WPUT'S ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT AND ECHE
Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027 for the West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin (format: pdf, rozmiar: 1,26 MB)
ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT 2021-2027 OF THE WEST POMERANIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SZCZECIN
Please select those activities that your HEI intend to implement during the entire duration of the Programme.
KA1 Learning mobility: mobility of higher education student and staff
KA2 Cooperation among organisations and institutions:
· Partnerships for Cooperation and exchanges of practices
· Partnerships for Excellence – European Universities
· Partnerships for Excellence – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees
· Partnerships for Innovation
What would you like to achieve by participating in the Erasmus Programme? How does your participation in the Erasmus Programme fit into your institutional internationalisation and modernisation strategy?
Please reflect on the objectives of your participation. Please explain how you expect the participation in Erasmus to contribute towards modernising your institution, as well as on the goal of building a European Education Area and explain the policy objectives you intend to pursue.
Original language (and translation into EN, FR or DE if the EPS is not in one of these languages)
The continued participation of the West Pomeranian University of Technology (WPUT) in the Erasmus Programme, Key Actions 1 and 2, will contribute significantly to fulfilling the following objectives of its modernisation and internationalisation strategy:
1) modernising study programmes of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle in the way that equips students and graduates with knowledge, skills and competences enabling them to enhance their employability in the context of the dynamically changing domestic and international labour market, challenges of the modern technological revolution (progressing digitalisation in all spheres), globalisation processes and building threats to economic, social and ecological welfare. The graduates will be expected to function successfully in these conditions and provide adequate solutions to these challenges as active and aware citizens of the domestic and European community; for these reasons every effort will be made to provide students with quality education incorporating every possible opportunity for international mobility for learning purposes including blended mobility, practical experience and inter-disciplinary problem-based approach in their fields as well as development of digital, linguistic, social, civic, entrepreneurship and learning skills;
2) working towards the status of an „inclusive university” providing accessible, flexible and attractive study programmes and individual learning paths, delivered both traditionally and on-line, for candidates of all backgrounds with particular focus on those with fewer opportunities;
3) enhancing the level of cooperation between the university and business/industry by increasing the participation of business/industry representatives in the designing of study programmes and the teaching process itself with special focus on hosting WPUT’s students for practical placements;
4) building teaching and curricula development skills of the academic staff in a systematic way, with special focus on junior staff members, by providing training opportunities including international mobility for teaching and training purposes recognised as an element of an individual professional development plan and a tool of the institutional human resources development strategy as well as incentives for participation in international cooperation projects;
5) building international competences of key staff involved in international mobility support services in a systematic way, with special focus on non-academic staff members, by providing quality training opportunities including international mobility for training recognised as above;
6) Continuing the process of institutional capacity building by participating in multilateral cooperation projects involving foreign partners with special focus on joint programmes with in-built mobility paths and development of digital teaching tools and related competences;
7) enhancing the level of internationalisation at home with focus on providing full study programmes in English, involving visiting teachers into the teaching process as well as using the potential of incoming students and staff to involve the local academic community in integration activities and encourage them to develop the necessary linguistic skills, raise their cultural awareness and benefit from the resulting diversity;
8) strengthening the cooperation with key partner institutions with the view of forming strategic partnerships focused on excellence;
9) increasing WPUT’s participation and its staff’s involvement in European and International Cooperation Projects
10) act as a sustainable and socially-responsible university implementing related good practices in the provided education, conducted research and campus operation as well as empowering its community to act for sustainability, social equality and active citizenship;
11) increasing WPUT’s attractiveness, competitiveness and visibility in Poland and abroad building on the graduates’, their employers’, incoming students and staff and other involved stakeholders’ feedback and satisfaction.
12) Streamlining internal management and administrative processes, including those concerning international mobility activities, by introducing digital tools.
Opportunities provided by Erasmus+ programme so far have proved a powerful tool of supporting the implementation of WPUT’s institutional strategy of internationalisation and development and fulfilling its objectives – especially international mobility of students and staff would have not been possible on this scale without the Programme’s support. Continuing participation in Erasmus+ projects covered by Key Actions 1 and 2 is also recognised vital for WPUT’s strategic targets requiring building international partnerships.
By participating in Erasmus+ activities WPUT commits itself to support building up the European Education Area in the following ways:
· Providing students of all study cycles and from all backgrounds with opportunities of high quality, both study and work-based, mobility experience abroad and promoting them actively recognising the fact that everyone should have access to high-quality education and that learning mobility should become the norm;
· Working towards bringing down barriers to full recognition of results of study periods completed abroad;
· Providing its students community including non-mobile students with opportunities to develop their foreign language skills in formal and non-formal settings and promote multilingualism recognising the fact that being able to communicate in two languages apart from the mother tongue should become the norm;
· Providing all students with opportunities to develop key competences, skills and attitudes such as digital skills, entrepreneurship, media literacy, lifelong learning skills in formal and non-formal settings;
· Promoting active citizenship by encouraging the whole student community to get involved in social projects and events as well as voluntary work;
· Promoting common European values and Europe’s cultural heritage among its whole academic community.
Please reflect on the Erasmus action you would like to take part in and explain how they will be implemented in practice at your institution. Please explain how your institution’s participation in these actions will contribute to achieving the objectives of your institutional strategy.
Considering the objectives of its modernisation and internationalisation strategy WPUT intends to take part in Key Actions 1 and 2 of the Erasmus+ Programme 2021-2027 and implement them in the following ways:
KA1: Mobility of higher education students and staff realised both with programme and partner countries and implemented within the structures and procedures established and elaborated in the former Programme’s phases: International Mobility Office (IMO) under the vice-rector for student affairs will manage mobility projects centrally and coordinate the related activities including promoting Programme’s opportunities with the support of Quality Assurance Department, Office for Support of Disabled Persons and Office for Student Affairs, Career Office and IT and Language Centres among others; the visibility of the Programme activities and their results will be ensured by a website www.erasmusplus.zut.edu.pl, faculty websites and targeted social media profiles among others; selection of participants will be based on criteria accepted centrally by the authorised vice-rector; issues related to developing Learning Agreements and recognition will be performed at the faculty level by deans supported by a team of faculty coordinators and teachers appointed for practical placements responsible also for promoting the programme opportunities among the faculty students and staff, administrative assistance (formalities, accommodation support, visa and insurance support, issues not related to the study programme) will be provided at both central (IMO) and faculty level (dean’s offices, faculty coordinators); student self-government and local Erasmus Student Network will be involved in promotional and integration activities at all levels; the quality of implementation activities and their compliance with ECHE will be regularly monitored both centrally and at the faculty level, including the ECHE self-assessment tool. If necessary, other persons and offices will be involved in the implementation of the Programme’s new principles. WPUT’s participation in KA1 is expected to contribute particularly to the objectives 1)–5), 7), 10)–12) listed above.
KA2: Cooperation among organisations and institutions: implementation of activities under Partnerships for Cooperation and exchange of practices, Partnerships for Innovation and Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees will be based on the WPUT’s former participation experience and carried out within the established structures and procedures; central International Mobility Office will promote the opportunities offered by the cooperation projects, distribute information about calls for proposals and offer necessary administrative support to any persons and units interested in developing a proposal or joining a project as a partner; the proposal supported formally by the dean/ the head of the unit will be checked against the European policy priorities and objectives of the institutional strategy and further consulted and developed with the necessary support of administrative offices including Financial Department, Human Resources Department and Promotion Office among others; in case a proposal is accepted, the implementation of project activities will be carried out according to centrally accepted regulation concerning international cooperation projects, with the appointed project coordinator responsible for managing and coordinating the related activities and International Mobility Office monitoring their eligibility and formal compliance.
WPUT expresses its great interest in participating in Partnerships for Excellence – European Universities. As a starting point for this initiative the review of the existing partnerships will be carried out to identify partner institutions with shared long-term strategy and academic profile allowing for designing student-centered joint programmes and adapting a challenge-based, interdisciplinary approach to critical issues facing Europe in the areas of academic interest of both sides, ready to cooperate with WPUT in the framework of strategic partnerships projects. Since the implementation activities related to a European University initiative concern the long-term institutional strategy at the central level and cut across different organisational divisions at different levels, the promotion of participation opportunities and specific support will be provided by persons / units appointed according to the defined tasks within the scope of competences and responsibilities.
WPUT’s participation in KA2 is expected to contribute particularly to the objectives 1), 6)-9) and 11) listed above.
What is the envisaged impact of your participation in the Erasmus+ Programme on your institution?
Please reflect on targets, as well as qualitative and quantitative indicators in monitoring this impact (such as mobility targets for student/staff mobility, quality of the implementation, support for participants on mobility, increased involvement in cooperation projects (under the KA2 action), sustainability/long-term impact of projects etc.) You are encouraged to offer an indicative timeline for achieving the targets related to the Erasmus+ actions.
Original language (and translation into EN, FR or DE if the EPS is not in one of these languages)
Participation in Erasmus+ Programme 2021-2027 is expected to have the following impact on the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin and implementation of its modernisation and internationalisation strategy:
In the area of student mobility: min. 15% of student population is expected to take part in learning mobility abroad, 50% of which is envisaged to be mobility for practical placements, incoming students are expected to constitute 5-10% of the student population; level of recognition of mobility activities successfully completed abroad is expected to reach 100% (measured regularly with ECHE self-assessment tool); the percentage of participants confirming the increase of key skills and competences including linguistic skills to large or very large extend is expected to reach min. 95% as is the level of their satisfaction (analysis of participant’s reports in MT+), participants’ awareness concerning European matters and common values as well as social issues is also expected to rise significantly above the levels registered in the period 2014-2020;
In the area of staff mobility: min. 15% of academic teacher population is expected to take part in mobility targeted at enhancing teaching skills (either teaching or training activities, focused also on on-line teaching methods and techniques), 40% of which should involve junior staff members, 5% of mobility for teaching purposes is envisaged to be carried out by staff incoming from foreign enterprises, min. 50% of training mobility is expected to be carried out by key staff involved in curricula development and international mobility support services; the level of official recognition of staff mobility for formal professional evaluation is expected to reach 100%, the percentage of participants confirming the increase of key skills and competences and/or transfer of good practices to large or very large extend is expected to reach min. 95% as is the level of their satisfaction (training needs analysis, analysis of participant’s reports in MT+);
In the area of cooperation projects under the KA2 action and international cooperation: the number of projects with WPUT’s participation either as a coordinator or partner is expected to rise by min. 50% compared to the period 2014-2020; participation in the projects is going to be formally recognised in staff professional evaluation; the existing structures and procedures supporting preparation and implementation of the projects will be regularly monitored and their quality improved (feedback provided by interested and involved staff members); each faculty is expected to perform a critical review of existing Erasmus+ partnerships by the end of 2020 and continue to analyse feedback from mobile students and staff regularly to ensure their quality and identify strategic partners with special focus on cooperation projects potential;
In the area of study programme modernisation: each faculty is expected to perform a critical review of existing study programmes in order to make them more flexible and mobility-friendly, include mobility paths if possible and design blended mobility courses; the central Quality Assurance Office, quality assurance commission and quality assurance officers at the faculty levels are going to be involved in the monitoring process; participation in Programme activities is also expected to contribute significantly to increased institutional capacity for implementing full programmes in English as well as designing joint programmes;
In the area of institutional modernisation: the Programme is expected to have a significant impact on building and elaborating structures and implementing/improving procedures ensuring greater inclusiveness of under-represented groups, fuller integration of mobile participants and high quality mobility of students and staff, training key staff in the area of international and intercultural competences; contributing to implementing digitalisation and sustainability culture at all levels;
Quality of implementation: specific tasks will be assigned to persons and units at the central and faculty level according to their competences (vice-rectors, deans, faculty coordinators, relevant central and faculty offices) and the monitoring process performed regularly by an appointed monitoring body;
The envisaged long-term impact of WPUT’s participation in Erasmus+ Programme relates to enhanced employability of its graduates, their acquiring defined key skills and competences, greater accessibility to international mobility for learning purposes also for disadvantaged and under-represented groups, enhanced quality of teaching and research activities, increased awareness of European common values, identity and culture among WPUT’s community, shaping pro-active citizenship attitudes, attracting full-time students and increased vertical mobility numbers with special emphasis on doctoral programmes, strengthening cooperation with key international partners, increased level of institutional internationalisation, capacity for international cooperation projects and improved on-line learning methods and technics, building sustainability culture in teaching, research and campus operation activities, systematic development of human resources, and increased institutional visibility, attractiveness and competitiveness.
ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT 2014-2020 OF THE WEST POMERANIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SZCZECIN
Please describe your institution’s international (EU and non-EU) strategy. In your description please explain
a) how you choose your partners
b) in which geographical areas
c) the most important objectives and target groups of mobility activities (with regard to staff and students in first, second and third cycles, including study and training, and short cycles)
If applicable, also explain how your institution participates in the development of double / multiple / joint degrees.
According to its strategy, the West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin (WPUT) aims to provide up-to-date knowledge and relevant training enabling its graduates to function successfully as competent and ethical professionals in the innovative, modern knowledge-based economy. This objective will be achieved by developing high quality interdisciplinary research, teaching and training focused on complementary approach to issues including engineering, technological, natural and economic aspects. WPUT acknowledges that widely accessible opportunities to gain international learning experience and competences should be build in the educational process, which is the major requisite for its graduates future employability on the dynamic international labour market. In the area of teaching and training the strategy focuses on the following key areas: 1) increasing credit mobility (study and placement periods), 2) increasing incoming credit and degree mobility, 3) continuous enhancing of the quality of academic mobility, 4) increasing access to internationalization at home for non-mobile students, 5) enhancing the participation in international cooperation projects with special emphasis on development of joint study programmes. These objectives apply to partners located both in participating and third countries.
In the view of the above, partner selection is a matter of careful consideration. It is based on compatible academic profiles, common research and teaching areas and interests and study programmes comparable in terms of learning outcomes. Establishing a new partnership with a HEI, its profile and course offer are analysed to ensure full academic recognition and consultations take place at faculty and central levels. Existing agreements are monitored and periodically reviewed to ensure active cooperation and identify areas in which cooperation could be deepened. Selecting partners for placement and training, the profile of the partner is checked beforehand to ensure the compatibility of the effects of the individual training programme with the learning outcomes envisaged for a given study area. In building partnerships, efforts are made to achieve a realistic balance between specific geographical locations, academic interests and financing opportunities.
The choice of geographical areas has been determined by historic and political developments to some extent. Agreements with many partners, especially non-UE (mainly Southern/Eastern Europe and Asia regions), were signed before 1989 and then regularly prolonged. Active cooperation developed before 1989 is the sound basis for present cooperation involving student and staff mobility as well as joint teaching/training and research projects with partner institutions. Due to new cooperation opportunities open after 1998, new partnerships with EU partners have been established and existing cooperation with the former communist and now EU partners (eastern Germany and Central Europe) have been strengthened by signing renewed inter-institutional agreements. Considering the geographic location and environmental /economic /social /historical issues, the cooperation with Germany and Baltic and Scandinavian countries is appreciated.
The most important objectives of WPUT’s mobility activities are increasing the outgoing mobility for study periods and placements, increasing the incoming credit and degree mobility and increasing the number of exchanged teaching and training staff flows, seen as important factors enhancing of the quality of teaching and training. The target groups include student in all cycles with a slight emphasis on the 1st cycle often requiring a specific information and awareness campaign promoting the benefits and results of mobility activities. Staff mobility enhancing teaching skills and international competences is seen as an element of a wider human resources development process. A special emphasis is placed on encouraging young staff members to participate in international teaching flows, seen also as an opportunity to network and develop international cooperation projects. With regard to international training mobility a special target group are administrative staff members involved in providing service to mobile students and staff as well as supporting cooperation projects.
Development of joint programmes with built-in mobility paths is seen as a means of sustainable internationalization process. Currently, WPUT is a partner in two such programmes. European Civil Engineering Management Course (1st cycle) developed by a consortium of 4 HEIs including WPUT is currently implemented at 13 HEIs (12 EU and 1 non-EU). The other programme is MUNDUS European Master in advanced ship design EMSHIP. Drawing on the relevant experience, WPUT intends to enter international partnerships aimed at the development of joint programmes ending, if possible, in double/multiply/joint degrees, which has been formulated as a strategic objective.
If applicable, please describe your institution’s strategy for the organization and implementation of international (EU and non-EU) cooperation projects in teaching and training in relation to projects implemented under the Programme.
Enhancing WPUT’s participation in international cooperation projects in teaching and training is one of the strategic objectives. A special emphasis is placed on developing joint programmes seen as a means of sustainable internationalization and modernization.
The strategy for organization and implementation of international cooperation projects includes establishing a structure supporting development of joint programmes (including complex counseling on accreditation/legal procedures), enhancing the quality of the existing support system for project development at initial stages (pre-application or pre-agreement stage), improving the existing system of financial support for implemented projects, introducing a motivation system for academic staff involved in projects as well as continuing the relevant information and promotion campaign.
With regard to establishing strategic partnerships, WPUT intends to analyse and exploit the opportunities to develop joint projects with the existing partners (both EU and non-EU) in identified priority areas, taking into consideration institutional capacity of all involved parties. Decisions concerning new partners will also be preceded by careful consideration in terms of matching interests and objectives.
At the central level coordination of organization and implementation of international educational projects (EU and non-EU) falls in the scope of responsibilities of the Vice-Rector for Educational Matters. The administrative unit providing relevant service includes quality assurance department and international cooperation department. The latter will coordinate and manage mobility projects, counsel formal aspects of international cooperation projects and initiatives at the initial stages, provide service for outgoing (credit mobility) and incoming students (credit and degree mobility) and staff (teaching and training flows). At the faculty level project organisation is supported by faculty coordinators appointed by the dean.
Please explain the expected impact of your participation in the Programme on the modernization of your institution (for each of 5 priorities of the Modernisation Agenda) in terms of policy objectives you intend to achieve.
WPUT’s participation in the Programme is expected to have an impact on institutional modernization in the following areas referred to in the MA:
• Mobility of students and staff and realising international cooperation projects linked with public result dissemination will provide indicators of the current level of internationalization, inform the public of the benefits of continuing education and academic mobility and contribute to positive perception of higher education as such. The visibility of WPUT will be increased, which may result in attracting more candidates, also from outside EU. This will in turn require modernization of WPUT's infrastructure. Due to its profile, WPUT will provide more highly qualified graduates in the areas seen as priority for social and economic well-being; many of them are expected to undertake jobs in the R&D sector (Priority 1)
• Increasing the number of mobiles student and staff members and providing conditions for internationalization at home is expected to contribute to equipping graduates with skills and competences necessary for the dynamic labour market, which in turn will enhance their employability. Participation of staff members will contribute to overall professional development of human resources. Knowledge and expertise transferred as a result of individual mobility and international cooperation projects will be used while revising curricula to match them better with labour market demands (Priority 2)
• Increasing the student mobility numbers and quality will require constant monitoring of curricula and recognition procedures in order to improve them further and remove any potential obstacles. Flexible curricula, including joint programmes with built-in mobility paths and transparent procedures will increase student mobility numbers, which addresses the EHEA objective of 20% mobile students set by 2020. Visible participation in international cooperation projects is expected to attract non-EU students and academics, which should further enhance the quality of teaching and training (Priority 3)
• Student training mobility stimulating entrepreneurial skills and staff exchange for teaching and training purposes are expected to help build strategic partnerships with business partners; efforts will be made to invite business representatives to propose and evaluate the teaching content and realize teaching flows in the framework of staff mobility. Mobility activities and participation in international cooperation projects will facilitate transfer of knowledge and innovation, which should contribute to brain gain and stimulating the regional economy; the vital issue in the West Pomerania with the current ca. 19% level of unemployment (Priority 4)
• Increased number of international cooperation projects will require monitoring and revising the existing management and funding structures and available human resources in order to ensure effective project realisation and quality results (Priority 5).
Szczecin, 30 April 2013
