Abstract: In today’s dynamic society, where innovation is the measure of development, it is the task of schools and universities to prepare learners for their rapid socialization and career development. This necessitates quality education that prepares future citizens in terms of life, values, and career. This article describes best practices for collaborative approaches between business and educational institutions, also focusing on the positives that each party derives from the educational process – schools, universities, business organizations and society at large. One of the primary advantages of this collaborative approach is that it promotes a symbiotic relationship between education and industry, which is based on the fact a well-prepared workforce results in a more prosperous and innovative economy. Moreover, it fosters a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and resilience, which are indispensable qualities in a world marked by change and uncertainty.

Keywords: STEM, BEST, internship, practice, colaboration

1. Introduction

Pedagogical models are formed and developed in response to the societal need for knowledge and skills in different spheres of life and work. This is the logic that reflects the need for change in education – filtering through a critical sieve the best educational practices and modifying and refining the educational model according to the new trends in business.

In the era of the modern digital world, it is not enough (and often not necessary) to learn uniform theoretical data and concepts, to memorize formulas and rules, without them finding their applications in the next phases of students’ lives, namely professional realization. In this context, educational models, although at a slow pace, are oriented towards the competency-based approach, which is already enshrined in educational normative documents[1].

• Prerequisites for change in conventional learning approaches

The idea of the competency approach can also be found in the evocation of Bloom’s famous Taxonomy in Anderson’s Taxonomy (Forehand, 2005). In it, Anderson retains „the six cognitive processes, respectively the six skills, ordered from the simple to the complex, replacing the nouns (in Bloom) with verbs, guided by the understanding that thinking is an action process and knowledge is only its result“[2]. According to Anderson and his colleagues, „meaningful learning provides students with the knowledge and access to the cognitive processes they need for successful problem solving.“ This concept aims to model new and flexible approaches in the education sector as a natural and logical extension of the conventional approach. The school/university should prepare learners in at least 3 directions: life, values and professional. Each of these targeted sectors is equally important and none of them should be neglected, i.e. in educational institutions teachers in collaboration with business representatives should prepare students for their successful realization in society and personal life.

There is several approaches through which business directly contributes to the development of modern education. They are both at the institutional level and at the level of the learning process. Authors such as Mallett, Coleman, Miranda, etc. (Mallett, 2019), (Coleman & Bandyopadhyay, 2011) (Miranda et al., 2021) list and describe some of them. Through Figure 1, an attempt has been made to synthesize a maximum number of conceptual approaches in a particular sequence (See Figure 1):

• Joint adaptation of curricula: Curricula should be a reflector of rapid changes in technology, societal needs and economic demands.
• Providing access to advanced technology: By providing access to the latest technological innovations such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence platforms, advanced manufacturing technologies, access to manufacturing labs, etc., the learning process can be enhanced, and new opportunities provided for the students (Ferreira-Lopes, Elexpuru-Albizuri & Bezanilla, 2021).
• Educator support: Educators should be informed, trained, and prepared for the latest technological solutions used in the industrial field.
• Mentoring for student innovation: inspired by successful personalities, supported by experienced professionals and educational institutions, students could generate ideas and projects that can lead to innovation and entrepreneurial success.
• Blended learning: Innovative learning models should encourage students’ active participation both in the learning process and in solving real-world problems and projects. This includes learning practices and internships that aim to provide hands-on experience and application of learning knowledge in real-world situations.
• Direct participation in the educational process: educational institutions, educational policies and society need to recognize that traditional educational models are not always able to meet the demands of modern society and economy. This realization is the first step towards innovation in education. The direct involvement of business in the educational process through seminars, lectures and whole-course tutorials leads to the integration of experience and practical knowledge from working practice into the learning content.

•         Control of evaluation and analysis of results:  The systematic evaluation and joint analysis of the results of innovative educational models to establish their effectiveness lead to taking the right steps to improve them and to confidence in all parties that the goals and values are being achieved (Ivanova, Ivanov & Radkov, 2019).

Numerous theoretical developments and practical examples (Miranda et al., 2021) argue that educational institutions need to collaborate and maintain partnerships with different sectors – business, science, arts, etc. to provide diverse and enriching learning experiences. This can also be realized through the current concept of introducing STEM, STEAM and STREAM educational models into the curriculum to help create an educational environment that fosters innovation, creativity and learner development.

Figure 1. Approaches for interaction between business and educational institutions,
 in line with business involvement

However, the introduction of these models requires a direct and motivated commitment from educational institutions to ensure an interdisciplinary approach to learning, the preparation of appropriate case studies for problem-based learning, teacher training and collaboration with the community. There is a need for educational institutions to work with the local scientific community and business sector to integrate the educational process with the specific needs and opportunities of the local environment.

• BEST & BEST’

The growing awareness that the development of modern education is unthinkable without collaborative initiatives with business led to the creation of the BEST & BEST’ educational model. This model is quite young and its conceptual definition, validation, improvement and mass implementation is yet to come. Its name is an acronym for Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers (and its upgraded variety BEST’ – Business Excellence in Science and Technology). Its essence is expressed in the joint work of teachers and professionals who together create a curriculum and projects through which learners can be prepared for successful careers in relevant subject areas of professional development.

The transition from traditional educational models to the BEST (Business-Education Strategic Partnership) model with the participation of business representatives can be complex and requires many prerequisites and efforts on the part of educational institutions, the business community and government bodies. The successful implementation of his approaches leads to many benefits for all institutions involved in the collaborative model:

Educational institutions have the opportunity to reform their learning process and the accompanying documentation, having access to the most up-to-date technologies and methods of practical work, as well as the opportunity for constant consultation with business experts. Various companies and enterprises often provide scholarships, training programs and sponsor educational events that contribute to the improvement of the education system through their financial support (Dianto & Idawati, 2020).

Companies, institutions and professional organizations (as business representatives) will have contact with a multitude of talented people with the skills they need in recruiting new employees. At the same time, collaborative interaction would give industrial representatives insight into the latest research and innovation that can be used by companies to improve their products and services.

The society represented by the government and its regional institutions, by supporting and encouraging the implementation of the BEST model through policies, regulations and financial initiatives, can foster entrepreneurial spirit and innovation among students by providing them with opportunities to develop their own projects and startups. One idea in this direction is the creation of a centralized „incubator“ for collaborative cooperation of the business and the school. Active work with young people would increase their motivation and would invariably lead to higher results from the educational process.

Examples of strategic partnerships between business and education can be found in different industries such as: technology, healthcare, manufacturing, etc. These partnerships play a vital role in bridging the gap between education and the rapidly changing demands of the labour market, ultimately benefiting both business and educational institutions (Stoykova et al., 2012)(Valcheva, 2009).

The transition to the BEST model requires cooperation, commitment and flexibility from all actors – schools, universities, business organizations and government institutions. This model can provide students with more real-world skills and experience that are necessary for their successful integration into the labor market and to support economic growth and innovation (Banerjee, 2022).

• Conclusion

The main advantages of collaborative work between schools, universities and businesses show that today this methodology has a place in the education system, as it can overcome some of the current difficulties and disadvantages in education; A competency learning approach can be incorporated in a smooth way, in which each student finds his professional realization based on his strengths. Then the probability of personal development adequate to the abilities of the individual is relatively high, and there is satisfaction. After a certain period of time, this style of teaching will also affect the improvement of the quality of education.

In recent decades, educational innovations aiming to link industry’s experience with university and school training have proven to be successful for the three main stakeholders, namely: the student, the partner company and the institute. In short: Companies take advantage of the opportunity at an early stage to have the opportunity to select and attract talented students for short- to medium-term projects. Students take advantage of this opportunity to apply what they have learned, and educational institutions benefit from the partnership by keeping their curriculum up-to-date and meaningful.

The transition to innovative educational models requires commitment and effort from all sides teachers, learners, heads of educational institutions, the business community, government institutions and society as a whole. This process can be key in preparing future generations for the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.

Acknowledgements

This publication reflects research from the scientific project 23-FPNO-02 „Investigation of effective knowledge management mechanisms applied in software engineering when creating projects with Agile methodologies“ – of the „Scientific Research“ fund of Ruse University „Angel Kanchev“, 2023.

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[1] The Law On Pre-School And School Education in the Republic of Bulgaria (2016) https://www.navet.government.bg/bg/media/zakon-za-preduchilishtnoto-i-uchilishtnoto-obrazovanie.pdf

[2] MON (2023) https://web.mon.bg/bg/1682