The University's Internationalization Strategy
Internationalization Strategy
of Uman National University
for 2022–2027
Introduction
Given the current state of international market development, the need for higher education institutions to achieve a high level of international competitiveness through broad integration into the global scientific, educational, and cultural sphere is driven by the growing role of international education, which consistently contributes to the deepening and diversification of interstate political, sociocultural, and economic ties, and the integration of states into the global economic sphere. Against this backdrop, universities around the world are intensifying their competition for leadership in the global education system, which is recognized as one of the most effective levers of influence on international events. The educational potential of Uman National University enables it to rank among the leaders of the global educational and scientific community. The University’s international professional reputation contributes to the expansion of its foreign economic contacts with various countries around the world.
The development of Uman National University’s educational brand, the enhancement of its recognition, and the strengthening of loyalty from international organizations, foreign states, and their citizens are factors that positively influence the University’s integration into the international educational environment and the improvement of the quality of its educational services.
Analysis of the State of International Cooperation
Currently, within the framework of international partnerships, the university cooperates with Bulgaria, Germany, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, the United States, Lithuania, and other countries. An important area of international activity is providing higher education students with the opportunity to study the latest agricultural technologies during overseas internships at companies in Germany, Denmark, Poland, and other countries. Professional development programs and research internships at educational and scientific institutions in partner countries are being actively developed. The University has an International Cooperation Department, which ensures flexibility in planning and implementing the Strategy and addressing issues related to the University’s internationalization.
The Strategy is an integral part of the University’s development strategy for 2022–2027. The Strategy is designed to strengthen the institution’s position and competitiveness in the global educational and scientific community by continuously improving the quality of educational services in accordance with international standards, which involves a set of measures aimed at enhancing the University’s international image and developing research and educational programs.
The strategy addresses all aspects of the University’s mission, namely internationalisation in the educational and scientific spheres.
Goals and Objectives of the Strategy
The UNU Internationalization Strategy complies with the regulatory framework, specifically:
- The Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”;
- The Law of Ukraine “On Education”;
- The Regulations on the Procedure for Exercising the Right to Academic Mobility, approved by the University’s Academic Council in Minutes No. 7 dated June 17, 2021;
- The Charter of Uman National University, adopted by the staff conference on September 28, 2018, and approved and registered with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on January 31, 2019, No. 101;
- The relevant decision of the UNU Academic Council;
- Other regulatory and legal acts in the field of higher education.
The goal of UNU’s internationalization is to establish an effective, multi-structural system of international academic mobility capable of facilitating the effective implementation of the University’s statutory objectives within the full scientific and educational cycles, as the University strives to achieve high international competitive standing.
Objectives:
In-depth study and application of international experience in the development of education and science, including the implementation of the requirements of the Bologna Process.
Development of the University’s educational, scientific, and cultural ties with foreign partners and organizations.
Use of new communication technologies to expand the scope of international cooperation.
Updating curricula and strengthening the University’s material and technical infrastructure in international educational and scientific projects.
Internationalization of education, development of plans for courses with international themes, and creation of courses with a stronger international component.
Enhancing academic mobility: the internationalization of education in Ukraine and the EU is taking place in very similar forms and directions; therefore, international experience in cooperation is in high demand.
The pathways to internationalization are:
1. Establishing a structural unit to coordinate international educational and research activities, including the implementation of projects and academic mobility.
2. Posting up-to-date information on the website regarding opportunities to participate in international programs, projects, and events.
3. Encouraging the participation of students, faculty, and staff in international programs, projects, and events.
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Support for all forms of academic mobility for academic, research and teaching staff, as well as higher education students, and consideration, in accordance with the established procedure, of the recognition of learning outcomes obtained at foreign higher education institutions.
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Encouragement of academic and teaching staff to improve their proficiency in English and other foreign languages and to teach academic disciplines in English and other foreign languages.
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Encouragement of administrative staff involved in international activities, as well as research and academic staff, to improve their English language proficiency and prepare English-language publications based on research findings.
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Intensification of efforts to develop and implement joint educational and research programmes with foreign higher education institutions, research institutions and organizations.
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Engagement of lecturers and researchers from foreign higher education institutions and research institutions in the educational process and research activities.
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Creation of conditions for attracting international students and development of the University's English-language website.
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Initiation and organization of educational and research events (conferences, symposia, summer and winter schools, training programmes) with the participation of international partners.
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Organization and development of international research involving researchers, academic staff and students, which provides for the active use of the University's research potential, engagement of leading specialists from foreign higher education institutions to work on relevant research topics requiring significant concentration of intellectual potential, resources, organizational and business activity.
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Mutual inter-university transfer of creative competencies among students, postgraduate students, doctoral students and academic staff, enabling the development of a well-rounded personality through the identification and development of creative, professional, cultural, organizational and other abilities that can be recognized at the university, regional, national and international levels.
To ensure internationalization, the University should have:
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Adequate resources to support the range of activities constituting the internationalization of the University;
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Mechanisms enabling domestic and international students, staff and visitors to participate in internationalization activities;
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Quality assurance processes for its educational and research programmes;
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A risk management and due diligence mechanism for assessing potential international partnerships;
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Processes to ensure that its international activities comply with applicable legislation and external requirements.
Internationalization of Educational Activities
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Development of joint educational programmes and teaching materials with foreign partners;
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Establishment of international student exchange programmes;
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Development of joint international double-degree programmes, as well as certification programmes for the training of specialists;
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Consolidation of information on opportunities to participate in international academic mobility programmes and motivation of academic staff to participate in such programmes;
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Regular assessment of the effectiveness of the University's partnerships with domestic and foreign research and educational institutions, research institutions and enterprises;
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Establishment of cooperation with foreign and domestic organizations involved in attracting international students, including the Ukrainian State Center for International Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine;
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Utilization of educational opportunities provided by embassies of foreign countries;
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Establishment of a list of foreign languages in which academic disciplines are taught;
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Development of curricula and other regulatory documents in English;
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Implementation of educational programmes providing opportunities to obtain internationally recognized certificates;
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Expansion of the practice of engaging foreign lecturers in the University's educational process.
Internationalization of Research Activities
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Conducting joint international research;
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Encouraging the publication of research papers, monographs, articles and other academic works in publications indexed in international scientometric databases (Scopus, Web of Science, etc.);
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Initiation of international research projects and attraction of international and domestic grants to support their implementation;
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Organization of various international, national and regional student academic competitions and competitions of student research papers;
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Active engagement of students and postgraduate students in research projects;
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Creation of conditions for international postgraduate and doctoral students to conduct joint research at the University;
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Joint publication with foreign partners of research monographs, other academic publications and research articles, including publications indexed in international scientometric databases such as Web of Science and Scopus;
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Systematic organization of international conferences, forums and thematic round tables involving international participants, with public presentations of the practical results obtained;
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Active engagement of students and postgraduate students in the organization and implementation of international events;
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Development of the University's Science Park.
Strategic Priorities of Internationalization and Performance Indicators
✓ Increasing the share of full-time academic staff who participate in international academic mobility programmes (lasting at least one month per calendar year), including through the use of distance technologies, to 9% of the total number of full-time academic staff by 2027.
✓ Increasing the percentage of higher education students participating in international academic mobility programmes, including through the use of distance technologies, to 2.5% of the total number of higher education students by 2027.
✓ Ensuring the annual participation of academic staff from leading universities worldwide in the educational process in an amount of at least 5% of the University's total full-time academic staff.
✓ Increasing the number of international higher education students to 12% of the total student population by 2027.
✓ Increasing the percentage of international students studying in English and EU languages to 40% of the total number of international students.
✓ Increasing the share of classroom hours taught in English, French or German to 9% of the total number of classroom hours by the 2026/2027 academic year.
✓ Ensuring the implementation of at least 3 international projects.
✓ Ensuring that at least 80% of bachelor's degree graduates successfully pass the foreign language entrance examination for admission to master's degree programmes.
✓ Organizing at least 10 events annually with representatives of international organizations and embassies.