Adapting educational programmes according to e-competence needs: The Bulgarian case

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to present the experience of New Bulgarian University (NBU) and the methodology followed for changing its educational programmes and developing new ones according to the labour market needs.

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, the paper focuses on the need for adapting curricula for meeting the labour market demands for information and communication technologies (ICT) professional skills. It provides an overview of the ICT skills supply and demand trends in Europe. A special emphasis is made on the dialogue of leading stakeholders in Europe for developing European E-Competence Framework. After introducing the overall picture in Europe, the paper presents the environment in Bulgaria for higher education, research and innovation and the ICT skills challenges in the country. The last part of the paper is based on the project methodology and its results. First, the methodology behind the design of a new Masters programme is given, and next, the concepts for adapting NBU educational programmes according to the labour market needs are presented.

Findings

Bulgarian universities seldom introduce multidisciplinary educational programmes. Generally, industry involvement in higher education is at low level, and university programmes are not linked to skills needs of future employees. Some good examples exist in the ICT university – business collaboration.

Originality/value

The development of information economy depends on the existence of adequate skills for using and developing ICT. In the last decades, ICT skills supply and demand remains an evergreen issue in many European Union Member States. Bulgaria also faces the challenges of meeting industrial demands for e-competences of its workforce. The paper presents an approach which could be followed by other university teams in designing or changing their educational programmes. At the same time, it provides insight on the overall environment in the country, and the challenges which different stakeholders face in the development of the knowledge-based economy.

Citation

Gourova, E., Kadrev, V., Stancheva, A., Kostadinov Petrov, G. and Dragomirova, M. (2014), "Adapting educational programmes according to e-competence needs: The Bulgarian case", Interactive Technology and Smart Education, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-04-2014-0006