A learning experience in written communication / Prof. Ángel Olivera

Documents

• Writing better reports
• Scientific report writing style
• Workshop information
• Guide for writing laboratory reports
• Report writing PowerPoint presentation
• Report writing manual
• Concept map
• Guidelines and recommendations for report writing
• New dictionaries for learning: The path to a universal language?
• Neologisms, technology and culture
• Other references

Developing Professors

The education credit is included in the contract signed by the professor. It covers tuition fees.

Other professors

Have to request it through the Head of Department, with the approval of the Dean. The credit covers tuition fees (studies in Caracas or distance learning) and tickets, in the case of studies abroad. If the latter applies, the credit must be complemented with an additional credit granted by an external entity.

In both cases, the studies are supervised by a Tutor appointed by the university.

• Agreement between Unimet and UNED: Within the Unimet-UNED Framework University Collaboration Agreement, the university has signed another agreement with the National Distance Education University (UNED, Spain) to carry out third-cycle (PhD) studies.

• Agreement between Unimet and Fundayacucho: The Metropolitan University and Fundayacucho have signed an agreement that covers two joint doctoral programs for professors at our university, taught in Caracas in distance learning mode, through two prestigious Spanish universities.

The programs are: PhD in Business Economics (University of Almeria) and PhD in Didactics and Organization in Educational Institutions (University of Seville), both in execution since 2002. The programs integrate in two of the priority areas of the Metropolitan University.

The year 2002 marks the beginning of two Doctoral programs offered by the Metropolitan University to its full-time professors. The programs and institutions are:

• University of Almeria, Spain
  • PhD in Business Economics

• University of Seville, Spain
  • PhD in Didactics and Organization in Educational Institutions

 The two programs are carried out under the following model:

• Teaching module: Academic year 2002-2003 (in-person modality). Taught in Caracas by guest professors from both institutions.
• Research module: Academic year 2003-2004 (in Caracas through distance learning). Led by tutors from both institutions.
• Doctoral thesis: Since 2004, carried out in Caracas and defended in Almeria and Seville.

Both programs are established in the agreements signed by Unimet and the universities of Seville and Almeria. Additionally, they have the support of an agreement signed with Fundayacucho.

The undertaking of full-time postgraduate studies, in Venezuela or abroad, is implemented through an education credit granted by an external entity, complemented by the university if necessary. The professor assumes the obligation to provide full-time services to the university upon culmination of the studies, as a commitment for the debt relief of the granted financing.

In the carry out of part-time and distance learning postgraduate studies, the university takes on half of the tuition costs and when applicable, as agreed, defray of the travel and living expenses that are required in the degree programs.

APPLICATION

All professors of the university can benefit from the Postgraduate Education Plan for the Academic Staff, regardless of the dedication and time during which they have been providing services. Those who graduated only a few years ago have priority over other professors, and are distinguish as Developing Professors.

Developing Professors are those with less than five years since graduation, do not have a postgraduate degree, recently joined the university to work full time, or have worked in this modality for a period not exceeding three years. Those who meet these conditions are part of the Developing Professors Payroll, from which the academic departments will annually nominate the candidates for full-time postgraduate studies in Venezuela or abroad. The Developing Professors Payroll is attached to the Office of the Dean for Academic Development and is managed in accordance with the conditions established in the Regulations for Personal and Academic Development.

In accordance with the institutional objective of ensuring, for the future, that all professors of the Metropolitan University have a fourth-level education, the Regulations for Academic Staff Development establishes, as contractual commitment for those who are part of the Developing Professors Payroll, a period of two years to enroll in a postgraduate education program. Once the needs referred to the execution of postgraduate studies by the Developing Professors are met, those who, independent of having a postgraduate degree, work as full-time or part-time professors at the university, and with over five years of service and five years since graduation, will be able to make use of the existing opportunities.

FORMULATION OF THE POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION PLAN

The Postgraduate Education Plan for the Academic Staff is formulated in harmony with the ordinary financial resources planned in the university budget and with the financing possibilities from external organizations (CONICIT, Luisa and Eugenio Mendoza Scholarship Program, Jose Abdala Academic Foundation, among others) agreed with the university.

In accordance with the institutional plans and those specified by the academic departments, the Office of the Dean for Academic Development will estimate for each academic year the budgetary financial resources for:

• Finance for the carrying out of full-time and part-time postgraduate studies in Venezuela or abroad.
• Defray the expenses of the Developing Professors Payroll.

With the purpose of harmonizing the available possibilities of external financing and the financial resources planned in the university’s regular budget, with the requirements for the postgraduate education of the faculty, the Office of the Dean for Academic Development will keep updated information on the possibilities of granting scholarships and credits for the execution of postgraduate studies in Venezuela and abroad by public and private entities, international organizations and foreign governments.

For the structuring of the Postgraduate Education Plan for the Academic Staff, the Dean’s Office for Academic Development will obtain from the academic department:

• Their requirements for the training of professors with a postgraduate education.
• Their needs for Developing Professors.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION PLAN

The implementation of the Postgraduate Education Plan will be responsibility of the Dean’s Office for Academic Development and, as specified, it gives priority to professors on the Developing Professors Payroll, who, as it was established, must carry out full-time postgraduate studies in Venezuela or abroad.

• Those who choose to carry them out in Venezuela keep their salary in form of a credit and the university will defray the tuition costs.

• Those who aspire to carry them out abroad must submit with sufficient advance —at least a year before the planned start date of the studies—, the enrollment application to the chosen university and make the arrangements to obtain an education credit from external financing entities. The Dean’s Office for Academic Development, and a tutor assigned to the professor, will advise him in financing and in choosing the university and the postgraduate program.

The undertaking of postgraduate studies in the modalities full time (in Venezuela or abroad), part time (in Venezuela) or distance learning (abroad), by professors who have over five years of service and over five years since graduation, regardless of having a fourth-level degree, must have the favorable pronouncement of the respective academic department, or that chosen by the Higher Council, on the studies to be carried out and on the chosen institution. It requires obtaining financing of an education credit, for an amount equivalent to the accrued salary, granted by an external entity and complemented, if necessary, by the university. Those who aspire to carry them out abroad must submit with sufficient advance —at least a year before the planned start date of the studies— the enrollment application to the chosen university and make the arrangements to obtain an education credit from external financing entities, as well as those for obtaining supplemental financing, if applicable, before their own university.

The undertaking of part-time or distance postgraduate studies requires the assignment of academic obligations in harmony with the studies. In this case, the university will assume the tuition fees.

COMMITMENTS

The commitments of the university and the professors that undertake postgraduate studies differs depending in whether they are Developing Professors or professors with over five years of service and over five years since graduation. There are also differences depending on whether the postgraduate studies are carried out full time, part time or through distance learning.

• Those who, as Developing Professors, aspire to undertake full-time postgraduate studies in the Metropolitan University, will have an unpaid leave, will receive financial compensation from the university in the form of credit and equivalent to the accrued salary, and will assume the commitment to carry out teaching tasks during his postgraduate studies, for the equivalent of eight hours per week, in the department that nominate them or in that agreed with the university. Those who aspire to carry them out in Venezuela in a university different to the Metropolitan University or abroad, must obtain financing from an external entity and will have unpaid leave. In case of carrying out the studies in Venezuela, the university will complement, if necessary, the granted external financing in form of a credit up to an amount that, added to the conferred externally, equals the accrued salary. In case of carrying out the studies abroad, the university will complement the granted external financing according with the guidelines agreed between the university and the external financing entity.

• Those who work full time or part time, with over five years of service and over five years since graduation, and aspire to undertake full-time postgraduate studies in Venezuela or abroad, must obtain financing from an external entity. The university will grant unpaid leave and will complement the granted external financing, according with the guidelines agreed between the university and the external financing entity.

• The members of the university teaching staff who work full time or part time, with over five years of service and over five years since graduation, can undertake postgraduate studies part-time or through distance learning. In the case of institutional priority of the studies, the university will assume the total cost of enrollment and travel expenses, if applies. In any other case, the university will assume half of the enrollment fee and will contribute to defray travel expenses derived from the demands of the study program. During the postgraduate studies, the activities of a full-time professor, in academic or managerial functions, will be established in harmony with the carrying out of the studies, but the teaching obligations established in the Rules related to activities of the full-time academic staff must be complied.

• Those who undertake full-time postgraduate studies assume the commitment of providing, or continuing providing, full-time services at the university from the date of satisfactory completion of the postgraduate studies. The period during which the professor assumes this obligation is, if applies, double the time of the period in which the professor received financing from the university for the undertaking of studies or that agreed with the external entity from which he received the credit. The university will forgive the payment of the credit received from it during the period of compensation in the form of full-time services. Likewise, during this period, the university will assume the payment corresponding to the education credit before the co-financing entity. Those who partially comply with the obligation to provide full-time services, exempt the university from the commitment to pay the credit before the co-financing entity, and must assume, as established, the payment to the university of the proportional part of the credit corresponding to the unfulfilled period.

• The academic or administrative classification, as appropriate, of those who satisfactorily have fulfilled the commitment to obtain a fourth-level degree, will be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of the regulations.

Approved by the Academic Board on 9/2/2001

For the Developing Professors Payroll

• To outline the Professor Development Plan (art. 15 of the Regulations), in accordance with the institutional requirements and with the interests of the professor, and submit it for approval to the Head of the respective department and the Dean of Academic Development.

• The Development Plan, with a duration of 2 years, must include:
  • Teaching tasks in the respective department, up to a maximum of 8 hours per week.
  • Postgraduate studies: Beginning, continuation and completion of full-time master’s studies, in areas that respond to the University Vocation of the Metropolitan University. At this point, a schedule must be included to anticipate the graduation date. Exceptionally, doctoral studies may be required.
  • Research activities: May be related to those that contemplate the development of the Master’s thesis, or can be research activities in the framework of a project developed with the guidance of a researcher from the university. Preferably, the research topic will be aligned with the research field of the university tutor, and subject to the principal lines of research of the Metropolitan University.
  • Training in the educational and technological area: Courses offered in these fields, either through the Office of Faculty Development or external. The following courses will be obligatory: Development of Teaching Competencies, Curriculum Design, Pedagogical Updating, and computing tools courses, in accordance with the training needs of the interested party.
  • Language and personal development training: English, Leadership and Collaborative Work courses, and the like, will be considered here according with the profile of the interested party.
  • Induction: The Induction Workshop, offered by the university to its professors, must be included in the program.
  • Internship: An obligatory internship will be contemplated, in an organization external to the university, in order for the professor to familiarize with the exercise of his profession, learn the practical aspects of it, establish links with the company and contribute with University-company approach.
  • The Development Plan must be complemented with a schedule, especially in relation to the development of the postgraduate studies.

• To propose any modifications to said plan, if they are justified later.

• To guide the professor and provide support in everything related to his training as professor and researcher.

• To send progress reports on the professor’s performance (at least one at the end of each trimester and one at the end of each academic year). The reports will cover the academic performance of the interested party, and other activities concerning his training and research.

• To continuously monitor the postgraduate studies and any other type of training and activity carried out by the teacher.

• To verify that the professor meets the time limit set for his studies.

For other professors in postgraduate studies

• To guide the professor and provide support in everything related to his fourth-level training.

• To send progress reports on the professor’s performance (at least one at the end of each trimester and one at the end of each academic year). The reports will cover the professor’s performance in the postgraduate studies.

• To verify that the professor meets the time limit set for his studies, and inform the Dean of Academic Development and the Head of the respective department about any alteration in the terms.

In both cases, the functions of the tutor cease when the professor completes his fourth-level training.