CONTACT SEMINAR WITH THE WESTERN BALKANS

December 17, 2015

Vienna

Cooperations with the Western Balkans

TESTIMONIALSUniversity of Graz

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

Background: University of Graz & strategic profile in SEE

Projects – Findings / Challenges / Optimal Conditions

Procedures at Uni Graz

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University of Graz

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International Commitmentof the University of Graz within the European Higher Education Area

Focus South-Eastern EuropeFirst University in the German-speaking area

Geographic Location Graz as bridge to the South-

Eastern European region

Intensive Cooperation long-term experience within

university networks and projects

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Tempus & Erasmus Mundus Projects since 2008

Since 2009 the University of Graz has been coordinating 1 EMECW and 4 Erasmus Mundus Action 2 projects with the Western Balkan region.

Since 2008 the University of Graz has been involved in 11 Tempus IV projects with partners in the Western Balkan region, 4 of them have been coordinated by the University of Graz:

• JoinSEE: Example of Excellence for Joint (Programme) Development in South-Eastern Europe

• PHD in Food Science and Techology & Creating Capacities for PhD Reform at the University of Prishtina (PhD@UP)

• INTERFACE: Developing and setting up measures for initiating, enhancing and sustaining Higher-Education-Society Cooperation

• ConSuS: Connecting Science-Socienty Collaborations for Sustainability Innovations

Currently, the University of Graz puts an emphasis on credit mobility and research cooperation (Centre for South-Eastern European Studies).

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Some findings• Overlapping projects (many projects do not build on

results achieved in previous ones)

• Lack of impact and sustainable results

• Scope of projects (a lot of resources go into administrative or managerial activities)

• Financial/administrative management – little institutionalized procedures

• Involvement of the right people / need for empowerment and use of potential

• Donor dependency

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Ingredients for a successful cooperation:

Partnership Agreements

ContinuousActivities

Monitoring & Staff Training

Financial Management

Structure

Results & Impact

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Optimal conditions:• (Develop) close ties and cooperation on

institutional/faculty level

• Top management level support

• Top down and bottom up by taking into account the University structures!

• Sufficient (human) resources for project management

• Enough/right people involved

• Check previous (siminlar) projects and build on results

• Define clear impact

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities at the University of Graz at the University of Graz

Research projects

Research Management Office(RMO)

Educational projects

Office of International Relations

(IRO)

Unified and integrated administrative and monitoring procedures

Institutional Commitment 1/2Institutional Commitment 1/2

Projects are carried out on behalf of the University of Graz

Rector as legal representative in all international matters, incl. all educational projects in which Uni Graz is coordinator or partner

application documents, partnership agreements, reports are signed by the Rector

in the Rector‘s absence – substitution model within the rectorate

Financial management embedded in the operational procedures of the university

Institutional Commitment 2/2Institutional Commitment 2/2

Application procedure 1/2Application procedure 1/2

Project idea and conceptualization

Individuals/working groups in academic or administrative units

Contact with IRO IRO is contact point for all educational projects, needs to be informed of projects „in the pipeline“

Project reporting Electronic reporting via PDMS (ProjectDataManagementSystem) two weeks before submission at the latest

„Institutional commitment“head of department & head of faculty/unit give their approval

See also handout „Educational projects – application phase: Process mapping“

Application procedure 2/2Application procedure 2/2

Application documents

IRO provides consultation, administrative support, collects relevant signatures (rectorate, bank, …), conducts formal review of application documents; electronic copies of application documents are filed by IRO

Selection results IRO checks back with project leader, project database and lists get updated accordingly

Project implementationProject implementationWho is involved?Who is involved?

FacultiesDepartments

Individuals

Finances & Controlling

Personnel Department

Research Management Office

Office of International

Relations

Central monitoring and controlling Central monitoring and controlling MeasuresMeasures

project-relevant documents are filed centrally at the IRO proxy application contracts reports

project reporting via PDMS – workflow includes responsible superiorspublication of proxy & internal order number in university bulletinintegration into operational procedures of the universitybudget controlling by RMOinternal administrative audits (Internal Audit Department)

Contact

Mag. Ulrike Krawagna

Joint Degree Management & Projects

Büro für Internationale Beziehungen / Office of International RelationsKarl-Franzens-Universität Graz / University of Grazmailing address: Universitätsplatz 3visiting address: Strassoldogasse 108010 Graz / Austria

Tel: +43 (0)316 – 380 – 1217Fax: +43 (0)316 – 380 – 9155

E-Mail: ulrike.krawagna@uni-graz.at

Web: http://international.uni-graz.at http://www.jointdegree.eu/http://www.phdatup.org/http://interface.uni-graz.at