TecCOMFrame – A Joint European Academic Competence Framework and Curricula for the Training of Technical Communicators Erasmus Project

Project Title

TecCOMFrame – A Joint European Academic Competence Framework and Curricula for the Training of Technical Communicators

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Recognition, transparency, certification; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Background
For the safe and efficient use of technical products, users require information. The providers of the products are obligated by law to make this information available, e.g. for the purpose of product safety. The creation of information is a specialised task and requires specially qualified personnel called “technical communicators”. Our studies reveal that the number of HEI graduates in technical communication (TC) is far below the demand of the labour market. In the industry sector, technical writers account for 1.4% of all employees, while in the software sector it is 3.6%. About 80% working in the field are career changers who often lack formal qualification. Only some European universities offer programmes in TC, while in most countries there are none, and thus the occupational profile is not explicitly represented. Thus, the required competencies for technical communicators remain unclear.

Aim
The aim is to have more higher education programmes in TC across Europe, producing more graduates who will be prepared for the labour market. In practice, the goal was to develop an academic competence framework that defines the qualification and competences of technical communicators and supports transparency, recognition and transferability of those competences. Out of the framework, standard curricula were to be derived, serving as an instrument to establish university programmes. Through the quality and comprehensiveness of the newly created qualification standard, we contribute to the recognition and promotion of the profession. Our target group is, first, European HEI, who can directly use the results. Then, students, high-school graduates and career changers will benefit from new university programmes or exchange opportunities for programmes abroad. Also, employers who seek qualified staff will then have a higher availability of graduates in the field. The framework serves as a reference as to what a technical writer should be able to do. Finally, we raise awareness about the profession and promote its relevance in today’s business world.

Project Consortium
To enhance experience and knowledge exchange, we chose project partners who either already have study programmes in TC or who don’t, but would like to establish one. For a broad geographical coverage, our partners come from: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania. The project is coordinated by Europe’s largest professional association for TC with a strong member base of nearly 9,000 professionals. Stakeholders from industry and academia are involved.

Major Outputs
1. The academic competence framework (TecCOMFrame) provides a comprehensive overview of all competencies relevant for technical writers. It comprises 22 first-level subjects, which are allocated to 6 major competence dimensions: academic perspective, communication and culture, content, management, technology and media, and transversal competencies. Each dimension incorporates several subjects and sub-subjects and describes the associated learning goals and competencies that need to be taught for those sub-subjects.
2. The following six prototype curricula, based on the competence framework, serve as inspiration to develop a TC programme or specialisation within a programme or to improve existing ones:
• Full Bachelor’s degree (for students who start studying at the higher education level).
• Non-consecutive Bachelor’s (last part of a Bachelor’s degree, first part is not related to TC).
• Consecutive Master’s degree (for students who have studied TC at Bachelor’s level).
• Non-consecutive Master’s degree (for students from any disciplinary background who have not studied TC).
• Subject stream in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in another field (e.g. language studies or engineering).
Each curriculum provides Bologna-relevant information, such as credit weighting, indicative syllabus and learning outcomes.
3. Inspired by the former EU-funded “TecDocNet guideline”, comprehensive information about the profession and its environment was updated and presented on our web platform, e.g. professional activities, personal attitudes, workplace.
4. A university map provides an overview of all TC studies in Europe. It can be searched according to country, degree and type of study.

Dissemination
To enhance the project recognition, to promote the profession and to establish network dissemination, activities were substantial, also involving silent partners. These included: events, articles, presentations, newsletters, social media.

Impacts
We managed to reach universities who are now using our outputs to establish study programmes. The network of HEI representatives has grown and a number of cooperation activities were established (e.g. exchange programmes). By establishing an Advisory Board within tekom Europe, we sustain the project outputs and can ensure that the work is carried on and further disseminated.
www.teccom-frame.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 232560,64 Eur

Project Coordinator

European Association for Technical Communication – tekom Europe e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI
• UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK
• KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
• UNIVERSITE PARIS DIDEROT – PARIS 7
• UNIWERSYTET SZCZECINSKI
• HOCHSCHULE KARLSRUHE-TECHNIK UND WIRTSCHAFT
• AARHUS UNIVERSITET