NATIONAL/REGIONAL NETWORKS

AUCEN - Netzwerk für Universitäre Weiterbildung und Personalentwicklung in Österreich (Austrian Universities Continuing Education and Staff Development Network)

Web site: http://www.aucen.ac.at (English version available)

Name of contact person: Dr. Eva Cendon

Email address: aucen@donau-uni.ac.at

Address of network:

AUCEN-Office
c/o Department für Weiterbildungsforschung und Bildungsmanagement
Donau-Universität Krems
Karl-Dorrek Straße 30
A-3500 Krems
Austria

Tel. +43 2732 8932265
Fax +43 2732 8934360

Background:

• Established in 1996, since October 2005 organized as a formal association. Every Austrian public university can become a member (total of 21 universities plus Danube University Krems, University of Continuing Education), currently (2008) 17 universities are members of AUCEN.
• UCE = after masters and or with special professional experience, also seminars for people who don't have university degrees, see more on the website in "Domains".
• 1993 law regarding CE at universities (network formed to lobby issues arising).
• From ca. 10 delegates in 1996, mostly vice-rectors in UCE to actually ca. 90 delegates, including experts from CE and Staff Development at the universities and their functionaries (vice-rectors).

Focus:

• Two main focuses: Continuing Education and Staff Development at Universities.
• Working groups on Continuing Education and Staff Development.
• Experts running offices for UCE/ Staff Development at the universities - operational level.
• Vice rectors for UCE/Staff Development- functionary level.

Core Activities:

• Two annual meetings.
• Regular workshops on issues in UCE and Staff Development.
• Regular eNewsletters.
• Professionalisation and lobbying on national and institutional level.

Current issues:

• UCE and LLL and Learning Outcomes for UCE.
• Development of executives, recruiting (staff development).

Documents:

• AUCEN Mission Statement (in English).