Axelos launches global Academia initiative to promote the value of best practice in higher education

Axelos is working with higher education institutes (HEIs) and their students from the across the world, providing a platform to discuss how incorporating best practice methodologies into academic syllabi can increase employability and close the skills gap.

“Our aim is to foster a community of interested stakeholders and promote discussion and debate around how best practice is leveraged in academia,” said Philip Hearsum, Axelos ITSM Portfolio Manager. “As owners of the Global Best Practice portfolio, we want to support both HEIs and students on their journey, and make sure graduates enter the job market with up-to-date skills, giving them a real competitive advantage.”

The initiative will also work with enterprises, not-for-profit organizations and public sector institutions to examine the skills required to meet the challenges they face.

Philip added: “By addressing business needs with pragmatic high quality academic research, supported by best practices, academic organizations can form and improve partnerships with the community. In turn, discussions and innovations resulting from this can contribute greatly to the development and enhancement of best practices.”

Axelos has launched a LinkedIn group to collect examples of successful use of best practices in HEIs and exemplars of successful models both for curriculum development and for acquiring research funding.

Dr Stuart Diaz Galup of the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University said: “I welcome the opportunity for university professors and IT professionals to work in a collaborative manner to grow the knowledge base of ITSM. Although the initiative is in its infancy, the results so far are promising. I believe that it will provide great value and I look forward to working with the initiative on research and pedagogical projects.”

Sandra Whittleston is senior lecturer in ITSM at the Northampton Business School within the University of Northampton.

She said: “Existing frameworks and standards such as those found in ITSM and project management are the linchpin of what works in the real world. Therefore we need to get our young people early enough in the learning cycle so that they understand these principles as they start their careers. By teaching them a range of ITSM methodologies through formal education routes, such as those found in university programmes and apprenticeships, we are giving them a fighting chance of acquiring appropriate knowledge and skills.”

For more information about the initiative, visit our Academia page.