The management and transfer of knowledge in dual training in Colombia: the seeds of research as instrument of improvement

Dual training or vocational training emerges in the world as a response to the felt training needs of the productive sector, with Germany's professional training model being the most successful reference. Colombia assumes the challenge for the implementation of this type of training in undergraduate since 2001, in a joint work between the chambers of commerce of different cities and the German government, being a bet to improve the productivity and competitiveness of companies and in this way close the gaps in training between the academy and the company.

The experience gathered during these years presents great challenges regarding the understanding of the factors that have conditioned its implementation, as well as the insertion of this knowledge in the improvement of organizations, generating differential value for those who participate in the process.

This study aims, on the one hand, to analyze the processes of Management and knowledge transfer in Colombian Higher Education Institutions of dual training and, on the other hand, to generate and validate a practical proposal that enhances the relationship between academia and business in applied contexts , based on the development of research seedbeds, allowing the analysis of knowledge management processes in vocational training enhanced by research seedbeds.

The mixed methodology used involves, in the first instance, a qualitative phase based on case studies in the four Higher Education Institutions that provide undergraduate professional training in Colombia. The realization of focus groups with students and businessmen, the analysis of documents of each institution and in-depth interviews with teachers, practice coordinators, businessmen and decision makers in the model, allowed to triangulate the results; also, to identify the elements that characterize and energize the processes of knowledge management and transfer, as well as the barriers, opportunities and facilitators of its implementation in Colombia. Subsequently, and based on the design and validation of a conceptual model of research seedlings based on the development of communities of practice, the variables that most influence the generation and transfer of applied knowledge were analyzed, through the application of a self-managed questionnaire with participants in the research seedbeds and non-participating students. The results show the dynamics of management and knowledge transfer in professional training in Colombia and show a model of applied knowledge management that generates value for the parties involved, in terms of academic knowledge and innovations for the business sector.