In spite of obstacles and complications caused by the actual pandemic situation COVID-19, the IEC CZU was able to organise a contact seminar and thus welcome 31 academic staff from 5 partner universities of the international project "CATCH 21 - Changing the Approach to Teaching at Universities" (Erasmus + KA2 program). The main aim of the seminar was to share innovative methods for soft skills development among academics from 5 European countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and Turkey).
The training program run from 6 to 8 October 2021 and was divided into seven thematic units, which means seven concrete 21st century skill clusters defined by the OECD, concretely communication, teamwork, critical thinking, creative and innovative thinking, self-direction, global competences and ICT skills.
In addition to sharing different techniques based on the experience learning, the participants tried to find specific solutions to actual questions - Are current graduates ready for the job market and what are the current requirements of employers? What concrete 21st century skills students lack the most often, are those skills sufficiently developed? How can a university contribute to the development of these competencies of their students?
Interesting results from discussions seeking answers to these questions can be found in both the monography and the scientific article:
21st Century Skills Monography
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dc28ad57b92e564895cd0b9/t/6182735f295d87041a252062/1635939180161/21st+Century+Skills+E-Book.+Pdf.pdf
REEP article
Identification of Transferable Competencies and their Impact on the Paradigm Change in Higher Education in the 21st Century (llu.lv)
