Perceptions on the Value of Industry Placement:An Exploratory Study of Business Disciplines Academics in the Czech Republic

摘要

Universities have been criticised,for continuing to hold on to their traditional roles of academic theorists,instead of embracing a more pragmatic view that encompasses,among other things,practical aspects of educational activities.However,before these educational institutions can consider any ideological changes to curriculum content and program delivery,a number of factors need to be considered,including whether the current academics would be interested in pursuing 'closer ties' with the industrial sector,resulting in classroom teaching and learning assuming a more practice oriented approach and focus.One way to foster an environment of cooperation between academics and industry may be through an industry placement opportunity. An industry placement is an arrangement whereby an academic is seconded to a firm for a predetermined period of time. The academic would become part of that firm's work force, and perform previously agreed to tasks [1]. This arrangement may contribute to the personal and professional development of the academic and build capacity in the context teaching and learning by:? Gaining exposure to current industrial practices where existing theories can be trialled and challenged, possibly leading to the development of new ones,? Creating an environment that fosters the nurturing and development of a Community of Practice (CoP) [2][3] with mutually beneficial exchanges of resources and ideas, and? Improving the student learning experience through an enhanced curriculum more focused on problem based learning activities than is currently the case.This paper reports on an exploratory study conducted at a number of universities in the Czech Republic on the perception of the value of industry placements for academics in the business studies disciplines. The principle aims of this study were to:? gather information about academics' perceptions on industry placement, and?report on the findings of this study against a previously developed model, and comment on the relevance of this model to this particular study.The responses are generally positive, however these also highlight cultural barriers that prevent a wider uptake of such placements Due to space limitations, this paper only considers the data gathered at personal interviews.