Newsletter 1

Autumn 2015 In this issue newsletter 1. The Utrecht Network’s newest member – the University of València UtrechtNetwork 2. Utrecht Network staff training since 1987 event 3. Utrecht Network goes to Rio 4. Summer school in Antwerp 5. ERASMUS+ projects 6. Research Funding Support 7. News in brief The Utrecht Network welcomes the Welcome University of València This has been an extremely dynamic year for the Utrecht Network! The Utrecht Network is delighted to welcome the University Our annual meeting saw the of València as its newest member. introduction of a new item on The membership proposal was confirmed by a unanimous vote at the 2015 AGM. the programme for new faces in The University of València is the Network’s second Spanish member and is a modern which the work of the Steering University devoted to a wide range of teaching disciplines, cutting-edge research Committee and Task Forces were and culture. Internationalisation is a major focus of the University. presented in an informative and The University of València was founded over five centuries ago. Amongst its fields lighthearted way. of studies the University offers, spread out over its three campuses, experimental sciences, engineering, health sciences, humanities as well as social, education Themed “no sex – no future”, and legal sciences. With more than 48,000 students, nearly 5,000 teaching and participants at the AGM got to administrative staff, 18 Faculties and 92 Departments, the University of València know the principles and basic aims to train competent professionals as well as fostering outstanding research at phrases of the Estonian language. international level. One of the most outstanding features about the University of València’s Plans for new areas of cooperation internationalisation strategy is its role within mobility actions. The existing with REARI-RJ – a network of consolidated partnerships in South and North America, China and Europe together universities in the Brazilian State with the recent expansion to the Asian countries, ensure a dynamic flow of both of Rio de Janeiro – are in the students and staff. pipeline The institutional representative from the Universitat de València on the Utrecht Network will be the Head of the International Office, Carlos Pomer Monferrer A new customer-friendly website – ‘we are glad to be part of such an international and active network, as the has been launched and last but internationalisation actions carried out at the University of València fit with the not least the Utrecht Network has a Network's profile. We are really looking forward to starting our active collaboration.’ new Spanish member: Benvinguda The Network looks forward to working with Carlos and his colleagues in a long and Valencia! successful cooperation Sabine Pendl President, Utrecht Network University of València newsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletter

Utrecht Network Staff Training event 'Facilitating Researcher Mobility in the Utrecht Network: Quality Services and a Welcoming Culture' May 2015, Tartu Ülikool, Tartu, Estonia.

This May the Task Force on Researcher Mobility organised a training event for Utrecht Network members in conjunction with the AGM in Tartu. The aim of the training event was to share best practices on support services for researcher mobility. The Task Force was joined by members from Tartu Ülikool in organising the event, and what good care they took of us! Many thanks for all their work. Two dozen professionals from within the Utrecht Network came together to discuss researcher mobility issues, exchange ideas and network for 2.5 days. We were warmly greeted in It was great to share Tartu by Martin Hallik, Vice Rector ideas, learn more for Academic Affairs and got a taste of historical peculiarities in Tartu about some good Ülikool’s main building’s student examples and get lock-up, which was used to detain useful tips on how students who had offended public to develop support morality and code of student conduct. services at our home Apparently it had been a bit of an institutions. honour to be detained there. We didn’t have that honour but did enjoy a nice walk around town followed by a Tartu Staff Training great dinner with all our new friends. This set the tone for the whole event important when attracting top talent. from the feedback we got, the – full of interesting things and good The participating institutions differed participants felt they got what they care from our friends in Tartu. somewhat in the level or organisation came for, ‘exchange with colleagues The training itself started with a few of their support services but the from other countries, talks about best speeches and introductions to the main topics remain the same to all – practise, inspiration and motivation topic. With a good start, the two how to attract the best minds to our for new projects and changes at home workshops on ‘must have’ services institution and keep them happy, to university’. We were happy to hear that and ‘success stories’, were full of help reach our institution’s goals. We ‘from the registration to getting back lively discussion and exchange of finished the event with a refreshing home it was a great experience, the ideas. It was great to share ideas, boat ride on the river, Emajõgi, joined best staff training [they had] been on’. learn more about some good by some international staff from Tartu Many thanks, we all had a great time examples and get useful tips on how Ülikool. too! to develop support services at our It was an intense but fruitful couple home institutions. The day flew by of days. We wanted to give people and even at dinner everyone was food for thought and enough practical eager to continue the discussions tips and time to talk and network so while enjoying the catering and that they could have something to entertainment. Again our local take back home with them. Judging organisers presented us with a wonderful meal and venue in the heart of the city. The following day we shared the outcome of both workshops. We also discussed expectation management For a participant’s view, read more here and intercultural matters, both being http://ddcwelcome.de/tu-dresden-welcome-center-on-a-training-in-tartu/ newsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletter

Utrecht Network goes Rio For many years the Utrecht Network has been trying to establish a cooperation with a Latin-American consortium. At the 2014 EAIE Conference in Prague meetings with representatives of a Chilean and a Brazilian network took place. Sabine Pendl, Svend Poller and colleagues from the REARI-RJ Network

The Brazilian network was REARI Through individual talks both in REARI-RJ: Higher Education – RJ, a non-profit association Rio, then alongside the FAUBAI Institutions that brings together managers, conference in Cuiabá and directors or those responsible especially during the bi-monthly Colégio Pedro II for international affairs of meeting of the institutions in Centro Federal de Educação Technológica HEIs in the State of Rio de Rio, it became obvious that there Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Janeiro. This Brazilian group is potential on both sides for Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro of 11 HE institutions invited formalizing further cooperation. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de the Utrecht Network President Janiero The Brazilian colleagues to use the opportunity of the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense expressed their interest in FAUBAI (Brazilian association Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro exchanging students and of International Education) Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste participating in staff trainings conference to discuss possible Universidade Federal Fluminenese and summer schools. After ways of cooperation. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Sabine Pendl and Svend Poller Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro presented the Utrecht Network Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de and options for collaboration, Janeiro the Cariocas also officially declared their interest in negotiating a partnership agreement. The Utrecht Network could use this opportunity in bringing its overseas partner networks together and re/ defining its policy towards its non-European counterparts. newsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletter

Summer School ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ in Antwerp From 5–11 July 2015 the last edition of a three-pronged summer school cycle was held at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. The summer school series asked how the ideals of the French Revolution ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’, which are amongst the founding ideas of modern Europe, inspire politics, law and everyday life in Europe today. Students evaluated the school as a great experience: What really added to this summer school, was the diversity among nationalities that were represented. This made the group discussions and social activities really “interesting. The summer school was eye- opening; I’m glad that it offered the course” to people studying for varied degrees; this allowed for shared and differing perspectives “which assisted in the learning process.

It was an amazing experience which gave us the opportunity to discuss” and evaluate a broad range of pressing issues and get an “overview of different disciplines. Each edition of the summer school feel fraternity towards, and what the cycle, addressed one of these values implications (social, political, legal) of It was a great week with an amazing in depth. The first summer school, held this emotional attachment of a certain group which really made me in Motovun, Croatia in 2013, asked community are. In doing so, docents change some of my point of ”views. how the notion of liberty had evolved also actively engaged with the growing in the last two centuries and how it attention for the issue of socio-economic “I really enjoyed the summer school influenced everyday practice of European inequality and asked how to address and learned here more than citizens and politicians today. The 2014 these inequalities, thus also linking this expected, not only on an academic” summer school, held in Utrecht, sought edition back to the previous editions and level, but also on a human and to unpack the notion of equality and ensuring substantive consistency. personal level. All lectures and “teachers were very nice and had its contemporary political and social Through interactive teaching methods great presentations. meaning. And this year’s summer (theatre workshops, group works, school sought for an interdisciplinary community visits, experience-based and understanding of how the notion of I gained experience and different problem-oriented learning), a group of perspective thanks to diversity of fraternity plays out in modern Europe. 37 international students from Utrecht topics and people.” I am grateful The notion of fraternity has had several Network and other European universities and hopefully it wasn’t my last time meanings over the past two centuries, but also from South Africa, South Korea, “in Antwerp. ranging from an expression of feelings USA and 9 docents explored together how of community to a justification for and if the concept of fraternity can be nationalism of various kinds. This used as way to restore faith in democratic summer school sought to answer from politics based on commonalities between ” different disciplinary perspectives what group. we understand as fraternity, whom we newsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletter

The Utrecht Network participates in ERASMUS+ projects

For the first time the Utrecht Network has been involved in collaborative EU funded projects not only as an associate but also as a full partner, covering important roles in the development of projects’ activities. Within the call for proposals ERASMUS+ 2015, the Network was invited to be a partner in four projects covering all the three Key Activities of the Programme (KA1 Learning Mobility of Individuals – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees; KA2 Cooperation for Innovation and good Practices – Strategic Partnerships and Capacity Building; KA3 Support to Policy Reforms – Forward Looking Cooperation Projects).

Out of the four projects, three have been selected for funding by the European Commission and will start their activities in Autumn 2015. The Steering Committee is excited about this new adventure and wishes the best of luck to the Network members who will directly contribute to the projects.

Description of the projects 2. KA2: Capacity Building: IMPALA: 3. KA3: Forward Looking Cooperation Internationalisation and Modernisation Projects: CALOHEE: Measuring and 1. KA1: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Programme for Academics Leaders Comparing Achievements of Learning Degree: ASC: Advanced Spectroscopy in Administrators Outcomes in Higher Education In Europe Chemistry. • The objective of the project is to • The objective of the project is • The European Master in Advanced support the internationalisation to develop the infrastructure for Spectroscopy in Chemistry was process of the less advantaged setting-up multi-dimensional tests developed by six Utrecht Network South African Universities. to compare students’ performance universities in 2001 and in 2007 This is through developing and in Europe. The outcomes of the was labelled as an Erasmus Mundus implementing a capacity building tests will offer institutions useful Master Programme. After having project made of study visits, information to verify whether graduated hundreds of international teaching and learning activities their students are achieving students, in 2014 it was revised and such as thematic workshops and internationally defined standards of was successfully re-submitted under trainings, and the development generic and subject specific learning the Erasmus Mundus call 2015. The of studies and reports on good outcomes, and will provide the Programme is coordinated by the practices in internationalisation students themselves with important University of Lille and now involves taken with an holistic approach. information to understand better the University of Leipzig, the the competences they will gain, University of Bologna, the University The project is addressed in becoming proactive in the learning of Helsinki and Jagiellonian particular to the whole academic process. University, Krakow. The Utrecht community, including academics, Network is included in the project as university leaders and decision The project is coordinated by the associate partner and is part of the makers and administrative staff. University of Groningen, former stakeholders board invited to the The project is coordinated by the coordinator of the TUNING project, annual meeting of the project. University of Antwerp and involves and involves a large number of four additional European partners partners and stakeholders such as (University of Graz, University of European universities, student’s Bologna, Utrecht Network and ACA) associations, Quality Assurance and and four South African Universities Accreditation Agencies and Network (University of Fort Hare, University of of Universities. The Utrecht Network Limpopo, University of Venda,Cape is a member of the Advisory Board Peninsula University of Technology). of the project.

The Utrecht Network, as full partner, will be actively involved in the coordination of project’s activities and in the development and implementation of the learning programme on internationalisation. newsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletternewsletter

Research Funding Support – Utrecht Network staff training

“it made a very good foundation for future cooperation and tackling some issues together that concern our everyday work …” a quote from one of the 23 participants of the Utrecht Network staff training on Research Funding Support

The staff training, or seminar, was organised by Utrecht The 3 days seminar laid the foundation for a network of University in June 2015. The participants exchanged not experts, mainly but not exclusively, within the Utrecht only examples of good practice in research funding support Network. Some participants took the lead to arrange this but also examples of practice that hadn’t worked so well. follow up. As well as these experiences from the various universities, The seminar clearly showed that staff training events also, more detailed information was given about the support or maybe especially, have an added value for staff who structure at Utrecht University. Part of the programme don’t work with international colleagues frequently. To coincided with the Utrecht University Research Funding quote another participant: “It was very strange to see that Days, as a practical showcase. we all are facing similar problems. The variety of provided The topics and discussions at the seminar ranged from the solutions for these problems was the most surprising.” call identification stage to post-award support and from Some topics for follow up that were mentioned several Research Support Offices to the role of Technology Transfer times during the event were Horizon 2020 financial Offices. aspects, such as budget definitions and cost calculations The seminar succeeded in bringing together (especially for personnel); data management; internal representatives from 17 European universities, who do not communication; and ethics, pre-award phase. regularly meet on this topic. Also there was participation The staff training also offered a good opportunity to act like from various members of staff from Utrecht University a Dutchman and exercise bike skills! Corporate Offices and the Faculties. They not only presented but also learnt about good practices from others. NEWSinbrief

Utrecht Network NAFSA Conference website It has become a tradition that get-togethers between UN participants The Utrecht Network’s website and partners from our MAUI and AEN institutions take place alongside has recently been relaunched. The the NAFSA conference. This year the venue for the NAFSA conference was website, which can be found at Boston. Anouk van der Vorst from AEN organised a wonderful lunch with www.utrecht-network.org has been our Australian colleagues. Liz Shabani from MAUI organised a fantastic redesigned to reflect the active and networks’ meeting with our US partners; at the meeting her colleague contemporary nature of the Network. Emily Hassenstab from the University of Nebraska at Omaha was present. Any comments or suggestions A warm-hearted and big THANK YOU goes to Anouk, Liz and Emily! regarding the website should be sent to [email protected]. 2016 Annual General Meeting

Professional English Summer The 2016 Utrecht Network Annual General Meeting will be held on 28–29 April 2016 and will be hosted by Queen’s University Belfast. The AGM will be preceded by a workshop on how to maximize the intercultural School experience of outgoing students. This workshop will be directed at IRO The University of Hull welcomed staff working with outgoing students as well as young academics who Utrecht Network participants onto act as Erasmus+ coordinators or work with outgoing students within joint their bespoke Professional English programmes. Summer Programme for the second year running this June. The two-week programme saw the arrival of 32 delegates from over 13 participating institutions. The programme involved a series of Contact lectures in different academic areas, For further information about the Utrecht Network, please contact: grammar and language workshops, pronunciation classes and guidance Fiona Miller on academic writing. A series of social Executive Secretariat events took place throughout the two weeks and we were lucky to have Utrecht Network fantastic weather! c/o The University of Hull Hull, HU6 7RX The University of Hull will be running the programme next year from 27th UK June to the 8th July. [email protected] If you would like details, please www.utrecht-network.org contact us at [email protected]