Mobility and cooperation outside EU - some lessons from Higher Education

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Mobility and cooperation outside EU
– some lessons from Higher Education
Jurgen Rienks, director international relations VSNU
Amsterdam, 17 February 2016.

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14 Research universities in the Netherlands
Universities with a broad academic focus
1 Erasmus University Rotterdam
2 Leiden University
3 Maastricht University
4 Radboud University
5 Tilburg University
6 University of Amsterdam
7 University of Groningen
8 Utrecht University
9 VU University of Amsterdam
10 Open University
Engineering and technology
11 Delft University of Technology
12 Eindhoven University of Technology
13 University of Twente
Life sciences, nutrition and living environment
14 Wageningen University and Research Centre
Universities with a faculty of medicine

3. What questions to ask?
Universities / higher education institutions have
engaged in cooperation and international networks
for a long time. And for many reasons.
To translate their lessons to the VET-sector:
 What is in it for your students?
 What is in it for your institution?
 What is in it for your country (or the EU)?
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4. What is in it for your students?
 Mobility as integrated / compulsory part of the
course (education and / or training experience)
 Skills relevant for a specific sector (e.g. nursing,
green sector, welding, installation technology,
hospitality);
 Generic skills (e.g. learning to learn,
entrepreneurship, risk taking, creativity).
 Institutional responsibilities (if compulsory)
 Automatic recognition of learning outcomes: study-
effort or workexperience (ECVET);
 Organisation of mobility programme by (or under
suprvision of) institution ;
 How to deal with student-expenses? Travel / stay /
visa?4

5. What is in it for your institution?
 Mobility and cooperation work in two directions.
 How does this fit with your institutional policy / profile?
 Does it add to your reputation? (Note: which also
reflects on the degrees you award!)
 Longterm investment leads to longterm gains
 Building the international network
 Agreement on educational efforts, study / training
periods, etc.
 Organisation of mobility programme by (or under
suprvision of) institution
 How to deal with student-expenses? Travel / stay /
visa?
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6. What is in it for your country /
EU?
 A better skilled workforce
 Relevant skills for (international oriented) workers.
 Is investment in international (degree) students
also of value to society?
 Intern. degree holders as ‘ambassador’ for your
country?
 Are they an addition to national or EU-labourforce?
 What is the cost-benefit analysis?
 Note: relevant skills of refugees as key to their
integration
 How can immigration regulations help?
 Duration / fees / administrative procedures;
 Good cooperation with immigration services is a
necessity!
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7.  Questions to help the debate!
 Thank you for your attention.
 rienks@vsnu.nl
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