Erasmus Policy Statement
Moravian University College Olomouc (MUCO) is a private for-non-profit independent
innovative university college which is regionally anchored and seeks a pronounced
international orientation.
MUCO focuses on:
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excellence in education;
top research in economics and management fields;
active engagement in (regional) innovation and entrepreneurship.
The overall objective of MUCO is to combine academic excellence with economic and social
relevance and thus to create an added value. Internationalization is one of MUCO’s strategic
policy spearheads and an important instrument in improving quality, innovation and diversity.
The pillars of the MUCO international strategy are as follows:
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participation in the 2014-2020 EU programme for education, training, youth and sport,
mainly in the current LLP-Erasmus;
participation in the international R&D programmes (both European and transatlantic);
participation in the international Innovation and Technology Transfer programmes.
Relevant partners for all three pillars are chosen in accordance with:
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the professional orientation of MUCO (Economics, Management and Applied ICT);
the structure of partners’ study programmes;
the quality and business exploitation of research results;
the emphasis on graduate’s competitiveness in the labour market and
the variety of languages (especially English, German and French speaking areas).
There here are many types of international cooperation in both teaching and research. From
the geographical point of view, strategic partners and networks at the MUCO include:
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partners within the Visegrád Group (Slovakia, Poland, Hungary);
other neighbouring countries (Germany and Austria);
Slovenia; Switzerland, Belgium, France and Portugal;
Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway) and
the U.S.A., Canada and Russia for the non-EU cooperation.
Concerning the specific activities in the framework of the Programme, the most important
objective of MUCO is to expand cooperation with universities and business companies in the
EU and to improve its internationalisation process based on intensification of synergy
between academic and business world across Europe.
Students and teaching staff form the most important target groups of the internationalization
policy.
Concerning the students the main objective of MUCO is to provide its graduates not only with
theoretical knowledge but also with practical skills usable in enterprises as well as in public
sector services. Based on EUC, MUCO has been cooperating with foreign universities (SMS,
STA, STT) since 2011. By 2015, MUCO wants to enlarge the net of the participating universities,
esp. from English speaking areas, and conclude at least 10 new bilateral agreements.
Beside this, MUCO would like to extend its participation in Programme through student
placements/training. Due to this kind of activities, the students´ practical skills, the graduates´
usefulness and competitiveness in the labour market will be improved. The international
student placements negotiations with the representatives of foreign enterprises from
Slovenia, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Belgium and Hungary are underway. In cooperation with
the significant foreign and Czech companies (Schneider Electric, Microsoft, International
Facility Management Association CZ) the certificated courses of ICT, energy and facility
management are realized. A short term placement of 13 students of the Hasselt University
was organized by MUCO and realized in a company TESCO SW PLC in 2012. This cooperation
is based on the bilateral cooperation agreements. The crucial long-term cooperation with
international companies is also formed by an active participation in the centre of innovation
processes in western Switzerland (Platinn - l’Association Plateforme pour l’Innovation)
and in the regional institutions specialized in innovation processes within the region
(OK4Inovace) and in the cooperation with EU (OK4EU). By 2015, MUCO wants to conclude
at least 7 bilateral agreements with enterprises abroad for student placements.
By 2015, MUCO wants at least 10 % of all its students in the first cycle (Bachelor) in the
framework both SMS and students placement to have gained experience abroad during their
studies, and it has made incentive funds available to this end.
In order to train or attract and retain excellent teachers, MUCO is investing in measures
to improve teacher training and career prospects. By means of both outgoing and incoming
teaching staff mobility, MUCO aims
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to improve quality of education and teaching approaches;
to enrich the range and contents of courses MUCO offers;
to allow all the MUCO students to benefit from the knowledge and expertise
of academic staff from higher education institutions and from invited staff
of enterprises in other European countries.
Teaching staff mobility is also one of various opportunities for continuing professional
development and a way to ensure young teachers to meet the requisite international quality
standards.
By 2015, MUCO wants all its teachers to have gained teaching experience abroad at least
for 5 teaching days. Furthermore, MUCO wants to welcome at least 30 professors, researchers
and experts from enterprises from abroad at the MUCO every year.
In addition to the Programme, MUCO would like to participate in the EU-USA and EU-Canada
Programmes in order to:
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improve MUCO educational process;
compare and modernise curricula;
develop joint or dual undergraduate study programmes with full recognition of credits
and qualifications;
find new ways to reach highest levels in research, science and innovation.
Through the ATLANTIS and the TDP (Transatlantic Degree Partnership) programme MUCO will
endeavour to implement joint or dual undergraduate degree with a new strategic partner
from the U.S.A. or Canada.
To improve the quality of research activities, MUCO would like to participate in the TEP
(Transatlantic Exchange Partnership) Programme in 2015.
MUCO has also concluded a bilateral agreement with the Izhevsk State Technical University
in Russia. This agreement aims at student exchange and research projects. The short term
placement of 3 students of the Izhevsk State Technical University has been realized
in a company TESCO SW PLC and organized by MUCO.
The participation in the Programme will strongly impact on the modernisation of the MUCO.
The MUCO policy objectives are as follows:
MUCO increases the number of its students and graduates by means of:
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the active cooperation with primary, secondary and vocational schools resided
in the region;
the extension and intensification of the support for the students from
underrepresented groups by means of personal guidance and targeted financial
support, for example merit and social scholarships;
the augmentation of the number of the special scholarships for study abroad;
the thorough annual analysis of the drop-outs.
MUCO inspires its students and staff to develop their full potential in a dynamic environment
with the goal of systematic support of long-term development of the region. MUCO equips
graduates not only with knowledge but also with skills and competences they need to succeed
in high-skill occupations. This will be reached by means of:
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the innovation of study and pedagogical processes;
the creation of new transdisciplinary study programmes in the 1 st and 2nd cycle
including joint/double degree study programmes in English;
the augmentation of student placements in enterprises as an integral part
of the curricula;
the encouraging the teaching staff mobility as a part of continuous professional
development.
MUCO is regionally anchored and seeks a pronounced international orientation. The quality
of this orientation is strengthened by means of:
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the intensification of the exchanges and cooperation with partner institutions;
the application for the ECTS Label at least in 2015;
the increasing of the number of non-EU students, researchers and teachers.
MUCO was established for the long-term sustainability and economic development
of the Olomouc Region. MUCO improves the quality of the effective network of regional,
national and international partners from other education institutions, public administration,
business and expert associations by means of:
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the active participation in the process of definition and realization of the Research
and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specializations and of the Regional Innovation
System of the Olomouc Region;
the creation of regional hub of excellence focusing on energy management and green
buildings;
the creation of a business accelerator for the existing SME´s as well as for the start-ups
and spinn-offs;
the increasing of the number of business partners for common R&D projects,
for lectures and for curricula definition at MUCO.
MUCO is a holder of Quality Management System Label (ISO 9001). Due to the participation
in the Programme MUCO improves the governance and funding system by means of:
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the permanent improving of quality and efficiency of all processes at all MUCO levels
with particular regard to study process and HR management;
the implementation of the full cost methodology and of the new fundraising activities;
the increasing of the number of contract research projects for business partners.