Coimbra, Portugal September 3 – 7, 2007 International Conference on Engineering Education – ICEE 2007 Analyzing the obstacles for the academic and organizational change in universities Mónica Edwards, Luis M. Sánchez-Ruiz & Enrique Ballester-Sarrias School of Design Engineering, Polytechnic University of Valencia Camino de Vera Nº 14 46022-Valencia (Spain) moed@doctor.upv.es - lmsr@mat.upv.es - eballest@isa.upv.es Abstract – European universities are embedded in a process of change in innovation, organizational and governance aspects within the convergence process. The practical implementation of the Bologna objectives implies not only a conceptual reorganization of the educative systems but a change of paradigm in the academic and organizational culture. There exist diverse tensions between the national legislation, accreditation, quality assurance and the process of change, both in internal and external contexts. The aim of this paper is to examine some trends and obstacles that are emerging in the universities related to these issues, particularly in the Spanish case. Firstly we intend to identify the critical areas for academic and organizational culture change. Secondly, we comment the recent experience in the School of Design Engineering to improve the staff participation. In addition, we present some possible strategies for deepening actions oriented to the awareness and formation of staff members and involving them in a shared culture to manage the change. Index Terms - European convergence, competence-based learning, outcomes, academic and organizational change. INTRODUCTION Within the advance in the European convergence process, the majority of the European universities are embedded in an important transformation process, reinforcing their three basic missions: education, research and knowledge transference, among their extension and socio-cultural activities [1]. The tailoring of the structure of different university studies to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) is the major task outstanding in Europe’s different university systems. The practical implementation of the Bologna recommendations and requirements (new degrees, European Credit Transfer System, quality assurance and accreditation, Dublin descriptors, etc.) implies not only a conceptual reorganization of the educative systems but a change of paradigm in the academic and organizational culture [2]-[3]. In the report Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make their full contribution to the Lisbon Strategy (2005) it affirms that universities need to accelerate the pace of reforms for ensuring a more effective contribution to the Lisbon strategy and the strengthening of the European social model. It identifies three main challenges for European higher education: achieving world- class quality, improving governance, and increasing and diversifying funding [4]. Although the majority of universities are working around these issues, in several countries -as Spain- there exist diverse tensions between the national legislation, accreditation, quality assurance and the process of change, both in internal and external contexts. The aim of this paper is to examine some trends and obstacles that are emerging in the Bologna process related to these issues, showing and analyzing the particular case of the School of Design Engineering in Spain. THE CORE MODERNISATION AGENDA FOR UNIVERSITIES The “core” modernisation agenda for European universities is to improve and advance in reforms related to the attractiveness, governance and funding [4].  Attractiveness (curricular reform): Raising quality and attractiveness requires major transformations at universities with a profound curricular renovation, with the implementation of the Bologna reforms and the establishment of a European Qualification Framework [5]. Universities need better to communicate with society about the value of what they produce, and to invest more in their presence and marketing at home and abroad.  Governance reform: Universities are calling for a fundamentally new type of arrangement (or “contract”) with society, whereby they are responsible and accountable for their programmes, staff and resources, while public authorities focus on the strategic orientation of the system as a whole. Also it is necessary enabling institutional modernisation strategies for better system and institutional management. Universities need more autonomy and improve the excellence through internal and external Quality Assurance.  Funding Reform: To attract more funding, universities first need to convince stakeholders -governments, companies, households- that existing resources are efficiently used and fresh ones would produce added value for them. Higher funding cannot be justified without profound change: providing for such change is the main justification and prime purpose for fresh investment [6]. If universities are to become more attractive locally and globally, profound curricular revision is required - not just to ensure the highest level of academic content, but also to