Article Gold Open Access 2022

Employability within an Education for Sustainability Framework: The Ocean i3 Case Study

Education Sciences
Journal · Vol. 12 · Issue 4 · Art. 277
Abstract

The Council of the European Union recalls that higher education plays a fundamental role in shaping the future of Europe. Therefore, curricula are required to take into account the competences demanded by the job market so that future workers can effectively undertake their professional activities and form part of an active, responsible, ecological, sustainable, and resilient society. Ocean i3 is a cross-border project with the aim of achieving sustainability in the oceans by training students to become environmentally concerned and responsible professionals. This study explores the perception of students and teachers regarding their participation in Ocean i3 and their understanding of employability. A qualitative methodological approach has been used, based on a case study in which semi-structured interviews have been carried out and the Elevator Pitch presentation technique has been applied. Nine students and four teachers from the University of the Basque Country and the University of Bordeaux have been interviewed. The results highlight the importance of the participants’ first contact with the project, the need to be explicit regarding competences that favour employability during the development of the experience, and the need to increase and reinforce internships at social entities located in the territory. It is concluded that the project should focus more explicitly on the concept of employability to raise students’ awareness of the impact that their current participation in Ocean i3 can have on their professional future and insertion in the workplace. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Higher education Sustainability employability Case study cross-discipline competences

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Philosophy and Anthropology, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Leioa, Biscay, Spain
Funding & Acknowledgements
European Commission, EC
Grant: GIU20/040
Funding text 1: The Ocean i3 project. Blue skills to develop the blue economy on the Basque-Aquitaine cross-border coast was jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-France-Andorra cooperation programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020) set up by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and inclusion within the territories. The paper is set in this context and its publication has been financed through the IkasGura research group: educational change at the university (GIU20/040).; Funding text 2: Funding: The Ocean i3 project. Blue skills to develop the blue economy on the Basque-Aquitaine cross-border coast was jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-France-Andorra cooperation programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020) set up by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and inclusion within the territories. The paper is set in this context and its publication has been financed through the IkasGura research group: educational change at the university (GIU20/040).; Funding text 3: Against this backdrop, the Ocean i3 project (irakaskuntza–ikerkuntza–iraunkortasuna concepts in Basque meaning research–teaching–sustainability), led by the Euskampus Foundation, the University of the Basque Country, and the University of Bordeaux, aims to contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution along the Basque-New Aquitaine coast. Ocean i3 has been selected by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg V-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2014–2020) as a project of interest for territorial development. In September 2021, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) included the project as good practice to accelerate education on the SDGs in universities. It should be highlighted that Ocean i3 contributes to solving complex societal challenges. This is one of the most important ways universities can help achieve the SDGs, and the good practice guide that included Ocean i3 aims to show universities what they can do to expand and accelerate its implementation [70].
European Commission, EC
Funding text 1: The Ocean i3 project. Blue skills to develop the blue economy on the Basque-Aquitaine cross-border coast was jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-France-Andorra cooperation programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020) set up by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and inclusion within the territories. The paper is set in this context and its publication has been financed through the IkasGura research group: educational change at the university (GIU20/040).; Funding text 2: Funding: The Ocean i3 project. Blue skills to develop the blue economy on the Basque-Aquitaine cross-border coast was jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-France-Andorra cooperation programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020) set up by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and inclusion within the territories. The paper is set in this context and its publication has been financed through the IkasGura research group: educational change at the university (GIU20/040).; Funding text 3: Against this backdrop, the Ocean i3 project (irakaskuntza–ikerkuntza–iraunkortasuna concepts in Basque meaning research–teaching–sustainability), led by the Euskampus Foundation, the University of the Basque Country, and the University of Bordeaux, aims to contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution along the Basque-New Aquitaine coast. Ocean i3 has been selected by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg V-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2014–2020) as a project of interest for territorial development. In September 2021, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) included the project as good practice to accelerate education on the SDGs in universities. It should be highlighted that Ocean i3 contributes to solving complex societal challenges. This is one of the most important ways universities can help achieve the SDGs, and the good practice guide that included Ocean i3 aims to show universities what they can do to expand and accelerate its implementation [70].
European Regional Development Fund, ERDF
Funding text 1: The Ocean i3 project. Blue skills to develop the blue economy on the Basque-Aquitaine cross-border coast was jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-France-Andorra cooperation programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020) set up by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and inclusion within the territories. The paper is set in this context and its publication has been financed through the IkasGura research group: educational change at the university (GIU20/040).; Funding text 2: Funding: The Ocean i3 project. Blue skills to develop the blue economy on the Basque-Aquitaine cross-border coast was jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-France-Andorra cooperation programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020) set up by the European Union. The aim of the project is to strengthen skills and inclusion within the territories. The paper is set in this context and its publication has been financed through the IkasGura research group: educational change at the university (GIU20/040).; Funding text 3: Against this backdrop, the Ocean i3 project (irakaskuntza–ikerkuntza–iraunkortasuna concepts in Basque meaning research–teaching–sustainability), led by the Euskampus Foundation, the University of the Basque Country, and the University of Bordeaux, aims to contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution along the Basque-New Aquitaine coast. Ocean i3 has been selected by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg V-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2014–2020) as a project of interest for territorial development. In September 2021, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) included the project as good practice to accelerate education on the SDGs in universities. It should be highlighted that Ocean i3 contributes to solving complex societal challenges. This is one of the most important ways universities can help achieve the SDGs, and the good practice guide that included Ocean i3 aims to show universities what they can do to expand and accelerate its implementation [70].
References 10 References
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