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 attention!netra.bhandari@zvw.uni-goettingen.de www.uni-goettingen.de/international_office