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Building a Successful International Relations Office and Committee

Learn how to establish and manage an efficient International Relations Office (IRO) and International Committee at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. Discover the key factors and tasks involved, as well as the history and current initiatives of BOKU's IRO.

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Building a Successful International Relations Office and Committee

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  1. Universität für Bodenkultur WienUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaHow to build a successful International Relations Office (IRO) and International CommitteeDr. Margarita Calderón-Peterwww.boku.ac.at

  2. Why??? – Objective for an IRO • To have international relations officers who play an essential role in promoting, organising and managing international activities within an institution. • Centre for all international activities of the University: - main strategic resource for the Rector - co-ordinating unit for all international programmes - pool of information about all international engagements, relations and activities of the University • Professional staff is required

  3. Determining factors for an efficient IRO • fully-dedicated professional administratives working exclusively for the International Office • with full support of the university management (= rectorate, deans etc) – internationalisation is not the task of one single office that has to convert the whole university, internationalisation has to be lived throughout the whole institution. • work closely together with departmental co-ordinators, student organisationsetc. (they should also get institutional recognition for these services)

  4. Main tasks (= essentials for an IRO) • Develop + disseminate information material for incoming and outgoing mobilities (web-sites, social media, brochures, posters on scholarships, research funding offers, etc.) • Administer programmes for mobility of students and staff (set up standard procedures for application for scholarships, administration of mobilities/ scholarships / reintegration phase and feedback process) • Provide services for visitors and foreign students and staff (visa, accommodation, insurance; welcome days, buddy system; support for handicapped mobile persons; perhaps also language courses….)

  5. Additional tasks (= if resources allow) • advising the university management w/r to international activities and strategy for internationalisation including a feedback cycle • Internationalisation of study and research • Systematic approach for Internationalisation of the whole university • international PR and marketing • Develop a crisis management plan for international exchanges • Fundraising / Attracting the support of regional and local organisations for the university's internationalization programmes and promoting the internationalization of the region • Reaching and securing (financial) sustainability for IRO • Fine-tuning the IRO status within the university administration;

  6. Don‘t panic – this takes time!-> History of BOKU‘s Centre for Int. Rel. 1991 – 1 person; a few individual co-operation contacts 1993: 1 Director + 1 EU program officer + ½ time secretary 20 co-operation contracts, 90 scholarships; language courses 1994: ERASMUS (95 out, 25 In) 1996: 3 additional persons for research project support and continuing education 1997: 1st student intern in the office; 1st Int. Strategy (external peer review every 5 years) 1999: active involvement in networks 2000: first double degree program 2003/04: 1st English Master programs + International Joint Master‘s

  7. BOKU’s co-operation agreements 1991 7 04/01/2020

  8. BOKU’s co-operation agreements 2016 8 04/01/2020

  9. Current tasks of BOKU’s IRO • Know-How-Pool - 1st pointofreferencefor int. aspects • ContributiontoStrategyforInternationalisation(chairof Int. Committee) • ContacttoPartner universitiesandnetworks • Manage BOKU‘sinternational fundsandprojectsofouroffice • Informabout + supportforeducationalandCapacity Building-Funding (ERASMUS+, CEEPUS, H2020 ITNs…) • Expertise in Double andJoint-DegreePrograms • Adviceand Support forOutgoing- andIncomingstudentsand -staff • Language courseco-ordination (14 languages) • Interculturaltrainingforstudents (+ staff) • int. PR (ECTS-Guides, englishflyers... ) • Offertranslationandproof-readingfor English texts • Plan programsfor BOKU delegationsand int. visitors

  10. BOKU‘s International Highlights • 1st Austrian University with an Internationalisation Strategy with focus on Research for Development • the Austrian university with the highest number of Master program‘s taught in English • 1st Austrian University to co-ordinate an ERASMUS MUNDUS Mobility project (3,9 M €) • 1st Austrian University with an „Emergency plan for staff members on business trips abroad“ • 21% international students • 1/3 of our professors = from abroad

  11. But this is not achieved by IRO alone Rectorate Department International Contactpersons Other administrative units Center for Development Research ZIB Regional co-ordinators Students International MSc Program Coordinators Departmental Co-ordinators

  12. BOKU’s Committee for Internationalisation • Rector + VR for Teaching and Continuing Education + VR for Research and Innovation • 6 representatives of the Senate • Dean of Studies • Head of Centre for Development Research • 4 student representatives • Head of the Int. Relations Office (as Chair of the committee) and Deputy Head • PLENUM • + int. Contact persons of the 15 departments • + co-ordinators of the Int. Master Programs

  13. Tasks of the Committee for Int. • Meetings: 4 times per year (twice as Plenum) • Give advice to the university management w/r to internationalisation aspects, particularly BOKU’s Strategy for Internationalisation • Decide on the yearly plan of implementation of BOKU’s strategy for Internationalisation • Prepare “international chapters” of the overall BOKU development plan and performance contract with the ministries • Prepare reviews of the yearly plans and the strategy • Give advice on signing partnership agreements • Exchange information on current international activities

  14. Universität für Bodenkultur Wien THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Dr. Margarita Calderón-Peter Zentrum für Internationale Beziehungen (ZIB) Peter-Jordan-Straße 82a, 1190 Vienna, Austria Tel.: +43 1 47654-32000, Fax: +43 1 47654-32009 international@boku.ac.at, www.boku.ac.at/international

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