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Higher education student and staff mobility project
Start date: Jun 1, 2014, End date: Sep 30, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

1 - Context/Background of the Project Bath Spa University's Vision and Strategy 2015 showed how the university would: expand our educational offering focusing on student experience, building research strength in the key areas of creativity, culture and enterprise; and internationalize the university by introducing a global perspective to the curriculum and opening up more international opportunities for both outgoing and incoming students and staff. The Erasmus + student and staff mobility project has been key to Vision 2015. And as the university goes into the next phase of planning to 2020, the continuation and strengthening of student and staff mobility project becomes increasingly important as it will be a key initiative in the target of 10% of all students taking part in an international activity during their studies. 2 - Objectives The University's strategy focuses on three key areas: Student Experience; Research; and Internationalisation. Bath Spa University (BSU) actively promotes mobility opportunities with the aim of producing employment-ready graduates and motivated staff who are socially engaged citizens and within the context of the Erasmus + project the internationalisation objectives include; our focus includes raising our profile with international networks and forging links with leading Liberal arts institutions; maximising reputational benefits of existing European and International activities; embedding international placements and study abroad opportunities; enhancing training opportunities, student support, information and resources to enable students and staff to meet the challenges of internationalisation; increasing the international student body though targeted marketing activities and the development of TNE provision; aligning our provision to meet the needs of international students and employers; enhancing student support to meet the needs of the evolving student body and ensuring regulatory compliance. 3 - Number and Type/Profile of Participants Target groups for mobility are: all undergraduate students from all subject areas; students who partake in the Global Citizenship Certificate; academic staff; professional services and support staff. For 2014/15 the number of participants: Students 12; Staff (teaching) 5; Staff (training) 10 4 - Descriptions of undertaken activities * Encouraging internationalisation by embedding international placements as a key part of the student experience * Promotional activities to raise awareness of Erasmus+ opportunities to students and staff * Undertaking the activities required to manage and administer the Erasmus+ project, including promotion, partner agreements, selection, course catalogue, general guidance, academic support, mentoring and support, transcripts and reintegration. * Monitoring barriers to low participation in Erasmus placements and formulating initiatives to increase participation * Working with current partners to expand the offering to more than one subject area. * Work has began on establishing new partners that are suitable and attractive for our students, and this focus will continue in the following years. 5 - Results and Impact Attained * Through its strategy BSU has established a strong international agenda and has increased awareness of international opportunities to students and staff. Increased promotional activities have aided participation rates in Erasmus+, and the support of the university-wide will help to further increase participation. * There is strong organisational structure and collaboration between the Schools and Departments (Academic Coordinators, Course and Subject Leaders, Deans) and the International Relations Office (Director, International mobility Officer) to push the Erasmus+ agenda and activities which is shown in the range of activities. By making the International Relations Office the focal point for international opportunities, this has aided increased promotion of international opportunities and increased awareness * There is success in the number of student participants, however further work is needed to increase this number * The results show a strong satisfaction with the administering and management of the Erasmus Charter provisions and general issues in terms of: learning agreement administration; visa assistance; accommodation, mentoring and support. * There is some success in the number and satisfaction of staff teaching participants. * There is strong success in the number and satisfaction of staff training participants. The results show that this has had a positive motivation factor. * Progress has began on implementing strategies to the barriers to participation - for example, mining partnerships where placements can be offered in more than one subject area 6 - Long term benefit The Erasmus+ project is already contributing to the University's strategy of producing employment-ready graduates and motivated staff who are socially engaged citizens.
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