SPACE

SPACE, the European Network for Business Studies and Languages, is a network of higher education institutions operating in the European Educational Area and the European Research Area. It is a multicultural, pluralistic and forward looking organisation that strives for educational aims on the basis of equality of gender, thoughts and opinions and a dynamic association of inspired educationalists that want to efficiently cooperate in order to achieve the goals we have set to ourselves and the educational world.

Its web site is http://www.space-eu.info

The mission of SPACE

The aims and objectives of SPACE are:

• to increase the professional skills of students in higher education, and those who aspire to it through lifelong learning;
• to stimulate the language and intercultural awareness of those learners for whom we are the intermediaries;
• to further the employment prospects of the same learners by helping them develop their skills and competencies;
• to enhance the professional skills of staff at partner institutions by sharing with each other innovative ideas and examples of good practice;
• to encourage applied research in all professional higher education institutions, along the lines of the Bologna agreement;
• to grow as a network so as to become more representative by expansion in existing member countries and getting ourselves involved in new European markets, and also in non-European markets for institutions which endorse our mission statement and constitute an added value for our European network;
• to facilitate the implementation of the Bologna process in our member institutions by informing our members of the ongoing processes on Bachelor and Master’s level, and on the Short Cycle programmes within the First Cycle, thus stating that our network is offering undergraduate degrees (Bachelor level), completed by graduate and postgraduate degrees (Master’s level);
• to promote the idea of a common European heritage and future through the study of the European integration process;
• to build bridges with the business community in order to enable SPACE members to provide to their students an effective and industry-relevant education, as well as help schools enhance their reach and impact on a number of key stakeholders.

In order to reach those goals, SPACE aims at:

• developing educational programmes which maintain a high degree of quality across the range of partner institutions;
• adopting a flexible and online approach to programme provision across our network members;
• encouraging the exchange of students to develop an awareness of other cultures and values;
• encouraging the exchange of staff of partners as a means for staff development and for creation of awareness of different academic cultures;
• sharing expertise and know-how in various disciplines, in project work and other joint initiatives;
• developing in the affiliated institutions a spirit for quality in teaching and a sense for research;
• making education more accessible to all, including underprivileged groups by lowering the thresholds to higher education via the recognition of experiential learning;
• facilitating the bridging of the gap between higher education institutions and the business community and key stakeholders.

Activities of SPACE

Activities of SPACE include amongst others:

• offering the possibility for students and young employees to sit and pass European exams validated by SPACE. The SPACE European Diplomas and Certificates highlight the "employability" of the candidates, their flexibility as well as their professional competences and skills.

• supporting mobility, acting as a platform of information on new European mobility programme and for work placements opportunities to students at SPACE member institutions, preparing both students and teachers for the stay abroad via on-line modules, etc.

• organizing two important networking events a year, always hosted at a SPACE member Institution: The Annual Plenary Meeting and Conference (in Spring) and the Autumn Meeting.

• looking for common denominators for European joint degrees ("Learning-by-Sharing"). We look for:

• offering online courses:

1. European Studies, an introduction course on undergraduate level (Bachelor) for business students and students in economics.
2. European Studies, an introduction course on undergraduate level (Bachelor) for language students and students in hotel management and tourism.
3. Intercultural Communication,a blended online course on undergraduate level (Bachelor) AND graduate level (Master) for both language and business students. The course is developed with support from the European Commission and covers currently 29 European countries.
4. International Strategic Management, this course is meant for business students in general.
5. Intercultural Communication (ICC) Training Tools for Entrepreneurs: in development

These online courses are free for SPACE members and available on the SPACE Dokeos platform (only accessible to members at http://dokeos.hogent.be/)

History of SPACE

SPACE was founded in Lille, France, in 1989.

The SPACE Office

The SPACE headquarters is located in Gent, Belgium, colocated with University College Gent.

Members

SPACE has about 90 members in 30 countries (in Europe as well as outside Europe). For a memberslist see: http://www.space-eu.info/space_membership.aspx?showmembers=true

There are three categories of membership and/or partnership in SPACE:

• Full members: institutional members consisting of properly constituted and recognized European colleges, business schools or universities.

• Associate members: recognised professional bodies, companies, recognised associations of Institutions in Higher Education or recognized colleges, business schools or universities from outside Europe.

• Affiliated associations: partners with whom SPACE may conclude an agreement of partnership can be business partners (companies, Chamber of Commerce, Business partners ) and complementary Networks for mutual benefit and additional networking opportunities. Affiliated associations at the moment include: EURASHE, European Association of Institutions in Higher Education; EDINEB, Network for Educational Innovation for Economics and Business; NIBS, Network of International Business Schools; Ulixes, European Union Training and Research E.E.I.G. (European Economic Interest Group), CCID, Community Colleges for International Development Inc.; and EuroPACE ivzw.

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