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Higher education student and staff mobility project
Start date: Jun 1, 2014, End date: May 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Hogeschool der Kunsten Den Haag (HdK) considers the Erasmus+ mobility programme (earlier the LLP Erasmus) as one of the main channels of fostering internationalisation with the institution. As mentioned in our strategy we use the mobility possibilities provided by Erasmus+ for: develop internationally oriented and intercultural conscious students and teachers; invest in social improvement projects; exchange of knowledge through strategic partnership and the permanent benchmarking of our artistic and pedagogical standards at the national and international level. HdK invests in strategic and sustainable institutional cooperation (EU and non-EU) with the concrete goal of strengthening the overall quality of its education by: improving and development of curriculum and its relevance to the international world of arts; bringing in new insights and perspectives in the teaching, personal development of staff and broadening the horizon of teachers, students and supporting staff. One of the main aims has been to increase the number of student mobility and teacher and staff mobility. Mobility numbers have been increasing at the HdK over the past five years but since 2013 internationalisation is a mainstream strategy theme. However, there is a difference in the number of mobile students and teachers between the two faculties of the HdK – Royal Academy of Art The Hague and the Royal Conservatoire. The number of student mobility from the Royal Academy is higher due to the fact that more students go on a study and internship mobility. Royal Conservatoire does not have any internship mobility. On the other hand, teacher mobility from the Royal Conservatoire is high and Royal Academy is working on this point. Staff mobility takes place mostly from the Royal Academy. This difference can be explained by taking a look at the history of the journey the two faculties made on the path of internationalisation. Royal Academy did not have a policy on teacher and staff mobility until 2013. The major change came in 2014 when an active policy to foster staff and teacher mobility was adapted. This is because of change in management and the realization through the whole school the importance and difference such a mobility can make. As for student mobility Royal Conservatoire is working on a policy to motivate and stimulate more students to go abroad. We have noticed that the number of students going on study mobility from Royal Conservatoire is low. One explanation for this can be that the students are already coming from many different countries to The Hague specifically for a teacher and the programme. (International population: 60%). However, one of the major change being made is that all head of the departments has been asked to actively recruit students for exchange. The profile of students going on exchange – study and internship: for study they are mostly third year students and for internship they are third and fourth year students. HdK has a bachelor system of 4 years. The Royal Academy of Art students go abroad for a semester for study and a minimum of two months to a semester for internship. Internships are undertaken at companies, studios and with famous artists. Royal Conservatoire students usually go for a year study abroad. Profile of teachers: Most of the mobile teachers in 2014-2015 have been Conservatoire teachers from different disciplines. Staff mobility has been undertaken mostly by Royal Academy staff and teachers mainly for job-shadowing and learning other methods and ways of doing things. The impact on both students and teachers and staff has been very big. Students get a very different perspective on how things are done outside the two faculties and they see the positive and strong points of their sending institution. They learn to work and go about in a different culture which is extremely valuable. Teachers and staff also come back very inspired and as the results from the feedback show they all consider the mobility period very usefull and are very satisfied. One of the results of such exchange has led to strategic partnership with a partner where cooperation is now taking place at all levels – curriculum development, workshops, visits of teachers and staff, benchmarking etc. Longer-term benefit: strategic partnerships are evolving between the departments of HdK and other partners. Quality of teaching and service being constantly improved and matched with the international arena.
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