Transcript About Cardiff University

Internationalisation
Sandra Elliott, Director
Rose Matthews, Study Abroad Coordinator
Communications and International
Relations Division
8th February 2010
Internationalisation
International Strategy work at Cardiff
Activities to date
Future challenges
Student Mobility
Student perspective
Questions and Answers/Comments
Internationalisation
Components of an international strategy include;
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Establishing offices abroad
Branch campuses
International student recruitment
Staff recruitment
Teaching collaborations e.g. joint/dual degrees
International research collaboration
Staff and student exchange programmes
Study and work experience abroad
Managing alumni networks
Internationalising the curriculum
Language programmes
Internationalisation at
Cardiff
February 2008 - Draft international strategy
presented and approved by University committee
structure
Key elements:
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Recruitment and retention of high quality students and
staff from range of countries
Producing sought after graduates worldwide
Positive coverage of university activity worldwide
Responding to relevant international opportunities
Developing and sustaining key strategic partnerships
2009 - International activity identified as key strand
in overall university strategy, further work on
embedding in overall activities required
Key achievements to
date:
Recruitment and
retention of high
quality students
and staff from
range of
countries
• Highest number of international
students at Cardiff- 3000. 12th place
in Russell Group. 12% of all students.
• International staff account for 13%
of total staff and 20% of academic
staff
• Ongoing work with HR on support
and induction for international staff
• Database of sponsored students
Key achievements to
date:
Producing sought
after graduates
worldwide
 Exchange programmes in place
with selected US institutions
 First Cardiff students participate
in MOE China Scholarships
programme
 Proposal for tracking destination
data on international students
Expansion of Erasmus scheme to
include work placements
 International work placements
achieved for some home students
through alumni network and other
partnerships
 Support service for international
students through Careers Services
Key achievements to
date:
Positive coverage
of University
activity worldwide
 Close working relationship with
IBW and WAG to assist with
international dissemination of
press stories
 Enhanced relationship with
academics and Schools on PR
activity
 Strategic use of key individuals
to generate positive profile for
University e.g. Sir Martin Evans
 Stronger relationships with British
Embassies, consulates and British
Council offices
 Ongoing work on new
technologies
Key achievements to
date:
Responding to
relevant
international
opportunities
• Collaborative teaching
agreements signed with Oman and
Malaysian institutions
• Split site programmes produce
first students for both UG and PG
programmes – others under
discussion
• Greater understanding of need
for long term partnerships
•Over 600 international students
enrolled on distance learning
programmes
Key achievements to
date:
Developing and
sustaining key
strategic
partnerships
• Joined Santander Group of
universities
• Enhanced relations with key
sponsoring/scholarship bodies
e.g. Fulbright and Marshall
Commissions, Saudi Aramco,
overseas embassies/ministries
• Strategic overview of
research and other key
collaborations (who’s talking to
who already)
Key challenges for
Cardiff:
Recruitment and
retention of high quality
students and staff from
range of countries
• Ongoing work on diversity of
student population, particularly
with external pressures – financial,
PBS etc
• Smarter recruitment of
international students – reducing
need for on territory activity and
better management information
Producing sought after
graduates worldwide
• Ensuring internal structures
flexible to allow student mobility
• Encouraging students to take up
opportunities
• Use international as recruitment
tool for high quality home students
Key challenges for
Cardiff:
Positive coverage of
University activity
worldwide
• Using all media and allowing student
and staff voice to be heard alongside
“corporate” communication
• Developing communication skills
beyond central departments
Responding to
relevant international
opportunities
• Flexibility to meet demands of
international partners in degree
programmes e.g. split site PhDs
• Flexibility on staff contracts to allow
for a period of time overseas
• Ensuring new staff contracts allow for
period of time overseas
Developing and
sustaining key
strategic partnerships
• Identifying key “target” institutions for
partnership
• Embedding best practice across
Schools
Wider institutional issues:
• Alignment with other strategies
• Alignment in terms of priority when lots of
competing pressures for resource
• Greater pressure on “traditional” international
office functions
• Some elements of strategy are resource
intensive and many false starts e.g. twinning
programmes, collaborative provision,
exchanges
• Need to be aware of cultural differences
Student Mobility
Why is it important to the Internationalisation Agenda?
• Institutional Factors
• The individual student
• A student experience – Kate Samways
•The European and UK Mobility agenda
• Student Mobility at Cardiff University
• Challenges
• Increasing International Student Mobility
Student Mobility
Why is it important to the Internationalisation Agenda?
Institutional Factors
• Creating a further multicultural environment
• Enriching the learning experience
• Profile raising
• International postgraduate recruitment
• Home student recruitment
• Graduate Employment
The student experience
• Professional, academic and personal
development
• Employability
• Develops:
 Cultural understanding
 Self confidence
 Maturity
 Academic performance
A Personal Perspective
Kate Samways , School of
European Studies
•Semester 1:
Erasmus Work
Placement in France
•Semester 2:
Erasmus Study
Placement in Italy
The context – Europe and
the UK
• The Leuven Comminuqué
• Target: By 2010, 20% of graduating students in
Europe should have undertaken a period of
study or work abroad
• Realistic?
• UK Government keen to increase international
student mobility BUT …
• Low level of mobility compared to other
European countries
• Lack of engagement in the Bologna Process
• Lack of statistical reporting on outwards mobility
• No UK targets
Student Mobility at Cardiff
University
• ERASMUS
• Well established in University / strong presence
• Steady increase in outgoing students over past three
years:
Academic year
Outgoing students
2007-2008
240
2008-2009
264
2009-2010
274
• Increased number of students on Erasmus work
placements
• Students from Heath campus participating
• Large proportion of students from degree programmes
with compulsory year abroad
• No longer top sending institution in the UK
• Other UK universities increasing accessibility to optional
Erasmus placements
Student Mobility at Cardiff
University
• INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY (non-EU)
• 2009/10 – 12 outgoing international exchange students
• Set to increase slightly during 2010/11
• Our peers (outgoing international exchange students 2008/9):
Leeds University: 283 (225 – optional study abroad)
University of Birmingham: 86
University of Bristol: 56
• New exchange agreements being processed
• New programmes developed:
• EARTH – MESci International
• CARBS – UG Business Management
(International Management)
Challenges
•3 year degree programmes
•Quality Assurance for overseas courses
•University structure and University-wide
agreements
•International activity responsibility within
academic schools
•Resource
•Student perceptions – misinformation
Increasing international
student mobility - some key
factors
•Institutional commitment
•Academic support
•Targets?
•Imagination and Flexibility – course structures
•Optional study abroad
•Maintaining Exchange Agreements
•Active Promotion
Thank you
Any Questions?