Bielefeld University receives Erasmus Quality Label
Published on 15. Juni 2012, 13:49 h
220 European partner universities for student exchange
Standing on one’s own feet in a different country, expressing scientific ideas in a foreign language, getting to know a country and its people – that is the essence of Erasmus, the mobility and exchange programme for European universities. Bielefeld University has been awarded the Erasmus E-Quality Label for its outstanding implementation of the programme. Karin Kruse, who has been Erasmus coordinator at Bielefeld University’s International Office for 23 years, accepted the award at the annual conference in Bonn yesterday (14 June). Erasmus is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and Bielefeld University has been involved from the start. During this time, over 3,000 Bielefeld students have spent one or two semesters studying at a partner university in Europe and 2,250 European students have visited Bielefeld University.
Bielefeld University currently cooperates with some 220 partner universities, with all Bielefeld’s faculties taking part in the Erasmus programme. Karin Kruse comments, “Several colleagues in Bielefeld are actively involved in the Erasmus programme. Our success is guaranteed by the good working relationship between the Erasmus coordinators in the various faculties and the staff in the International Office.”
Bielefeld University prepares its students and scientists specifically for their time abroad, for example in country seminars (partly in collaboration with the Fachsprachenzentrum [Language Centre]) or seminars on intercultural competence. In addition, there are also workshops for those returning, where they can reappraise together what they have experienced and use it for their career. For visiting foreign students there are orientation weeks with German courses for all levels of language competence (in collaboration with PunktUm - advice and training for international students) and excellent personal support is provided by the Brother-Sister-Program. Two-week projects also give Erasmus students the opportunity to present their country to schools in Bielefeld.
Activities in the Erasmus programme are an integral part of Bielefeld University’s general internationalisation strategy. The University’s aim is thus to secure and further improve the quality of support foreign students receive. In January 2010, it was therefore one of the first German universities to join the “National Code of Conduct on Foreign Students”, established by the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK - German Rectors’ Conference). The aim of the Code of Conduct is to set minimum standards regarding information, admissions, support and advice as well as follow-up services on which foreign students can rely. As one of seven Welcome Centres in Germany, the Welcome Centre of Bielefeld University received an award from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (Humboldt Foundation) in 2011 for its best practice concept regarding advice and support given to international scientists.
Erasmus, named after the universal scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam, is a European Union programme for general and vocational education and enables 200,000 students a year to study and work abroad. Meanwhile, the programme not only supports students, but also university lecturers who wish to teach abroad, as well as university staff seeking to gain further professional qualifications. Since 1997, 250 lecturers from Bielefeld University have taught at partner universities and eight members of staff have participated in the staff mobility programme, which was set up in 2008.
The Quality Label was first awarded by the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service) to German universities in 2005. The concept for the award was developed in the context of an EU project by various national agencies within Europe (including the DAAD) and is to be used in future by all countries participating in the Erasmus programme. With this label, the project aims to create an incentive for universities in Europe to continue improving the quality of the European student and academic staff exchange.
For further information in the Internet, go to:
www.daad.de/portrait/presse/pressemitteilungen/2012/21009.de.pdf (in German)
www.uni-bielefeld.de/io
Contact:
Karin Kruse, M.A., Bielefeld University
Erasmus Coordinator
International Office
Telephone: +49 521 106-4087
Email: karin.kruse@uni-bielefeld.de
Standing on one’s own feet in a different country, expressing scientific ideas in a foreign language, getting to know a country and its people – that is the essence of Erasmus, the mobility and exchange programme for European universities. Bielefeld University has been awarded the Erasmus E-Quality Label for its outstanding implementation of the programme. Karin Kruse, who has been Erasmus coordinator at Bielefeld University’s International Office for 23 years, accepted the award at the annual conference in Bonn yesterday (14 June). Erasmus is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and Bielefeld University has been involved from the start. During this time, over 3,000 Bielefeld students have spent one or two semesters studying at a partner university in Europe and 2,250 European students have visited Bielefeld University.
Karin Kruse received the award from Professor Dr. Margret Wintermantel (President of DAAD), Christian Sterz (Federal Ministry for Education and Research) and Xavier Prats Monné (European Commission). Photo: Michael Jordan
Bielefeld University prepares its students and scientists specifically for their time abroad, for example in country seminars (partly in collaboration with the Fachsprachenzentrum [Language Centre]) or seminars on intercultural competence. In addition, there are also workshops for those returning, where they can reappraise together what they have experienced and use it for their career. For visiting foreign students there are orientation weeks with German courses for all levels of language competence (in collaboration with PunktUm - advice and training for international students) and excellent personal support is provided by the Brother-Sister-Program. Two-week projects also give Erasmus students the opportunity to present their country to schools in Bielefeld.
Activities in the Erasmus programme are an integral part of Bielefeld University’s general internationalisation strategy. The University’s aim is thus to secure and further improve the quality of support foreign students receive. In January 2010, it was therefore one of the first German universities to join the “National Code of Conduct on Foreign Students”, established by the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK - German Rectors’ Conference). The aim of the Code of Conduct is to set minimum standards regarding information, admissions, support and advice as well as follow-up services on which foreign students can rely. As one of seven Welcome Centres in Germany, the Welcome Centre of Bielefeld University received an award from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (Humboldt Foundation) in 2011 for its best practice concept regarding advice and support given to international scientists.
Erasmus, named after the universal scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam, is a European Union programme for general and vocational education and enables 200,000 students a year to study and work abroad. Meanwhile, the programme not only supports students, but also university lecturers who wish to teach abroad, as well as university staff seeking to gain further professional qualifications. Since 1997, 250 lecturers from Bielefeld University have taught at partner universities and eight members of staff have participated in the staff mobility programme, which was set up in 2008.
The Quality Label was first awarded by the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service) to German universities in 2005. The concept for the award was developed in the context of an EU project by various national agencies within Europe (including the DAAD) and is to be used in future by all countries participating in the Erasmus programme. With this label, the project aims to create an incentive for universities in Europe to continue improving the quality of the European student and academic staff exchange.
For further information in the Internet, go to:
www.daad.de/portrait/presse/pressemitteilungen/2012/21009.de.pdf (in German)
www.uni-bielefeld.de/io
Contact:
Karin Kruse, M.A., Bielefeld University
Erasmus Coordinator
International Office
Telephone: +49 521 106-4087
Email: karin.kruse@uni-bielefeld.de
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