Developing International Projects and
Collaborations
Suzanne Alexander
Director, International Office
University of Leicester
BUTEX winter workshop, London
10 December 2010
www.le.ac.uk
Overview and objectives
• To consider institutional objectives for
collaborative projects and partnerships and
their place in international activity/strategies
• To explore different approaches to successful
collaborative project management and
organisation
What can collaborative projects and
partnerships (CPP) do for us?
• Internationalisation:
Diversification of student body
Opportunities for student mobility
Opportunities for staff mobility
Curriculum and programme development
Potential for research collaboration
Access to new networks
• Reputation, profile and positioning
• Economic drivers:
Changing structure of international education
market and global student mobility trends
Access to new initiatives, funding opportunities
Collaborative activities
Collaborative projects and partnerships may include:
• Student mobility and exchange
• Staff mobility, exchange and development
• Course development eg joint courses, dual degrees
• Course delivery eg articulation, franchising, twinning, distance
learning, transnational education (TNE)
• Research collaboration (individual, departmental, institutional)
• Technical co-operation and development projects (capacity-building)
• Other co-operative projects eg summer schools, short courses,
student projects, student placements, teaching/language assistants
Models for collaborative working
• Bilateral
• Multilateral
• Formal networks or consortia
• Informal networks (“circle of friends”)
Collaborative projects and partnerships
(CPP): myths or reality?
• CPP are a good thing
• CPP are for the long term
• CPP need a clear focus from the beginning
• CPP work best with partners who are “like us”
CPP are a good thing
• Contribution to institutional international
strategy and internationalisation objectives
• Opportunities for learning from each other,
sharing knowledge and experience
• Benchmarking
BUT we don’t all take advantage of these!
CPP are for the long term
• Setting up CPP is time-consuming
• Partners need time to get to know each other
better
• Partnerships inevitably evolve over time: there
will be internal and external changes, such as:
leadership, staffing, funding, institutional
strategy
CPP need a clear focus from the beginning
• Ownership: individual, departmental,
institutional?
• Objectives stated - and communicated
• Scope for development
• A sense of realism
CPP work best with partners who are “like us”
• Identifying partners
• Initiate or respond?
• The importance of research
• Understanding each other’s expectations
Group exercise:
Villestadt University would like to meet ….
The International Partnerships Office at
Redbrick University receives a letter from
Villestadt University, which is seeking partners
• How would you react to this approach?
• What are the reasons for your reactions?
• What do you think should be included in a
“cold call” approach in order to create a
positive impression and encourage it to be
taken seriously?
Group exercise:
Villestadt University would like to meet ….(2)
The International Partnerships Office receives a
letter from Villestadt University, which is
seeking to work collaboratively with Redbrick
University
• Would you react differently to this approach
from Villestadt University?
• What are the reasons for your reactions?
CPP: priorities, options and opportunities
What do you (International Office, institution) want
from your international collaborations/partnerships?
• Develop networks/programmes/expertise in particular
countries or regions
• Increase:
International students
Students and/or staff mobility
International profile/reputation
International collaboration, exchanges, networks
• Attract funds for collaborative multinational projects
• Provide assistance/expertise in developing countries
Assessing institutional capacity and
capability: what kind of partner will you be?
• Study programmes offered/academic strengths
and expertise
• Resources/services/facilities
• Experience and track record
• Leadership and commitment
Case example: University link, Pakistan
• New University, Government-funded, but aims
to be self-financing
• Multi-faceted relationship, which has evolved
over time
• The impact of changing institutional leadership
and priorities
An evolving relationship
2007
2008
2009
2010
Sponsored PhDs (staff
development)
x
x
-
-
Support for the
International Office
-
x
x
x
Student study tours
-
x
-
x
Student recruitment
(Master’s degrees)
-
-
x
x
Distance Learning centre
?
?
-
-
Customised staff
development courses
-
-
-
x
Important factors in the relationship
• Getting to know each other: two-way visits,
building good personal relationships
• Ensuring that there are clear benefits for both
parties to the Agreement
• Creative approach to incentives in the
Agreement
• Flexibility in responding to changes - every
activity will not necessarily succeed or continue
• Continuing commitment to the management
and development of the relationship
Strategic approaches to CPP:
Leicester’s strategic partnerships project
• Develop and implement a framework to use
links and partnerships around the world more
strategically, supporting the broader
objectives of raising the University’s profile
and reputation internationally
• Identify opportunities for further development
of existing CPP
• Assess and prioritise opportunities for new CPP
Strategic partnerships project:
Intended outcomes and objectives
• Creation of a comprehensive and accessible
record of worldwide links
• Identification of key strategic partnerships
(“preferred partners”) for future development
• Establishment of guidance and criteria for
future partnership selection and/or
prioritisation
Group discussion
Thinking about your institution now, and your
objectives/priorities for CPP:
• What would you put forward as an example of
good practice in collaborative
project/partnership management from your
institution?
• What would you most like to change or improve
about the approach to collaborative
project/partnership management in your
institution?
Critical success factors in managing CPP
• Appropriate organisational structure for decision-making
• Knowing who is responsible for the relationship at all times, and
making arrangements for handovers when necessary (continuity)
• Clear communication channels
• Recognising that a CPP involves a two-(or more!) way relationship
• Sharing experience and information
• Regular monitoring and review (quality assurance)
• Managing and meeting expectations
• Clarity about financial arrangements (if appropriate)
• Recognising when a CPP is over
Group exercise:
Breaking up is hard to do …
Many institutions are taking a more “strategic”
approach to collaborative links. Your office
receives a letter from one of your long-standing
partner institutions about their review of CPPs
• What would be your reaction to such a letter?
Is this a good way to try to manage your
partnership relationship?
• What other approaches could you take?
• What are your views on the proposed selection
criteria for preferred partners?