Description
A comprehensive and multidisciplinary university, West University of Timisoara aims to increase its international cooperation potential in a higher education national/international academic community facing globalization. Being a case study for good practices in the first governmental project dedicated specifically to the internationalization of higher education in Romania, our institution aims to focus its’ efforts for internationalization outside the well-known borders set up by the Erasmus programme and develop its human and knowledge capital through the establishment of new avenues for cooperation. Thus, by organizing and developing the existing mobility flows for students and staff with donor states through the EEA Grants Programme, our institution hopes to accomplish this objective in a manner that is building on the years’ long experience with the Erasmus programme, while going beyond its limits. Based on the existing agreements, the target group consists of students and teaching staff, most specifically students speaking English as a foreign language from the Faculty of Letters, History and Theology, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the Faculty of Political Sciences, Philosophy and Communication Sciences, the Faculty of Music, the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology and the Faculty of Arts and Design.The mobility grants financed through the EEA programme aim to foster stronger academic ties between our institution and higher education institutions from donor countries. Moreover, the increase in student and staff flows could engender the opening up of an avenue for international collaboration in joint research and teaching projects between our institution and institutions from donor states. This will contribute extensively to filling an existing gap in international cooperation between Romania, respectively, West University of Timisoara, on one side, and donor states, on the other side
Summary of project results
The project was needed in order to ensure the development of cooperation avenues with higher education institutions in three donor states, as this matter is included in the objectives of West University of Timisoara's strategy for internationalization. This was meant to become the framework for developing future cooperations. The results will be sustained through similar mobility schemes and institutional funding. The objective of the project was to set up a mobility framework for students and staff at West University of Timisoara and its partner institutions. The objective was reached partially on the fact that the number of outgoing mobilities for studies was doubled compared to last year and no incoming mobility taking place. The impact of the mobilities consisted of an increase in interest and applications for mobilities funded through our EEA Grants scheme at both student and staff levels, as well as development of cooperations between our institution and institutions in donor countries. The outcome of the project consisted of 6 outgoing mobilities for studies, 3 outgoing mobilities for teaching and one outgoing mobility for training. Regard the outputs delivered ther were: presentation of the programme and beneficiaries experiences and aquired expertise, as well as reports.The beneficiaries are involved in assesing the quality and promotion of the programme. This project set up the basis for cooperation with HEI's in donor states.
Summary of bilateral results
The outcome of the mobility project consisted of: six outgoing student mobilities for studies (three mobilities at University Of Agder , respectively three mobilities at Ostfold University College- , three outgoing teaching staff mobilities (Ostfold University College, MF Norwegian School of Theology and University of Agder) and one outgoing administrative staff mobility (Ostfold University College). The main problem in reaching the initial objectives has been concerned to a slight lack of flexibility at the partner institutions in regards to changing the beneficiaries of the mobilities with little time before the actual, previously set up, time of the mobility. The donor partnership has made possible the interaction between Romanian students and staff at West University of Timişoara with students and staff at partner institutions in Norway and it has offered opportunities for educational projects’ development as a consequence of teaching mobilities, as well as, for example, cooperation in the field of services’ provision- West University of Timişoara has applied and received funding, in partnership with other institutions and the University of Agder (Norway) for funding within the EEA Grants scheme with a project focused on mobilities for students with disabilities and the necessary services for ensuring a high quality for these mobilities. Thus, the donor partnership has indeed opened up new avenues for cooperation and collaboration in the development of Romanian institutions in fields or in manners which are less developed in Romania, in our opinion. In regards to West University of Timişoara, the partnership with donor countries’ institutions in order to set up mobilities for students and staff has opened up a new avenue of cooperation with the donor countries and has contributed significantly to a shift in our academic community towards these countries in searches for partners for international educational and research projects. Thus, the partnership has led to a strengthening of bilateral relations between the institutions involved.