Challenges of the administrative consultation wiki research project as a learning and competences development method for MPA students

Special characteristics of the study of PA in research and degree programs

PA as a discipline and professional field has its own unique features. One of the most important is its interdisciplinary nature, which demands a synergetic connection of different sciences and disciplines – from law and politics, sociology, organization and management and economics to information science, psychology, etc. – in order to achieve the coordination of different interests in society (cf. Raadschelders, 2011: 181; Wright, 2011: 96). An interdisciplinary treatment of PA is essential because the approaches of individual disciplines in complex social situations are not sufficient for the understanding of these situations. The common denominator of administrative activity is that it is not an end in itself (Pavčnik, 2007: 577). PA is always a professional and indispensably holistic activity, enabling the implementation of the basic public policies. PA is therefore not only a productive activity but a necessarily creative one (Kovač and Virant, 2011: 30). It contributes to the value of overall progress of society, since its main characteristics include constancy, a systematic nature, and initiative. For this reason, both the work in PA and the relevant research and degree programs must be interdisciplinary (Schuppert, 2000: 46). The latter is the main thrust of European and worldwide accreditation schemes since it underlines the multi- and interdisciplinarity of PA degree programs (Van der Krogt and Reichard, 2012: 1–10, cf. Hajnal, 2003: 245–258).

Important for the research framework in PA is the addressing of administrative problems in the context of administrative science (German Verwaltungswissenschaft) or PA as an autonomous scientific discipline (cf. Schuppert, 2000: 41; Wright, 2011: 98). In such a context, the position of PA as a study field and research scientific discipline is inevitably closely related to the understanding of PA as a social subsystem and the role of the State and its administration within the society. A scientific, research-based approach based on universally recognized theories generates the new knowledge necessary to address complex issues (cf. Nemec et al., 2012: 19). If we were to study PA without a research method, we could only redefine existing solutions rather than creating new ones. The subject of administration science or PA as a discipline from the research point of view is, above all, PA as a social subsystem and a pillar of the administrative level of public governance in the sense of the implementation of institutional public policies (Godec et al., 1993: 5–12; Raadschelders, 2011: 12–41). PA researches administrative institutions, agencies and officials, structures and forms, and the function of administration where PA is treated simultaneously as authority and organization. The purpose of research in the field of administration science, with various normative and empirical methods (cf. Pavčnik, 2007: 31), is to identify key administrative phenomena and improve the implementation of public policies through effective and democratic PA.

Through research, administrative science fulfils its functions, which range from the cognitive and doctrine-related to the creative function, enabling the development of new forms, modes and solutions of administrative operations. The latter is essential because PA and the nature and content of administrative law, as the principal formal framework for its operation, change relatively quickly as a result of radical social changes, even in terms of fundamental principles where they also assume the logic and mode of operation of the private sector (more in Peters and Pierre, 2005; cf. Kovač et al., 2012: 26). For this reason, alongside regulations, participants in administrative relations also make use of additional resources (cf. Pavčnik, 2007: 371), that is, knowledge-providing legal resources such as interpretative websites, including ACW. The whole process is supported by the development of IT that enables e-participation (more on the most successful e-government projects, e.g. those based on Web 2.0, in Klein, 2008). In this way, too, PA develops – through the doctrine of good administration – into a less top-down authoritarian system where networking and partnerships are formed between the holders of authority in administration and the addressees of authoritative acts or the users of public services (cf. Bevir, 2011: 289; Rusch, 2011: 5–6; Statskontoret, 2005). The development of PA in the sense of good administration is a prerequisite for political and economic performance, hence the considerable recent increase in PA research and degree study program developments (cf. Hajnal, 2003: 252; Raadschelders, 2011: 3).

Competences in MPA degree program developed following PA’s needs

The development of the society places new demands on employees. PA as an employer does not expect from its employees merely knowledge in an individual field of work, but also the willingness and the ability to use this knowledge in an appropriate manner. Employees are in fact expected to adequately develop all those competences which are a condition for an effective work performance. This also has a significant influence on education since university faculties need to define, in cooperation with employers, degree program objectives, expected results, and competences that will enable the graduates to successfully enter the labor market. In order for an individual to demonstrate competence in the sense of effective performance of work and use of resources (Lucia and Lepsinger, 1999: 7; Stare et al., 2007: 3; United Nations, 2011: 6), he or she has to develop general competences (e.g. addressing problem situations, use of technology) alongside specialist knowledge.

Competence is about the skills and talents that an individual needs in order to perform particular tasks in accordance with a particular standard in real life. Competences represent a dynamic combination of knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities (Tuning Educational Structures in Europe, 2013; cf. Gonzalez and Wagenaar, 2007: 54). Competences indicate both (1) the ability of an individual to perform a specific task and (2) that he or she has a positive attitude towards the performance of the task. Although cognitive skills and grounding in knowledge are decisive elements in the structure of a competence, it is also necessary to include other aspects of competences such as motivation and value orientation (OECD, 2002). However, a competence can change over time and the individual can also gain or achieve a higher level of competence (Plessius and Ravesteyn, 2010: 302). This is an important consideration since individual competences have a different and changing value for the everyday performance and development of work. Where necessary, all competences can be improved through targeted education and training.

Since the suitability of the competences and/or knowledge acquired by graduates of degree programs for the labour market is one of the important guiding principles in the degree programs’ design, it is essential to identify the competences necessary to meet present and future societal needs. The competences pursued by the degree program must thus reflect the requirements of the labour market. Specifically for postgraduate degree programs, real practice problems should be integrated in the learning process and problem-solving taught by a research approach. The idea of developing students’ competences in the sense of bringing them closer to the competences expected by employers also represents a guiding principle in the case of the ACW project.

ACW as a learning method

Students have been a key element of the functional structure of the ACW project since the very beginning. The aim of ACW was not only to link practice and theory at the level of content (practical problems are resolved according to theoretical principles and rules), but also to connect various stakeholders (see flowchart in Kovač and Dečman, 2009: 80). Offering students the opportunity to gain insight into the real practice of PA as well as theory was thus one of the basic aims of the project at the Faculty level. In addition to theoretical knowledge, students acquire practical experience and skills by resolving problems since the PA study programs offered should correlate with the way PA is practiced in the field (cf. Hajnal, 2003: 253). ACW introduces problem-based learning (PBL) as a student-focused didactical approach in which students learn about PA through the experience of resolving real problems from practice.

PBL is increasingly often applied as a teaching technique in public sector-related educational programs, mainly in the fields of medicine, health care and public health, and less in the narrower field of public (state) administration. Nevertheless, individual cases prove the rule that it can be used in a variety of thematic fields (cf. Lynch and Lynch, 2008).

In ACW (initially named “problem-based consultation”), PBL is upgraded with some case-study elements and with the idea that the learning process (study) itself encourages new knowledge, new findings and new solutions to be applied in both practice and theory.

Based on cognitive findings, students designate a problem situation which they solve in two steps. The first is (see Figure 1) to find the meaning, identify the problem and seek the solution (right answer) for an individual case. The search for solutions depends on the ability to analyse and synthesize the findings. Considering its structural complexity, the question (thematic problem) is broken down to simple problems (components). Each thematic component is then analysed separately as well as in relation to other components and the thematic question as a whole. The second step is to identify – by means of inductive reasoning – the common rules that apply to the examined thematic questions. Based on detected individual and specific aspects thereof, new characteristics are identified and new rules are formulated in an attempt to develop knowledge and general findings that would be useful for other similar questions and problems. This in fact stimulates the reflection on comparable problem questions as well as an appropriate application of knowledge in other similar cases.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Figure 1.

Model of ACW learning method.

The basis for the application of the problem-based consultation method is systemized knowledge, that is, the classification of findings according to individual thematic fields (theoretical knowledge, regulatory framework). By analysing and resolving specific thematic questions and by developing common general knowledge, it is possible to design individual specific cases (new constructs) that, in turn, enable the acquisition of new basic knowledge and give rise to new individual questions.

Learning results are classified into three levels:

The first level is the solution of the problem question, which is the construct of basic theoretical dilemmas and the real problem adapted thereto;

The applicability of the problem-based consultation method in post-graduate programs can be supported by the findings of the Bloom’s taxonomy, often used as a guideline in designing the competences in study programs. In specifying cognitive study requirements at the Master’s degree level, the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, application) do not suffice. Students are required to develop the competences of analysis, synthesis and evaluation; in such, they can indeed take advantage of the problem-based consultation method. Moreover, the development of competences at a higher level is related to the achievement of generic competences. In the case of FA, study programs comprise the generic competences designed in the framework of the Tuning project (31 competences). In conceiving ACW, we set forth the thesis that the said competences could be developed also by applying such method or by engaging in the ACW method of work. The hypothesis was tested in the survey described below.

Design and operation of ACW for students and external stakeholders

ACW is an applied research project set up by the FA and the Ministry in 2009. Since then, it has been constantly upgraded within the relevant juridical, administrative and information sciences and in terms of user response (for the initial design, see Kovač and Dečman, 2009: 74–84). ACW is in effect a public, freely available database acting as a forum and a knowledge base for all PA stakeholders, currently including over 1,500 cases of varying complexity drafted between 2009 and 2013. The overall objective of ACW is to identify the actual dilemmas surrounding the application of the Administrative Procedure Act and the Decree on Administrative Operations in sectoral legislation in a number of specific fields. The project was initially designed to develop students’ competences and, eventually, connect theory with practice by assisting citizens and officials in their resolution of real-life administrative situations (i.e., applications for building permits, public subsidies, and tax collection). ACW is not, however, designed to act as a substitute for the legislature in the explanation of a regulation. Rather, it is an interdisciplinary research platform for administrative operations. Consequently, each page of the website carries a disclaimer warning users thereof. Despite ACW being basically a students’ project, public response has been considerable and the frequency of visits has increased regularly (currently approximately 2 million visits, around 1,200 per week with over 50 GB of data transfer) even among specialists, such as officials who use ACW as an additional knowledge-providing legal resource.

An important role is played here by the Ministry, which as the central State institution in the field of PA (independently in 2009 and, since 2013, as part of the Ministry of the Interior). The Ministry verifies the project and, through ACW and with the help of the FA, also implements its role under the Administrative Procedure Act (Article 322), which requires it to monitor the implementation and development thereof both in PA and in relations with parties to administrative procedures. As regards the partnership between the Ministry and the Faculty (academia), it is important to note that both players are equal and share accountability for results. In ACW, the Ministry acts formally as an authority to enforce (field) legislation in practice, while the Faculty is the expert leader. Yet based on a formal agreement and, above all, mutual trust, the two share the same goals and risks and jointly appear before external users (cf. on such type of collaboration of theory and practice in Ansell and Gash, 2007: 544–545, 550).

In terms of content and methodology, ACW combines two different aspects. First, as regards content, it deals with administrative law dilemmas since PA takes place above all via regulatory activity. Here, however, a fundamental problem arises if we attempt to circumscribe an empirical phenomenon within static legal norms and analyse it by applying strictly formal rules of logic. For this reason, in analysing legal issues, we must first understand (interpret) the abstract and general legal rule and then, using a research method, provide feedback or information about potential discrepancies between the norm and its implementation (more in Kovač et al., 2012; Šturm et al., 2011), which provides grounds for a regulatory feedback loop. However, PA cannot be examined from a legal perspective only since administrative science studies and creates not only the administrative-legal components of PA, but to a significant extent also the effectiveness of the administration and PA as a pillar of public governance. Such combined approach – see Figure 2 – additionally stimulates the exchange and collaboration of researchers, teachers, students, and PA practitioners (cf. Nemec et al., 2012: 3; Raadschelders, 2011: 156; Schuppert, 2000: 42). Appropriate interpretations are especially important for the citizens as they usually lack specialized knowledge while the priority of public interest puts them in a subordinate position. Hence, understanding their rights protects them from authorities’ arbitrariness. This is of particular importance as no one can avoid administrative procedures or when the acquired rights have multiplying effects (cf. Rusch, 2011: 2; e.g. an entrepreneur obtaining a building permit for a new facility will employ new workers). Second, as regards technology, ACW involves the use of Web 2.0 tools, allowing interactivity and facilitating a quick response from the ACW team of specialists. If there are no explicit answers in the existing database, the IT solution encourages the user to submit a question by e-mail with a reply given in a few days. Various stakeholders are supposed to participate actively in this process and co-decide in line with good governance, which would create an inclusive networking community. However, some ministries or, in particular, individual agencies (such as the Customs Administration) or NGOs do take this part actively and prefer to merely review the developments achieved. According to theory (cf. Klein, 2008), the level of co-design depends on several factors. The hitherto experience with ACW has shown, for example, that users’ response and participation increase when the dilemma to be resolved involves public finances.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Figure 2.

ACW as a networking platform (source: Authors’ own).

Thus, the skills and the competitiveness of all participants in these and similar situations are enhanced, as each case is generalized to increase its applicability to various administrative areas. In essence, in the case of ACW, competences are acquired by students who play a central role in the process of preparing solutions to existing dilemmas. Based on the cases from ACW and with additional studies of the theory of PA (see Kovač et al., 2012: 25–62) and administrative law practice, two monographs were published in 2010 and 2012. Since ACW provides tangible and growing results on different levels of networking and refers to several EU policies (HR development, life-long learning, e-Europe Action Plan, etc.), the project was acknowledged by the European Commission as one of the six finalists (among 206 applications) for innovation in PA in three categories (European Commission, 2013).

Method of work and importance of ACW for students

The process of work, which has undergone slight improvements in the light of experience acquired over the years, is as follows: each new real-life dilemma posted on the website is received by an editor at the Faculty. By agreement with the project manager, who is a lecturer and a researcher (in most cases a teacher of administrative law, given that the majority of dilemmas are related to APA), the editor examines the posted question to see whether it corresponds – in terms of content and methodology – to the forms accepted by ACW and the restrictions posted on the homepage. The case is then referred to one of approximately 10 students simultaneously working on ACW in a given period (e.g. a semester) and to his or her tutor. The eight tutors at the Faculty are in most cases teachers of administrative procedural law, administrative operations, and e-administration or informatics; each of them is responsible for a maximum of three students simultaneously. Originally around 400 cases were created on the website, with over 50 students taking part, but since 2011 – in view of the existing knowledge base and the growing complexity of open cases – the annual participation is around 15 students generating approximately two to five new cases each week. The work of the students begins with a one-day training based on the action learning system. They deal with their first case during the course of their training following written instructions on the methodology of work (with regard to the content and the use of the wiki system) and continuous verbal directions by their tutor. After that, they work mainly from home via e-channels, for an average period of six months.

In allocating the cases to students, particular attention is paid to ensure that each student is given a range of issues to deal with. In the beginning these were slightly easier, but recently they have become increasingly complex, each case requiring on average five to eight hours of student work. The student has approximately three days to prepare an answer in wiki form to the submitted question, starting with the basic hypothesis that the student puts forward and whose suitability he or she verifies at the moment of accepting the job. Each student is guided throughout the process by a teacher who, when forwarding the dilemma to the student (by e-mail), immediately provides specific guidelines on how to approach the problem, what to research, what sources to consult, etc. It is important that the guidelines are suitably balanced: they are designed to help the student but must nevertheless facilitate independent work and enable an original contribution, both in terms of content (administrative law) and methodology (with regard to research in the field of social sciences and the use of the information system). The essence of the research work of students (and also of teachers and supervisors at the Ministry) in ACW places priority on the administrative law aspect, since it involves above all the interpretation of administrative legislation in specific, concrete circumstances. However, the legal aspect alone is by no means sufficient. The student is required to define more broadly the administrative systemic dimensions of the problem (i.e., policy, organization, human resources, and management issues). In formulating a solution to an open problem from practice, the essential focus is on the quality not quantity of the discussion. Nevertheless, students must base their answers on established sources from the relevant sector: in each case, at least two to three sources that differ by author and type (e.g. one textbook or scholarly article, case law and statistical data).

When analysing a problem, students confirm or reject the basic hypothesis and provide alternatives until a definite answer to the dilemma is formulated, which genuinely represents added value for the user of the website. This is achieved by ensuring that the students seek a connection between different administrative institutions, confront theory and case law and, finally, provide two or more alternative solutions. At the same time it is important for the students to work in an organized manner. ACW users in fact expect a relatively rapid response, while the whole coordination process requires that each participant completes the individual steps within the allocated time. Such working method trains students for real teamwork in a time-pressured situation. The tutor then reviews the case, offering additional pointers and corrections as necessary, after which the students finalize the case. Prior to making the case available online, the editor sends a generalized answer to the Ministry for approval; in the event of non-compliance (which occurs in approximately 10% of cases) the answer is redefined. Students are kept informed of what is happening with their cases throughout the communication process, while through the learning process they have already been instructed to pay close attention to differences between their own original solutions and those provided by experienced experts (teachers at the FA and the Ministry) in the final publication phase. At the end of the semester, after preparing approximately 15 cases, students must carry out an analysis of the contents, study/research methods, problems and lessons learned and write a final report, which is the basis for recognition of a compulsory course component, i.e., the “Research Seminar”. In 2013, four students also took up the task of preparing selected cases – mainly regarding the rights of foreign nationals – in English. The aim was to extend the service to foreign ACW users as well as to develop the Tuning competences of the participating students as regards the Ability to work in an international context and the Ability to communicate in a second language.

In view of the basic purpose of ACW, in the sense of the resolution of real administrative law dilemmas requested by the users of the website, and given the great interest among students, it was necessary to make a selection among invited and actually participating students. Priority was given to postgraduate students who are supposed to possess solid previous knowledge and, in most cases, at least some work experience. Eligibility criteria included a grade of at least 8/10 in the subjects directly related to ACW (administrative procedural law, administrative operations, and informatics). Students were warned in advance that the project would include several hours of compulsory technology training, and that the work itself was demanding. Even so, over 200 applications were received in these four years. Initially, in order to establish a critical mass of cases, a larger number of students was selected but later reduced to approximately 15 students per year (see Table 1). The students who felt particularly disappointed for not having been selected were given a priority opportunity in the next year’s call, so as to not exclude any motivated and enthusiastic participants.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Table 1.

Number of students involved and cases published (source: ACW, Authors’ own).

Year	Number of all MPA students enrolled in second year	Number of students in ACW	Year	Number of ACW cases
2009/2010	119	58	2010	671
2010/2011	127	17 = total 75	2011	268 = total 939
2011/2012	110	15 = total 90	2012	92*** = total 1,031
2012/2013	123	15 = total 105*	1 January–30 June 2013	131 = total 1,162
All	479	71**/ 479 = 15%		1,162

*All students in ACW.

**MPA students only.

***The number of cases grew, but in 2012, in order to achieve a higher level of complexity, the structure was overhauled by radically reducing and merging the cases. As a result, growth appears to have fallen.

In three and a half years, a total of 71 second-cycle students took part in ACW, with around a third of them engaging in the project twice. The willingness of the students to participate more than once is indeed indicative of the success of the established objectives, but in order to enable more students to participate, engagement was limited so that the same student was only able to participate twice. Account was taken also of the total number of enrolled students/graduates in the degree program concerned, i.e., the second-cycle MPA program. Between 2009 and 2013, on average 170 students were enrolled in the first year of the program, with approximately 70% progressing to the successive year, while the majority of the students participating in the ACW project were in their second year and progressed normally. This means that through ACW an average participation of 15% of all students in the program was assured. It is worth highlighting here that among those students who began their studies in the first and second years of the ACW project and who have, to date, been able to graduate with all their study requirements completed on schedule (a total of 50 students of the 314 enrolled), almost half have taken part in the ACW project!

Analysis of students’ expectations and their realization in the ACW project

The purpose of the questionnaire was to assess students’ expectations on starting work on the ACW project, immediately on conclusion thereof, and in the present moment, i.e., a number of years after completing this form of education. Overall, as anticipated, expectations were evidently highest immediately after the conclusion of work on the ACW project. It is also worth noting that even today (after 1–4 years), expectations still exceed the initial values before the start of work or when applying for participation in the ACW project. A further analysis of this part of the research shows that, as expected, perceptible differences exist in individual elements depending on the stage of development of the students, i.e., before and after the research work as part of the ACW project. The significance of the average values is confirmed by the standard deviation, in all cases around 1, which expresses the expected limit deviation or the correspondingly uniform views of the respondents (see Figure 3). Two segments of the processing of the results are shown below: (1) values by elements and a comparison between them – what expectations are most and least expressed regardless of time or at a specific time, and (2) a comparison of the individual elements in terms of whether expectations decreased or grew over time, since the latter indicates the level of development of permanent competences and therefore the greatest importance of the ACW project within the set of MPA objectives.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Figure 3.

Students’ expectations and their realization in ACW (source: Authors’ own).

The analysis by individual expectations indicates that in all phases students gave the highest score to the quality and organization of work within the ACW project. This is indeed an encouraging yet predictable result, since considerable attention was devoted to setting up the system and to constantly improving it, in the awareness that excellent research results are conditioned by a structure that is clear in advance and by well-defined guidelines for participants. While working on the project, students’ cooperation with their direct supervisor, i.e., the tutor, is extremely important. Given the complexity and specific method of work, a one-to-one relationship is the key to success, both for the completion of tasks and for the development of competences. To quote the words of one of the respondents: “Personally, I am extremely proud of the fact that I was able to take part in this project and that my contribution was valued!” It would also be advisable to systematically develop a more permanent system of connections and encouragement for students at the FA, in the first place via those teachers who are their main tutors in elective subjects and research assignments.

Roughly speaking, the objectives and motives of FA students in the ACW project are achieved or even exceeded in the sense of development of permanent competences, which is evident despite the clearly unfavourable labour market in the administration sector where the students should in theory find employment. Thus, it is not surprising that the element that received the lowest score was the establishing of contacts with employers, something which is an indirect goal of the ACW project or the FA. There is certainly still room for the FA to make improvements in this segment, so as to help in particular the students/graduates showing research excellence to find employment more quickly in the field and at the level for which they have studied. In fact, almost all the respondents are employed but many of them in a different field or at a lower level. On the other hand, students also highlighted the fact that they had obtained (better or more demanding) employment either indirectly or even directly as a result of their participation in the ACW project. It is also worth pointing out that quite a number of respondents indicated that although they are employed outside PA, i.e., in companies, the knowledge they obtained from the ACW project is useful to them in their employer’s dealings with administrative agencies. This finding would appear to deserve further consideration, since it suggests that in the future MPA study programs, their objectives, and the desired competences of graduates should be designed not only for public servants but more broadly.

ACW goals are also measured by the satisfaction of its users, in particular administrative agencies, NGOs, and individual external parties in the procedures. The last survey was conducted in February 2014 among 174 users in order to detect ground for further improvement, both for the users and the students. As much as 89.4% of respondents acknowledged that ACW provided them the answer to their concrete problem as a whole or mostly. However, only approximately 10% actively co-designed a case, which is a future challenge to be tackled if ACW is to be developed as a Web 2.0 or participative democracy tool. Furthermore, just above a half of the users found students’ answers to be most comprehensive. As for the students’ competences, broader knowledge and an even more interdisciplinary (not merely multidisciplinary) approach were identified (cf. Hajnal, 2003: 255; Van der Krogt and Reichard, 2012: 2). The results confirm the specific added value of ACW as a collaborative bridge among academia, administrative agencies and addressees of authoritative norms, all embedded within the development of an autonomous administrative science.

The collaboration with the Ministry (of the Interior), being the State’s principal PA body and one of the major employers in PA, is very well established. Nevertheless, there is also the possibility – and a need – to involve other agencies to deal with particular dilemmas or to employ MPA graduates. Such would be possible based on institutionally shared commitment (cf. Ansell and Gash, 2007: 559). The involvement of other agencies would in fact bring new opportunities of collaboration. In such regard, the Faculty presented a motion to set up a competence centre for horizontal administrative issues at the level of the Government, and talks have been initiated with individual ministries to expand the areas under consideration (public finance, civil servants’ system, minor offences). Thus, ACW systematically stimulates proactive collaboration of the employers of future MPA graduates, encouraging them to participate in competence development and MPA redesign. For the time being, however, the expansion of ACW and MPA development are hindered by staffing shortage and poor prospects about the State financially supporting such manner of study and work, given the austerity measures in place.

As regards the objectives set by the FA as the institution responsible for the ACW project, these correspond to the expectations and motivation factors of students, particularly taking into account the priority of the listed expectations and the difference before and after:

the highest level of permanently required competence is characterized by “(better) understanding of PA and administrative operations” – the priority ranking of this expectation and its realization, with a final value (after several years) of 4.14 with respect to the initial 3.70, is – from the point of view of PA as an interdisciplinary field –very important;

The above is also confirmed by the open answers of respondents, where in terms of the results of their work (and not only expectations and benefits), the majority of students indicate that they have obtained above all “better understanding” of the field and competences in research, analysis and written expression. In a number of cases (6/71) they have also directly obtained employment. To conclude, as regards the expected benefits, student participation indeed met the research and study objectives of the project. ACW can thus serve as a role model for similar forms of inclusion of students from other groups and programs. In the future, however, specific points of the project should be strengthened, in particular the attention paid by the FA to the employability of its best graduates.

The development of generic and research competences of the ACW participating students

The second part of the questionnaire related to the research question of whether the students who participated in the ACW project have developed the generic competences which the Tuning project defines as important. Generic competences are transferable and prepare the students for their future role in society in terms of employability and citizenship (Gonzalez and Wagenaar, 2007). The Tuning project defines 31 generic competences. For our purposes, 28 of these were included in the research (in view of PA as a field studied in Slovenia), while two more competences – considered important in view of the focus and nature of the MPA program – were added. These included Basic general knowledge in the field of study, proved to be important with a 4.03 average, and Ability to work in an interdisciplinary group, with an average of 3.20.

Figure 4 shows selected results provided by the respondents, namely the extent to which participation in the ACW project helps them develop a particular competence, ranked on a scale from 1 (the lowest score) to 5. The respondents gave the highest average score (4.39) to Ability to apply knowledge in practical situations, where the standard deviation in the average score for this competence was lowest (0.72). The assessment of the level of development of this competence deviates from the average values of the other competences. From the point of view of the original objective of the ACW project, the result appears to be very important and confirms the correctness and justification of the ACW project from the point of view of the learning method, which supports the educational process with the development of the most relevant competences. The respondents also rated as extremely important the development of the competences Knowledge and understanding of the subject area and understanding of the profession and Determination and perseverance in the tasks given and responsibilities taken, as well as some others (see Figure 4). In terms of interdisciplinary problem-solving, as one of the students put it, it is important to “place greater emphasis on the method of analysis of the problems, because if you are unable to identify what the actual problem and separate the essential from the inessential, then the solution is generalized and not usable.”

OPEN IN VIEWER

Figure 4.

Development of the 12 most important competences of the ACW participating students (source: own).

On the basis of these results, it may be concluded that the respondents connect the success of their own work with expertise in the field studied. Given the level of the study program, it would be worth devoting more attention in the future to encouraging initiative, in the sense of finding and resolving problematic situations. At the same time, it seems wise promoting the students’ own effectiveness in the labour market and a spirit of enterprise, independence, self-confidence, etc. to help them build the figure of an autonomous and professional civil servant. Or as put forward by one of the students: “The ACW project is extremely useful, I recommend it to all students […] because it involves real-life cases where you feel responsible and important.”

With regard to the development of research oriented competences, taking into account the specific nature of research in PA as defined in the introduction and with an emphasis on the interdisciplinarity of the field and its integration in society through the necessary addressing the real problems, ACW as a research platform achieves the set objectives of building competences of this type in the graduates of second-cycle study programs. This can be claimed in particular on the basis of the high value achieved for the statement “Thanks to the real-life dilemmas which we addressed in the ACW project, I learned more than I would have otherwise” (4.44), in connection with “As a result of addressing real-life dilemmas, I realized that my job is a (more) responsible one” (4.36) and “During the project I was motivated by the awareness that my work or the collective work of participants will be useful in real life” (4.21). See Figure 5 for five top research oriented competences and elements of the ACW work.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Figure 5.

The five top research oriented competences’ development in the ACW participating students (source: own).

However, when research is carried out or the results thereof incorporated into the education process, it is necessary to guide the work of students in a coordinated manner from the point of view of (1) content and (2) methodology. The great majority of the respondents highlighted the overall usefulness of contents and methods of work applied in the ACW project, often not only in direct connection with their respective field of employment, but also for their own personal needs and development.