Speaker

Dr. Henrik Dindas, Professor for Higher Education Didactics at FOM University of Applied Sciences, Essen, Germany

Title of keynote

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Redefining (Higher) Education in the Era of Future, Global, and Emerging Skills or Revisiting the Roots?

Bio

Henrik Dindas is full professor for higher education didactics and an inhouse consultant of the rectorate at FOM University of Applied Sciences in Essen, Germany, where he also heads the CompetenceCentre for Didactics (KCD). He also works as a freelance consultant and systemic coach for university didactics (www.hd-coaching.de) with over 10 years of experience in the fields of higher education didactics, university development, quality management and evaluation, e.g. as vice-chair for international accreditation audits. He has teaching and coaching experience at various universities in Germany and the USA and his research focuses on the interaction and communication between professional and practical teaching and learning experiences of students and teachers.

Abstract

For years, pedagogical approaches in higher education have focused on the link between teaching and learning. Recently, the emergence of Future, Global, and Emerging Skills (e.g., Ehlers, 2020; Stifterverband & McKinsey, 2021; World Economic Forum, 2021; OECD, 2018-2019) signals a “necessary” shift in competency demands. This contribution aims to develop a model for skill cultivation in (higher) education, by integrating national and international academic policies, competence research theories, and recent findings, while critically assessing the validity of such incorporations. The established framework focuses on competency and skill development for future studies, grounded in proven concepts emphasizing transfer and adaptability.