Building a Successful International Relations Office and Committee

1. Universität für Bodenkultur WienUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ViennaHow to build a successful International Relations Office (IRO) and International CommitteeDr. Margarita Calderón-Peterwww.boku.ac.at

2. Why??? – Objective for an IRO • To have international relations officers who play an essential role in promoting, organising and managing international activities within an institution. • Centre for all international activities of the University: - main strategic resource for the Rector - co-ordinating unit for all international programmes - pool of information about all international engagements, relations and activities of the University • Professional staff is required

3. Determining factors for an efficient IRO • fully-dedicated professional administratives working exclusively for the International Office • with full support of the university management (= rectorate, deans etc) – internationalisation is not the task of one single office that has to convert the whole university, internationalisation has to be lived throughout the whole institution. • work closely together with departmental co-ordinators, student organisationsetc. (they should also get institutional recognition for these services)

4. Main tasks (= essentials for an IRO) • Develop + disseminate information material for incoming and outgoing mobilities (web-sites, social media, brochures, posters on scholarships, research funding offers, etc.) • Administer programmes for mobility of students and staff (set up standard procedures for application for scholarships, administration of mobilities/ scholarships / reintegration phase and feedback process) • Provide services for visitors and foreign students and staff (visa, accommodation, insurance; welcome days, buddy system; support for handicapped mobile persons; perhaps also language courses….)

5. Additional tasks (= if resources allow) • advising the university management w/r to international activities and strategy for internationalisation including a feedback cycle • Internationalisation of study and research • Systematic approach for Internationalisation of the whole university • international PR and marketing • Develop a crisis management plan for international exchanges • Fundraising / Attracting the support of regional and local organisations for the university's internationalization programmes and promoting the internationalization of the region • Reaching and securing (financial) sustainability for IRO • Fine-tuning the IRO status within the university administration;

6. Don‘t panic – this takes time!-> History of BOKU‘s Centre for Int. Rel. 1991 – 1 person; a few individual co-operation contacts 1993: 1 Director + 1 EU program officer + ½ time secretary 20 co-operation contracts, 90 scholarships; language courses 1994: ERASMUS (95 out, 25 In) 1996: 3 additional persons for research project support and continuing education 1997: 1st student intern in the office; 1st Int. Strategy (external peer review every 5 years) 1999: active involvement in networks 2000: first double degree program 2003/04: 1st English Master programs + International Joint Master‘s

7. BOKU’s co-operation agreements 1991 7 04/01/2020

8. BOKU’s co-operation agreements 2016 8 04/01/2020

9. Current tasks of BOKU’s IRO • Know-How-Pool - 1st pointofreferencefor int. aspects • ContributiontoStrategyforInternationalisation(chairof Int. Committee) • ContacttoPartner universitiesandnetworks • Manage BOKU‘sinternational fundsandprojectsofouroffice • Informabout + supportforeducationalandCapacity Building-Funding (ERASMUS+, CEEPUS, H2020 ITNs…) • Expertise in Double andJoint-DegreePrograms • Adviceand Support forOutgoing- andIncomingstudentsand -staff • Language courseco-ordination (14 languages) • Interculturaltrainingforstudents (+ staff) • int. PR (ECTS-Guides, englishflyers... ) • Offertranslationandproof-readingfor English texts • Plan programsfor BOKU delegationsand int. visitors

10. BOKU‘s International Highlights • 1st Austrian University with an Internationalisation Strategy with focus on Research for Development • the Austrian university with the highest number of Master program‘s taught in English • 1st Austrian University to co-ordinate an ERASMUS MUNDUS Mobility project (3,9 M €) • 1st Austrian University with an „Emergency plan for staff members on business trips abroad“ • 21% international students • 1/3 of our professors = from abroad

11. But this is not achieved by IRO alone Rectorate Department International Contactpersons Other administrative units Center for Development Research ZIB Regional co-ordinators Students International MSc Program Coordinators Departmental Co-ordinators

12. BOKU’s Committee for Internationalisation • Rector + VR for Teaching and Continuing Education + VR for Research and Innovation • 6 representatives of the Senate • Dean of Studies • Head of Centre for Development Research • 4 student representatives • Head of the Int. Relations Office (as Chair of the committee) and Deputy Head • PLENUM • + int. Contact persons of the 15 departments • + co-ordinators of the Int. Master Programs

13. Tasks of the Committee for Int. • Meetings: 4 times per year (twice as Plenum) • Give advice to the university management w/r to internationalisation aspects, particularly BOKU’s Strategy for Internationalisation • Decide on the yearly plan of implementation of BOKU’s strategy for Internationalisation • Prepare “international chapters” of the overall BOKU development plan and performance contract with the ministries • Prepare reviews of the yearly plans and the strategy • Give advice on signing partnership agreements • Exchange information on current international activities

14. Universität für Bodenkultur Wien THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Dr. Margarita Calderón-Peter Zentrum für Internationale Beziehungen (ZIB) Peter-Jordan-Straße 82a, 1190 Vienna, Austria Tel.: +43 1 47654-32000, Fax: +43 1 47654-32009 international@boku.ac.at, www.boku.ac.at/international