Page 18 - The-Academic-value-of-mobility-2018

In total, these experiences show that clarifying for students when they can go on
an exchange is not adequate; instead, it is necessary to plan programmes so that
other practical barriers are removed and that it is important to adapt the search
for exchange partners according to what fits in with a particular semester.

Identify courses/course packages at each
partner university that the student can study
during an exchange

Ready proposals for course packages that can be studied at partner HEIs makes
it easier for the student. This may be particularly important for students who
feel unsure about the idea of an exchange. Course packages should also facilitate
credit transfers for the exchange period.

However, course packages do not suit all students or all programmes. They can
therefore be offered as an alternative to a model that has more choice for the
student.

Experiences from the pilot projects

Helping students to identify course packages has proven to be particularly impor-
tant in student groups that have had very low mobility. The students in the focus
group that Lund University (LU) met in the first part of the pilot project said that
they preferred solutions where they did not need to spend too much time organis-
ing the exchange. The same conclusion has been drawn by the pre-school teacher
programme at Linköping University (LiU). It is important to clarify the various
options. For the pre-school teacher programme, this also means being able to
offer various opportunities for time abroad during the programme as organised
short exchanges/summer courses and placements.

In their searches for exchange partners, LiU and LU have also had a clear focus
on finding partners who can offer courses that are suitable for a specific mobility
window.

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