Management and Challenges of International Mobility:
A perspective from Erasmus-Mundus Action II program at the
University of Goettingen
Herzen State Pedagogical University of RussiaSaint Petersburg, Russia
3rd February 2011
Netra Bhandari
Göttingen InternationalGeorg-August Universität Göttingen (GAUG)
Contents
• University of Goettingen- Introduction
• International Study Programs at GAUG
• Degree Structure in Goettingen
• International Students Overview at GAUG
• Erasmus Mundus Action II Projects at GAUG (Example of EXPERTS Project)
• Services for Students and Goettingen at GAUG (Challenges)
University of Goettingen- A Brief Introduction
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany
Profile
• Priority in research and research-based teaching
• Plurality of disciplines – diversity in range of programmes offered
• One of nine German universities successful in the initiative for excellence
• Rank 1st in Germany, 9th in Europe, 43 in the World THE- ranking
• Operated as a Foundation (Autonomy)
Strategy
• Development of Research Foci
• Alliance with non-University research institutions (ZUK)
• Internationalization
Faculties ( 13, 180 Institutes)
• Agriculture • Biology • Chemistry • Economics and Business Administration • Forestry and Forest Ecology • Geosciences and Geography
• Law• Theology• Mathematics - incl. Informatics• Medicine • Philosophy • Physics • Social Sciences
Basic Data
• 24,000 Students 12 % international (new entrants: 20%)
Top 5 countries: China: 378 / Poland: 183 / Russia: 167/ India: 79 / Ukraine: 75 / Korea: 67
• 2850 PhD-Candidates 26% international
• 13,500 Employees (incl. Medicine)
• 420 Professors (incl. Medicine)
• 250 Guest scientists and professors
Network of Non-University Research Institutions in the Locality
• Academy of Science Göttingen
• MPI for Biophysical Chemistry
• MPI for Experimental Medicine
• MPI for Dynamics and Self-Organisation
• MPI for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
• MPI for Solar System Research
• German Primate Centre, DPZ
• German Aerospace Centre, DLR
• Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen
International Study Programs at GAUG
International Study Programs (Master)
158 Programs (81 Bachelor's / 77 Master‘s) and 23 PhD Programs
English Programs English-German Programs- MSc/PhD Molecular Biology - MA International Economics - MSc/PhD / MD-PhD Neurosciences - MA American Studies- MSc/PhD Molecular Medicine - MSc Information Systems
- MSc International Agribusiness - MSc Mathematics
- MSc Mathematical Finance
- MSc Tropical & International Forestry
- MSc Hydrogeology & Environmental Geosciences
- MSc Sustainable International Agriculture
- MSc Microbiology / Biochemistry
- MSc Developmental, Neural Behavioural Biology
- MA Intercultural Theology- MA Modern Indian Development Studies
Double Degree Programs- MA Euroculture
- MSc International Nature Conservation
- MSc Sustainable Forest & Nature Management
Graduate Schools
• Georg August University School of Science – GAUSS (900, 360 foreign nationals)
• Graduate School of Social Sciences Göttingen - GGG ( 800 ,140 foreign nationals)
• Graduate School of the Humanities Göttingen - GSGG ( 210 ,40 foreign nationals)
• Medical School (345, 50 foreign nationals)
International Doctoral Programs at the Graduate Schools
• Biomolecules: Structures-Function-Dynamics (PhD/Dr)
• Molecular Biology of Development and Interaction between Organisms (PhD/Dr)
• Molecular Biology (PhD)
• Neurosciences (PhD/MD-PhD)
• Molecular Biology of Microbial Animals and Plant Cells (PhD/Dr)
• Molecular Physiology of the Brain (PhD/Dr)
• Systems Neuroscience (PhD/Dr)
• Sensory and Motor Neurosciences (PhD/Dr)
• Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (PhD/ Dr)
• Metal Sites in Biomolecules: Structures, Regulation and Mechanism (PhD)
International Study Programs
• Molecular Medicine (PhD)
• Biological Diversity and Ecology (PhD/Dr. rer. nat.)
• Wood Biology and Technology (PhD)
• Applied Statistics and Empirical Methods (PhD/Dr)
• International Programme for Agricultural Science (PhD)• Catalysis for Sustainable Synthesis – CaSuS (PhD)
• Computer Science (PhD)
• Environmental Informatics - PEI (PhD)
• Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology (PhD)
• School of Mathematical Sciences (PhD/Dr)
• Molecular Sciences and Biotechnology of Crops and Trees (PhD/Dr)
• Physical Processes in the Solar System and Beyond - IMP Research School (PhD)
• Physics of Biological and Complex Systems – IMP Research School (PhD)
Degree Structure in Goettingen
Degree structure in Göttingen
1 2 3 40Year
Entry
(BSc) ExaminationsDoctoral Thesis
Thesis Defense
MSc degreeFirst segment
(90 Credits)
MSc
Thesis
Doctoral Programme (30 Credits)
• Bachelor (3 years), Master (2 years) → Doctorate (3 years)
• MSc/PhD – programme: direct access into PhD after first year of Master
International Students Overview at GAUG (2006-09)
International Students Overview 2006-2010
Germany Göttingen
China China (372/36)
Russland Polen (183/31)
Polen Russland (167/4)
Bulgarien Indien (79/0)
Türkei Ukraine (75/18)
Ukraine Korea (67/9)
Marokko Indonesien (60/4)
International Students Overview 2006-2010
International Students Overview 2006-2010
Example: Distribution of the students from Russia:
Bachelor: 62
Master: 25 – Diplom: 6 – Magister: 25 – Staatsexamen: 6 (including second batch total: 62)
PhD: 33
Non Degree: 4
Erasmus Mundus Action II Projects at GAUG (Example of EXPERTS Project)
Existing Erasmus Mundus Action II projects at Göttingen
• Since 2008 partner in LOT 4 – Russia
Triple i (U of Turku as coordinator)
• Since 2009 partner in:
• LOT 13 India (KTH Stockholm as
coordinator)
• LOT 14 China (U of Ghent as
coordinator)
• LOT17 Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
(USC & U of Porto as coordinators)
• LOT 18 Agentina, Bolivia, Peru (USU
as coordinator)
• Lot 5 (2009) – Russia Triple i (U of
Turku as coordinator)
Existing EMA2 projects at Göttingen
• In 2010
• EXPERTS- Lots 11 Asia Regional (GAUG
as Coordinator)
• Lot 9- Central Asia (Universidad Santiago
de Compostella as coordinator)
• EURASIA II- Lot 12- Asia Regional (U of
Prague as coordinator)
• LOTUS- Lot 12- Asia Regional (U of
Ghent as coordinator)
• JOSYLEEN- Lot 3- Middle East (U of Lund
as coordinator)
• Lot 5 (2010) Triple i - Russia (U of Turku
as Coordinator)
EXPERTS – EMA2 Project in South and South East Asia
1
1
1
1 1 1
1
1
1
1 11
1
1KUTU
NU
IPB Bogor
VSU
DU
PU
LUMS
USTC
UPA
RUB
KhU
1
1
1
11USC
POLITO
MU
UTUU
KLeV UGOE
Contents:
1. General Introduction- EXPERTS
2. Objectives
3. EXPERTS- Workplan
4. Mobility schemes
5. Finances and administrative issues
6. Management
7. Roles
8. Consortium Agreement
9. Quality assurance
10. Application and Selection process
11. Documents
12. Dissemination
EXPERTS- Mobility- Scheme
– How to reach the maximum high quality mobility? What are the flexibility?
–No partner based fixed quota of incoming students, project application is based on “ideal” mobility scheme- quality key criteria• Candidates will be requested to indicate at least 3 host universities (EU HEIs)• Final list by project coordination team
– Important: all student mobilities must start by end of December - 2011 at the latest- whereas staff mobility is flexible within the project time frame
–Target Group 3:• How to reach?• Definition?
Roles
– Information, brochures Web info Handbooks etc.
– Providing academic information – Application and admission (online
application) - screening of own candidates, validation, evaluation and selection
– Pre-arrival– Arrival– Study start– Candidate guidance– Evaluation– Degree awarding
– Meetings (kick-off meeting, evaluation meeting, selection meeting)
– Co-ordination– Economic issues– Feedback and consortium reports
Quality assurance
– Assess the quality in the pre-mobility, intra-mobility and post-mobility periodsQuestionnaires for quality assurance:– The Consortium coordinator will prepare online questionnaires, which must be
filled in and then signed by each scholarship holders, the project's local coordinator, the contact person, the persons responsible for the mobility and returned to the Coordinating Institution for analysis.
– The Coordinator will make available a statistic analysis of the questionnaires received by the scholarship holders on the intranet of the consortium:each partner Institution will be able to access the results of the feedbacks of the scholarship holders (incoming and outgoing)
– Expected outcomes: evaluation on the quality and management of the project.• identification of aspects to be improved by each partner and by the coordination.• recognition of good practices to maintain and further development.
Dissemination
– Mailing Lists/Emailing
– University Website
– Newsletters
– Online portal
– Posters and flyers
– Info-seminars/Education Fairs
– Workshops
Whom to distribute: Universities, (I)NGOs, National Delegations, Embassies, Ministries of Education, Students Association
Services for Students and Academics
Office of Student Affairs – Team International Student Service
Responsibilities: Support for international studentsFormalities (application, enrollment)Support in finding accommodationCounseling on financial supportSupport in dealing with authorities and departments Pick up service by student tutorsWelcome partyExcursionsFoyer International
Welcome Centre Goettingen International - Difficulties
– Many scholars do not speak German → Difficulties in understanding contracts, documents, dealing with authorities etc.
– Decentralized support by the institutes → Unequal quality of support
– Insufficient competence in English language and intercultural communication within certain central units and institutes → misunderstandings, mistakes
– Increasing demand for information, counseling and services → Expert knowledge required
– Focus mainly on academic matters → No social integration
Excellent support → Advantages in competition for the best scholars
Solution
A central unit - the Welcome Centre
–Closing organizational and institutional gaps
–Central contact point for the entire university, with expertise in all related fields:• Service for international scholars and scientist, incl. their families, who are coming to
Göttingen
• Service for the host institutes
• Service for other central units, e.g. personnel department
• Central contact point for external partners, e.g. authorities, insurance companies, landlords
Excellent offers and intensive networking will improve the service.
Target Group
International mobile scholars and scientists (foreign nationals, German returnees from abroad):
–Newly appointed professors, junior research group leaders
–Post docs
–Visiting professors and researchers
–Some PhD-candidates (DAAD scholarship holders, Excellence research groups)
Red Carpet Services
– Giving the university a personal face
– Requirements:
• Empathy, especially cultural empathy
• Reliable first contact point
• Highest service level– Dealing with every non-academic subject
– Individualized counseling and support
– Fast and flexible working style
– Up to date information available
Security in making the right decision to go to Göttingen.
Services I
– Information on the Internet and in printed form (German/English)
– Helpdesk (Mo-Fr 9-12), additional appointments can be arranged at any time
– Support of the scholars, who are in the deciding phase
– Support of the scholars to organize their stay in Göttingen
• Pre Arrival (Visa, finding accommodation etc.)
• During their stay– On arrival (accompanying service to local authorities, opening a bank account, child
support etc.)
– Entire time (insurance, information meetings, excursions etc.)
– At the end (evaluation, checklist, Alumni)
Services II
– Support not only for the scholars and scientists, but for the entire family
– Related fields:
• General information on education in Germany
• Childcare facilities in Göttingen
• Schools in Göttingen
• Dual Career Service
• Social integration
Generally the partner/family is involved in the decision process, their needs
also require consideration.
Dual Career Service
– Support for newly appointed professors (German and international)
• Support of the partner in finding a job in Göttingen
• Childcare and schooling
• Temporary housing
Excellent support → Advantage in competition
Networking
– Within the university (faculties, personnel department, Institute German as a foreign language etc.)
– Local/regional (authorities, non-university, industry, research institutes
– National network of research advisers at the German Mobility Centre/Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
– EURAXESS Network (Researchers in Motion, 35 European countries)
– Südostniedersachsen Network for Dual Career
– National Dual Career Network
– American Dual Career network (Higher Education Dual Career Network- HEDCN)
Networking is a very important factor for successful work.
Challenges
– Housing (especially for families)
– Different needs
– Child care
– Offers in English language
– Credit transfer system (compatibility)
39 Georg-August-Universität Göttingen 04.07.08
Viele Dank
Thanks for your [email protected] www.uni-goettingen.de/international_office