Three Bahrain Polytechnic staff are at Otago Polytechnic this week to share their experiences of using the Problem Based Learning (PBL) teaching technique where students learn through the experience of solving an open ended problem in their Mechanical Engineering degree.

“Bahrain Polytechnic is an institution which, like Otago Polytechnic, has embraced an experiential learning philosophy,” says Marc Doesburg, Otago Polytechnic’s Director of Internationalisation.

“This is a great opportunity to share in the Bahrain Polytechnic experience and learn about what has worked well and not so well, and why.”

The visit by Bahrain Polytechnic’s Philippe Pringuet, Ema Janahi and John Donald to the Dunedin campus on Wednesday 3 February and Thursday 4 February follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in December between New Zealand’s largest polytechnic and Bahrain’s first and only polytechnic serving Bahrain and the wider Gulf region.

“Not only is the signing of the MOU a continuation of our internationalization initiatives and an important step in developing the profile of Otago Polytechnic in the Middle East, it also formalizes the relationship between the two polytechnics that dates back to the foundation of the Bahrain Polytechnic. Otago Polytechnic hosted a group of newly appointed managers for six weeks to help them understand what a polytechnic is about and Otago Polytechnic’s Chief executive Phil Ker was a consultant to their curriculum,” says Mr Doesburg.

The MOU will allow for more opportunities for both polytechnics to share programmes, ideas, teaching experiences, reciprocal staff exchange and students to study abroad.

“Bahrain Polytechnic is a young and dynamic institution and is at the forefront of education innovation in the Middle-East. We are looking forward to sharing ideas and educational practice to prepare students in the vocational and technical sector,” says Mr Doesburg.