Work Field Advisory Committee

Summary
This page briefly describes the place and responsibility of the Work Field Advisory Committee within Fontys ICT.

The Work Field Advisory Committee (WAC) is a consultation (for master's, bachelor's and associate degree study programmes). Two types of WACs are organised: (1) a central WAC and (2) substantive WACs. The WACs are part of the process of curriculum validation. The Curriculum development committee (OO) is responsible for the composition of WACs and the appointment of WAC members. The composition of a WAC is mentioned in the minutes of that meeting after each WAC meeting. Only Partners may provide WAC members. A WAC member is usually an IT professional in a senior job, who from that job and also possibly other perspectives has knowledge and understanding of the developments within his focus area for which the CE has appointed him.

In the central WAC, the study programme informs the work field about (proposed) changes to the study programme. The central WAC is organised by the Manager Development. There is one central WAC every year.

The following parties are invited to the central WAC:

• Representatives from the work field, usually employees of companies, usually Partners in Education (PiE);
• the Partners in Innovation (PiI);
• the Curriculum Manager;
• the Manager Development.

At the substantive WACs, the work field is consulted on the trends and hypes that the study programme should take into account. This concerns the knowledge and skills that the work field considers necessary for entry-level students within a few years. The substantive WACs are organised by the Programme Managers to steer the developments of the units of study they deal with. Each unit of study is discussed at least once a year in a substantive WAC. Recent graduates are also sometimes invited to contribute their post-study programme experiences.

The following parties are invited to the substantive WACs (of the first two, the CE determines which representatives are relevant to the meeting):

• Representatives from the work field, usually employees of companies, usually Partners in Education (PiE);
• the Partners in Innovation (PiI);
• the Curriculum Manager
• the Educational Specialist;
• the relevant Project Leader Programme Implementation (PLOU).

Curriculum validation at Fontys ICT means that the most important stakeholders from the receiving work field determine whether the curricula meet the explicit and obvious requirements that can be set for them by the work field: are we teaching our students the right things, what should no longer be part of the curriculum, what should remain in it and which new developments should be given a place within the curriculum?

Reports are made of each WAC meeting. These are archived within the Curriculum Development Committee (OO).