Strategy
The primary goal is to achieve excellence in teaching and research and at the same time maintain a responsibility towards important aspects of the community like democracy, welfare and ethics. Internationalisation is seen as a measure to achieve this.
As a result, the international aspect is a natural and important part of all activities that take place at HiM. This includes study Programmes, teaching, syllabi, research and projects to mention a few. Work within the field of internationalisation shall be carried out in consistency with HiM's official Strategy Plan and the Action Plan for Internalisation. The Bologna Principles is an integrated part of these strategies, and the Erasmus program continues to be essential for the institution's internationalisation strategy and process.
Key objectives within the field of internationalisation at HiM:
- Offer research-based and internationally oriented education that provides insight and opportunities for students, sustainable development and future-oriented innovation
- Strengthen academic and administrative cooperation with European partner institutions and thus increase the overall quality of education and research at the institution
- To a greater extent facilitate and encourage increased mobility within all academic fields for students and staff (this also refers to blended mobility)
- Improve the current imbalance between numbers of outgoing and incoming exchange students
- Continue to provide updated routines and relevant information and offer personalized assistance to students and staff wishing to partake in mobility activities
- Expand the number of international programs and courses offered in English
- Strengthen and intensify the cooperation between education, research and business
- Raise HiM's international profile through international recruitment and partnerships
- Focus on awareness-raising processes to promote internationalisation at all levels of the institution
- Continue to foster transparent processes, guarantee non-discrimination and promote inclusion for all
- Respect and promote the principles set out in the Bologna Declaration and the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education
Participating in the Erasmus Programme helps facilitate and reinforce these key objectives.
Implementation
Routines from the previous period are in place to regulate the implementation of the Erasmus Programme. This includes information, application and selection procedures of students and staff for mobility periods, as well as processes connected to all other aspects of the mobility (before, during and after). There will be extra focus on the transparency of the processes, non-discrimination and inclusion.
Sustainable and environmentally friendly development is very much part of HiM's strategy and there is ongoing work throughout the institution. Erasmus will naturally be a part of this. Civic engagement and knowledge transfer are seen as key responsibility for HiM as the institution is an important presence in the region. Through continued cooperation between staff, students, civic society, nonprofit- and private organizations, HiM hopes to foster and strengthen engagement.
In regards to the Erasmus student card initiative, a project group will be set down to make sure that the mandatory milestones are implemented well in time of the deadlines.
Partners
HiM strives to establish and reinforce long-term high-quality collaborations with institutions that have compatible or complementary strategies. The selection of partners is based upon the quality of the institution's study programs and research, and whether it holds a prominent position in Europe or internationally within the field in question. High quality and long-term partnerships helps strengthen study Programmes, enhance recruitment of international students and staff and stimulates mobility amongst local students.
New inter-institutional agreements are usually initiated through existing academic links. In these cases, as well as when HiM is approached by new institutions, the potential partner is evaluated at the faculty level. The evaluation is based on the quality and relevance of the institution, as well as a mutual interest between academic staff. All interinstitutional agreements are approved and finalized at the central level.
Focus areas
HiM will continue to cooperate with institutions within and outside of Europe. One of the main goals of mobility activities at HiM is to ensure that there is a relevant and high-quality offer available for outgoing students. As a result, the geographic area for cooperation is subordinated to that of quality. Regardless of this, the Action Plan for Internationalisation states that it is an aim to increase and develop partnerships in Europe. HiM believes this will result in an increased number of outgoing students to European partners, and at the same time stimulate a greater flow of incoming students from the continent. The main reason for this goal is to ensure that the international student populat ion at HiM represents all continents, and in this way contribute to a diverse social- and learning environment.
Target groups
All enrolled students at HiM have the possibility and are recommended to go on an exchange period abroad regardless of the cycle. On the basis that all Erasmus-partnerships are built on principles of reciprocity and equality, HiM strives to facilitate an equal distribution between the number of incoming and outgoing students in accordance with their cycle of studies. Staff exchanges are recommended to improve academic quality, the relevance of the teaching, pedagogical skills and curricula.
Modernisation
Participation in the Eramus Programme will enhance HiM's strategies and goals for internationalisation and modernization through:
- Increasing attainment levels by offering high-quality study Programmes that are attractive for students and at the same time meet the needs of the current and emerging labour markets. Mobility is seen as a key factor in building such an offer. HiM will also continue to make the institution available for a wider range of students.
- Improving the quality and relevance of higher education by using teaching mobility to develop and ensure quality in teaching. Mobility facilitates the exchange of knowledge and pedagogical expertise between partner institutions. This enriches learning experience for our students through a global perspective to the curriculum, which in turn is seen as necessary to succeed in high-skill occupations that increasingly have an international focus.
- Strengthening the quality of mobility and cross-border cooperation by streamlining mobility for incoming and outgoing participants and respecting the use of ECTS and DS in the recognition process.
- Linking higher education, research and business through cooperation that promotes innovation.
European Education Area
Participation in the Erasmus Programme will reinforce the goal of building a European Education Area by many of the same things as mentioned under modernisation:
- Help students attain key competencies for lifelong learning through offering high-quality education and facilitate better use of digital technology for teaching and learning. Teaching mobility facilitates the exchange of knowledge and pedagogical expertise between partner institutions, which can result in flexible, innovative teaching, and learning techniques. Mobility for students will also allow them to learn how to use additional digital tools and acquire transversal skills by choosing specialisations at partner institutions.
- Mobility helps foster common values by equipping students and staff with additional professional, social and intercultural skills. Mobility is also an opportunity to develop language competencies that again can ease cross-border cooperation. Further, by respecting the use of ECTS and DS in the recognition process the institutions help build a common practice that enables students to access education all over Europe.