GAINING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Directorate of Corporate Affairs

GAINING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

An overview of Oxford Brookes exchanges for staff and students

1st May 2009

Oxford Brookes International


Exchanges at Oxford Brookes

The University has signed up a total of 124 International and Erasmus

exchanges as well as the Study Abroad partners. Currently, there are 81

Erasmus exchanges in place as well as 24 international institutional links and 19

School international exchange links in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan,

Thailand (from Jan 2010) and the USA. Through International exchanges, we

welcome approximately 90 students per year and send out an average of 80

students. On the Erasmus programme, we welcome an average of 130 exchange

Students and our outgoing mobility averages 60 students.

The Study Abroad programme (fee paying) attracts students from Japan who

mainly enrol on English courses (Pathways) prior to joining the Study Abroad

programme. The remainder of the students come from the USA. Our annual intake

is of approximately 30 students. The Exchanges Office does not hold information

on non Erasmus European links/Study Abroad agreements for the University.


Erasmus Staff opportunities

Erasmus Teaching Mobility

Eligibility criteria;

employed by an HEI holding an EUC or employed by an eligible enterpriseand a national of a participating country or recognised by their country of residence as

a refugee, stateless person or permanent resident

Teaching staff mobility can be undertaken;

to an HEI which holds a standard EUC and with which a valid Inter-institutional Agreement is in place

by staff of an enterprise invited to an HEI to undertake teaching activities. In these cases the mobility is managed by the HEI.


Erasmus Teaching Mobility

The selection of teachers is based on a short "Teaching programme" submitted by

the teacher and which has been endorsed by both sending and receiving

institutions. The essential elements of this should be: objectives and added value

of the mobility, content of the teaching programme, expected results.

Duration of teaching period

At least 5 hours of teaching (i.e. at least one day). A minimum duration of 5 days is

strongly recommended to provide a meaningful contribution to the teaching

programme and international academic life at the host institution. Shorter periods

should be exceptional. The maximum duration is 6 weeks.

Mobility grants for staff are provided as contributions towards subsistence and travel and are calculated on the basis of receipted expenditure.


The maximum travel grant is €450.

A week, for these purposes, is considered to be five working days. Weekends or holidays falling in the period of the stay abroad are not considered for support, unless they are used as working or travel days. In such cases the teaching programme should demonstrate that teaching activities have been undertaken for the period reported.

All payments, for both travel and subsistence, will be made on the basis of receipted expenditure.

Country Band – subsistence rates Daily Week 1 Week 2 Additionalweeks

Band ABulgaria, Romania

90 450 225 113

Band BCyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary,Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia,Slovenia, Turkey

115 575 288 144

Band CAustria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland,Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands,Spain, Sweden

160 800 400 200

Band DDenmark, Norway, United Kingdom

190 950 475 238


Erasmus Staff Training

Eligibility criteria

To be employed by an HEI holding an EUC and

To be a national of a participating country or recognised by their country of residence as a refugee, stateless person or permanent resident

Staff training is an option for all staff and can involve staff:

going to another HEI which holds a standard EUC going to an enterprise

Within the broad objective of staff training this action encompasses three types of mobility:

Mobility of staff of a higher education institution going to an enterprise.To allow staff to learn by transfer of knowledge or know-how and to acquire practicalskills (i.e. seminars, workshops, courses and conferences, periods of practical Training etc…)



Mobility of administrative and other non-teaching staff from a higher education institution going to a partner higher education institution.To allow staff to learn from the experiences and good practices of a partnerinstitution and to improve the skills required for their current job. The main activity isa short stay in the partner institution that may include a short secondment period, job-shadowing scheme, study visit, etc…

Mobility of teaching staff in a higher education institution going to a partner institution for the purpose of receiving training.

Selection of staffThis will be done by the sending institution on the basis of a "work plan" submittedby the applicant, which has been endorsed by both the sending and host institutionor enterprise. The essential elements of the work plan should cover overall aims andobjectives, expected results in terms of training or learning, activities to be carriedout and, where possible, a detailed programme for the period abroad.



Duration of training period

From 1 (5 working days) to 6 weeks. Shorter stays abroad are allowed in

exceptional cases where the other commitments of a member of staff make a longer

stay impossible. The institution must be able to provide full justification in such

cases with specific attention to the content and relevance for the staff concerned.

Staff mobility grants

Mobility grants for staff are provided as contributions towards subsistence and travel

and are calculated on the basis of receipted expenditure. Table as above for

teaching mobility.


Organising Mobility visits and Preparatory visits

Eligible OM activities includes:

• Preparation, monitoring and evaluation of outgoing and incoming student and staff mobility

• Specific arrangements to ensure the quality of student placements in enterprises

• Selection and support of mobility of individuals

• Linguistic preparation of Erasmus students and staff

• Production and distribution of information material linked to Erasmus mobility

• Activities related to the implementation of European Credit Transfer System ECTS)

• Activities related to the implementation of the Diploma Supplement• OM and insurance: Insurance costs for students cannot be covered by OM.

Funding is also available for Preparatory visits (= visit to potential exchange partners to discuss curriculum, facilities etc…)


ERASMUS STAFF MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES

For more information on Erasmus staff mobility, please contact:

Rosa Eadle

LLP/Erasmus Manager

Headington Hill Hall, G.37

T: 01865 48 43 94

E: [email protected]


Erasmus and International Exchanges for students –

An overview

Why go on exchange?

• experience a different educational and cultural environment • gain a new perspective in the subject area • increase students’ employability within an international market • gain credits which will count towards Brookes degree • develop independence and confidence • have an enjoyable and rewarding experience • travel and make new friends and professional contacts


Erasmus and International Exchanges for students –An overview

Who can go?• Most undergraduate students can apply to go on exchange on their Field

Chair(s)‘/Erasmus School co-ordinator‘s approval.• International exchanges are open to all nationalities whereas Erasmus

exchanegs are only open to UK and EU students.

When?• Students are advised to go on exchange during their 2nd year of studies to meet

their course requirements and graduate by their expected completion date.

How long?• Up to two semesters • Full year exchanges can be undertaken in different countries (i.e. 1 semester in

Europe + 1 semester outside Europe)



Costs to take into consideration:

• Flights or other travel costs

• Accommodation (in Halls of Residence or in the private sector)

• Visa fees

• Travel and health insurance

• Living expenses



Are there any sources of funding?

• European exchanges receive funding from the European Commission. Grant amounts vary from year to year (i.e. 385 euros per month 2008/09).

• Full academic year Erasmus exchanges benefit from tuition fee waivers.

• UK students on maximum bursary are eligible for £750 per semester for International (non-Erasmus) exchange. More details on

http://www.brookes.ac.uk/studying/finance/support/exchanges



How are programmes of study abroad agreed for students?

• Students should meet with either their Erasmus School co-ordinator or Field Chair(s) to agree and approve suitable programmes of studies.

• On arrival at the exchange university and on enrolment, students may have to make changes to their original programme of study programme due to timetable clashes etc.

• HOWEVER, any changes to the students’ programme must be recorded and documented in their learning agreement form and approved by their Erasmus School co-ordinator/Field Chair(s).

• Students are advised to register on modules equivalent to the ones at Brookes, however in some cases, Field Chairs are happy for students to enrol on modules not available at Brookes but highly beneficial to their course.



Credits abroad:• Students must enrol for the equivalent of 30 ECTS credits (European Credit

Transfer System) for one semester or 60 ECTS for a whole academic year.

• The Exchanges Office advises students on the credit equivalence in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Thailand and the USA.

• Specific rules apply to Japanese Studies students spending the whole academic year in Japan.

How to register students’ exchanges on the system?• Students must add module U99996 “On Exchange” to their programme using

the M100 form available from the Academic Management Office. Adding U99996 will delete any existing modules for the semester(s) students are on exchange.



Credit Transfer – How does it work?• On their return, students will receive a transcript from the host institution.

• Credits (or marks) will be transferred to the Brookes programme of study by the Field Chair(s) using appropriate forms.

• Credits (or marks) will be available on PIP.

Degree classification

Degree classifications will be based on the average marks obtained ‘on the best 14 acceptable modules which carry the highest marks' (Regulation 6 (v) and Regulation 13 (vii)). If students are awarded the equivalent of 4 Brookes modules for courses taken on exchange, their degree classification will be calculated over the best 14 modules minus 4* = 10 - therefore the average will be calculated over the best 10 modules studied at Oxford Brookes.* The four credits must be acceptable credits as indicated above.


Paper written by the Exchanges team in response to the impact of the Academic Progression Initiative (API) for

Brookes exchanges

Although necessary to break away from Stage I and Stage II to bring much

needed progression to our programmes, the API structure based on a 3

staged model will have a direct impact on

1) Embedding exchange programmes in each field• Increased number of pre-requisites and double modules in year 2 to ensure

progression in preparation for year 3 level Honours Modules making it very difficult for year 2 exchanges.

• An increase of double Honours Modules, which makes exchanges during semester 1 of year 3 impossible.

• More compulsory modules, which makes it more complicated for Field Chairs to find equivalent modules at partner institutions.


The Academic Progression Initiative (API) and its impact on Exchanges Paper written by the Exchanges team in response to the impact of the Academic Progression Initiative (API) for

Brookes exchanges

2) Internationalisation of the curriculum

• Benefit for home and international students in preparing them for the global employment market.

• Exchange programmes play a crucial role and provide a unique opportunity for Brookes to add value to their programmes and student experience.

• Enhancing the international dimension into our courses as highlighted in the International Strategy.

• Preparing students for the future requires new skills, new approaches and new attitudes, none of which will be as complete without an international dimension.


Paper written by the Exchanges team in response to the impact of the Academic Progression Initiative (API) for Brookes exchanges

3) Exchange partnerships

• The difficulty highlighted above in delivering flexibility for our exchanges in most of the fields will inevitably put us in a position to terminate some of our agreements.

• Setting up new partnerships, which is necessary to develop mobility (not only for students but also for staff), will get more complicated due to the inflexibility from Brookes’ side.

4) Student employability

Global businesses are increasingly seeking graduates with global awareness. Are we hindering our students’ work employability by reducing flexibility of exchanges?


Paper written by the Exchanges team in response to the impact of the Academic Progression Initiative (API) for Brookes exchanges

5) UK and international recruitment

• One of the key decision factors when choosing Brookes is the opportunity to go abroad as part of the degree (Brookes Student Barometer Survey).

• The Exchanges Office receives numerous emails/visits from potential future Brookes students enquiring about the exchange studies.

• The Exchanges Team attends the Open Days and Visit Days and has observed an enormous increase on potential students and their parents, who base their decisions on the flexible study options – and expect exchange studies to be part of the Oxford Brookes student experience.


Paper written by the Exchanges team in response to the impact of the Academic Progression Initiative (API) for

Brookes exchanges - PROPOSAL

To increase flexibility of Exchanges by:

• Allowing for Year 2 pre-requisites for Year 3 Honours Modules to be taken abroad and be transferable.

• Allowing a change in the transfer of credit rules, enabling students to transfer a proportion of the Honours credits which would free up at least one final year semester for exchanges in some cases.


Oxford Brookes International, Exchanges Team Room G37, Headington Hill Hall

• Andrew Bird, International Strategic Development Manager

[email protected]

x 4885

• Rosa Eadle, LLP Erasmus Manager (European Exchanges)

[email protected]

x 4394

• Laura Ryhänen, International Exchanges Officer (Int. Exchanges & Study Abroad)

[email protected]

x 4955

• Gloria Bengochea, International Administrative Assistant

[email protected]

x 4949

mailto:[email protected]




GAINING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

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