Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna

Strategy for the Internationalisation of BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna

Introduction

From the BOKU Mission Statement :
The BOKU professes to being an international performer in research and teaching, cooperating across national and international borders, and initiating open-mindedness towards new developments.

In assorted publications, in particular the White Paper of the European Commission "Teaching and Learning", the merits of internationalisation and its elements are emphasised. We are convinced that the relatively small size of our country and our geo-political situation are exceptional reasons to be more active beyond our national borders.

The classic international mechanisms comprised communication and co-operation of individuals, work groups and institutes. They retain their worth, although co-operation on an institutional basis has increased and the development of networks in research, teaching and continuing education is gradually replacing and removing them. Mental and physical mobility of students, university lecturers, exchanges and multilateral recognition of studies or parts of them are becoming more important.

Recent years have seen a rapid development of student and teacher mobility, in particular within the European educational programmes. This led to a certain amount of internationalisation of an institution. In the future, however, an international dimension will have to become part of the university strategic planning to a much higher extent.

The geo-political situation of BOKU as well as the limitations of its finances, linked to a strong subject specialisation, require the definition and focussing of its external interests. BOKU has taken this into account through the formulation of an internationalisation strategy.

In 1998, BOKU became one of the first Austrian universities to develop an Internationalisation Strategy. Its actual implementation was evaluated through external, international experts in 2001. The results proved that some objectives were successfully achieved, where others have to be reached yet. Thus the original strategy had to be reviewed and re-formulated. The new Austrian university law also made it necessary to adopt a strategy of quantifiable goals and performance indicators. In terms of a continuous evaluation process a further strategy revision is now carried out.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF THE BOKU - UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES, VIENNA

1. In the interest of a strengthened internationalisation of the studies (including continuing education) the following measures shall be undertaken by the year 2012 :

Student mobility

• Increase in the proportion of outgoing students: in the middle run up to 3.5 % of all Austrian students at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna; in the long run up to 5 %.
• Increase in the proportion of international students to 20% of the total student number
• Development of Joint-Study-Programmes in all disciplines offering course modules in English. (In the short run, the objective of 3 exchange positions per discipline per year should be met; in the middle run 30 exchange positions and in the long run 60 exchange positions per year)
• Successful implementation of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) in all disciplines and Harmonization of the credit points given to lectures.

Internationalisation of Teaching :

The most important goal in the next few years can be characterised by the key-words "Internationalisation at Home" meaning increased teaching staff mobility, the offering of international and interdisciplinary study programs as well as the establishment or development of an "international classroom". (This should reflect the fact that not every student is interested in or able to study abroad.)

• Increase in the number of international guest teachers (= guest lecturers and guest professors) - in the middle run on the level of Bachelor degree programs 3 semester hours in each subject area by the guest teacher are intended to be held and on the level of Master degree programs it should be 6 semester hours in each subject area.
• Structured development of foreign language courses for each subject area through development of "special modules" in certain thematic key areas, but also of intensive programs or international excursions ("Travel Courses"). In the middle run a summer school should be organised by every competence field of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna. Furthermore, thematically linked courses should be offered as semester packages (modules) in every curriculum. In the long run, the plan is to intensify the emphasis of international aspects in those lectures and to use the interdisciplinary possibilities at BOKU more decisively
• Development of foreign language, international and interdisciplinary courses (e.g. Double-Degree programs, such as the NARMEE, Horticultural Sciences). In the middle run the goal is to develop foreign-language specification possibilities (in accordance with the target group) in cooperation with several universities for every Master degree subject area. In the long run these specification possibilities should be extended after respective evaluations have been carried out and taking the degrees for international Master degree programs into consideration.

• The obligation of a certain amount of courses held in foreign languages has to be introduced to all study programs (at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, as well as in the course of foreign exchange stays).

Internationalisation of Continuing Education :

Development of international continuing education courses which are geared to the competence fields such as Summer Universities specific short courses on-site (for example organised via the Dev-Forum), but also specific additional offers for university alumni. These have to be held on a regular basis and need to be marketed internationally.. . Quality standards for continuing education have to be developed together with incentives for the providers of advanced vocational trainingand used as a basis in determining guidelines for the number of continuing education programs that have to be developed.
As teaching is contextually close to research, the international aspects of the strategic plans for teaching should be more oriented towards the key areas of research.

2. A strengthened internationalisation of research is closely linked with an increase in the quality of research (performance). This will be supported by the following measures:

• Strengthened international co-operation and exchange of scientists
  
• improved mobility of scientists
• better use of sabbaticals
• easier access to BOKU travel funds.
  In this context, it is essential to establish mobility in the framework of the EU programs, the FFG, FWF (Lise Meitner, Charlotte Bühler) and the ÖAW (APART etc.) as well as similar national and international programs serving internationalisation. International contacts have to be facilitated for post-doc exchange (incoming and outgoing Marie-Curie-Fellows). In this area, no exact figures should be stated, but the goal is to raise awareness of these possibilities and to increase the mobility (compared to the level obtained in 2001/2002).
• Improved support at project initiation and application in the area of international research programmes (EU Framework Programmes)
• Increased participation in scientific conferences. This should be evaluated through the data included in the research documentation and the institute's reports, with separate records of employees paid via third funds.
• Improved administrative support with the organisation and implementation of international conferences and workshops (bigger conferences should be organised by specialised companies.)
• Strengthening of publication activities in leading international journals
• Strengthened integration of foreign doctoral and post-doc students in current research projects. (mainly Marie-Curie scholars as those bring in financial funds)
• Assessment of (1st degree) dissertations and (doctoral) theses according to internationally accepted procedures (development of a corresponding standard for BOKU).

3. In the interest of a better use of synergy effects, both in general teaching and in continuing education, as well as in research, the development of INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION NETWORKS should be considerably strengthened.
Networks are, at present, both in the EU and also in the promotion of the Austrian Academic Exchange Service (ÖAD), preferable co-operation forms, and should, therefore, be further developed by BOKU; in particular for co-operation linkages with Third World countries as well as with those in Central Europe and also stronger realised on an internal level at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna. The engagement of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, in cross-curricular networks (EUA, AUCEN, ELLS; ICA, IROICA, NATURA, …) has to be continued..

An interdisciplinary approach should be contemplated as a priority and realised more strongly within BOKU. Quality standards for co-operation networks are to be developed. An interdisciplinary international Alumni-Network has to be developed and also to be used in the long run for fundraising purposes.

Consequences of the realisation of guiding principles for the internationalisation of the BOKU

The successful realisation of an international strategy calls for basic structural requirements. These comprise :

• A functional organisational unit which is responsible for the co-ordination of international activities at the university
• A committee which decides the detailed measures in connection with the preparation of the implementation and most importantly
• A university administration which carries the ultimate responsibility for the internationalisation of the university, and acts to implement the international strategy.

Attention has to be paid to the fact that the university structure serves the process of internationalisation and that this has positive effects on future evaluation regulations. The acknowledgement of the international administrative function is essential. This holds especially true for the mid-level faculty that amongst other things has been and is essential for the carrying out of exchange programs in the form of SOKRATES departmental co-ordinators. This should be evaluated positively in the individual-related evaluation and also needs to be implemented in the objectives of the departments.

These units established during the implementation of the Strategy for Internationalisation (functioning organisational unit, International Committee, support from the Uuniversity management) should be continued -if not expanded- after adoption of the University Law 2002. Particularly with regard to the University and to the structural changes prescribed by the new university law, attention has to be given to ensuring that the new organisational structure is of help in the process of internationalisation and thus has positive effects on future performance contracts. Concerns arise concerning the new organisational position of university teachers who are not professors, as they have been and are essential for the carrying out of exchange programs. (e.g. as SOCRATES departmental co-ordinators). The provision of sufficient budgetary funds are of crucial importance for the implementation of the Strategy for Internationalisation.

are sufficiently provided for financing the costs of stay of guest scientists, scholarships for students etc.

Particularly in view of the currently existing difficulties in financing international guest lecturers, it has to be guaranteed that the additional funds made available by the BMBWK as a result of the cancellation of scholarships within the framework of cultural agreements, are indeed going to be incorporated into the international budget available for financing the costs of stay of guest lecturers, scholarships etc.

"Decisive for the successful implementation of this strategy for internationalization is the involvement of all university units in the internationalization process. If internationalization is not to be confined purely to external activities such as increasing student mobility, a general change of outlook in the university's focus on international exchange of knowledge and experience must be appropriately managed in order to upgrade the quality of the university's own spheres of activity. This in turn requires corresponding action by management if such internationalization is to succeed university-wide. It must, therefore, be among the targets of the university to implement vocational training in foreign languages and in the sphere of intercultural communication for both scientific and administrative staff. This is essential if the required open-mindedness necessary for establishing internationally-oriented studies and research is to be guaranteed."

[ End of the resolution ]

Last update: 20.08.2008, ZIB