Transcript Slide 1

Professor Andy Walker
Vice-Principal, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
Cross-border student mobility
for high quality education
Heriot-Watt University
- a Scottish university with a global reach
Orkney
Campus
Scotland
Scottish Borders
Campus
+ Dubai Campus
Heriot-Watt University’s
four campus
Scottish Borders Campus,
Galashiels
Dubai Campus
1,400 students
Main Edinburgh Campus
1.5km square parkland site
Orkney Campus,
Stromness
The University’s network of
Learning Partners:
62 universities and colleges, in
30 different countries
- 8,000 students
Plus independent learners
6,000 students studying for Heriot-Watt University
degrees in their own countries by distance learning,
using on-line and printed materials
Overall: 14,000 students studying for our degrees offcampus – with partners and independently –
in 166 different countries (as of July 2009)
And: 60,000 pupils studying the Heriot-Watt SCHOLAR
programmes in 400 high schools across Scotland
― SCHOLAR is a set of on-line, interactive, learning materials
developed by the University to support pre-university study
Academic profile
– Schools and Institutes
1. School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
2. School of Mathematical and Computer Science
3. School of the Built Environment
4. School of Life Sciences
5. School of Textiles and Design
6. School of Management and Languages
7. Edinburgh Business School
8. Institute of Petroleum Engineering
Teaching
 Major contribution to the supply of science
and engineering graduates in Scotland:
Heriot-Watt is Scotland’s top producer of graduates in:
Physical Sciences
Mathematics
Engineering & Technology
Built Environment
- 13% of total
 Unique Masters courses, eg:
Actuarial Mathematics
Photonics
Logistics
Retail Excellence (George Davies Centre)
Brewing and Distilling
The University’s new strategy:
“Focus on the Future”
 Place Heriot-Watt University at the forefront of
research and research-led education – in the UK and
internationally
A key aspect of our plans concerns the development of
our international strategy – in particular to grow further
our existing global presence
On-campus students in
Scotland 2008/09
Other
overseas
(16%)
33% of students
on-campus in Scotland
are from outside the UK
Other EU
(17%)
Other UK
(15%)
Scotland
(52%)
TOTAL: 7,200
(2008/09)
The Heriot-Watt University
Dubai Campus
 Established in 2005 at the invitation of the
Dubai government
 Modern campus buildings forming part of
the Dubai International Academic City
development
 Currently ~ 1,400 students and growing
rapidly
 Courses include: Business, Construction
Management, Engineering, IT, Fashion &
Design – both Bachelors & Masters
 Construction of a new campus to start
later this year – to include lecture theatres,
seminar rooms, study spaces, library,
laboratories, offices and residences –
capacity of up to 5,000
Distance and
distributed learning
Built
Environment
(17%)
Management
Education (UG)
(13%)
TOTAL: 14,130 (08/09)
Other, mainly:
Petroleum Engineering
Brewing & Distilling
Engineering
(11%)
MBA Approved Learning Partners
and Independent learning
(60%)
Student Statistics – global (08/09)
22,800 registered students in total, comprising:
 7,300 students on campus in Scotland – 2,400 non-UK
 1,400 students on the Dubai campus
 14,100 on international (transnational) programmes,
- independent learners
- students studying at Approved Learning Partners
Chinese Partners
China University of Petroleum (CUP) Qingdao, Shandong
MSc in Petroleum Engineering
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Course started 2005, run at the Qingdao campus
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Graduates receive a Heriot-Watt University Masters Degree
Students study full time, in English
Many are employees of Chinese oil companies
Chinese Partners
International Education College
Heriot-Watt Management Programme (BA)
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Course started 2007 (“2 + 2” arrangement)
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6 recently progressed to study in Edinburgh
with 26 students studying in Shanghai
Students study full time, in English
Graduates are awarded a Heriot-Watt University Degree
International Strategy
What is the value of international university activity?
The UK body The Council for Industry and Higher Education
published a Report (Nov.2007):
“Global Horizons for UK Universities”
The Report emphasised the importance of developing the international
perspective of higher education to:
students/staff – widening their education & learning about other cultures, by
travelling themselves and by mixing with overseas colleagues;
employers
– who recognise value of overseas experience when recruiting;
the economy – not just from the perspective of education as a business but
also in developing effective international networks.
The following highlights a selection of the Report’s recommendations:
International Strategy
Recommendation - 1
 “Universities should adopt an international mindset to ensure
internationalisation is integral to all their activities”
― needs support of senior managers and governing bodies
― incentives to staff to develop international opportunities
― a responsible international development manager/office
• Heriot-Watt actions:
― key part of University Strategy
― Director of International Development
― academic and administration systems that can handle all students equally,
regardless of their background, or where or how they are studying
International Strategy
Recommendation - 6
 “All institutions should work to break down the barriers to student mobility”
― This refers not just to recruitment of students from overseas but also to
ensuring Scottish and UK students get opportunities to study abroad
• Heriot-Watt actions:
― Extensive student exchange programmes
― biggest barrier for our own students going abroad is language
― Recognition that many overseas student are interested in a western
education without necessarily studying in Scotland
― creation of Dubai Campus
― study opportunities in local universities and colleges (learning partners)
― independent distance learning programmes
International Strategy
Recommendation - 8
 “Strategic partnerships are key to collaborations on teaching, research,
enterprise and community affairs”
― Effective partnerships are needed in all areas; these should extend beyond
teaching and research, to also include enterprise and social development
• Heriot-Watt actions:
― Extensive network of educational partners, being grown further
― Large numbers of research partnerships
― links between individual academics and research groups
― strategic partnerships at the institutional level
― Joint PhD programmes
― Need to recognise new opportunities in the areas of commercialisation of
research, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship
Research
& Knowledge Transfer
 World class research
 A long and successful track record in
knowledge transfer
― established the first, on-campus, research park in Europe, 1971
― now provides over 2,000 graduate jobs in technical companies
Innovative research
Results of 2008 Research Assessment
Top two categories are
4-star - World Leading
3-star - Internationally Excellent
50% of our research was assessed as
in these top categories
87% of our research was rated as of
international quality
International Research
 Over 400 international research collaborations and links
with institutions world wide
For example:
 Science Bridges – USA(Stanford)–Scotland
– Photonics Innovation Collaboration
 Science Bridges UK–China Project
– R&D on 4th Generation Wireless Mobile Communications
International Research
 Science Bridges UK–China Project:
R&D on 4th Generation Wireless Mobile Communications
Major research consortium –
13 Chinese members (7 universities and 6 companies)
29 UK members (10 universities, 18 companies & Mobile VCE)
Project Leader: Prof Wang Cheng-Xiang, Heriot-Watt University
International Strategy
Recommendation - 10
 Institutions should consider how to support widening access in the
international context – i.e. not just recruiting students from richer
backgrounds
― This is an important issue within the UK. We encourage more students from
poorer backgrounds, or from families with no tradition of higher education, to
proceed to university study
― How do we extend this into the international area, so as to encourage
students who might benefit greatly from international experience but who are
more restricted in their ambitions?
• Heriot-Watt actions:
― By offering a wide range of different modes of study we are providing
flexibility for overseas students which should maximise the opportunities
available
Conclusions
 Internationalisation is an increasingly important strategic element for all
universities operating in the 21st Century
 Strong international connections and collaborations benefit not only the
universities and students participating but also the wider community,
including industry and commerce
 Student mobility is a key component of any international strategy – and
we should continue to work to remove barriers that impede such mobility
 A strong international profile is a key priority for Heriot-Watt University
and has become an important element in our core strategy. We
particularly value our growing links with China.