LOGMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

Drazhev, Stephen.

LMISKE - LOGMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY. LogMan, Varna, Bulgaria

LOGMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY Be ready to share and multiply personal knowledge

ABSTRACT The paper describes the general idea and future activities of the LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy (LMISKE). On the base of mutual collaboration LogMan created LMISKE as a future crossroad for advanced educational model for 21 century on the Balkans.

KEYWORDS Knowledge Economy; International and Inter-disciplinary MBA Programs, Full-time and Distance Learning

1.

INTRODUCTION

We describe the Knowledge Economy as the capacity and capability to create and innovate new ideas, thoughts, processes and products, and to translate these into economic value and wealth. The knowledge based economy is investment in knowledge - which involves both the communication and transfer of knowledge through education, and the creation of knowledge through research. The European Union is committed to investing 3% of GDP in research and development and to raising significantly investment in higher education – this is the key to create a thriving knowledge economy.

The LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy (LMISKE)1[1] was established under the patronage of the LogMan International Association for Education & Science and LogMan inter-universities partnerships. The project of establishing the LMISKE 1[1] LMISKE – pronounced [Lomaik] The Europe of Knowledge 2020, ICT/FP6 Conference, Liege, 26-28 April 2004

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is supported by the new ( Armenia , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Ukraine , Taiwan , and Uzbekistan ) and current LogMan Local Chapters ( Australia , Belgium , Bulgaria , Canada , Greece , New Zealand , The Nederland, Portugal , Italy , and USA ).

The sphere of activity as envisaged for The LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy includes: International and inter-disciplinary academic MBA programs on KE; International research and business projects with the focus being given to the Silk Road ‟s states and/or states with so call port-oriented economy.

The mission of the LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy is to become a crossroad of competence and innovations in every Partner‟s Countries university and centers for excellent engaged in the development and implementation of modern study programs; to train specialists and perform strategic research that could make a significant impact on the advance of Partner‟s Countries knowledge economy and information society; as well as promotion of knowledge management as a subject of study and research.

2.

LMISKE‟s VISION

The vision of The LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy is to make a substantial contribution to the development of the Partner‟s Countries system of higher education by creating, sustaining and developing the intellectual potential of the society in order to turn research and knowledge accumulation into the basic factor which would ensure the development of the Partner‟s Countries under the conditions of globalization.

At present The LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy could serve as a model of modern and innovative framework for professional training. The direction towards the international level of study and flexible cooperation, based on successful educational projects, active participation in mobility programs and other projects, is instrumental in enabling the former LogMan Academy, Knowledge Economy Division, to evolve into a virtual organization where the significant factor for success is the communication of ideas and innovations.

2.1. The objectives of the LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy: To train the new generation professionals of knowledge economy; Strategic knowledge and information management,

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Information systems and international communication, capable of integrating not only into the changing economic, business and cultural market of Partnerâ€&#x;s Countries, but likewise into the imminent World labor market; To integrate knowledge management into the training of contemporary specialists of management, information, communication and other areas; To implement the knowledge dimension into the current management practice.

2.2. The competence of the LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy The School covers the following Masterâ€&#x;s degree study programs:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Information Management (full time and distance studies); Management Information Systems (distance studies); International Communication (full time and distance studies).

Information and knowledge management study program (full time and distance studies).

5. Executive Information Systems (tailored programs for CEOs); 6. European Business Management (bi-lingual intensive MBA-program); 7. Asia Business Management (bi-lingual intensive MBA-program).

2.3. Challenges and prospects The science of knowledge management, its studies and practice is an evolving area characterized by continuous change. Its subject area, methodology and status are still far from established or universally adopted. Knowledge management is only just penetrating into the globally acknowledged academic programs and structures. The practical area for the realization of knowledge management is the emerging knowledge economy.

Knowledge management is turning into a strategic discipline which is to a great extent determining the processes of knowledge economy and information society development. It is the area where the previously accumulated academic competence and expertise are able to guarantee the future specialists a strategic position in the academic market of both today and tomorrow.

Knowledge management method is an instrument for evaluating and modeling the likely scenarios for the development of knowledge economy and information society.

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2.4. International projects: A series of summer schools on “Effective Learning Environment”, from 1999 till 2004 was launched; The pilot MBA programs on e-Business, e-Commerce, e-Business Web Developers and eHealth Management, from 1999 till 2003 was launched; 21 May 2002: “Tomorrow Professors” – Dr. Alex Marinov, ALC, Winnipeg , Canada . The Global Competence videoconference series of the LMISKE and the DiMMeDa Ltd.; Participated in Europe of Knowledge Forum ( Liege , Belgium , April 24-28, 2004 ); Regions of Knowledge – 2: European Research and Development Program; preparation of project documents, January-May, 2005

2.5. Strategic partners and sponsors Varna Municipality, The Mayor of Varna, Bulgaria; Varna District Government, Varna Governor; DiMMeDa Ltd, Varna, Bulgaria; Riviera Holidays Club, Varna, Bulgaria; IBM Bulgaria; Cisco Academy Varna, Bulgaria; Microsoft Bulgaria; Bulgarian Telecommunications (BTC), University of Manchester Institute of Science and TechnologyUMIST (Great Britain), University of Paisley (Great Britain); Gettysburg College, USA; The National Center for Academic Transformation, USA; ACM Bulgarian Chapter; ALC, Winnipeg, Canada; LogMan International ; Bulgarian Union of Scientists, Varna, Bulgaria.

The LMISKE cooperates with other institutions of Varna University of Economics as: Faculty of Informatics, Faculty of International Business, and AIESEC Varna, Bulgaria.

2.6. The future prospects of the LogMan International School of Knowledge Economy

The Centre will strive to become an acknowledged leader among academic institutions in the area of international communications, information systems management, knowledge economy, knowledge and information management, intellectual capital and organizational learning, as well as an institution for research and business consultations. The future plans include the establishment of the International Knowledge Economy Educational Foundation – as an independent sponsor organization.

2.7. Partner’s Countries Learning

Priorities of the LMISKE in the area of Partner‟s Countries learning: development and implementation of new Partner‟s Countries learning study programs and projects; integration of full time and Partner‟s Countries learning forms; transformation of current program into Partner‟s Countries learning.

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LogMan Knowledge Network for Lifelong Learning (LMKN3L).

The first Partner‟s Countries learning program in International Business for Master‟s degree studies in Varna, Bulgaria was implemented in 1999 in cooperation with the specialists from the LogMan Academy, Varna University of Economics, ALC, Winnipeg, Canada, WES, Belgium and USA partner‟s institutions on the basis of the full time MBA in International Business.

The purpose of the program: On the basis of the information society technologies and information and knowledge management methods, to train highly qualified international communication professionals who possess the knowledge and skills necessary for work with international partners in public, private and non-governmental organizations. These studies are chosen by people with different experience background. Some of them are urged by the rapidly changing environment to fundamentally update their knowledge. These students of ours work in the representations of international organizations; they head private businesses or provide consultation services. Other students take up international communication as a consecutive sequel of their Bachelor‟s studies. Successful graduates of this program are awarded with a Master‟s degree in information and communication. The e-learning program in international communication has been in existence for two years, and in the spring of 2003, the Master‟s degree diplomas were granted to the graduates for the second successive year.

The Basic Study Subjects: e-business Strategies; Management Information Systems; Knowledge Management; Innovation Management; Organizational Communication; NGO Management; Strategic Partnership; Issues of International Integration and Cooperation; Communication Research Methods; Communication Theory and Practice; Intercultural Communication Theories; Global Communication; Mass Communication Theory; International Public Relations; Communication Skills and Diplomatic Protocol; Diplomatic Journalism; Public Relations; Advertising; Political Communication; Introduction into International Relations; European Integration; National Security Policy; Art of Negotiations, European Economic Integration; International Marketing; Law of Communication; Introduction into International Commercial Law; Electronic Commerce and Protection of Intellectual Property.

All the study subjects are presented in the Internet based environment, which enables students and teachers all over the world to engage into interactive communication by means of virtual discussions, talks and electronic mail.

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Courses in English: Knowledge Management; Information Management; Contemporary Management; e-business Strategies, Public Relations, etc. These courses are willingly selected and successfully studied by students from the partner‟s countries.

Conclusion and Acknowledgment

The LMISKE‟s Partner Countries Network is open for collaboration on institutional and personal level. For more details, please call the author or/and send the e-mail ste@bultima.net . The author cordially thank to Ivan Landuyt, Head, WES, for LogMan institutional support during the last 10 years. Our collaboration with the universities from CIS will be impossible without good will and relationships with the persons like Prof. Dr. Larisa Qorganashvili, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State Univerity, Tbilisi, Georgia; Prof. Dr. Mamira Gafurova, Tashkent State University of Economics, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, etc. I will like to express my deep thanks to Prof. Dr. Ann Fender, Gettysburg College , USA , for the chance to work together during the academic year 2004/2005 and to share our personal experience about new learning technology.

REFERENCES Book A Roadmap for Learning In the 21st Century Knowledge Economy: An Ontario Knowledge Network for Lifelong Learning Office of the Chief Info rmation Officer Community Services, I&IT Cluster, 2000

Paul Davenport, 2001, Universities and the Knowledge Economy, IVEY MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay, 2003, NEW TYPES OF CAREERS IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY, Université du Québec, Canada

Derek Adams et al., 2004, KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY NEXUS: ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN WALES. REPORT OF WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT‟S HIGHER EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TASK AND FINISH GROUP

Toby Linden et al., 2003, Lifelong Learning in the Global Knowledge Economy: Challenges for Developing

Countries

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Pol Antràs et al., 2004, Offshoring in a Knowledge Economy, Harvard University

Carol A. Twigg, 2003, Expanding Access to Learning: The Role of Virtual Universities, Center for Academic Transformation, Troy, NY 12180, USA

Journal Leo van den Berg et al., Helsinki in the knowledge economy, Quarterly 2004, pp.22-26

Michael Peters, National education policy constructions of the „knowledge economy‟: towards a critique, Journal of Educational Enquiry, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2001

Conference paper or contributed volume Abdus Sattar Chaudhry and Susan Ellen Higgins, Perspectives on education for knowledge management, 67th IFLA Council and General Conference, August 16-25, 2001

THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN THE EUROPE OF KNOWLEDGE, Brussels, Friday, 19 December 2003, Directorate C - Science and society, Strategy and policy; administration and finance APPENDIX 1.

LMISKE’s Contact Person/Institution According to the List of Partner’s Countries

EUROPE

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Belgium Prof. Frank Bostyn, Universiteit Antwerpen Management School (UAMS) Prof. Ivan Landuyt, WES International Training and Consultancy, Brugge , Belgium

Bulgaria Prof. Dr. Stephen Drazhev, LogMan Association for Education & Science, Varna , Bulgaria

Greece Prof. Christos Bouras, University Patras and CTI, Patras , Greece Dr. Iliana Arabadjani, British-Hellenic Educational Association, Athens , Greece

Italy Prof. Nicola Guarino, National Research Council, Padova , Italy Prof. Paolo Manzelli, UNIVERSITĂ€ DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE , Florence , Italy

The Nederlands Eelco Kruizinga, CIBIT Consultants, Bilthoven, The Netherlands Els Boshuizen, Open University of the Netherlands , The Netherlands

Portugal Prof. Dr. Joao Orvalho, ESEC, Coimbra , Portugal

Russia The List is currently open for collaboration

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United Kingdom Prof. Dr. Pericles Loucopoules, UMIST, Manchester , UK Dr. Brian Lees, University of Paisley , Paisley , UK ASIA/CIS Armenia Acad. Radik M. Martirosyan, Yerevan State University , Yerevan Armenia Georgia Prof. Dr. Larisa Qorganashvili, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State Univerity, Tbilisi , Georgia Prof. Dr. Levan Kiknadze , Georgia Engineering Academy, Tbilisi , Georgia Kazakhstan Dr. Vassiliy Voinov, The Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics, and Strategic Research (KIMEP), Almaty , Kazakhstan Taiwan Prof. David Jin-Tan Yang, National Kaohsiung Normal University , Taiwan Prof. Gwo-Dong Chen, National Central University , Taiwan Uzbekistan Prof. Dr. Abdunabi Pardaev, Istedod Foundation, Tashkent , Uzbekistan Prof. Dr. Mamira Gafurova, Tashkent State University of Economics, Tashkent , Uzbekistan NORTH AMERICA Canada Prof. Dr. Diane-Gabrielle Tremblay, Université du Québec, Montréal , Canada Dr. Alex Marinov, ALC, Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada

USA Prof. Dr. Ann Fender, Gettysburg College , Gettysburg , Pennsylvania The Europe of Knowledge 2020, ICT/FP6 Conference, Liege, 26-28 April 2004

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Dr. Carol A. Twigg, The National Center for Academic Transformation, Troy , NY 12180 , USA

PACIFIC

Australia Dr John Langdale, Macquarie University , Sydney , New South Wales , Australia

New Zealand Dr David Brooks, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Auckland , NZ Mr. Kolyu Andonov, BlissTechnology, Auckland , New Zealand

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