Methodology and approaches to support employability and organizational learning at University of Siena: the case of the Teaching and Learning Center

Against the backdrop of the European labour market and the idea of mobility of the workforce, universities in European Union are wondering how the higher education system is preparing individuals for working life. This issue is of high relevance globally as well as from a European perspective (EURYDICE, 2014). To deal with this challenge, the University of Siena in Italy created a Teaching and Learning Center, managed by the Department of Education, aimed to foster students’ employability and professional development of faculties. Among the different activities proposed, the Center offers workshops for the development of soft-skills in students to facilitate their professional development. The Center is also committed in activities for the cultivation of faculties’ community of learning. The work describes the development process and the activities of the Teaching and Learning Center at University of Siena, designed to spread collaborative teaching methods, practice-based and learner-centered approach in the academic environment, and to support organizational learning.