22/02/2018
Åsa Sundelin and Christer Langström from the Stockholm University participate in the round-table taking place on 23rd January
The findings of the Eurobarometer survey “European Area of Skills and Qualifications” for individual EU Member States, show that career counselling and guidance has a strong tradition in higher education in some countries and not so much in others. The survey shows for example that a high proportion of respondents in Sweden (47%) claim to have used a career guidance service.
By contrast, lack of access to career guidance services is most common in Spain (76%). On that score, the High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education in Europe highlight that “Higher education institutions and national policy makers in partnership with students should establish counselling, guidance, mentoring and tracking systems to support students into higher education, and on their way to graduation and beyond”.
In order to discuss over these above-mentioned issues and on the occasion of the Skill Up Project meeting, a round table on ‘Career guidance in higher education and the role of ICT in delivering counselling services’ was organised by the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya on 23rd January 2018. The event counted on the participation of Professor Åsa Sundelin, senior lecturer and assistant professor at the Department of Education of the Stockholm University, and also program coordinator of the courses with a focus on career development and guidance at the master’s program in Education. In the event also Professor Christer Langström participated. He is lecturer at the Department of Education and Didactics of the Stockholm University. His teaching area has mainly been in the theory and method of guidance, focusing on the professional conversation, guidance/group guidance, coaching and career development at the undergraduate and master’s level.
Finally, also Maria Luisa Rodriguez-Moreno participated in the round-table. She has a PhD in Philosophy and Education Sciences and Emeritus Professor of Vocational Orientation and Vocational Training at the University of Barcelona. She is also a collaborator at the UOC in professional guidance program.
The round table is structured as a series of reflective questions which shed light on how guidance and counselling in higher education can support graduates make successful transitions from education to the labour market.