Project Comprehensive program of personal and professional growth UP (short name: UP personal growth)
In 2022, the University of Primorska successfully obtained funds for the implementation of the project "Comprehensive Program of personal and Professional Growth of the UP" within the framework of the "Public Call for Strengthening the Role of Career Centers in the Holistic Treatment of Students", which was announced by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation short title: UP personal growth, from the European Social Fund (80%) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (20%), following the Operational Program for the implementation of the European cohesion policy in the period 2014 - 2020; priority axes: 10. Knowledge, skills and lifelong learning for better employability; priority investments: 10.1 Improving equal access to lifelong learning for all age groups in formal, informal and informal forms of learning, updating the knowledge, skills and competences of the workforce and promoting flexible forms of learning, including through career counselling and validation of acquired competences; of a specific goal: 10.1.3 Promotion of flexible forms of learning and support for quality career orientation for school-going youth at all levels of the education system. The operation will be carried out in the Cohesion Region of Western Slovenia (hereafter: KRZS) and the Cohesion Region of Eastern Slovenia (hereafter: KRVS), taking into account the seat of the beneficiary who will carry out the operation. Method of distribution of funds by cohesion regions: KRZS (67%) and KRVS (33%). The project lasts from 1 January 2022 to 30 September 2023.
Value of co-financing: EUR 167,634.60
The project manager is Assoc. Prof. Dr Tina Štemberger, vice-rector for academic affairs of the University of Primorska
Purpose of the project: The basic purpose of the UP personal growth project was to upgrade the system for identifying special groups of students and their needs for adjustments and support at UP, as well as to upgrade and improve the already existing integrated personal career management program of the KC UP, mainly in the direction of improving information and equal access to lifelong learning and individual and group support for different groups of students, preferentially for students of special groups (students with special statuses, students with special needs, students in need, students subjected to violence or with care obligations and other personal circumstances), whose personal career management represents a special challenge precisely because of their specific needs. The students were directed to acquire additional knowledge and skills that enriched and upgraded the knowledge acquired in the course of their studies and with the help of which they will be more easily and successfully involved in the labor market. They also got to know themselves and their career paths through counseling (individual and group), and in case of problems they received both appropriate psychosocial support and other forms of help.
Through the activities of the project, the integrated personal career management program of KC UP is adapted to a greater extent even to the most vulnerable groups of pupils, students and graduates. By recognizing and including individuals from special groups in the activities offered by KC UP, comprehensive, high-quality career orientation throughout the entire study process, up to successful integration into the labor market, is guaranteed, even for more vulnerable groups. Through adapted forms of assistance and inclusion in the content offered, the responsiveness of the education system to the needs of the labor market is thus improved, while at the same time the expectations of young people entering their first working environments are harmonized. All participants have equal opportunities to participate in all activities offered by the career center, and within the project, special attention was paid to promoting the strengthening of the competence of special groups of students and thus reducing risk factors. In order to achieve a greater effect of inclusion and the use of flexible forms of education, the project promoted the equal treatment of all students, regardless of their special statuses and specific needs, as well as cooperation with secondary schools and other important actors in the field of work with young people with special needs.
Objectives of the project: The goals of the UP personal growth project were tied to ensuring equal access to lifelong learning and lifelong orientation for all groups of students. The basic goal of the project was to upgrade the already existing system for identifying special groups of students and their needs for adaptations and support at UP, as well as to upgrade and improve the already existing comprehensive personal career management program of the UP Central Committee. An important goal of the project was also the establishment of the UP Psychological Counseling Office. The project also pursued other goals, namely: providing adequate support and training for career counselors to work with special groups of students; the organization and implementation of various events with the aim of acquiring additional knowledge and competences and providing information for the purpose of increasing the acceptance and understanding of differences; comprehensive support for special groups of students; raising awareness and informing about the importance of equal treatment of all students and upgrading cooperation with related institutions that cover areas of work with special groups of students.
The project manager was Assoc. prof. dr. Tina Štemberger, vice-rector for study affairs of the University of Primorska.
The project ended on September 30, 2023, and its results will have long-term effects, and due to the awareness of the importance of paying special attention to special groups of students and upgrading the supportive environment for all students, mostly all activities carried out within the UP personal growth project, continued even after its completion.
RESULTS OF THE PROJECT UP PERSONAL GROWTH and ESTABLISHMENT OF A SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING SPECIAL GROUPS OF STUDENTS AND THEIR SUPPORT NEEDS: The University of Primorska, which 2022 received funds for the implementation of the project "Comprehensive Program of personal and Professional Growth" in the framework of the "Public Call for Strengthening the Role of Career Centres in the holistic treatment of Students", which was announced by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation UP" (short title: UP personality growth) from the European Social Fund (80%) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (20%), under the Operational Program for the implementation of the European cohesion policy in the period 2014-2020.
During the project's duration, several activities were carried out within the UP Central Committee and the entire UP, which contributed to the highly successful establishment of a system for identifying special groups of students and their needs for adjustments and support. The project ended on 30. September 2023, and its results will have long-term effects, due to the awareness of the importance of paying special attention to special groups of students and upgrading the supportive environment for all students, mostly all activities carried out within the UP personal growth project, continued after its conclusion.
During the project's duration, career counsellors and other employees were included in 32 trainings and educations supporting special groups of students. At the same time, they are also continuously involved in supervision meetings with an expert in the field, who remains involved in implementing supervision even after the project is finished.
The network of individuals and organizations with knowledge and experience in working with students from special groups cooperating and sharing experiences and good practices has been upgraded. The communication system intended to inform the internal public at the university was also significantly upgraded, and a network of support points at member universities was established, which will represent entry points into the support system for students and enable obtaining all necessary information. Support points will work in close connection with the tutor system at UP.
The UP personal growth project made it possible to establish the UP Psychological Counseling Center, which was established in March 2023 in cooperation between the UP Central Committee and the UP FAMNIT Department of Psychology. The counselling centre offers students psychological support in the form of individual meetings. It is staffed by qualified consultants who are involved in regular professional supervision. Counselling is free for all UP students, and takes place in the premises of the UP rector's office arranged for this purpose (Trg Brolo 12, 6000 Koper) or, exceptionally and by agreement, remotely (online).
As part of the project, the rector of the University of Primorska in early 2023 appointed a working group for the organization and establishment of a system for identifying special groups of students, which continues to work even after the end of the project and strives for the optimal functioning of the system and its continuous upgrades. A document entitled Guidelines and recommendations for upgrading the system for identifying special groups of students and their support needs was also prepared within the working group. Due to the complexity of the field, such as the area of work with special groups of students and also the changing needs of students, as well as the possibility of the emergence and formation of new special groups of students, the document is designed in such a way that it can be adapted to needs and changes at any moment. Basically, it determines the guidelines for the operation of UP in the area of working with all special groups of students, identifying special groups of students and providing all the support they need.
During the duration of the UP personal growth project (between January 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023), many different events were held aimed at accepting and understanding differences. KC UP organized, co-organized or actively participated in 24 such events.
Activities in the framework of the UP personal growth project were also largely aimed at upgrading the already existing Comprehensive Personal Career Management Program and in the direction of improving information and the possibility of equal access to lifelong learning and individual and group support for different groups of students, preferentially for students from special groups, whose personal career management presents a special challenge precisely because of their specific needs. As part of the Comprehensive Program of Personal Career Management, students are directed to acquire additional knowledge and skills that enrich and upgrade the knowledge acquired during their studies with the help they can more easily and successfully join the labour market. During the project's duration, more than 50 events aimed at supporting different groups of students, including students from special groups, were held.
During its duration, 895 students, including students from special groups, were involved in the activities carried out within the framework of the project.
Ensuring sustainability of project results UP ensures the sustainability of the results of the UP personal growth project through the achievement of the objectives of the Action Plan of the Medium-term Development Strategy of UP 2021-2027 (SRS UP 2021-2027), namely objective 6.6 (The development of the lifelong learning offer for various target groups will continue), in which the document defines the updating, expansion and upgrading of the offer of lifelong learning, which is also intended for special groups of students, and flexible forms of learning implemented with real-time evaluations as one of the forms of adaptation of the implementation of activities for special groups and their optimization according to the actual needs identified. In 2023, UP also adopted the Strategy for the Integration of Flexible Forms of Learning and Teaching into the Study Process at UP in the Period 2023-2027.
