Page 27 - The-Academic-value-of-mobility-2018

Appoint teaching staff with specific

responsibility for guidance
The attitudes of lecturers and guidance counsellors to student exchanges may
be of decisive importance when guiding students. Lecturers who provide infor-
mation about exchange opportunities and support for planning them, confirm to
students that the HEI considers internationalisation and mobility to be important
and they can provide academic benefits to the programme.

In Finland, numerous HEIs have an academic adviser to coach and guide students
in their studies and in future career choices. In addition to teaching and research,
these academic advisers are also tasked with providing guidance to students.

Advisory services for students can be organised as a normal part of the teaching
staff’s job description. As a complement to ordinary study guidance and informa-
tion about opportunities for student exchanges, teachers with subject knowledge
on the relevant programme can be used to provide subject-specific guidance to
the students about the aim of the studies, opportunities for student exchanges
and future careers.

Experiences from the pilot projects
The Swedish Defence University’s pilot project worked actively to involve lec-
turers in information and guidance about student exchanges. The pilot project
at Linköping University will, as part of guiding students before, during and after
an exchange, allocate exchange students with a person they are in contact with
during their exchange period.

The University of Skövde developed a special schedule for the role of programme
co-ordinators in the process flow that a student moves through to go on an
exchange. This states what they should do if a student contacts them about a
student exchange.

Improve competence and interest in
internationalisation and exchanges among
all staff

Experience from Finland shows that staff training and continual competence
development is important in maintaining the interest of guidance counsellors
and lecturers for internationalisation and exchanges.

Competence among teaching staff on internationalisation and mobility can be
improved by incorporating elements of internationalisation in the courses on
teaching and learning that the HEI offers its teaching staff.

The Erasmus Impact Study also shows that there is a link between a positive
attitude to international issues (an international mindset) and personal exper-

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