Dual training, i.e. collaboration between educational institutions and companies, appears as a crucial element for the future in the 21st century. Universities and companies, together with the actors in the university environment, share a common responsibility to contribute to the development of society, in order to strengthen the transfer of knowledge and the early education of future professionals.
Dual training is arguably about shifting the role of the facilitator from that of merely transmitting knowledge to that of an advisor, creating learning situations for the learner.
In 2022, Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government) Urkullu presented the Second Basque University+Enterprise Strategy 2022-2026, which has as its main objective to further strengthen the links between higher education in the Basque Country and the world of work. By 2026, the strategy commits to the establishment of at least one “cutting-edge” classroom-company in all areas of knowledge in the Basque Country, and for the offer of dual training courses to grow by 50%.
Urkullu explains that, when it comes to competing with other universities and centres, having a solid connection with the professional and production environment is a distinctive feature that is not very common at present, which is why it should continue to be encouraged. It also expresses that the university-business partnership creates a new ecosystem that benefits all parties, including society as a whole.
Some of the advantages or benefits of this model are the following: firstly, learning in real work environments and based on experiences allows students to learn in a more dynamic way; it also promotes the training of professionals who will be able to meet the demands of companies at an earlier stage; by collaborating jointly with the company and the university in the creation of content, the co-responsibility between the educational centre and the company guarantees that the training is always up-to-date and aligned with current labour needs; and hand in hand with the latter, comes the high probability of an earlier labour market insertion. In addition, this experience contributes to strengthening the self-esteem and confidence of the student, who is part of a real work team and is confronted with real situations.
It is the figures and the satisfaction of companies that confirm and demonstrate the success of the dual approach. The vast majority of students who do their internships while studying find employment before finishing their studies.
One example of a university that has integrated dual training into its programme is Mondragon Unibertsitatea. This is a university that is characterised by its practical approach; it offers its students diverse learning experiences in business environments, thanks to the extensive network of collaborating companies that participate in enriching the students’ experiences.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that FORBES Spain has ranked Mondragon Unibertsitatea as the tenth university in Spain with the highest employment rate, highlighting the practical orientation of the university’s educational model and its alignment with the demands and needs of the labour market.
Main picture John Robert Marasigan in Unsplash
