Duration
September 2020 – August 2023
Opportunities
Technology giants such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook all work with language data and the demand for research skills in language-related domains is constantly growing. University curricula, however, are rarely oriented towards the digital skills needed in research and industry jobs. As a result, students tend to be poorly prepared for research or industry careers.
Workplan
To meet this challenge, we have produced four intellectual outputs:
- A multifaceted needs analysis providing a detailed professional profile description for language data scientists.
- A synthesis of best practices and guidelines for research-based teaching.
- A set of dedicated curricula, which aggregate existing educational resources and new materials.
- A set of educational games, repurposed to fit our curricula contents.
As part of the project, we organised two train-the-trainers events and a summer school that took place in July 2023. Additionally, the delivery of each intellectual output was complemented with a dedicated multiplier event.
Impact
The project resulted in a new profile of graduates in language-related disciplines, which fits well in contemporary professional environments, both in industry and academia. In this regard, its impact goes beyond the members of the UPSKILLS consortium. Our ultimate aim has been to lead to better job prospects for students in language-related disciplines and beyond, a smoother transition to the world of work, and a better work force for industry and research.
