The International Action Plan for the University of Nordland 2012-2016 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambitions of the university The University of Nordland will strive to challenge established truths and make an active contribution to the national and international body of knowledge. The university develops creative, critical, and dynamic talents in people. By creating the scope for learning and critical reflection, the individual is given greater opportunities to participate actively in society and to contribute to value creation and sustainability in society. The University of Nordland is unique in the county of Nordland, and has special responsibility for research and higher education in Nordland in order to ensure a knowledge-based society, to also be reflected in business and trade in the region. It must further build on its clearly-defined academic and subject profiles in the fields of economy, social sciences, and vocational studies aimed at the welfare state professions, aquaculture and biosciences. The university will combine long-term development and academic quality with the ability to change. Societal relevance will also be emphasized. The university s action plan for internationalization of education Internationalization is the exchange of ideas, knowledge, products and services between nations over established country borders, and therefore has the individual country as its standpoint and perspective. In the fields of research and higher education internationalization is the process of integrating an international, intercultural and global dimension into goals, organization and action.
As quoted from The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU). The board of the University of Nordland made the following decision, on 12 th September 2012, as part of its main action plan for the University of Nordland: International cooperation is to be an integral part of academic activity. The University of Nordland is to have a broad international commitment mainly directed at Russia, the Nordic countries, North America and Europe, as well as strategic Asiatic countries. The university is to especially focus on educational and research cooperation in its High North endeavours. Outgoing and incoming student mobility as well as academic and administrative mobility is to be improved. The following aspects are particularly to be focused on: The international commitment is to be more comprehensive and systematic More English language study offers and joint degrees are to be developed. The main focus on Russia and the High North is to be consolidated and further developed. Student mobility, and especially outgoing student mobility is to be increased considerably. Further development of internationalization at University of Nordland The University of Nordland s international action plan is to strengthen and develop quality, attractiveness, reputation, and well-being at the institution, so that recruitment to it becomes more consistent and predictable. University of Nordland s international action plan is to strengthen inner competencies surrounding internationalization and anchor internationalization as a natural part of all its academic subject approaches. The action plan is to indicate a clear direction with a defined objective. It is also to provide the scope for adjustment of objectives within its time framework. The action plan s subordinate goals are to be evaluated on an annual basis. The institution s main objectives for the period stretching to 2016 are as follows: Become allocated with the ECTS-label Obtain EQUIS-accreditation for Bodø Graduate School of Business Increased internationalization within study programmes Membership in international branch organizations such as European University Association and equivalent organizations, in order to visualize and secure access to strategic networks Achieve 10% mobility before 2016 Develop an international recruitment and marketing plan
Outgoing mobility Development of course packages abroad is seen as a central measure with a view to increasing the number of outgoing students. The faculties must focus more strongly on recruitment of students to chosen study programmes. The study programmes are to be evaluated annually in relation to measures for increased mobility. Cooperation with The Career Centre in order to visualize mobility as an important part of career development is to be strengthened. The faculties must take a clear position regarding which courses students can take and where, and then recruit in relation to this in a more focused way. To achieve this, there must be analysis of the institution s partner portfolio, which should be continually evaluated. Agreements should be expanded, and each agreement entered into should outline research, education, and mobility aspects. Increased focus on mobility at bachelor degree level will make it simpler to achieve strategic mobility at master level. Greater focus on practice/internship and placement opportunities in Norway and abroad for all students, not just those on professional study programmes, will make students better prepared for the job market. The faculties should make the necessary arrangements for students to travel on short or long stays during their study programmes.
Objectives: During the autumn of 2012 work is to be carried out to evaluate the partner portfolio. Following this, during the spring of 2013, the objective is for semester packages to be made available at all four faculties on the university s major study programmes. At the end of the action plan period, the university aims to double the percentage of outgoing students compared to today s level. A special action plan to ensure practice mobility is to be completed during 2013. International students at University of Nordland The main action plan focuses geographically on Russia, the Nordic countries, North America, and the rest of Europe, and suggests narrowing down these areas even more. Global and national focus areas, as well as international trends, must be clarified in the international action plan, in addition to the faculties own specific action plans. This means continuing to develop connections to North America and Asiatic countries such as China, Sri Lanka, India and East-Timor, by keeping an institutional focus on competence building directed at developing countries. Language, culture and the economic situation of each individual country will affect global mobility and the flow of students to University of Nordland. Russia has for several years been the central focus area of endeavour in which University of Nordland has made its mark in a very positive manner. Sweden and Denmark are nordic countries in which one can market the university using relatively low resources. Linguistically and culturally it is also easy to look to these countries to recruit students. In a period in which Norway attracts a lot of workers from abroad, especially from Sweden, increased efforts are also relevant with regard to education. Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the rest of Europe all represent large student markets. Norwegian institutions possess the right capabilities to carry out marketing to these countries not least through greater efforts being made to harness the Erasmus programme. Objective: University of Nordland is to recruit more students from its focus areas to the corresponding study programmes whether this comprises briefer study stays or longer studies at bachelor, master and PhD level. Here an action plan is to be developed for recruiting students from partner institutions and full degree students respectively.
English language study provision Relevance and tailoring with regard to study provision are perhaps the most important focus areas in the coming period - with a view to recruiting more international students. The institution already has several English language semester packages and 1-year study offers, as well as complete bachelor and master degree programmes, but the faculties are in this respect unevenly represented. The University of Nordland has succeeded in establishing several joint degrees with foreign institutions. A joint degree represents a future-looking and academically dynamic international endeavour, as well as vitalizing our academic network. Additionally it will be important to internationalize the doctoral degree programmes so that one can more easily recruit international candidates and have an integrated international academic subject profile. The academic staff at the faculties can help build flexible transfer bridges between the bachelor and master degree programmes, whilst at the same time ensuring good inner student recruitment. Objective: Each faculty is to provide at least one English language bachelor and one master programme by the end of the action plan period. The number of 1-year study offers and semester packages is to be increased, and in this way the University is to contribute to more international students from cooperating institutions choosing study stays here. These are to be developed in correspondence with the institution s international action plan and areas of endeavour. The semester packages should be evaluated in relation to whether they are attractive for future international students. The focus on recruiting English language students to all doctoral programmes is to be strengthened. During the action plan period all the faculties should have established at least one joint/double degree. The study quality assurance committee is to ensure that the internationalization aspect is integrated into all studies. International marketing International marketing will be carried out using several different channels. Looking ahead long-term, good measures and actions, and the ability to adapt to the various different geographical markets chosen to work towards, will all be essential for the further work. This means that an action plan must be developed for being present in the global education arena. Consciousness of national and global trends, and cooperation with other national players and businesses will both be important for the University of Nordland.
Objective: The University of Nordland is, during the action plan period, to develop tailor-made tools for marketing (web, film, social media, brochures, presence on strategic study portals etc.), and these should be well adapted to reaching the markets. In order to ensure this, resources must be dedicated to working with stakeholder relationships, the development of English web pages, a marketing and recruitment action plan, increased focus on social media, as well as internal and national recruitment to our English language study offers. Staff mobility University staff represent a decisive key resource in internationalization work. Increased consciousness regarding the opportunities lying in international cooperation will be of great importance, if we are to realize the goals formulated in this action plan. Arranging staff seminars and developing other common arenas for competence building in the field of Internationalization will also therefore be important. Better information about opportunities for brief stays with scholarships at a UiN partner university must be spread through use of the web, brochures and key persons at the faculty. Development, visualization, and better use of the staff s network need to be focused on for the benefit of the university. Increased focus on incoming guest lecturers will ensure the internationalization at home perspective, for the benefit of students at University of Nordland. Objective: The aim is to double the percentage of incoming guest lecturers, by the end of the action plan period - with this increase also applying to outgoing staff, as compared with today s level. Better arrangements are also to be made for exchange stays for technical and administrative staff members.