i think co-op is very important, and it needs to be swift and easy for all parties involved. that’s not impossible! we need to look to educational institutions who know how to make things work. i hear that kwantlen is/was pretty good when it comes to that well-oiled co-op education. athabasca university is also a fabulous example of a university that gets things done without lots of red tape.

the other thing, IMO, is that universities tend to be hopelessly tangled up in what is seen as the polar opposites of a broad and deep education and industry relevance. but that’s an illusion – it’s not ivory tower vs. the trenches; education can easily be broad and deep AND relevant.

indeed, the specific problem with co-op education and the big-picture problem with seeing a polarity where there need not be one are BOTH related to the insane focus on ever more bureaucratization. not saying that that’s the only problem but i think it’s a big one (and of course not just in education).

i think we social media types are ideally placed in making a contribution to change here because education, relevance, and being non-bureaucratic comes natural to us.