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Joint Programmes Require Joint Forces: the Management Aspect

Francesco GirottiInternational Relations Division, Bologna University

JOIMAN project‘s coordinator

18 October 2012, Malta

BRIDGE PROJECT

FINAL CONFERENCE

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STARTING POINTS

• Joint Programmes: Integrated study programmes offered by 2 or more institutions leading to the award of a Double, Multiple or Joint Degree• JOIMAN focused on the Administration and Management of JP

WHY?• Because of the Erasmus Mundus impact

• Because of the nature of the network

HOW?• Surveys to JP coordinators (Master, Doctorate, EU&NonEU), study visits, international conferences, papers, discussions, networks

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JOIMAN FINDINGS AT A GLANCE

3 main messages:

1. There are different models of Joint Programmes, with different levels of integration and different impact on the planning, organisation and management of the programmes themselves

2. Institutional strategy, support and commitment are crucial for the implementation of Joint Programmes

3. Being aware of the processes allows to think in advance

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MESSAGE 1: DIFFERENT MODELS

Highest level of Integration

(EM Model)

Lowest level of Integration (Structured mobility in

Bilateral coop.)

Joint Admnistration of students and ad hoc services

Common budget and tuition fees

Jointly developed curriculum (new, learning outcomes based,)

Curriculum based on existing courses/ exploitation of excellences (Comparison of learning outcomes)

Curriculum based on existing comparable courses (input based)

Focus on international students

Based on own institution tuition policies

Focus on local students

Jointly agreed students’ services and standards

QA measures standards jointly agreed

Joint QA measures

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5Degree of jointness and integration in the cooperation

   International

collaborationIndividual programmesCotutelle

Joint doctoral programme

Joint doctoral degree and programme

Research        

Courses        

Structure of cooperation

       

Selection/admission        

Supervision        

Defence        

Monitoring/reporting        

Employability        

Funding/fees        

Double or multiple degrees

       

Joint degree        

MESSAGE 1: DIFFERENT MODELS (DOCTORATES)

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MESSAGE 1: DIFFERENT MODELS

Positioning your joint programme in the appropriate level of integration has a deep impact on the management of the joint

programme itself.

I.E: Large integrated consortium: increase the critical mass, share of resources and expertise, increase the quality of the mobility offer BUT more coordination efforts and costs (meetings, staff mobility etc) more harmonization problems (procedures, legislations, cultures)

I.E: targeting international students: more chances to attract best students, creation of a real international environment BUT more efforts in marketing the programme, more efforts in the ICT infrastructures, more efforts in services for students etc

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MESSAGE 2: INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT

Most common obstacles detected:

1. Legislation on joint degrees

2. Institutional regulations

3. Different Education Systems (length of study, accreditation)

4. Tuition fees policies

5. Funds and Human Resources

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WHY INSTITUTIONAL COMMITTMENT IS IMPORTANT?

•To prepare the ground through external actions• To advocate changes at national level• Developing a network-based strategy

•To prepare the ground through internal actions• Creating appropriate structures for the development and

implementation of JP• Creating/adapting internal rules• Coordinating the efforts of the many actors involved• Providing funds for new initiatives• Promoting the professional development of administrators and

academics involved• Fostering the initiatives of academics

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THIRD MESSAGE: KNOW THE PROCESS AND THINK FIRST

First action of the JOIMAN group has been the definition of the processes in order to draft a comprehensive questionnaire for JP coordinators.

Processes have been refined after the submission of questionnaires and study visits.

This allowed us to draft a map which could be useful and adaptable to any Joint Programme for the planning of the management phase.

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WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE PROCESSES?

Because most of the detected obstacles in the management of Joint Programmes are at Programme level and can be approached during the development/negotiation phase

•Lack of information on the educational systems of the partners

•Late involvement of key people

•Confusion in terminology

•Late definition of procedures for the administration of students

•Duplication of quality assurance requirement, without a clear reflection on the harmonization of the existing – institutional – procedures with the needs of international dimension of the programme

•Late discussion on calendars, credits, thesis procedures, certification, phd candidate supervision etc

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Students’ administration timeline Transversal processes

Application

Teaching

Enrolment

Admission

Selection

Mobility

Welcoming

Dissertation

Diploma and DS

Selection round for non EU

Communication of results

Visa procedures

Welcoming services

Enrolment procedures

Language training

Cultural integration

Tutoring of the mobility

Welcoming services

Academic Tutoring

Cultural integration

Joint jury

Promotion

Receipt of application

Selection round for EU

Preparation to the mobility

Transfer of students’ career

Transfer of student’s’ career

Academic Tutoring

Joint signature or request of multiple diplomas

QUALITY

ASSURANCE

MEASURES

FINANCIAL

MANAGEMENT

Quality in the application phase:

transparency

Sharing of the budgetQuality of the

selection

Quality management tools

Evaluation of teaching

Evaluation of services

Ex post evaluation: student’s career

Ex – post evaluation: feedback from the

labour market

Overall evaluation of the programme

Management and distribution of fees

Management of scholarships

Reserves for sustainability

Accounting / reporting

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Good practice report  on  the  management  of  JP  (Master EU-non EU and Doctorates)Annexes:  Cooperation  agreement  template,  Glossary, example of guidelines, national legislations on tuition fees

Thematic papers

Contributions from international seminars

JOIMAN web site: www.joiman.eu

Tangible outputs

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HOW TO USE THE RESULTS

Traditional way: Reading

(adapting concepts to different contexts, adapting tools such as the cooperation agreement template to our needs)

Innovative Way…