MNU student mobility group @ NAFSA

Date:30 May 2016

Time: 14.00 – 17.00

Attendees:

Durham / Emma Pearce / Exchanges and Study Abroad Manager
Otago / Jason Cushen / Deputy Director, International Student Support and Mobility
Queen's / Laura Esford / International Programs Manager
Tübingen / Wolfgang Mekle / Vice-Provost for International Affairs
Tübingen / Nici Sauer / Head, Exchange Programmes
Uppsala / Marilyn Klarin / International Officer
UWA / Tamas Zegrean / Manager, University Partnerships
Secretariat / Anna Debska / Head of Secretariat

Notes

  • MNU strategy. Noted that the MNU Executive Board meeting in February 2016 confirmed members’ commitment to both the research and education strands of the MNU strategy. Specific priorities/targets for education activity include the development of special programmes (in particular, the global citizenship programme and indigenous mobility programme), increased student mobility through bilateral links between members and the streamlining of co-tutelle arrangements, with joint/dual degrees as a longer term target.
  • Key performance indicators for the network. Noted that International Leads are due to agree a set of KPIs in September, with a view to collecting a first round of data this year. Agreed that student mobility could be measured in the first instance with the last three years of figures for bilateral exchanges, including headcount, semester places, and subject area (where possible). In future it would be good to discuss tracking other types of mobility (e.g. summer schools).
  • Discussion on promoting outbound mobility. Issues discussed included how to capture first year students on three-year degrees, how to encourage international students to go on exchange, working to allow study abroad in the final semester, academic resistance in certain subject areas, use of peer advising and social media, curriculum matching, exchange weeks/months on campus, academic standards needed to go on exchange, allocation mechanisms for exchange places.
  • Discussion on involving current students and student societies in orientation/welcome activities for incoming exchange students.
  • Discussion on intercultural learning courses, including pilot course being run by Tübingen this year, and Durham’s participation in the IEREST project.
  • Report on pilot virtual student meet-up between Otago and Queen’s in October 2015. Agreed that colleagues interested in exploring further link-ups should liaise with each other individually and report back next year.
  • Obstacles to mobility between MNU partners. Issues discussed included department-level Erasmus agreements (between European partners), full year courses at Durham, drop in demand for outbound mobility at Otago, large numbers of agreements in a single country (making it difficult to balance numbers with all partners), language barriers, discipline specific restrictions.
  • Future meetings. Agreed that the student mobility group should meet annually at NAFSA, with informal get-togethers at other conferences (EAIE, APAIE) where possible.

Actions

  • Anna to circulate formal request for student exchange data following International Leads meeting
  • Laura to share Queen’s “myth-busters” document
  • Jason to share Otago “boarding pass”
  • Nici to share outline of Tübingen intercultural training course (if English version becomes available)
  • Emma to share paper on outcomes of IEREST project