Xavier Llinàs-Audet

Professional and Interpersonal Skills for ICT Specialists

The main objective of this paper is to define and evaluate the professional abilities of an engineer who works as an IT professional in Spain, primarily telecommunications engineers and computer scientists. Their occupational profiles will provide us with a useful tool for defining and conceptualizing curriculum plans for new qualifications, which the EU Higher Education Area project will require in 2010. European universities, institutes of higher education, and learning centers are currently drawing up such proposals. This article presents a first attempt at defining the professional characteristics-in terms of competence and aptitude-that an IT professional should possess. It focuses more on interpersonal skills and abilities than to knowledge and technical expertise.

The ICT skills gap in Spain: industry expectations versus university preparation

This article distinguishes which generic skills are the key to enable newly graduated engineers, basically computer and telecommunication engineers, to enter the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, satisfying industry demand in Spain. It also demonstrates significant differences between the engineering degrees (at graduate level) and the engineering master degrees (at post‐graduate level) related to skills needs. Furthermore, this work establishes the fact that there is a gap between the expectations of the ICT sector and the computer‐based engineering curricula and telecommunication engineering curricula the graduated receives, and where this gap appears in relation to generic competences or skills.

International Briefing 20: Training and Development in Andorra

This briefing investigates the status of the educational system and, more specifically, of continuing training in companies in the Principality of Andorra. Part of this analysis is based on a field study designed to explore and understand both the current situation and the training needs of the main sectors within the Andorran economy. A proposal for continuing training is posed, with reference to best practice from different countries, in particular Spain and France, which share geographic borders with the principality.

Aligning professional skills and active learning methods: an application for information and communications technology engineering

ABSTRACT Engineering education is facing new challenges to effectively provide the appropriate skills to future engineering professionals according to market demands. This study proposes a model based on active learning methods, which is expected to facilitate the acquisition of the professional skills most highly valued in the information and communications technology (ICT) market. The theoretical foundations of the study are based on the specific literature on active learning methodologies. The Delphi method is used to establish the fit between learning methods and generic skills required by the ICT sector. An innovative proposition is therefore presented that groups the required skills in relation to the teaching method that best develops them. The qualitative research suggests that a combination of project-based learning and the learning contract is sufficient to ensure a satisfactory skills level for this profile of engineers.

Segmentación y clasificación de las universidades en Chile: desventajas de inicio y efectos de las políticas públicas de financiamiento

This paper shows to what extent a national policy for higher education state funding to finance state owned and private universities members of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) caused economic and territorial impaired resource allocation among institutions. Despite political changes, current funding for higher education policy, implemented more than three decades ago, remains untouched. Correlation analysis of current financing variables, confirms impaired resource allocation among institutions between 2011 and 2012, specially valid for state owned regional universities, verifying “clear initial disadvantages”, because of basal resource supply in an offer financing system, showing the greater amount provided to higher complexity institutions, mixing direct funding instruments with subsidies to the demand, grants and credits, in a highly competitive system, with strong effect in the ranking, classification, reputation and social perception of the institutional prestige.

Determinants of User Demand for Lifelong Learning in Institutions of Higher Education

The main objective of this study is to identify the determinants that influence user demand for lifelong learning in institutions of higher education. Qualitative methodology was used to develop an instrument and a quantitative approach was used for the remainder of the study. After a literature review and in-depth interviews with experts in lifelong learning, we obtained the dimensions of the study and validated a questionnaire using expert opinion and a pilot test. The results and conclusions drawn from this study indicate the existence of three dimensions in user demand for lifelong learning in institutions of higher education: motivational, conflicts/difficulties and career-development. The constructs of current-work, career-change and personal improvement are linearly related to the motivational dimension; personal-constructs, external and time-related constructs are linked to the conflict/difficulties dimension; and working-environment and professional-experience constructs are related with the career development dimension. One of the novel contributions of this work is that it obtains empirical evidence on the determinants of demand for lifelong learning from the perspective of people who seek training.

The Effects of Training on the Competitive Economic Advantage of Companies in Spain

The search for factors that lead to competitive advantage in a company in relation to its competitors is a widely debated subject; a wide range of issues have been examined to determine which factors are the most influential. The aim of this paper is to study training effect on business results (particularly on firm’s financial turnover). For the present research, the classical model of Industrial Economy as a frame of reference has been used. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire sent to 381 large organizations in Catalonia (Spain) during 2009 and 2010. The empirical section of the present article was developed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results relate training to company’s financial turnover in a positive way. The General Expenditure and Costs is the variable that most contributes to the explanation of firms’ financial turnover. The Organization of Training variable is the second most important construct to account for financial turnover However, training is required to be well organized as well as properly financed.

International Briefing 36: Training and Development in Ecuador.

This article examines educational policies in Ecuador. It outlines the main features of the education and training systems, and analyses the impact on productivity and national development. The efforts made by various national authorities to strengthen and encourage education at all levels is evident, as well as efforts to boost productivity by changing the productive mix. In conclusion, much effort has been made to move from an economy of finite resources based on the exploitation of natural resources, to an economy of infinite resources focused on generating knowledge.

International briefing 36: training and development in Ecuador: International briefing 36

This article examines educational policies in Ecuador. It outlines the main features of the education and training systems, and analyses the impact on productivity and national development. The efforts made by various national authorities to strengthen and encourage education at all levels is evident, as well as efforts to boost productivity by changing the productive mix. In conclusion, much effort has been made to move from an economy of finite resources based on the exploitation of natural resources, to an economy of infinite resources focused on generating knowledge.

Costos de la Renovación Curricular: Una Propuesta Metodológica para la Valorización Económica de Carreras Universitarias

A partir del estudio de caso de una universidad publica chilena, se analiza la importancia de la renovacion curricular en la gestion universitaria y se propone una metodologia que sistematiza los costos y valoriza economicamente este proceso. Si bien los aspectos economico-financieros son estrategicos en la gestion universitaria, existe escasa literatura que los relacione a dichos procesos. Utilizando un analisis de corte y herramientas financieras, valor actual de costos (VAC), costo anual equivalente (CAE), simulacion Monte Carlo y punto de equilibrio, se constata que en un contexto de autofinanciamiento, el punto de equilibrio de cada carrera se incrementa. Ante la inexistencia de apoyo extraordinario del Estado, para financiar los procesos de renovacion curricular, las carreras deben aumentar en promedio seis estudiantes por cohorte o buscar nuevas fuentes de financiamiento. La renovacion curricular exige disponer de los recursos para su implementacion en cantidad y plazos definidos, para asegurar la sustentabilidad academica y financiera de la institucion.