Strategy for Internationalization Department of Nursing in Svendborg, Vejle and Odense, University College Lillebaelt Internationalization with insight and outlook 1. Introduction Internationalization is a strategic focus area in the Nursing Education Programme and is consciously used to brand the education. The international strategy is contributing to further increase focus and strengthen our international profile and define a joint vision and direction for the international work. Students, staff, researchers as well as public and private companies are part of the globalized world and all move towards and collaborate more and more across national borders. This demands that we are able to act on the international scene and understand other cultures. The Nursing Education Programme must contribute to give Danish young people high professional competences, a cultural understanding and a global outlook. The Danish government s objectives for education programmes with a global perspective are: More students are going on exchange stays abroad to gain international insight and a broader cultural understanding, It should be attractive for highly qualified foreign students and lecturers to come to Denmark Educational institutions must continue to further develop attractive professional environments to contribute to attract and retain highly qualified labor and companies in Denmark (Danish government s globalisation strategy "Fremgang, fornyelse og tryghed" (Progress, innovation and safety) 2006) The national curriculum for the Nursing Education Programme says: the purpose of the possibility for international education efforts within nursing education is to teach students to act professionally within the field of nursing in a globalized world. The Nursing Education Programme aims at giving students intercultural and international competences including knowledge of and respect for other cultures as well as the ability to reflect on own cultural values and understand how these influence the practicing of nursing (Ministerial Order on the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programme 2008) The 2020 strategy for University College Lillebaelt (UCL) and the document Vejen mod 2020 ( The road towards 2020 )focuses on internationalization: At least three education programmes cooperate with international partners on joint degree programmes, the Nordic collaboration concerning education is TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 1 af 8
expanded, international study elements/educations are established, 25% of the academic staff have competences to use e.g. English as a teaching language and 20% of the students go on an exchange stay abroad. (Strategy 2020, Vejen mod 2020 University College Lillebaelt) Vision The vision of the Nursing Education Programme at UCL is to be one of Denmark s leading education programmes initiated by internationalization, which plays a prominent role at all levels of the education programme. The graduates from the Nursing Education Programme at UCL are educated to act professionally in a globalized world through internationalization, intercultural understanding and global outlook. The Nursing Education Programme initiates and supports international research and development activities to develop the education programme and the nursing profession. The purpose of the internationalization strategy is to: Define a common vision and direction for our development of and work with internationalization in the Nursing Education Programme Support the existing work with internationalization Initiate new research and development activities to ensure growth and development of the Nursing Education Programme Ensure the quality of internationalization activities Develop and inspire new initiatives within the field of internationalization at the Nursing Education Programme. 2. Objective To inspire nursing students to consider exchange stays and Internationalization at Home (IaH) as a natural part of their education programme and give the students the best possibilities for giving their education an international toning. Moreover, to establish the best framework to realise these objectives. To contribute to acknowledge competences acquired abroad during exchange stays both within the theoretical and the clinical fields. To have focus on and establish a vibrant international study environment to the benefint of own students. To have focus on ensuring an international environment for (our) international students. TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 2 af 8
To ensure optimal conditions and possibilities for students conducting both clinical and theoretical studies abroad. To inspire staff to consider exchange stays and on a long-term basis to take part in international development and research activities. To contribute to enable staff establish and conduct IaH activities. To ensure development of staff competences to conduct international activities. To contribute to enable staff to establish and participate in international collaborations and to be good ambassadors for internationalization both internally in the organization and externally. To create possibilities for developing education programmes to be exported internationally. To work towards UCL being seen as an attractive business partner internationally. To continue to profile the qualities and international profile of the Nursing Education Programme in national and international media; publications and contributions to conferences are prioritised. A prioritisation and strengthening of externally-focused international activities with partner institutions considered relevant for mutual collaboration. Other partnerships are established to assess the possibility for export of education programmes. The Nursing Education Programme at UCL must be an attractive education for international students. 3. Target groups The target group covers both the students at the Nursing Education Programme and (our) international students who will be given the opportunity to make their education more international. In recent years, the student body has become more diverse, the group of younger students has grown but there is also a tendency that relatively older students apply for the Nursing Education Programme. The younger students are more focused and expect a different service than we have experienced previously. A study from 2009 made by an agency in the Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education showed that students experience several important barriers to go on an exchange stay during their education, including private issues (e.g. housing and family obligations) and students experience that it is difficult to organize an exchange stay (studie-og praktikophold i udlandet. Undersøgelser af studerendes udbytte og anbefalinger til en styrket indsats på området Styrelsen og International Uddannelse 2009) (Studies and practice abroad. Surveys on students outcome and recommendations for a strengthening of the area Committee and International Education 2009 )). Generally, the diversity in the student body requires different study conditions. It requires that the educational institution offers different possibilities to acquire international and intercultural competences such as varying length of exchange stays, clinical and theoretical courses and IaH activities. TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 3 af 8
The Nursing Education Programme currently receives a considerable number of international students and this strategy is a way to increase the number of students also coming to Denmark for a prolonged stay. The group of our own students going abroad is relatively large; we wish to maintain and increase this group through this strategy. Considering the growing diversity in the student body, it is a focus area to differentiate our international offers to both international and Danish students. The target group also includes staffs who wish to develop their international competences both in Denmark and abroad. Among the staff it is only a few who have been at a prolonged stay abroad. The Nursing Education Programme wishes to increase this number focusing on both education, counselling, project work and development and research collaboration with partner institutions outside Denmark. 4. Objectives and efforts The objectives must be met considering the efforts described in the plan of action 4.1. A. Increase number of students wishing to go abroad; in 2020, 20% of a class will go on an exchange stay. B. Increase number of foreign students participating in both theoretical and clinical education. The target, among others, is for international students to acquire 30 ECTS points. C. Increase number of students participating in IaH activities such as modules taught in English and webbased education with international lecturers. D. Create learning networks to facilitate dialogue and create the possibility to expand competences among own students and staff and between international students and international staff. E. Contribute to increase staff mobility, both by exchange stays, acting as counselors and lecturers. F. Establish international interdisciplinary courses equivalent to 10 15 ECTS points at UCL (health education programmes) within the next three years. G. Ensure quality in the international offers, including education, administration, information and documentation. H. Develop education programmes for export using e.g. blended learning. I. Establish development and research collaborations with institutions abroad. 4.1 Plan of action Ad A. Exchange stays abroad At study start there will be focus on the possibilities for an exchange stay abroad during the course of the education. The new students will from the first semester be introduced to exchange stays as a part of their education. In connection with student talks the students will be informed continuously of the possibilities for study and clinical placements abroad. TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 4 af 8
Written information with a step-by-step guideline for students must be available to help and inspire the students and give specific reference to further help. All staff will be explicit about the international work as a part of e.g. the lectures, counselling and career sessions, including possibilities for post-graduate and further education and training. There is more focus on alternative possibilities for internationalization e.g. participation in conferences, presentation at conferences, study observations, summer schools, IaH and shorter theoretical and clinical stays abroad. Pre-packed arrangements for students who want to go abroad should be further developed, and differentiation in education/classes in the Nursing Education Programme and internationalization should be integrated. Students who have been abroad previously are used actively in the marketing effort as an inspiration and motivation for potential and already enrolled students. The application procedure should be constantly revised to make it as easy and simple as possible. It will continuously be assessed how to simplify and standardize procedures when relevant. In connection with exchange stay, there will be focus on the nursing professional and cultural outcome, the professional and intercultural perspective. It should be possible to go on exchange stays in both theory and clinical settings equivalent to up to 30 ECTS points. Ad B. Effort for foreign/incoming students The possibilities for offering a full education programme in nursing taught in English must be investigated and described. All relevant material for incoming student and potentially incoming students must be available in English and accessible online, both externally and internally. There must be ongoing quality assurance and visibility of offers to international students in accordance with the joint quality model and accreditation criteria for the field of internationalization. Minimum requirements and guidelines concerning our programmes taught in English and joint degree programmes must be available. Ad C. Efforts concerning IaH Further attention should be paid to alternative possibilities for internationalization such as international conferences in Denmark, summer schools and IaH. TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 5 af 8
Further development and quality assurance of Nursing Europe and a continuous effort to focus on development potentials. It is important that information used to plan new education programmes taught in English contributes to shed light on and ensure quality of our offers to both own and international students. Focus on development of new and alternative IaH offers. Ad D. International learning networks Establishment of room for reflection together with other professions for students returning from a stay abroad. Establishment of a room for reflection, either physical or virtual, for own students returning from a stay abroad. Development and establishment of international learning network for students. Development of existing and new international learning network between staff and international collaborators. Ad E. Efforts concerning staff, including development of international competences English language competences among staff should be strengthened on the basis of planned programmes for competence development, English courses and individual support. There should be incentives for staff and a clear framework for participating in international conferences, research and development activities, intensive programmes etc. The possibilities for mobility must be made visible and the terms must be motivating. Further efforts should be made to include staff in IaH. Staff competences must be optimised to enable them to act as ambassadors for the field of internationalization both nationally and internationally. Planning and completion of seminars for staff on themes such as How do we increase staff mobility and how can the individual member of staff contribute to develop and ensure the quality of the field of internationalization? Development of a competence profile for lecturers and key staff with an international profile. TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 6 af 8
Ad F. Efforts concerning interdisciplinary programmes and the connection between international offers and knowledge sharing An international interdisciplinary education offer should be made to both international and own students. Establishment of an interdisciplinary room for reflection and knowledge-sharing for students returning from a stay abroad. Establishment of mentor collaborations for students across the various education programmes offered at UCL. Ad G. Efforts to ensure the quality of the international work The efforts which are part of the strategy are evaluated systematically. Depending on the type and content of the effort, evaluation is made after 6 to 12 months upon completion. The overall focus of evaluation activities is that the Department of Nursing UCL ensures compliance with the accreditation criteria (in accordance with the current accreditation). The international coordinators are responsible for evaluating the individual efforts. The international coordinators have a joint responsibility for meeting the accreditation criteria. In addition, current and new activities launched in connection with the strategy for the international area must be continuously evaluated for example considering: If the effort has met the defined objective If the effort can be improved and how including subsequent implementation If the effort should continue, be changed or terminated. Ad H. Development of education programmes for export It should be investigated and described if it is possible to establish education programmes as blended learning with relevant collaborators. It should be investigated and described if it is possible to establish education programmes as joint degree programmes. Ad I. Development and research collaboration TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 7 af 8
Potential international collaborators who could enter into development and research projects with staff at the Nursing Education Programme should be identified. As a minimum, a partnership agreement concerning development and research should be established by the end of 2014. A development and research collaboration project (a specific project) is identified involving an international partner in collaboration with the profession. TS-dok.nr. 295487 Side 8 af 8