Higher education student and staff mobility projec..
Higher education student and staff mobility project
Start date: Jun 1, 2014,
End date: Sep 30, 2015
PROJECT
FINISHED
During the academic year 2014/15, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria organized and conducted 103 student mobilities between programme countries, 73 traineeships between programme countries and 50 staff mobilities for teaching or Training. While the estimated student mobilities for studies and training (SMS and SMT) have not been fully met, the estimated mobilities for teaching and staff training purposes (STA) have been overachieved. Reasons for the stagnation of student mobilities are the increasing number of overseas, non-Erasmus+, mobilities and paid internships in Austria.
The increase of international student and staff mobilities (inbound and outbound) is an important point in the institution’s internationalization strategy. In order to reach and increase the goals the International Offices regularly analyze and discuss mobility feedback reports. International Evenings/Fairs and specific Information Sessions are organized to encourage students to study or do an internship abroad, also additional language classes are offered to prepare them accordingly. Detailed information on study and internship abroad is published on the webpage and moodle page of International Office. A special brochure has been issued in order to promote teaching and staff training possibilities under the Erasmus+ programme. In addition, the university organizes a Staff Training Week in which also academic and administrative staff of the own university is involved.
The quality of all mobilities has been increased through the facilitation of credit recognition and the use of detailed processes which ensures all involved parties can take care of their responsibilities accordingly. Inter-institutional agreements are analyzed in detail and academic coordinators ensure the quality of the partnership. During the mobility constant contact with the students gives the International Office the opportunity to monitor the quality of the abroad period. Short-term course changes at partner institutions and long learning agreement forms are challenges that still need to be overcome. On the other side, incoming students report that the course catalogue offered by our university is not always in time, up-to-date and complete. As this is the first time we receive negative feedback on this issue, we will analyze and discuss it in detail in order to improve for the future. Due to the recent introduction of Mobility Tool as well as maintenance phases, during which the system was shut down, it was not possible to completely document all mobilities in Mobility Tool.
The institution regularly publishes news articles online or in newsletters in order to inform students, staff and the general public about its internationalization activities. The regular participation in conferences (EAIE, NAFSA, etc.) provides another platform to report about internationalization activities and share experience.
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