A virtual Convention on Students’ Quality Circles

2.0 Organisational Objectives

2.1 Global Communication

As the 17^th International Convention on Students’ Quality Circles has to be broadcast globally, it would be rational to focus on new technologies that have dramatically changed over the last decades. For instance, not too long ago people used simple mobile phones or relied on landline phone communication in order to contact others. However, now almost every person is using digital mobile phones which have plenty of useful and innovative functions such as global positioning system, Internet connectivity or visual voicemail. Therefore, the access to global intercommunication sharply increased as people rapidly adopted this technology. The statistics also demonstrate that “mobile phone technology has contributed to narrowing the digital divide, reaching a penetration rate of more than 80 percent of the population” (ISSUU, 2011). However, there still are areas where access to global communication has not been developed, or is restricted by certain regulations. In this case, failing to build advanced communication networks negatively affects current education system which goes in step with new technologies as the majority of educational institutions are adopting digital learning. This means that places with broadband connections have more opportunities to benefit from the convention that is planned to take place in 2014.

2.2 Internationalisation of higher education

According to the Economist rankings, the UK has the most open policy environment for foreign students with a score of 8.7 out of 10 (British Council, 2010). As a result, it is known that the number of international students in UK higher institutions has doubled in ten years. For instance, Global Information Technology lecture in Kingston University consists of people who come from 30 different countries. This implies that universities in the UK have the largest diversity of foreign students that bring different learning experience and diverse knowledge. Therefore, collaboration of these students might be advantageous in terms of academic mobility and global education. There are already ongoing educational programmes around Europe that encourage the mobility of students, and help them to gain a global perspective through cultural experiences (Research and Development Programmes, COMETT and ERASMUS). However, none of these programmes are based on new technologies which have recently become an integral part of multicultural education. The main issue here is that the majority of universities around the world are slow in adapting cyber learning environment. For this reason, Kingston University, as a host for the 17^th International Convention, has a great opportunity to present digital learning and its adaptation in higher educational institutions.

2.3 International Projects

Kingston University participates in a number of international projects including ICSQC, UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), World Council for Total Quality and Excellence in Education (WCTQEE) and EU COHAB Project on Distance Learning. Generally, all these programmes focus on growing quality people, and empowering them through education. For instance, EU COHAB Project on Distance Learning is based on integration of higher education through cultural and educational mobility around the South Baltic Sea (COHAB, 2012). It is considered that greater educational integration could be achieved by enhancing virtual learning as it will allow access to shared information and geographic independence. As our convention is planned to be international and available to a great number of participants by using new technologies, collaboration with related projects could be preferable. Joining forces with COHAB could be beneficial in terms of encouraging digital learning in higher institutions and helping to adapt technological tools in educational environment. Moreover, inviting all projects’ representatives to participate in the 17^th ICSQC could lead to a discussion of how to implement everyone’s ideas and use each other’s resources in order to take full advantage. In this instance, Kingston University could contribute by using technologies introduced in the new Business School and making lectures available to all participants of the convention for the educational purposes. Consequently, EU COHAB might extend development of cultural and educational mobility from the South Baltic Sea to globally and, for example, provide training of the staff in new technologies in the majority of higher institutions. Collaboration with the international partners could be beneficial to both sides and could accelerate the achievement process, however it is important to make sure that the intentions and purposes of all projects are going in the same direction.