Mission of the Centre of Expertise for Higher Education (ECHO)
UAntwerp and AUHA expressly encourage competence-based learning and student-centred education. In the realisation of this educational vision, academic staff and teaching staff play a crucial role. As a result, they must be supported and stimulated in the development of sufficient educational competences.
ECHO aims to foster this competence development by organising a system of educational professionalisation initiatives for academic and teaching staff that is based on a well-thought-out vision of learning and instruction. ECHO staff also ensure that they themselves remain up-to-date on the relevant educational literature and carry out educational research that supports this professionalisation objective.
ECHO’s activities therefore fall into two main areas:
- Professionalisation of teaching staff
- Carrying out educational research and playing an active role in relevant external networks
To give shape to these activities, ECHO has developed a structured system of educational training programmes and courses for academic/teaching staff. In addition, ECHO also organises working sessions and study days to raise awareness of relevant developments in education among the academic community. Because of its expertise and alongside other initiatives related to educational innovation (such as quality assurance, educational innovation and e-learning), ECHO can help to support educational innovation. In this, ECHO can rely upon the educational expertise amassed at the university and in the university colleges.
ECHO ensures it remains up-to-date on the relevant educational literature and carries out educational research. The research results generated in-house serve as a starting point for improving the professionalisation activities on offer. ECHO also participates actively in both national and international networks.