German language in economic turnover
Project title
German language in economic turnover
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
UNIWERSYTET HUMANISTYCZNO-PRZYRODNICZY IM. JANA DŁUGOSZA W CZĘSTOCHOWIE (JAN DLUGOSZ UNIVERSITY IN CZESTOCHOWA)
Name of programme
Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development
Competition
Competencies in higher education
Project value
PLN 648 566.17
Funding value
PLN 629 109.18, including the contribution from the European Funds in the amount of PLN 546 611.57
Project delivery period
from 01/06/2019 until 30/11/2022
Get to know our team
Małgorzata Niemiec-Knaś, PhD, Prof. JDU - Project Coordinator
Andrzej Skwara, PhD - Deputy Project Coordinator
Have a look at the outcome of our work
Video
Publication ‘German language in dual-education’
What problem does our project solve?
The main objective of the project was to create a dual degree curriculum with a practical profile and to increase the opportunities for students of the Jan Dlugosz University in Częstochowa to find employment in the region. The project supported the development of human resources for the Financial Service Centre as a part of the development of the so-called shared services, which represent a major development potential for the economy and employment for university graduates in terms of developing the competencies of people participating in the higher education, corresponding to the needs of the economy, labour market and society, through: the implementation of a dual study curriculum focused on language development (German business language B2+ level and English with business elements B2+) and the introduction of basic concepts in economics and accounting.
Apart from the development of language competencies, emphasis was placed on the development of interpersonal and intercultural competencies, the implementation of high-quality internship programmes in an enterprise (Financial Service Centre), and the involvement of employers in the preparation of educational curricula and their implementation. The curriculum of the dual degree curricula with a practical profile was implemented by planning and delivering the following elements: development of learning outcomes and the curriculum with syllabuses for individual subjects, implementation of a task-based approach in language classes, preparation and implementation of practical tasks by students performed in the form of a project as diploma theses, consulted with the social and economic environment of the city of Częstochowa and the region.
Who will benefit from the outcomes of the project?
The results of the project benefited the participants in the dual degree course, gaining competencies that are in demand on the local and national labour market. Significantly, they improved their language skills in two foreign languages, German and English, became familiar with modern systems during their internships in the Financial Services Department, and were able to complete paid internships which made it much easier for graduates to enter the labour market (5 graduates were successfully recruited to the company where the internships took place).
The company gained new, well-prepared employees. The German language in economic turnover project promotes the region, the city, the higher education institution and the teaching of foreign languages for professional purposes.
What was the most challenging aspect of the implementation of the project for us?
The greatest challenge for project implementation was the pandemic period. Half of the dual studies took place during the epidemiological threat. The Project Team took countermeasures to ensure that the project was fully implemented:
- building and implementation of internship tasks (7 weeks) during the first internship period;
- pro-quality activity: participation of the Project Team in conferences, organising online meetings and webinars for students, study visits to employers;
- implementation of on-line classes at the higher educational institution - use of tools for on-line work with students, selection of appropriate tasks and working methods.
The Project Team had to take on non-standard challenges in order to complete the project.
Our advice to other Applicants
A key point in the implementation of a project and any new form of modern education is the creation of a good team with the knowledge, experience and motivation to carry out the project activities. This team often has to face numerous difficulties that cannot be foreseen in the planning phase of the project concept, and must therefore demonstrate autonomy and flexibility.
The socioeconomic environment, which is not always ready to cooperate with the university, is also of importance. The quality of the project activity is also determined by the condition of the higher education institution, its premises conditions, equipment and administrative support.