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European Access Network (EAN)
The EAN is a non-profit educational society founded in 1991 on the principles of Access, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Its mission is to widen access to and participation in higher education for disadvantaged and under-represented groups. Under-representation can be for reasons of age, gender, disability, ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic status, family background, geographical location, displacement, or earlier educational disadvantage. Underpinning the work of the EAN is the recognition of the value of citizenship and equality of opportunity. With a network of European and international policy makers, academics, practitioners, researchers and students, the EAN provides a platform for addressing key access issues, especially on effecting institutional change. It encourages sharing of good practice in pedagogical strategies and multicultural curriculum development, facilitates research collaboration and disseminates policy and practice in inclusive education.
DARE Project Responsibilities:
- To provide expertise in improving access and participation in higher education for under-represented groups as required
- To disseminate the work and outcomes of the project widely within and outside our network in order to share learning and ideas and to strengthen the impact of the work beyond the project boundaries.
- To provide expertise in improving access and participation in higher education for under-represented groups as required
Mee Foong Lee
Executive Secretary of the European Access Network
Has been the Executive Secretary of the European Access Network since 1995 and have undertaken a wide range of work in supporting access to higher education for disadvantaged groups, including: ‘SIRUS’ to promote inclusive and responsive university strategies for lifelong learning; ‘Access to Success’ to foster trust and exchange between Europe and Africa; ‘UMEI’ for inclusive education in the Maghreb; ‘RUMI’ to form a national Moroccan inclusive education network; and ‘SiS Catalyst’ to foster sustainable engagement between children and the social, cultural, political and educational institutions. The aims and objectives of DARE are very close to my heart.
Kaunas University of Technology
Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is one the largest technological universities in the Baltics located in Kaunas, Lithuania. University is known for its linkages with business, leadership in scientific research, flexible interdisciplinary study programmes and unforgettable study experience, KTU is fast forwarding to becoming an internationally acknowledged institution of higher education. KTU has 9 faculties; 10 science institutes; 10856 undergraduate and postgraduate students; 332 PHD students; 771 international students. Initially established on January 27, 1920, the school was known as "Higher Courses". With an increased rate of staffing and attendance, the school was instituted as the first independent higher education institution within Lithuania by the government on February 16, 1922. Since its establishment, the University has had more than 130,000 graduates.
DARE Project Responsibilities:
The Department of Educational Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities. The Department is in close cooperation with the Educational Competence Centre in terms of knowledge dissemination, teacher training seminars and developing cooperation with secondary schools and other educational institutions.
The second KTU unit participating in the Project is Student Welfare Group. Main areas of the group activities: providing well-equipped environment for students with special needs (disabilities); helping students solve their social and academic problems (learning disabilities); dealing with students' suggestions and offers; consulting students regarding personal finances management; administering support for disabled students; reductions of dormitory room fees, the funds of incentive grants and social scholarships.
Palmira Juceviciene
Professor in Education
Former leader of the Researchers’ school in EducationProfessor in Education and was a long-time leader of the Researchers’ school in Education at KTU. Research interests: higher education, learning, human resource development, knowledge management. President of Lithuanian educational research association, a former member of Science Council of Lithuania, an expert member of the Academy of Sciences of Lithuania, an editor-in-chief of the scientific magazine “Social Sciences”.Prof. P. Jucevičienė has long-term links (since 1996) with St. Edmund ‘s College, the University of Cambridge, where she was elected as a visiting fellow for the academic year 2002/2003. Prof. P.Juceviciene was a co-editor and co-author of the book „Higher education and national development: Universities and societies in transition“ that was published by Routledge Press (2007) as a result of common activity with prof. David Bridges and Terrence McLaughlin supported by British Council.
Jurgita Vizgirdaitė
Director of the Department of Study Quality Assurance and Development
Management of study quality assurance and development in higher education: quality of study programs, Faculty development, student and faculty excellence and satisfaction. Holds a Ph. D. in Educational Sciences.
Agnė Jankauskė
Head of Student information center
Management of student services and information: financial and non-financial aid, dissemination of information, student leisure, services for students with special needs. Agne holds a Masters of Media philosophy.
Universidad de Murcia
- The University of Murcia (UMU) was founded in March 1915, following a campaign of social support to its creation promoted by the media and regional society, being the tenth Spanish public university. After 100 years, the UMU occupies a prominent position in the national panorama and internationally in defence, research and social projection. UMU is based on 24 Faculties and 77 Departments, and in the academic year, 2017-18 will offer 52 official Degrees, 72 Master programs and 33 PhD programs, in Sciences And Engineering, Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Art And Humanities. UMU of the third millennium has a central axis of its activity the achievement of academic and scientific excellence. For this, the distinctive features of our institution could be summarised in the following points:
- A university with a teaching responsibility, with an adequate academic, practical and flexible offer.
- Strong support for research and innovation;
- A young institution, dynamic, thriving and still growing. The entrepreneurial spirit and renewal is the one that must impregnate completely the University of Murcia;
- A University committed socially;
- A modern and efficient university that applies the most advanced methods of management and information to its activity;
- An autonomous and open university linked only to the creation and transmission of knowledge;
- A university with an international projection;
- All this is reflected in this Web that seeks to meet the needs not only of the university community but of the Society in general.
DARE Project Responsibilities:
Universidad de Murcia will play a significant role in the project. Is an internationally very experienced partner it is expected the experts from UMurcia will lead one of the WP of the project. This role includes coordinating the work of the partners in psychological services, organising workshops, study visits and report on the best practices. UMurica will also play an active role in the other WPs where its experience and expertise can be very useful. UMurcia will also contribute to the promotion of the project as well as will support all activities during the project and the coordinator in the management.
- A university with a teaching responsibility, with an adequate academic, practical and flexible offer.
Gaspar Ros Berruezo
Vice-Rector of the International Relations Center and Research Center
The management capacities of the candidate are backed by the experience of direct management of research projects of the FP programs 5, 6 and 7 coordinating the research groups of the University of Murcia since 2000 and still running up to 2016. Based on the experience it can summarize the skills into conceptual skills (Conceptual skill is the ability to visualise (see) the organisation. It includes Analytical, creative and initiative skills), human relations skills (Ability to work with people. To understand, communicate and work with others. To managers to lead, motivate and develop team spirit), Technical Skills (Ability to perform the given job. Technical skills help the managers to use different machines and tools. It also helps them to use various procedures and techniques), and communication skills (Required equally at all three levels of management. Able to communicate the plans and policies to the workers. Capacity to listen and solve the problems of the workers. Encourage a free-flow of communication in the organisation).
Matias Balibrea Gonzalez
Head of the International Relations Office
Head of the International Relations Office in 1995. Since then, he has could develop an office which can be said to be nowadays one of the best equipped in Spain in terms of facilities and human resources. Since 2003 International Relations is no longer a Service but an Area (with the Service of Modern Languages under its umbrella). He has a very valuable knowledge of inner academic administrative and management structures and can convince and to transmit security and accurateness. He will oversee dealing with the Academic Area and therefore with all study and other activities recognition processes, here and abroad, and will guarantee the institutional authorities and communication means’ involvement in the project and the institutional development to meet the programme requirements.
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi is the oldest higher education institution in Romania. Since 1860, the university has been carrying on a tradition of excellence and innovation in the fields of education and research. With over 23.000 students and 745 academic staff, the university enjoys high prestige at a national and international level and cooperates with 403 universities worldwide. Alexandru Ioan Cuza University is a member of some of the most important university networks and associations: the Coimbra Group, EUA – European University Association, Utrecht Network, International Association of Universities, University Agency of Francophonie and the Network of Francophone Universities (RUFAC). These partnerships offer us the opportunity to experience changes, to have student and teacher mobility’s and joint academic, research and strategy programmes. Psychology has been taught in the higher education system before the foundation of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University. In the post-war, communist era, Psychology as a university curriculum discipline has been considered retrograde, useless and even subversive, getting to the point where the Psychology department have been dissolved for a period of 20 years. After December 1989, the departments of Psychology and Pedagogy was reintroduced into the Faculty of Philosophy, extremely popular among young people. In 1997 there was segregation from the Faculty of Philosophy, justified both administratively and epistemologically, the new Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences came to life. Research at our Faculty situates us among the most dynamic in the country:
- Own reviews and scientific volumes
- 4 book collections coordinated at the Polirom Publishing House
- 12 international grants
- Participation in 7 international research projects
DARE Project Responsibilities:
UAIC is committed to actively and professionally participate in DARE project, to share its knowledge and best practices with the GE and IL partner universities as well as its expertise in the management and implementation of European projects. UAIC will contribute to DARE project through:
Cooperating to the development of support services at GE and IL partner universities in the areas of childcare, psychological and academic support services; Sharing its own relevant experience acquired through the running of a kindergarten and a school for its staff’s children; Assistance in designing and preparing the academic support: methodologies, teaching/learning strategies, curriculum/syllabus, programme description, courses content, teaching methods and materials; Training of academic staff on the specifics of curriculum.
- Own reviews and scientific volumes
Dr. Ovidiu Gavrilovici
Associate Professor PhD in the Department of Psychology
Ovidiu Gavrilovici is an Associate Professor PhD in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi, since 1998.
- Member of the Senate in UAIC.
- Member of the Commission for Quality Assurance.
- Involved in many projects developed in UAIC.
- Member of the Senate in UAIC.
Masaryk University
Masaryk University is the second-largest public university in the Czech Republic and the leading higher education institution in Moravia. At present, it comprises nine faculties with over 200 departments, institutes and clinics. Recognised as one of the most important teaching and research institutions in the Czech Republic and a highly-regarded Central European University, it has been infused with a strong democratic spirit ever since its establishment in 1919. Masaryk University was one of the first to introduce a three-tier degree structure based on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System and is currently the single higher education institution in the Czech Republic to hold the ECTS Label. Allocated in 2010 by the European Commission, the label constitutes proof of the university's high educational standards and a guarantee of the correct implementation of the credit system in all Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.
DARE Project Responsibilities:
Most students with special educational needs in the Czech Republic study at Masary University. Therefore, Masaryk University offers the best support to these students. Responsible for the preparation of future teachers working with students with special educational needs (SEN) and making schools and universities available to these students, guide in this project, the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University participated in EU Phare projects and European Social Fund projects focusing on this topics. The Institute for Research in Inclusive Education (IRIE) is a new and dynamic department which was derived from and closely cooperates with the Department of Special Education, and the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University. IRIE guarantees and delivers the study programme Special Andragogy focusing on adults with special educational needs/disability (SEN). IRIE emphasizes a close connection of education and practice. Therefore, IRIE actively cooperate with a number of institutions and NGOs. Apart from lecturing, we also carry our practically oriented research aiming at improvement of education and employment opportunities of persons with SEN, enhancing their independent life and social inclusion.
The Institute for Research in Inclusive Education also serves as a platform for professional development of Ph.D. students/researchers from the Department of Special Education. The institute offers consultations and organizes seminars and other events focusing on educational research for the Ph.D. students. The institute currently employs eight researchers that hold advanced degrees. The multidisciplinary team of the institute is composed of professional from the fields of special education, adult education, sociology, psychology and ophthalmology. This gives us the opportunity to look at scientific problems and research from different perspectives. Research methodology is strongly supported by the team members with past experience in social science research. Quantitative research methodology is developed through team members with background in mathematics and continuing methodological education of all team members. The Institute is actively involved in several national and European projects (Horizon 2020, Erasmus + KA2).
Our contribution to the project is to provide a know how on accessing universities: removing barriers, creating online materials accessible to students with SEN, passing on experience with school staff training.
Dr. Martin Vrubel
Expert on removing barriers for students with SEN and accessing educational institutions for students with SEN
Martin Vrubel studied Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine and a Ph.D. Study Programme Special Education at the Faculty of Education MU. He passed the internship at Jyvaskyla University of Applied Science in Finland. He currently works as a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Education at the Institute for Research in Inclusive Education. Martin Vrubel focuses on the issue of "school inclusion and social inclusion of people with SEN throughout their life", "the concept of visual impairment in Europe", "remove barriers for people with disabilities", "the accessibility of higher education for students with disabilities" and "support for families in crisis". I see the DARE project as a great opportunity to share mutual expertise so far and to help students with disabilities achieve education, apply to the labor market and improve the quality of their lives.