CELGAS - Conventional and e-Learning Gas Engineering Centre

WP1: Project Management

AIMS

The management of CELGAS project will be organized by dividing process into three functional tasks: technical progress management, quality process management and financial control and reporting process. The quality management process is a separate task (see WP6) because of importance of this subtask. The other two functional subtasks are included in the WP1. The milestone Project Management (PM) meetings are planed during the Pilot Project "CeLGAS". The first milestone PM is "Kick-off meeting" (see WP5.1) and the next milestones PM are planed during critical phases of realization of project.

Start and Finish date and overall duration

From beginning up to end of project - total duration 30 month

Total number of staff days

Role and task of partners

This is main role of promoter AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow.

Working methods and techniques

The proposed scope of work is based on widely accepted standards of the European Federation for Open and Distance Learning (EFODL) recommendation as well as of European Association for Distance Learning (EADL) (Quality Guidelines). The most important question in the e-Learning Education is to ensure quality of education. This may be ensured by accepting "total quality management" (TQM) requirements, accreditation systems, continuing staff education, and employment of external experts and competitive pressure of market. Special procedures to ensure of Total Quality Management (TQM) are planned (see WP5). The main and very important factor for ensures of quality of prototype of course is to engage the outside experts designated by national engineers societies (see additional intent letters). This may balance between academic and practical attitude to the presented topic of the course, this allows making equilibrium between theoretical and practical aspects of courses.

The courses will be accessed in mainly in asynchrony mode using mixed "Blending Learning" model. Some materials will we addressed to participants using synchronic mode and in the more efficient way (e.g. streaming). The selection of asynchrony mode as a base learning method is caused by a low quality of the Internet network in the Eastern and Middle Europe. The second reason of asynchrony mode selection is TARGET GROUP of course participants.

As mentioned in the section C, the target beneficent groups for this program are engineers working in the gas-related areas (exploration, production, transport and distribution, usage etc.).

The language of the Project is English. After completion of the Pilot phase the courses will be adapted also for national languages. The series of the Non-stationary Vocational Courses for technician, engineers, and students (in the EU candidate countries) afford the introducing of the High Quality Continuous Education Models, as well as some relevant and practical services for the 21st Century. This will allow to continuously build of vocational knowledge and modern skills for the participants in these courses. The new Certificate that will be issued for the graduates of this Centre will certify the Quality of Educational Process. This will fulfil one of the criterions required for the FEANI diploma of European Engineer's (Poland, Romania, Slovakia) (see WP5). The main educational topics are related to processes connected with natural gas exploration, exploitation, underground storage's, processing, and environmental protection as well as distribution, industrial and home usage and human resources management in the gas industry. In the future, additional specific topics will be developed based on questionnaires and interviews that will be reflect to the regional needs. The Task Analysis and some additional research based on the Pilot Project experiences will indicate both the training needs and the best practice in organizing these trainings. Another output of the research will be an objective comparison of the training status at the European level.

The Project management team addresses the presented courses program to the people in the gas industry working hard during normal work time. We expect to take up participant in the evenings and days out of work.

As mentioned, the course will be developed using software, which is accustomed to asynchrony, synchronic and streaming communication with teacher and students. A periodical meetings "face to face" with participant will be considered during course time (two times for the course for 1-2 days). The final exams will be organized by the whole consortium of partners (see WP5). It is assumed that the four Universities who are the participants in the Project will prepare the certificate of course complete.