International Conference on Enhancement
and Innovation in Higher Education
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow
9-11 June 2015
‘The enhancement of outward student mobility:
Benefits of international collaboration to encourage
transition’
Robert Sutter and Fiona Milne
University of the West of Scotland, School of Media,
Culture and Society
UWS International Strategy
• Learning Teaching and Assessment
• Research and Knowledge Transfer
• Internationalisation and Global Citizenship
• Formation of UWS International Centre, (IC)
(2015) 1100 students from 70 countries.
School of Media Culture and Society
• Music, Art, Performance, Film-making &
Scriptwriting, Journalism and Broadcast
Production,
• Sociology; Social policy; Politics; Psychology;
Criminal justice, Social work and Drugs and
alcohol studies.
School of Media Culture and Society
• Three members of Academic staff work closely
with IC to co-ordinate outward/inward
staff/student mobility
• Staff Mobility includes:
• University teaching exchange, (Sweden, France, Germany…)
• Short course collaboration, (Summer Schools)
• International Research Projects, (Curriculum Development)
Student Mobility
• Inward: (European, N. American and Far East)
• Outward: (European, N American)
Quote from incoming Student
• ‘Alongside the cultural impressions and the improvement
of a foreign language the benefits of a stay abroad at
UWS are great insights in foreign working and teaching
approaches. For the future this will help me to be suited
and open-minded when it comes to intercultural work.
Furthermore, I would say my stay abroad makes me more
valuable for internationally operating companies.’
(Michael Gosling, HdM Stuttgart, 2014/15)
Quote from outgoing Student
• Joty Chopra..TBC.
Collaborative Project Work to Enhance
Transitions
•
•
•
•
Inter-Cultural Design Camp, (ICDC)
Creative Industries Global Network, (CIGN)
International Band Exchange
SFC Raising Aspirations Fund: Columbia
College, Chicago
• Digital Art Brandenburg exchange.
Inter-Cultural Design Camp, (ICDC)
http://www.designcamp.eu
http://www.designcamp.eu/results2013.php
• 2009-2013. (Funded by EU, 2011-2013)
• Camps in Germany, Scotland, Sweden,
Belgium.
ICDC
Creative Industries Global Network,
(CIGN)
http://cign-education.eu
• European-funded, (Erasmus + research Project) CIGN will identify
sectoral skills-gaps and develop curricula to address these.
• Enabling opportunities for future transition/employment to evolve
during and after the project.
• Innovation in cross–media curricular design and development
sitting at its heart.
• Modules have been identified, and will be developed and piloted in
each participating country with cohorts of students from each
nation (Scotland, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and new partner
Canada).
International Band Exchange
• 2001- 2015
• Partners in Scotland, Germany, France, Canada, the
Netherlands and Finland.
• Over 100 acts and 300 performers have played
internationally, ensuring the Band Exchange is truly
pan-European and a shop window for the work of
the commercial music students.
UWS/ Harris Institute, Canada student
exchange.
• 2005-2015
• A partnership agreement with Harris that is
still flourishing today. In exchange for
providing Canadian graduates from the
Institution the opportunity to study for a year
to gain a UWS degree, UWS students have the
chance to undertake credit bearing work for
the summer in Toronto, Canada.
SFC Raising Aspirations Fund: Columbia
College, Chicago
• Supported by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC)
Raising Aspirations Fund, the purpose of the trip was
to allow students to take part in activities at
Columbia College where the Contemporary, Urban &
Popular Music programme was hosting Grammy
Award winning songwriter Paula Cole for an intensive
week of song writing and performance master
classes.
Quotes from Students
• ‘Because of the trip I personally gained some confidence as a
musician ….Without this experience I wouldn’t have ever even
dreamt of applying to Columbia’s course, as it seemed so far
away. So I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity and
experience. Now the task and challenge is to work so hard
that my portfolio will get me in to Columbia’s MFA Music
Composition for the Screen programme.’
Quotes from Students
• ‘The visit has opened my eyes for opportunities that I
wouldn't consider before, such as a Masters degree in
America, or even just spending more time in the country. The
trip has also encouraged me to try out different songwriting
approaches learned from the songwriting class and from
general inspiration I got from listening to all the fantastic
performances I witnessed during the stay. I definitely feel that
I grew from the trip, and I will forever thank UWS and the SFC
Raising Aspirations for the fantastic opportunity.’
Future Initiatives
• Trans-National Activities
• Collaborations to enhance international transition not limited
to Europe.
• Opportunities have also been identified for the delivery of
UWS undergraduate, postgraduate and Masters programmes
across the globe.
• Collaboration with a Malaysian partner institution is already
underway to develop the concept of ‘virtual mobilities’ where
students from two or more partner institutions will participate
in shared projects in multiple locations.
In conclusion, students in the School of MCS have the
opportunity to engage in a wide range of initiatives that
involve working and/or studying abroad. Many of these
opportunities have been brought about by increasing
staff outward mobility and the development of strong
inter-disciplinary links and collaborations across Europe
and beyond. Engagement of students with the
opportunities has been enhanced through
development of a variety of systems and processes to
ensure transitions are as smooth and supported as
possible.
Any Questions?