradigm-Student-Centred
Learning (T4SCL) 2009/10, publicatons Bologna at the Finish Line 2010, Bologna with Students Eyes 2012, also
numerous surveys to the member unions in 38 EHEA countries.
Based on T4SCL project, ESU together with Educaton Internatonal developed a comprehensive descripton of what
SCL means in the Bologna context, what are its direct and indirect benets, what are the preconditons for its
implementaton. A survey, launched to teachers and students in 22 countries helped to map the SCL related policies
and practces, showed their percepton on the barriers for the implementaton of SCL; helped to identfy key players,
such as university leadership, quality assurance agencies. The project has had an element of involving those key
players in natonal debates on mainstreaming SCL, which took place in more than 10 countries. On the later stage an
indicatve SCL checklist to empower higher educaton insttutons, teachers or students to identfy the gaps in
implementng SCL and methodological recommendatons on improving the situaton have been published in a form
of a T4SCL toolkit. The toolkit has been translated in more than 7 languages (French, German, Dutch, Lithuanian,
Albanian, other). Then ESU idented a growing interest in SCL on the grassroots level, being conrmed through
numerous invitatons for ESU to speak about it at Bologna expert seminars, Directors General meetng in Cyprus in
2013, and natonal events.
In 2012 the importance of SCL and learning-outcomes based learning has been reiterated in the Bucharest Ministerial
Communiqu and Communicaton on Rethinking educaton. The same year, Bologna follow-up group has developed
its working agenda with a specic focus on improving social dimension in educaton through student-centeredness in
teaching. ESU wants also to point out that a shif is required not only in the minds of the teaching sta, but also in
the students, to be able to enhance their learning experience.
Current quality assurance mechanisms do emphasise the importance of teaching (interacton between teacher and
student, curricula design with respect to learning outcomes, assessment schemes), however current quality
assurance procedures have their limitatons. Program level evaluaton can give beter understanding on the
methodological set-up of the individual study programme. SCL is not limited to certain methodology; it is rather a
cultural shif in the insttuton. It also builds up on the successful implementaton of Bologna tools, such as
recogniton procedures, ECTS based on the learning outcomes. Insttutonal reviews, performed by the quality
assurance agencies, rarely signify the aspect of teaching and learning as a core one, which also give a false signal to
the insttutonal leadership about priorites in management. In reality it means that research actvity is rewarded
signicantly more, than excellence in teaching, there are fewer incentves for the academic sta to invest in
development of their teaching skills, employ new methods like problem-based learning, project- based actvites. At
the same tme, there are only few good practces, which put emphasis on students and encourage them to take a
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more actve role in designing their learning path, take advantage of collaboratve learning methods and develop
critcal thinking through challenging the authority. PASCL project aims at bridging this gap by guring out and pilotng
a robust assessment framework that can be used to enhance the student-centeredness of higher educaton
insttuton in Europe. Thanks to the planned assessment and procedures, in case of successfully carried out, this
acton can lead to the award of a Student-centred insttuton.
The other partners of consorta observed similar trends and challenges, especially UNICA, which also runs Bologna
experts project. ESU has had longstanding cooperaton with UNICA on promotng SCL mainly though its Bologna
seminars and bi-annual UNICA student conferences. The above mentoned T4SCL toolkit been developed in close
cooperaton with experts from University of Jyvaskyla, which expressed the interest to work on the next steps of
promotng the SCL concept. Together with Central European University, ESU has been engaged in promotng
European Award for Excellence in Teaching in Social Sciences and Humanites (htp://20.ceu.hu/teaching-award) and
a number of Bologna process promoton actvites. ESU also has collaborated with KIC and Melius on previous
projects and showed an interest in SCL area.
Useful reading:
htp://www.esu-online.org/pageassets/projects/projectarchive/2010-T4SCL-Stakeholders-Forum-Leuven-An-
Insight-Into-Theory-And-Practce.pdf
http://www.esu-online.org/pageassets/projects/projectarchive/2010-T4SCL-Stakeholders-Forum-Leuven-
Survey-Analysis.pdf
http://www.esu-online.org/pageassets/projects/projectarchive/100814-SCL.pdf
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8. Venue and practcal informaton
FLORENCE
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city
in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area.
Florence is famous for its history: a centre of Medieval european trade and nance and one of the wealthiest cites of
the tme, it is considered the birthplace of the Renassaince, and has been called the Athens of the Middle Age. A
turbulent politcal history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and
republican revolutons. From 186571 the city was the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.
The Historic Centre of Florence atracts millions of tourists each year, and Euromonitor Internatonal ranked the city
as the world's 89th most visited in 2012, with 1.8m visitors. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.
The city is noted for its culture, Renassaince art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous
museums and art galleries, such as the Uzi Gallery and the Palazzo Pit, and stll exerts an inuence in the elds of
art, culture and politcs. Due to Florence's artstc and architectural heritage, it has been ranked by Forbes as one of
the most beautful cites in the world.
Florence is an important city in Italian fashion, being ranked in the top 50 of fashion capitals of the world;
furthermore, it is a major natonal economic centre, as a tourist and industrial hub. In 2008, the city had the 17th
highest average income in Italy.
FIESOLE
Fiesole is a small village of the province of Florence, on a scenic height above Florence, 8 km northeast of that city. It
was probably founded in the 9th-8th century BC, as it was an important member of the Etruscan confederacy, as may
be seen from the remains of its ancient walls.
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HOW TO GET TO FLORENCE
AIRPORTS
FLORENCE AIRPORT - (Amerigo Vespucci)
Via del Termine, 11, 50127 Firenze
Many airlines, such as AirBerlin, AirFrance, Alitalia, AustrianAirline, BrusselsAirline, KLM, Lufhansa, MeridianaFly,
Volotea and Vueling, y from and to the airport of Florence.
From the Airport to the Main staton of Florence there is a bus, Vola in bus service
Taxi from Florence airport (Amerigo Vespucci) costs around 20.
htp://www.aeroporto.renze.it/en/passengers/from-to-the-airport/bus.html
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
PISA AIRPORT - Galileo Galilei
Piazzale D'Ascanio, 1, 56121 Pisa
The airport of Pisa-San Giusto, known by its commercial name Galileo Galilei, is the biggest and most important
airport in Tuscany.
From Pisa Airport it is possible to take a train to Pisa central Staton and then to Firenze central staton, or there is the
Terravision bus, with stop just outside the airport, that goes directly to the centre of Florence (Santa Maria Novella
Staton).
htp://www.terravision.eu/italiano/orence_pisa/pisa_aeroporto.html
ACCOMODATION
THE HOSTEL: EUROPA VILLA CAMERATA
The Ostello Europa Villa Camerata is in Viale Augusto Righi, 4, Florence
It is a nice hostel, housed in a villa built around the 1500 and surrounded by a large park.
N.B remember to put towels in your luggage because they are not provided by the hostel
HOW TO GET TO THE HOSTEL
The bus lines that stop close to the Villa Camerata Hostel are:
- line 11 from Santa Maria Novella Staton, the stop is the nal one, Salviatino
- line 17 from Santa Maria Novella Staton in directon of Viale Verga; the stop is Santi Fiorentini .
The cost of a single tcket is 1.20 , but there are cards called Carta Agile, with 10 journeys for 10, 21 for 20 or
35 for 30
For routes and tmetables see the public bus service site at ATAF www.ataf.net
Florence does not have a very ecient public transport service so we are organizing a dedicated shuttle service.
You will receive more information about that service at your arrival.
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THE VENUE
EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE
Badia Fiesolana - Via dei Roccetni 9, I-50014 San Domenico di Fiesole (FI) Italy
N.B. The university is composed of several buildings, all immersed in the green hills of Fiesole but not all close each
other. The conference will take place at Villa La Fonte on the 28th and on the 30th of September and at Villa
Salviat on the 29th.
HOW TO GET TO THE VENUE
Villa Salviat , Via Bolognese 156: Take Line 25 from Via La pira (Near Piazza San Marco) toward Pratolino or
Pian di San Bartolo and get o at Il Cionfo 01 (ten stops) on via Bolognese. The entrance is 100 meters ahead.
Villa La Fonte, : take Line 7 from Via La Pira toward Fiesole and get o at San Domenico 01 (sixteen stop), then
take the rst right afer the bus stop.
For routes and tmetables see the public bus service site at ATAF www.ataf.net
Emergency Numbers:
118 AMBULANCE 113 POLICE 112 CARABINERI
Italian organizers:
Jacopo +39 328 2343933
Chiara +39 328 6457606
-
26
NOTES
27
NOTES
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Peer Assessment of Student Centred Learning
pascl.eu
9 PRINCIPLES of SCL
Principle I: SCL requires an ongoing reexive process. Part of the underlying philosophy of scl is that no one context
can have one scl style that can remain applicable through tme. The philosophy of scl is such that teachers, students
and insttutons need to contnuously reect of their teaching, learning and infrastructural systems in such a way that
would contnuously improve the learning experience of students and ensure that the intended learning outcomes of
a given course or programme component are achieved in a way that stmulates learners critcal thinking and
transferable skills.
Principle II: SCL does not have a one-size-ts-all soluton. A key concept underlying scl is the realisaton that all
higher educaton insttutons are dierent, all teachers are dierent and all students are dierent. These all operate in
very diverse contexts and deal with various subject-disciplines. Therefore, scl is a learning approach that requires
learning support structures, which are appropriate to each given context, and teaching and learning styles appropriate
to those undertaking them.
Principle III: students have dierent learning styles. Scl recognises that students have dierent pedagogical needs.
Some learn beter through trial and error, others learn through practcal experience. For some learners much is
learned by reading literature, others need to debate and discuss theory in or- der to understand it.
Principle IV: students have dierent needs and interests. All students have needs that extend beyond the class- room.
Some are interested in cultural actvites, others in sports or in representatve organisatons. Students can have
children or can be faced with psychological conditons, illness or disability.
Principle V: choice is central to eectve learning in SCL. Students like to learn dierent things and hence any oer
should involve a reasonable amount of choice. Learning can be organised in liberal formats, such as at colleges of
liberal arts or choice can be oered in a more traditonal, disciplinary style.
Principle VI: have dierent experiences and background knowledge. Learning needs to be adapted to the life and
professional experience of the individual concerned. For instance, if students already have considerable experience in
using informaton and communicatons technology, there is no point in trying to teach them the same thing again; if
they already have considerable research skills, perhaps it would be beter to help them in theory. Personal experience
can also be used to motvate students, for instance, by allowing students to share a personal story to illustrate a point.
Principle VII: students should have control over their earning. Students should be given the opportunity to be
involved in the design of courses, curricula and their evaluaton. Students should be seen as actve partners who have
a stake in the way that higher educaton functons. The best way to ensure that learning focuses more on students is
by engaging students themselves in how their learning should be shaped.
Principle VIII: SCL is about enabling not telling. In simply impartng facts and knowledge to students (telling) the
initatve, preparaton and content comes mainly from the teacher. The scl approach aims to give the student greater
responsibility enabling the student to think, process, analyse, synthesise, critcise, apply, solve problems, etc. . . .
Principle IX: learning needs cooperaton between students and sta. It is important that students and sta co-
operate to develop a shared understanding both of the problems experienced in learning, as well as their problems as
stakeholders within their given insttuton, jointly proposing solutons that might work for both groups. In the
classroom, such cooperaton will have a positve eect as the two groups increasingly come to consider each other as
partners. Such a partnership is central to the philosophy of scl, which sees learning as taking place in a constructve
interacton between the two groups.
Student Centred Learning represents both a mindset and a culture within a given
higher educaton insttuton and is a learning approach which is broadly related to,
and supported by, constructvist theories of learning. It is characterised by innova-
tve methods of teaching which aim to promote learning in communicaton with
teachers and other learners and which take students seriously as actve partci-
pants in their own learning, fostering transferable skills such as problem-solving,
critcal thinking and reectve thinking.
PASCL
Placing students at the heart of learning
PASCL First Annual Conference and
28th European Students Conventon
28
th
-30
th
of September 2014 European University Insttute, Florence, Italy
Conference Reader
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publicaton reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot
be held responsible for any use which may be made of the informaton contained
therein.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/PASCL-Project
Twiter: @ESUtwt #PASCL
Google+: google.com/+PasclEu
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