Erasmus Policy Statement
Erasmus Policy Statement (EPS) 2007-2013
I a) Strategy, objectives and priorities for HiO’s Erasmus activities.
According to our current EPS, HiO has followed up the Bologna Process with the introduction of Diploma Supplement, 3-year Bachelor and 2-year Master degrees, and ECTS credits. HiO wants to contribute to develop the European Area of Higher Education and follow up the Lisbon Strategy to make Europe the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. HiO is aware that LLP has a direct reference to the Bologna Process and the Lisbon Strategy.
A main goal of HiO’s Action Plan for Internationalisation is to establish joint degrees. All faculties shall consider whether new Bachelor and Master programmes should be developed jointly with international partners. Such cooperation with Erasmus partners will represent a pooling of expertise which will enhance quality.
To promote language diversity, HiO offers semester language courses in DE, FR and ES for outgoing Erasmus students. All students going to LWULT countries are encouraged to participate in EILC. We have included a question concerning EILC participation in the ECTS Student Application Form to raise the students’ awareness of it. Language diversity is also promoted through the Leonardo programme, where HiO has running language course projects since 2003. The target group is staff members with priority to academics planning to teach in a foreign language, either at home or in the context of TS. Our running projects include the following languages: BG, DE, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, PL and PO.
HiO has not achieved the aim of student mobility set out in the current EPS, which, pursuant to the European Council Decisions to establish Socrates I and II, sets the number of Erasmus mobility to 10% of the students. This represents 300 students per year, i.e. four times our present performance. Therefore, increased Erasmus student mobility is a main challenge.
I b) Specific actions to give visibility to Erasmus
HiO will rearrange the presentation of international student exchange on web. Improved visibility of the Erasmus programme will be of main concern.
The financial assets of Erasmus are unparalleled. Students at HiO are complaining in media about their insufficient economy. Erasmus implies additional grant and free study. Therefore, Erasmus mobility is a scheme to improve the students’ economy. This aspect will be emphasised in information meetings, information folders, and articles in the student newspaper.
Pursuant to our present mobility contract and to the LLP General Call for Proposals, HiO undertakes to mention Erasmus in all documentation issued or statement or interview given to the media in connection with our Erasmus activities.
The EPS will get a separate heading at the web site of International Office.
Non-discrimination
HiO has two administrative officers working full-time to meet the needs of physically disabled students. Nearly all the buildings are adjusted to their needs. Outgoing Erasmus students with special needs get an additional grant. HiO has a majority of female students. Most of outgoing students are female.
II Quality of academic mobility activities
The introduction of ECTS was accomplished for all subject areas in 2000, and was evaluated and praised by ECTS counsellors in 2001. Information on all curricula is available in English on web ( http://www.hio.no/content/view/full/4862 ) and in paper version. “Courses taught in English”, including practical information, is a separate publication with international students as target group.
Outgoing students get information on web http://www.hio.no/for_studenter/studier_i_utlandet ) and on information meetings arranged in January/February by International Office (central) and by the faculty (local). They can get counselling at any time from international coordinators on central and Faculty level. Outgoing students do not get their entire grant before they have submitted a report in the IRIS database. These reports are used to improve the quality of information and councelling.
Incoming students will be met at their arrival spot by a “meet & greet” buddy. They will get an information package on “Living in Norway”, and participate in an information day where they meet the International Student Union and The Student Parliament. All incoming students are guaranteed housing. HiO offers a range of social initiatives for incoming students, such as regular cultural excursions, “International Café” every Monday night, cabin trips for skiing, “Norway in a Nutshell” (discounted train tour to Bergen). Please see http://www.hio.no/welcome_to_ouc/international_students/practical_information/calendar . Incoming student must fill in an evaluation form at the end of every semester. This feedback is the basis for the improvement of our services.
HiO offers a one-semester 40-hour Norwegian language course on two levels for incoming students. For outgoing students, HiO offers 40-hour preparatory courses in DE, ES and FR.
Staff mobility is encouraged by additional funding (all costs refunded) and considered as part of developing staff competence and preparation for R&D.
III Quality Student Placement
HiO has used the Leonardo programme for student placement since 2000. Thus, HiO is familiar with programme-based student placement abroad. Our partners are mostly direct receiving organisations, which sign a “Letter of Intent” (LoI) testifying their willingness to receive the student within the framework of the programme concerned.
When we send the LoI for signature, the partner has already been evaluated and found attractive for HiO’s educational purposes. The partner has been contacted and has shown a positive attitude to receive students. The supervisor at the partner organisation is indicated in the LoI. The training content must be arranged with him before departure. This is the responsibility of the study programme concerned, and of the student himself, who must have the requirements in the curriculum fulfilled. Description of the training content is also included in the contract between the student and International Office, as a guarantee for sufficient preparation. This contract has to be signed before the student receives the main part of the grant.
Each outgoing student will have an appointed contact person at the study programme concerned. They will stay in continual contact by e-mail and telephone. The contact person will make a monitoring visit to the receiving organisation during the placement. The local supervisor indicated in the LoI takes the responsibility for the progress of the student as agreed with the contact person. The student himself must also assume responsibility for his own learning.
The student has to write a report after the placement. The report will describe the content, working tasks, training schemes, acquired skills, special experiences etc. In addition, the student must present the outcome of the placement for fellow students and teachers in class at organised evaluation meetings.
The placement is an integrated part in the study programme, and will be mentioned in the final diploma.