Linnaeus University´s Erasmus Policy Statement

Linnaeus University´s Erasmus Policy Statement

Linnaeus University has been assigned the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education ( EChE ) for the period 2014-2020 by the European Commission. EChE is a prerequisite for higher education institutions to participate in the Erasmus+ program. More information about Erasmus+ and Erasmus programs for education, youth and sport for 2014-2020, are available at utbyten.se and at the European Commission's site for Erasmus+.

Please describe your institution’s international (EU and non-EU) strategy. In your description please explain a) how you choose your partners, b) in which geographical area(s) and c) the most important objectives and target groups of your mobility activities (with regard to staff and students in first, second and third cycles, including study and training, and short cycles.) If applicable, also explain how your institution participates in the development of double/multiple/joint degrees.

Global values, which includes internationalisation, diversity, and sustainable development, is one of four strategy areas at Linnaeus University. The Committee for International Affairs, chaired by the Vice-Rector, has established an Internationalisation Policy, developed under the presumption that the internationalisation of higher education strengthens community by contributing to democracy and diversity. The committee has a budget to carry out the implementation of the policy and to facilitate internationalisation activities at faculty level.

The Internationalisation Policy focuses on five areas:

Teaching

The development of an international mindset among students and staff and to stimulate learning processes that enable students to act in a globalised world is central. An international perspective should be a conspicuous part of the content of all degree programmes and

courses. Therefore, it is also important to work with Internationalisation at Home. The goal is to increase the proportion of teachers with international experience, and that all first- and second-cycle students should be provided with the opportunity to come into contact with international students and to spend part of their study time abroad.

Research and postgraduate research training

Internationally prominent research environments attract eminent researchers and gifted

students and are essential in order to attract external funding. Participation in international,

externally-financed cooperative projects should increase, as well as the number of scholarly

publications in internationally-renowned journals, and the degree of active participation in

international conferences. It is a priority to work systematically and with a long-term

perspective with the internationalisation of postgraduate research training, with regards to

planning, administrative support and financial assistance. Special university funds are offered

to third-cycle students wishing to go abroad for a period of time.

Organisational and administrative support

International expertise of administrative support staff should be utilised; staff training mobility is facilitated with external and university funds. It is recognized to have efficiently- administrated systems to systematically document, evaluate and follow up.

Management

University executives are important role models, but teachers meeting undergraduate students, and researchers supervising PhD students, also have significant roles in the

internationalisation process. The incentive structure should encourage achievements, and the involvement of colleagues and students in the internationalisation process should be

highlighted and rewarded in order for organisational learning opportunities to arise. In order to ensure the highest degree of commitment possible, internationalisation initiatives will be organised in accordance with the proximity principle, which means that responsibility rests at the lowest effective level in the organisation, with top-down administrative support and facilitation.

Knowledge environment

An international knowledge environment is characterized by the integration of international students, teachers and researchers into the organisation. The format for the physical and digital environment is as important as social and intellectual proximity.

When working with international partnerships/agreements, the university works according to an administrative quality system, in order to evaluate new and existing international

partnerships. The Office of External Relations provides the faculties/departments with support and quality assurance documents to be used when evaluating new, and updating existing, agreements. Each faculty/department is responsible for the approval and monitoring of its own agreements. The monitoring is done continuously. When monitoring agreements and international partnerships, the level of activity is crucial, but also reciprocity in activities is an important factor. “Activity” includes both student and staff mobility as well as joint projects.

Linnaeus University offers a wide range of partnerships; there are more than 700 agreements in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. As a result of funding from Linnaeus-Palme, a nationally-funded programme that aims to stimulate cooperation between Swedish

universities and developing countries, a number of partnerships with developing countries have emerged, especially in Africa, Asia, and South America. University-wide investments towards different geographical areas have also been made, in order to establish new

collaborations with these areas. China is one example, and today the university operates an office in Shanghai. Recently a university-wide approach towards India was approved.

Linnaeus University offers a couple of double degree options, in business and engineering.

There is an interest in developing some of these double degree arrangements into joint degree programmes.

Please describe your institution’s strategy for the organisation and implementation of

international (EU and non-EU) cooperation projects in teaching and training in relation

to projects implemented under the Programme.

The university has not had an established strategy for the organisation of international cooperation projects. Cooperation projects have been carried out on the initiatives of individual staff members, with support from the faculty. Having realised the importance of working more systematically with international cooperation projects, on an institutional level, the university administration is now investing in order to build up an expert competence, including budget and finance support to the faculties. This is done in order to become more able to promote project calls internally and to become better able to support any initiative to coordinate and/or join as a partner in a project application. This will also help connect project coordinators within the university, as well as the dissemination of projects internally.

Please explain the expected impact of your participation in the Programme on the modernisation of your institution (for each of the 5 priorities of the Modernisation Agenda) in terms of the policy objectives you intend to achieve.

To increase number of HE graduates

For the university this priority means recruiting a more diverse student body. The

Internationalisation Policy of the university states that all degree programmes should offer a mobility period. With an increased number of graduates and a more diverse student body the university needs to adapt the promotion and support of student mobility in order for it to serve all students. However, not everyone can, or wishes to, study abroad for a full semester.

Therefore, an emphasis on Internationalisation at Home will be crucial, including teaching in the “International Classroom”. Incoming mobility, students and academic staff, participating in regular courses will also be important, and to offer joint intensive programmes, which can facilitate shorter periods abroad together with students from other countries.

To improve the quality and relevance of teaching and researcher training

The university has recognized that internationalisation is crucial in quality assurance. To reach this goal teachers and researchers must establish/join international networks, which include participation in international conferences, as well as an increase in the number of scholarly publications in internationally-renowned journals. Other activities required in order to ensure high quality in teaching and training are to recruit internationally, to encourage teachers/researchers to participate in joint programmes, and to work actively with staff mobility (both incoming and outgoing).

To provide more opportunities for students to gain additional skills through study and training abroad

Participate in and coordinate more joint projects/programmes, as a complement to traditional credit mobility. Offer more students work placement opportunities.

To strengthen the knowledge triangle

As of 2013, the offices of International Relations, Grants and Innovation, and Collaboration

outside the university are gathered into one unit called Office of External Relations. This was

done in order to promote and more effectively strengthen and link the knowledge triangle.

To create effective governance and funding mechanisms

1% of the direct government funding for undergraduate education is earmarked for

internationalisation activities. The Committee for International Affairs allocates the funds by ratios based on mobility, courses offered in English etc., and grants for staff (academic and administrative) mobility outside the participating countries.

All the above are proposed activities that are supported and prioritized in the

Internationalisation Policy of the university, determined by the Rector.