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Carlo Santoro| [email protected]
Internal and External CommunicationFerrara, 10/06/2014
Focus Group AInternational Communication
Internal and External Communication
Definition of International
communication
How does it develop within
a University
Which are the most common
‘tools’ used
How to improve
communication skills
Internal and External CommunicationDefinition of International communication
COMMUNICATION: The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium
INTERNATIONAL: Existing, occurring, or carried on between nations
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION: the communication practice that occurs across
international borders
Internal and External CommunicationDefinition of International communication
Is it really so simple?
What does “International Communication” really mean
for a University?
This is what it means for UNIFE
Networking Internationalization New informative contents
Promotional material
Local cooperation
Networking: with other national international universities and institutions (ex. Networks, Consortia)
Internal and External CommunicationDefinition of International communication
Internationalization: new research and teaching strategies in order to become more and more
competitive on an international level
New informative contents: not just translating contents in English or other languages but also modifying them according to the needs of the final benificiary
Internal and External CommunicationDefinition of International communication
Promotional material: used to attract mainly new students from all around the world
Internal and External CommunicationDefinition of International communication
… and much much more …
Local cooperation: getting a complete knowledge of all the local ‘aspects’ that could improve positivily an
international activity from a social, cultural or economical point of view (i.e. events, services, labour
market, industry)
Internal and External CommunicationDefinition of International communication
And which is the point of view of the participants? …
Internal and External CommunicationHow does it develop within a University
Normally there are several offices dealing with international activities. Just a few examples:- International mobility office- International research office- Students and Phd careers office- International affairs- Language centre
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Internal and External CommunicationHow does it develop within a University
A well organized university has a department including all this offices in ONE main shared structure, however it’s more likely to see the following situation:
International Mobility
Office
Language Centre International
ResearchOffice
Internal and External CommunicationHow does it develop within a University
Unfortunately working seperately takes to a lack of communication and most of the times it also:
Slows down administrative proceduresIncreases the risk of missing important deadlinesDoesn’t allow staff to be updated and informedGives an idea of bad administration
We all know that things will keep «working», but a stronger cooperation between offices would surely make it easier for all of us… and I’m not only referring to international activities.
Within the university it occurs often to be involved in international activities, for example dealing with International students, paying an invoice of a foreign company, hosting staff from all around the world (i.e. Erasmus STA). What happens most of the times is that this people or activities are redirected to an «international» office.
Internal and External CommunicationHow does it develop within a University
Should it really work in this way? Most of the times it wouldn’t even be necessary to involve other offices if there is a good communication and information strategy.
Probably problems would be easily solved with a really common tool, extremely useful but not always efficiently used:
Internal and External CommunicationHow does it develop within a University
There a no specific studies or analyses on this matter but I’m quite sure that at least a third of the requests forwarded/redirected to any international office could be dealed by other offices.
Universities in the last decade have surely given priority to ICT allowing to any user in any part of the world to have immediate access to information.
Internal and External CommunicationWhich are the most common ‘tools’ used
• Social networks• Internet webpages• Newsletters• Web platforms• Webinars or web conferences
On the other side in order to further internationalize Universities, also cooperation tools have been used as:
Internal and External CommunicationWhich are the most common ‘tools’ used
BILATERALAGREEMENTS
NETWORKS
INTERNATIONAL JOINT PROJECTS
Internal and External CommunicationHow to improve international communication skills
In order to guarantee good international communication skills it’s extremely important to offer:
Constant training (language,
communication, sociological
computer and web-related
courses)
International Mobility
opportunities concerning
seminars or job-shadowing activities
concerning international
activities
Information sharing (meetings for ALL the staff of
the university, refresher courses
on specific european or international
guidelines
Internal and External CommunicationHow to improve international communication skills
In order to guarantee good international communication skills it’s extremely important to offer:
Cooperation with local, national
and international institutions
Exchange of know-how and best practice in
order to improve problem solving
skills
Courses on project writing
and fund raising
An idea could be to organize, in cooperation with a group of international Universities, a series of Staff training weeks.
www.unife.it/mobilita-internazionale/studiare-a-ferrara/international-staff-training-week-iii-edition
