LIGS University at the „Future Perfect“ Conference

At the end of April, we took part in the “Future Perfect” conference organized by the WASC, which is our accreditation association recognized by the US Department of Education.

There were approximately 887 participants, such as the WASC representatives, colleagues from various universities and a number of partners. LIGS University was represented by its founder and President Dr. Pavel Makovsky, Vice President and Chief Academic & Operations Officer Dr. Pardeep Kullar a Todd Wieland, Academic Dean and Accreditation Director.

Why was this conference so important?

Thanks to our participation at a number of workshops and meetings during the course of four days (including pre-conference workshops), we got to meet many colleagues from various American universities.

We talked about their experience with the accreditation process and their journeys to gaining the accreditation itself.

These discussions were very interesting for us, as many of the mentioned processes and improvements are being introduced at LIGS University as well. In particular, adjustments to the system of student support, etc.

Students of LIGS University will soon be able to choose their form of studies and its intensity, so the program matches their expectations and is as beneficial as possible. We were delighted that our discussions with other participants confirmed that we are on the right track.

So, what changes am I talking about?

One of the changes will be the introduction the system of career guidance for students, such as consultations and webinars on various topics (for example: where to look for a job, how to write a CV and a cover letter, how to prepare for an interview, etc.)

Another innovation will be the possibility to choose the form of online studies. This means that students will be able to study not only the individual online form (with more or less support from the Study Department) but also in a group of students. This form is more suitable for those who want to be in more contact with their fellow students and follow a study plan.

Photo: Journey from Europe to the USA – Poster Session by LIGS University.

As we have been preparing for the site visit by the accreditation association (18th – 20th September 2018), I would say we received some interesting and useful tips and pieces of information from those universities. There is little doubt that the accreditation process is very difficult. We learned that it is often necessary to undertake more than one accreditation visit in order to obtain another status.  

I am very glad that we already incorporated the majority of the recommendations that we had received. I also consider the possibility of group meetings as an important part of the conference. In my case, besides other workshops and seminars, it was the CEO Forum and the possibility of direct communication with other universities’ Presidents and WASC President Jamienne S. Studley.

In the case of our Accreditation Director, Todd Wieland, it was above all the opportunity to discuss and share in detail the experience with the accreditation process.

Photo: In addition to new acquaintances, our Academic Dean and Accreditation Officer Todd Wieland (in the middle) was lucky enough to win a Real Madrid jersey signed by Cristiano Ronaldo.

The main topic of the Future Perfect conference was an education in the US and around the world. We also discussed our visions, innovations, development, and opportunities for cooperation among WASC members, which was very beneficial for all of us.

One of the important features of the conference was the possibility to introduce ourselves during Poster Sessions. I am glad we were given the opportunity to show LIGS University’s successful journey from Europe to the USA to all the participants.

In my opinion, our participation in the conference was beneficial and successful for LIGS University, as we have gained a lot of inspiration for our development, in order to further increase the benefits for students, lecturers and employees. In addition, I am very pleased that we have managed to establish relationships with our colleagues from other universities.

What we have learned helped us realize that we are on the right track towards our long-term goal – being accredited by a body recognized by the US Department of Education.

We greatly appreciate the fact that you are on this path with us because our students, graduates and their extraordinary stories are what makes us work harder!

Conference in numbers:
887 participants
166 workshops, presentations, discussions
244 institutions
15 countries

Source: twitter.com/wascsenior/media and LIGS University