Universitatea „Cuza” din Iași finanțează, din fonduri proprii, salariile cercetătorilor din departamentele de cercetare ale facultăților
Decizie importantă a Biroului Executiv al Consiliului de Administrație (BECA) al Universității „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” (UAIC) din Iași. Acesta a hotărât ca, începând cu data de 1 martie 2020, să se asigure din fondul centralizat al Universității finanțarea cheltuielilor cu salariile cercetătorilor din departamentele de cercetare ale facultăților. Fiecare facultate va beneficia de un fond echivalent a două salarii de cercetător științific III, cu vechime maximă. Decizia se încadrează într-o serie de demersuri pe care UAIC le face pentru stimularea activității de cercetare științifică și asigurarea condițiilor de dezvoltare a domeniilor competitive.
„Spre exemplu, în ședința din 9 ianuarie 2020, BECA a decis implementarea unui nou instrument de stimulare a cercetării științifice, prin recompensarea autorilor care publică articole în reviste cotate ISI Web of Science. Autorii afiliați UAIC care publică articole în reviste indexate în baza de date ISI Web of Science vor fi recompensați în funcție de zona din care face parte jurnalul în care este publicat articolul (zona roșie, zona galbenă sau zona albă).
Publicație : Bună Ziua Iași
Curs inedit și extrem de atractiv la Universitatea Tehnică Gheorghe Asachi din Iași! Studenţii au ocazia să îmbine Arta cu Ingineria
Conf. univ. dr. Cristian Ungureanu din cadrul Universităţii Națională de Arte George Enescu Iași îi invită pe toţi studenţii, absolvenţii din facultăţi la un curs inaugural referitor la stimularea creativităţii.
”Dragi prieteni, studenţi, absolvenţi şi profesori ai Facultăţii de Inginerie Chimică şi Protecţia Mediului „Cristofor Simionescu”, ai Facultăţii de Arte Vizuale şi Design – UNAGE Iaşi, de la alte facultăţi/universităţi, prieteni şi simpatizanţi ai proiectului nostru, vă invităm la CURSUL INAUGURAL STIMULAREA CREATIVITĂŢII – 2020, marţi, 18 FEB 2020, ora 16.00, în amfiteatrul CH III din sediul FICPM, B-dul Dimitrie Mangeron, nr 73. Dl. Profesor Nicolae N. Hurduc, Decan al FICPM şi iniţiator al cursului transdisciplinar „Stimularea Creativităţii”, va prezenta un istoric şi un traseu al intenţiilor cursului (aflat la a patra ediţie în 2020) iar subsemnatul, Conf.univ.dr. Cristian Nicolae Ungureanu – FAVD, va face o retrospectivă a prelegerilor susţinute, în ediţia de anul trecut, de către poetul Cătălin-Mihai Ștefan (M.L.R. Iaşi), Conf.univ.dr.ing. Irina Carlescu (FICPM), Conf.univ.dr. Cristian Nicolae Ungureanu, Şef lucrări dr.ing.Luiza Epure (FICPM), Lect.univ.dr. Paula Onofrei (UAIC), Prof.univ.dr. Nicu Gavriluta (UAIC), regizorul Cosmin Pleşă, regizorul şi Prof.univ.dr. Alexa Visarion. Vă aşteptam, cu drag, în spaţiile (renovate şi redefinite vizual), ale FICPM şi al amfiteatrului CH III, pentru a continua şi dezvolta împreună acest inedit şi fascinant proeict academic, care include şi „ALCHIMIA – Galerie de artă transdisciplinara”. o galerie dedicată profesorilor şi studenţilor FICPM dar şi celor de la Arte Iaşi, prietenilor şi tuturor celor interesaţi de dialogul dintre disciplinele academice şi domeniile vocaţionale ale cunoaşterii Realităţii – Ştiinţa, Filosofia, Teologia şi Artă..” se arată în mesajul transmis de conf. univ. dr. Cristian Ungureanu.
Publicație : Bună Ziua Iași
UK universities face pressure to reform admissions process
Exclusive: minority candidates complain of poor careers advice and time-consuming process
British universities are taking a hard look at changes to their admissions procedures for undergraduates, after evidence that significant numbers of disadvantaged and ethnic minority students are dissatisfied with the current system.
A survey of university applicants commissioned by vice-chancellors and seen by the Guardian found that many black and other ethnic minority candidates, as well as those from families without a history of studying in higher education, complained of obstacles during their applications, including poor careers advice and a time-consuming process.
The poll of 1,500 recent applicants to higher education, conducted by Savanta ComRes and commissioned by the Universities UK (UUK) group, found that fewer than two-thirds said the system works well, with black and minority ethnic applicants the most likely to support a radical overhaul such as a shift to applications after A-level grades are published.
Julia Buckingham, the vice-chancellor of the University of Brunel University London and president of UUK, said: “On the whole university admissions are seen as fair but all students must have faith in the system and receive careers advice to help them make the best decisions about what and where to study.
“It is the job of universities, colleges, employers, schools and the government to work together to fill the gaps in good quality careers advice for applicants, and particularly to disadvantaged groups.”
The survey was commissioned by the group representing 137 universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for its admissions review group that is considering recommendations to improve the system.
The Office for Students, the higher education regulator in England, is conducting its own review of admissions, a move endorsed by the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, who said: “I am glad the OfS is looking at whether it would be in students’ interests to apply for their university place after they have their A-level results.”
Most students receive offers of places that are conditional on achieving certain A-level grades, based on the grades predicted by their teachers. But critics say grade predictions are notoriously unreliable, and conditional offers leave students and universities in the dark for several months.
The survey found that 64% agreed the process “works well as it is”, but more than half backed making major changes that would upend the timeline of applications, offers and acceptances being made in winter before pupils sit A-levels in the spring and receive their results in the summer.
Fifty-six per cent said universities and colleges should make offers only after receiving students’ results, and the same proportion backed a more radical shift to begin applications after A-level results, “even if the term started later”.
Students who were the first from their families to apply to higher education, and those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, were more likely to support post-A-level admissions.
While 70% of applicants agreed the current process was fair, 12% disagreed, complaining about poor career advice and lack of information, with some alleging the system was “biased towards upper and middle class applicants”. Black and minority ethnic students were less likely to rate the application process as fair.
Ucas, which administers the admissions process for undergraduates, was ranked as the most-used source of information by 38% of students, with parents and guardians cited by 35% and school teachers by 34%. Universities were used as prime sources by only 27% of students.
Clare Marchant, the chief executive of Ucas said: “It’s welcome news that most students agree the current application process is fair, and that the clear majority of applicants felt supported when applying, particularly by Ucas.”
Marchant said her organisation was “already exploring innovative reforms to the admissions process, including how changing when students receive offers could bring benefits”.
Publicație : The Guardian
'I was always told I was unusual': why so few women design video games
Growing numbers of women are studying video games at university, yet they remain underrepresented in industry
There’s a stereotype that women don’t play video games, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. The numbers don’t lie: 52% of gamers were female in the UK’s last major study in 2014. But if we look at the proportion of female workers in the games industry, it’s just 28% in the UK, and roughly 20% worldwide. If so many women are playing games, why are so few making them?
The problem lies in the feedback loop of under-representation in the video games industry. Women are less likely to see themselves represented in games, games advertising or working in games design and development roles. That means they’re less likely to pursue a degree or career, because they don’t feel like they belong.
What’s more, gaming – much like the wider technology industry – has a culture problem. For many women working in games, sexual harassment online and offline has become commonplace, pay gaps persist, and toxic work culture is pervasive.
The representation gap begins at university, where more men have, historically, studied video games design. According to Higher Education Statistics Agency data, 88% of students on video games courses were male in 2017-18.
“My course was very male-dominated. I think there were four or five women and maybe 25 men in my year,” recalls Kate Killick, a senior designer at Mojiworks who studied video games design at the University of South Wales. “At the time I don’t think I understood how it affected my experience, but looking back I can see I had imposter syndrome.”
The picture is steadily improving – the percentage of women studying video games design grew from 7% in 2014-15 to 11.5% in 2017-18. Some courses perform much better than others. Larra Anderson, the dean of screen at London College of Communication (LCC), part of University of the Arts London, says within the college’s moving image and digital arts programme – which includes games design, virtual reality and animation – more than 50% of students are now women. “This has improved year-on-year for the last three years,” she says.
Andy Bossom, programme director of games at University for the Creative Arts (UCA), also says that his institution’s games degrees have sustained a 60/40 male/female split for several years.
A more evenly balanced mix of students is a good first step. But the nature of the programmes and games that are studied can have a big impact on a student’s enjoyment of the course. “Being surrounded by people who were passionate about hardcore and AAA [blockbuster] games definitely made me question whether I counted as a ‘gamer’,” Killick says.
To address this, some universities frame video game design courses in ways to encourage diversity. Mariza Dima, a lecturer at Brunel University, says her university focuses on games design “as a creative discipline, not just a technical one”. Adam Procter, programme leader for the University of Southampton’s game design course, agrees with that approach: “It’s all about bringing ideas to life.”
To improve students’ transition into the workplace, universities are increasingly connecting them with a diverse range of role models. “They need windows into their future, through an education that gets them the skills and practices through which they can master their craft,” says Anderson. “But they also need mirrors which hold up images where they can see themselves reflected in their field as well. Without that they will not be inspired or see it as even possible for them to succeed.”
The games design courses at Brunel University, University of Southampton, LCC and UCA all invite female guest lecturers working in games. They also add games from a diverse range of creators to the course and hold events with industry experts who can share their own experiences and help students understand how they can fit into the industry. For example, LCC hosted the annual European conference for Women in Games. “Our students found it incredibly insightful and inspiring,” recalls Anderson.
An alternative for people who don’t feel like they fit into the gaming industry is to start their own company, which universities are increasingly looking to facilitate. To this end, UCA set up a games incubator studio to support emerging developers and entrepreneurs. “One of the students we supported was indie games developer Megan Wheeler, the IP owner of Cat Tap, which has had more than 100,000 downloads,” Bossom says. “We supported her post-launch by promoting her game at leading UK games conferences.”
Of course, the responsibility for diversifying the games workforce doesn’t just fall on universities. “It would be good to see a larger proportion of games companies being more forthcoming in their support to higher education: offering internships of different lengths, companies offering live briefs, and competitions to reward emerging talent,” Bossom says.
Equally, there’s a role for teachers, thinks Killick. “Schools need to be made aware of all the career opportunities in games, and tech in general. There’s such a range of job roles, different types of companies, different genres and platforms you can work on,” she says. “I’ve met parents who clearly didn’t realise game development could be a serious career. They were shocked to visit us and realise we were a serious company, and not a handful of hobbyists in a garage!”
Killick suggests that universities and industry can work together to inform teachers, parents and pupils on “what the industry is really like”, for instance through open days featuring a range of students.
Games themselves can also play a role in challenging the biases that hold women back from considering the industry as a valid career choice, starting with portraying them in a way that doesn’t play into offensive stereotypes. Similarly, addressing gendered advertising and marketing, which often panders to young men, could make a big difference.
“I was always told I was unusual as a young girl enjoying video games, but that’s just not true,” says a games designer from the UK who wishes to remain anonymous. “If I had seen women in the games industry on TV, magazines or online, I think I would’ve had the aspirations I have now much younger.”
The need for representation extends from nurturing aspirations to the hiring process. “One company made me have more than five separate interviews and there wasn’t a single woman in any of them, so the first woman I spoke to was when I actually joined,” recalls Samantha Webb, a freelance narrative designer who studied game design at Brunel University.
Dima blames the lack of flexible hours and work-life balance for limiting the pool of potential candidates: “The industry needs to understand the urgency to change its work culture and policy drastically, and the benefit and change this will bring to the sector as a whole.”
Numerous studies have shown that diverse teams create better work and are more innovative. Without this, the feedback loop continues: men create games for other men who then go on to pursue a career in games.
“Everybody is a gamer now, so it makes sense for the industry to reflect the diversity of the audience,” Killick says. “We make better games when people from different backgrounds bring their unique perspective and creativity to the table. I want to play those games, and I want to work with those people.”
Publicație : The Guardian
Students say they don't understand university offer-making. This must change
Students are confused by contextualised admissions and unconditional offers, so we’re reviewing the system
Education is a great leveller, a route for people from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their lives. We know graduates tend do better and earn more in full-time employment.
More 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds are going to university than ever before, but they remain three times less likely than those from wealthier backgrounds to do so. To narrow that gap, universities must do more to help them.
It is essential that the university admissions system is easy for students to understand . That’s why, at Universities UK, we’ve launched a fair admissions review group, which will analyse whether offer-making from UK universities is fit for purpose.
To inform the group’s work, Savanta ComRes polled students and recent graduates asking, among other things, whether they felt the system is fair and their views on whether it would be better to apply to university after receiving exam grades.
The results have been enlightening. The majority (70%) of the 1,499 people polled believe the system is fair, but more than a quarter say it isn’t working well.
While most applicants have faith in university admissions, it is clear more needs to be done to support and win the confidence of those in underrepresented groups such as Black, Asian, and minority ethnic applicants who are less likely than white applicants to describe the system as fair (62% compared to 73% respectively).
The main complaint is that unhelpful careers advice is undermining the current process. It is therefore the job of universities, colleges, schools, employers and the government to work together to provide better support for all applicants. Failing to do so means we risk talent slipping through the cracks.
Universities have a responsibility to explain and to justify why and how places are awarded. In particular, the use of unconditional offers – an offer that is made without requiring a specific entry grade – is being carefully considered in this review. The new universities minister, Michelle Donelan, is among those politicians to question their use in the past.
The group will also scrutinise the impact of these offers on exam performance, how students decide which university to attend, and on their future career prospects. Offers must be made in the best interests of students, without limiting ambition or adversely influencing course choices.
Universities are trying hard to reach applicants in disadvantaged communities by awarding them “contextual” offers, which reflect individual circumstances and potential. The polling shows, though, that greater transparency and better communication is needed.
Too often these offers remain shrouded in secrecy, meaning the very people who could benefit from them may be unaware of their existence. When asked to pinpoint challenges in the application process, 27% of those who received contextual offers found it challenging to understand the different types of offers. This must change.
The polling also shows that almost one in three applicants feel that not having their exam results before applying to university is a challenge and, significantly, more than half of recent applicants believe universities and colleges should only make offers after grades have been received.
The benefits and disadvantages to students of switching to a post-qualification system will be explored in the review. It’s a complicated question: moving the admissions process to after students have received their results could substantially change school, college and university timetabling.
It is a frequently repeated myth that such a system is the norm across the world. But in most countries, including Australia, France, Germany and Canada, students apply to university several months before they take their final exams and don’t get their offers until after their exam results are known – similar to in the UK. Again, educators in these countries stress the importance of good quality careers advice.
Universities are working with students, schools, colleges, Ucas and the government to ensure the system in the UK is the best it can be. The students and graduates have spoken. We must make sure we listen and take actions
Publicație : The Guardian
Les échanges universitaires entre la France et la Chine perturbés par le coronavirus
La Chine accueille près de 11 000 étudiants français, dont une bonne part à Shanghaï, et en envoie 28 000 en France, dont près d’un quart en écoles de commerce.
Le 13 janvier se tenait en grande pompe à Bordeaux la cérémonie de parrainage de la nouvelle promotion de l’Institut franco-chinois créé par l’école de commerce Kedge avec l’université Renmin du Peuple de Chine, à Pékin, pour former des étudiants chinois francophones. Un profil très prisé par des groupes comme L’Oréal – parrain de la promotion de cette année –, pour qui « les “millennials” chinois apportent une vision inédite ».
Moins d’un mois plus tard, Kedge fait savoir qu’elle préfère « ne pas du tout communiquer sur les questions liées de près ou de loin au coronavirus ». Toutes les écoles et universités françaises présentes en Chine ne pratiquent pas le même « couvre-feu » médiatique. Mais toutes marchent sur des œufs. « Nous sommes très attentifs à la continuité de nos relations avec nos partenaires chinois », dit Benjamin Morisse, le directeur des programmes de l’Ecole supérieure des sciences commerciales d’Angers (Essca), installée à Shanghaï depuis 2007. Des partenaires très sourcilleux sur l’attitude des Occidentaux quant à cette crise. D’autant plus en ce qui concerne l’enseignement supérieur, l’un des fers de lance du « soft power » déployé par le président Xi Jinping.
Stratégie « pas remise en cause »
Le campus local de l’Essca a été fermé jusqu’à début mars sur décision de la municipalité de Shanghaï. Parmi ses 250 élèves, « seule une moitié a exprimé le souhait de rentrer en Europe pour éviter le confinement qui leur est imposé sur place ». Les autres ont préféré rester « parfois contre l’avis de leur famille », révèle M. Morisse. La centaine déjà rentrée en France, en Belgique, aux Pays-Bas est sous observation, mais pas en quarantaine proprement dite. « Shanghaï est loin de l’épicentre de Wuhan », tient à rassurer le directeur des programmes. Ce qui n’empêche pas les rapatriés de « respecter, par principe de précaution, une période de retrait de quatorze jours avant de pouvoir se rendre sur l’un des campus de l’école, en France ou en Europe ». Quant aux 120 étudiants chinois qui ont commencé leur semestre le 6 janvier en France, « aucun n’est parti pour le Nouvel An lunaire, ils sont tous restés ici ».
A Nantes, Audencia dit être « en contact permanent » avec ses expatriés, « sachant qu’il n’y en a pas dans la région de Wuhan ». Les étudiants, membres du personnel et professeurs qui ont séjourné ou ont été en contact avec des personnes ayant voyagé dans la province du Hubei « font l’objet d’une dispense scolaire pour une durée de quatorze jours ».
Publicație : Le Monde
L'appello di 200 accademici: "L'università soffoca, disintossichiamola"
Il grido dei professori contro la burocrazia e criteri aziendali applicati alla formazione: "Ricerca e insegnamento da tempo non sono più liberi". Tra i firmatari: Tomaso Montanari, Marco Belpoliti, Alessando Dal Lago e Marco Revelli
Sparita (se mai c'è stata) dall'agenda politica delle priorità del Paese, archiviate in fretta le dimissioni dell'ex ministro Lorenzo Fioramonti che reclamava più risorse, l'università italiana langue. Soffocata dalla burocrazia, "intossicata da una (finta) aziendalizzazione e da meccanismi di valutazione applicati con raro fanatismo" la sintesi che viaggia in un appello firmato da oltre 200 accademici. Il titolo è significativo: "Disintossichiamoci - Sapere per il futuro". Un documento pubblicato su Roars che sta girando negli atenei per raccogliere ancora più adesioni.
Più che un manifesto sul futuro dell'università italiana, è un grido: "Ricerca e insegnamento – è un fatto, eppure sembra un tabù esplicitarlo – da tempo non sono più liberi - si legge - Sottoposta a una insensata pressione che incalza a 'produrre' ogni anno di più, a ogni giro di più, la ricerca è in preda a una vera e propria bolla di titoli, che trasforma sempre più il già esiziale publish or perish in un rubbish or perish. Nello stesso tempo, è continua la pressione ad 'erogare' una formazione interamente modellata sulle richieste del mondo produttivo. La modernizzazione che ha programmaticamente strappato l’università via da ogni torre di avorio ha significato non altro che la via, la 'terza via', verso il mondo degli interessi privati".
E ancora: "Proprio grazie all’imporsi di queste logiche di mercato, la libertà di ricerca e di insegnamento – sebbene tutelata dall’art. 33 della Costituzione – è ridotta oramai a libertà di impresa. Il modello al quale le è richiesto sottomettersi è un regime di produzione di conoscenze utili (utili anzitutto a incrementare il profitto privato), che comanda modi tempi e luoghi di questa produzione, secondo un management autoritario che arriva ad espropriare ricercatori e studiosi della loro stessa facoltà di giudizio, ora assoggettata a criteri privi di interna giustificazione contrabbandati per oggettivi".
I promotori sono Valeria Pinto, professoressa di Filosofia alla Federico II di Napoli, il sociologo Davide Borrelli (università Suor Orsola Benincasa di Napoli), Maria Chiara Pievatolo, docente di filosofia politica all'ateneo di Pisa e Federico Bertoni, che insegna Teoria della letteratura a Bologna. "E' la prima base per proporre - o per tentare almeno di concepire - un altro modello di ricerca e di conoscenza", spiega Bertoni. Tra le firme, quelle di Tomaso Montanari, Alberto Abruzzese, Marco Belpoliti, Alessandro Barbero, Alessando Dal Lago, Marco Revelli, Antonella Riem.
L'appello arriva alla vigilia della terza valutazione nazionale della qualità della ricerca (Vqr) relativa al periodo 2015-2019. Un sistema da sempre contestatissimo, rivisto in alcune linee guida a novembre scorso con il nuovo decreto del Miur. L'Anvur ha appena pubblicato il bando per selezionare i gruppi di esperti valutatori. E l'accademia è in fibrillazione.
Il documento dei 200 è netto sui meccanismi di valutazione della ricerca scientifica: "Si tratta di numeri e misure che di scientifico, lo sanno tutti, non hanno nulla e nulla garantiscono in termini di valore e qualità della conoscenza. Predefinire percentuali di eccellenza e di inaccettabilità, dividere con mediane o prescrivere soglie, ordinare in classifiche, ripartire in rating le riviste, tutto questo, insieme alle più vessatorie pratiche di controllo sotto forma di certificazioni, accreditamenti, rendicontazioni, riesami, revisioni ecc., ha un’unica funzione: la messa in concorrenza forzata di individui gruppi o istituzioni all’interno dell’unica realtà cui oggi si attribuisce titolo per stabilire valori, ossia il mercato, in questo caso il mercato globale dell’istruzione e della ricerca, che è un’invenzione del tutto recente".
Il tema è cruciale, riguarda la valutazione del sapere, e dunque la destinazione di fondi che orientano la ricerca. "Sempre più spesso oggi si scrive e si fa ricerca per raggiungere una soglia di produttività piuttosto che per aggiungere una conoscenza all’umanità", la denuncia.
Secondo l'analisi contenuta nell'appello, "la logica del mercato concorrenziale si è imposta come vero e proprio comando etico, opporsi al quale ha comportato, per i pochi che vi hanno provato, doversi difendere da accuse di inefficienza, irresponsabilità, spreco di danaro pubblico, difesa di privilegi corporativi e di casta".
I firmatari del documento reclamano un cambio di rotta radicale. "Sono in molti ormai a ritenere che questo modello di gestione della conoscenza sia tossico e insostenibile a lungo termine. I dispositivi di misurazione delle performance e valutazione premiale convertono la ricerca scientifica (il chiedere per sapere) nella ricerca di vantaggi competitivi (il chiedere per ottenere), giungendo a mettere a rischio il senso e il ruolo del sapere per la società". Dunque, "è giunto il momento di un cambiamento radicale, se si vuole scongiurare l’implosione del sistema della conoscenza nel suo complesso. La burocratizzazione della ricerca e la managerializzazione dell’istruzione superiore rischiano di diventare la Chernobyl del nostro modello di organizzazione sociale".
Le vie d'uscita proposte? "Quel che serve oggi è riaffermare i principi che stanno a tutela del diritto di tutta la società ad avere un sapere, un insegnamento, una ricerca liberi – a tutela, cioè, del tessuto stesso di cui è fatta una democrazia – e per questo a tutela di chi si dedica alla conoscenza. Serve una scelta di campo, capace di rammagliare dal basso quello che resiste come forza critica, capacità di discriminare, distinguere quello che non si può tenere insieme: condivisione ed eccellenza, libertà di ricerca e neovalutazione, formazione di livello e rapida fornitura di forza lavoro a basso costo, accesso libero al sapere e monopoli del mercato".
Publicație : La Repubblica
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