Benchmarking innovative curricula design process over continents

Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OUAS) in Finland and Universidad Catolica del Maule (UCM) in Chile implemented two staff exchanges in 2009 and 2010. The thematic focus was on natural resources and environmental management. During these two exchange periods functional benchmarking method was used to support curricula development processes and the development of educational programmes. As the results of evaluation and comparison of performance in these two universities it was found out that the competence based curricula process in UCM is very effective, more detailed and better structured than in OUAS. UCM utilizes feedback from working life at several levels of curricula development process. In OUAS the planning process which utilizes relevant information on organization performance and builds on quality control model was found effective. The flexibility of curricula planning process enhancing innovative solutions and the motivation of lecturers was identified as strength in OUAS. As for further steps in cooperation between these two universities common research and development projects, jointly organized intensive programmes and designing a standard framework for the pedagogical development of innovative competence based curricula are suggested.