PARTNERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION. UN MODELLO EURISTICO A SOSTEGNO DELLA TRANSIZIONE TRA UNIVERSITÀ E MONDO DEL LAVORO

Over recent years, international higher education policy initiatives have emphasized the benefits to be gained when labour market institutions (LMIs) play an active role in shaping and enhancing learning experiences (Neave, 1996). Interest in the idea of university business cooperation has proliferated only seldom touching important issues, such as graduates’ transitions to the labour market. A lack of information on the potentials of partnerships in this area, push us to deepen the understanding of the role of LMIs as partners in curriculum design and delivery. This study develops the concept of Participatory Learning Community integrating the theoretical perspectives of communities of practice (Wenger 1998) and the methodological perspective of public participation (Mannarini 2009, Bobbio 2004) in order to describe LMIs partnership in a pedagogical perspective. In consideration of the diversity of educational partnerships that can be developed, this project aims to address the following question: What kind of conceptualization can support the development of partnership between HEIs and LMIs to enhance graduates’ transitions in/to the labour market? This question assumes a high relevance under the light of the political and pedagogical reflection started by the issue of the Ministerial Decree Decreto Ministeriale 12 Dicembre 2016 n. 987. Since the University schools have some important tasks with respect to study courses, job placement, and relationships with the steering committee, this research intends to analyze the perspectives of those operating within them. In particular, the activity of the Schools will provide the context for assessing the capacity of the concept of Community participatory learning to identify: the characteristics of interactions between universities and labour market, the significant antecedents for the development of shared planning experiences, the obstacles to partnerships development, and the possible actions that strengthen the presence of communities of practice and learning within the Italian Higher Education context. In order (1) to provide useful information to develop and embed partnership throughout the Italian university system and (2) to produced resources and guidance for academics and professionals who want to promote effective engagement in the development of curriculum for transitions, this study commits itself in a research process carried on under this methodological framework: Research Methodology: Qualitative Research Paradigm: Complexity Research Philosophy: Critical and Transformative Research Method: Explorative Research Strategy: Case studies Research Technique(s): Interviews From an operational point of view, this research project wants to: 1. Select some study cases that allow to explore different models of LMIs partnership in higher education through the construct of participatory learning community; 2. Focus the processes of curriculum design and delivery; 3. Identify core elements and factors which can ease or impede the joint development of curriculum for the transitions. The collected results allow to hypothesize the transferability of some elements according to the concept of policy institutional learning and transfer (Federighi, Abreu, Nuissl von Rein, 2007).