INFRASTRACTURE FOR INTERNATIONALIZATION Dora Longoni, Politecnico di Milano, EAIE Board Member TEMPUS IRIS Workshop, June, 20 th 2013, Al Qasemi College, Israel Project number 530315-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-IL-TEMPUS-JPGR This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Infrastructure for a shared process • Internationalisation as a shared process – Main actors involved: top management, faculties, students, administration – External stakeholders: the local community, companies and institutions, society at large, national government • Human resources infrastructure and IT infrastructure
Human Resources for internationalisation • Analyse internal level of committment on internationalization among faculty – Who is in favour, who is not – Use the first as testimonials, keep them engaged • Possible support role in the process? – Listen to opinions of those not in favour, try to bring them on board • Internationalisation to be successful needs a strong committment by the top management • But a widespread support from the faculty and students
Self auditing • Mapping exercise: which are the administrative offices involved in the internationalisation process? – Where are they located? Who they respond to? – Setting up on new office(s) – Reinforcement of exisiting offices • In the start-up phase -> working groups on macro-processes coordinated by a project manager
Centralised or decentralised internationalisation management • According to the profile, size of the institution – A central internationalisation office – Decentralized internationalisation office • Only for some activities • Coordination structure • Internationalisation can have an impact on administrative offices that are only marginally involved in the process • Mainstreaming of internationalisation
The impact of internationalisation • Internationalisation has a strong impact on administrative services – Strong change in the student services system • Student services have to be accessible by international/exchange students – The change can bring to an improvement that will affect the entire student community • Top management committment in redesigning student services has to be guaranteed in all phases of the project
Faculty and administration in the internationalisation process • Synergy between the two components is very important • A succesful strategy foresees a balanced share of roles and responsibility between – Deans for international affairs/Delegates of the Rector/President and – Professionals from the Internationalisation/Int’l Relations Office
Roles and responsibilities • The division of roles and task should be clearly defined beforehand – Academic staff • in charge of strategy and policy, • scientific and academic responsabilities (recognition of studies) – Administrative staff • in charge of implementing strategic decisions, of daily management of internationalisation activities • Strong coordination of the two components to be guaranteed by the top management
Staff competences and skills • Staff involved in internationalisation should have specific skills and competences: – Language skills – Intercultural competences (or experience abroad) • Competences according to their role in the process: student advisors, project managers, marketing and communication specialists, credential evaluators, international relations managers, etc.
Managerial approaches to internationalisation APPROACH TO I NTERNATI ONALI ZATI ON Ad hoc Systematic Marginal A B I MPORTANCE Central C D Ciro Franco, Area Science Park e Dora Longoni, Politecnico di Milano, Analisi di modelli organizzativi e processi di internazionalizzazione per migliorare la capacità di attrarre studenti e giovani ricercatori stranieri, progettazione di un sistema CRM (Customer Relationship Management) ad uso di atenei italiani, in Il Management nelle Università e negli enti di Ricerca, Marcianum Press, 2009
Group discussion Which is your approach to internationalisation at present? Which organisation would suit your institution: centralised or decentralised? • Thematic groups discussion – Group A, - Teachers’ colleges: Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education, Kaye Academic College of Education – Group B – Social sciences/Humanities: Beit Berl College, The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Sapir College – Group C - Engineering and Design colleges: HIT and Shenkar • 20 minutes discussion • 10 minutes reporting to the whole class
Management of international agreements • Drafting of a standard for framework agreements (MOU) and activity-based specific agreements, (student exchange, staff exchange, double degree, etc.) • Designing the process of approval – Faculty, Boards • Management of the negotiation process – From the first draft to the final version approved by both institution for the final signature
Services for exchange students • Management of exchange student flows: – Outgoing • advising outgoing students on study abroad opportunities • administrative management of all the issues related to the recognition of the study period abroad (involvement of faculty and registrar’s office) – Incoming • accommodation and hospitality services for incoming students • certification of exams taken
Services for international students Degree seeking students need additional services: • Support for visa and residence permit • Tutorship and integration services – Study plan and academic rules – Extracurricula activities • Health care and psychological support • Internships and placement
Services for visiting teaching staff and support for international projects • Accommodation and hospitality services for visiting teaching staff – Centralised or decentralised management? • Support for education and research international projects – Administrative and technical support for taking part to EU projects – Centralised or decentralised management?
IT system • Review of the current IT system in place: – How are international agreements and/or international/exchange students/faculty managed? • Is there a specific application system for exchange/international students? – If no, who will be in charge of its development and maintanance -> in house/outsourcing • 10 minutes table discussion on IT systems in support to internationalisation
IT system/2 • If a new system has to be put in place, the introduction of an Enquiry Management System (EMS) or a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) should be taken into account • Data gathering and data management fundamental for the internationalisation process
Internal communication strategy and structure • Internal communication strategy – to keep faculty, staff and students involved – to communicate results • The internationalisation process is pervasive – all administrative areas will be touched – all faculties, involved at different levels, should be sensitized • Define who will take care of internal communication on internationalisation issues
External Communication strategy and structure • To inform and keep updated external stakholders: – (possible) sponsors – the press – the local community, the Israeli society • External actors can be important supporters for the internationalisation process or dangerous opponents – need to manage the communication flow
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