A tool created by UNITA alliance universities that assesses the level of internationalisation of degrees
UNITA alliance universities have developed a digital resource called the Self-Assessment Tool, which allows them to assess the level of internationalisation of their degree programmes. The tool offers a detailed diagnosis and provides specific recommendations for designing and implementing effective strategies to foster more global, inclusive and accessible higher education. The presentation of the tool took place at the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) during a meeting (called ‘Multiplier Event’) organized by Paloma Fernandez-Rasines (coordinator), Aneider Iza-Erviti, Rebeca Echavarri and Julia Amorena as part of the Erasmus+ project UNITA RECIPES for INTERNATIONALISATION. The meeting, held at the Arrosadia campus in the city of Pamplona (Navarra), brought together representatives of universities and entities linked to the project. Jorge Elso Torralba, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Cooperation of the UPNA, welcomed them and highlighted the importance of the project as a key tool for the internationalisation of degree programmes, with the advantage of offering ‘a practical and accessible approach’ to put it into practice, which ‘helps to overcome cultural and geographical barriers’. Internationalisation consultancy The UNITA RECIPES for INTERNATIONALISATION project, launched in December 2023 for a period of three years, aims to facilitate the internationalisation of the degree programmes of the universities of the UNITA alliance through the support of a new professional figure: the internationalisation advisor. This innovative role aims to accompany the people in charge of the degree programmes through personalised support (‘coaching’) to develop competences that promote inclusive and effective internationalisation in order to reach students with fewer opportunities and to promote ‘internationalisation at home’. With a budget of 400,000 euros, funded by the Erasmus+ programme and co-funded by MOVETIA (the Swiss Agency for the Promotion of Exchanges and Mobility in the Education Sector) and the participating universities, the project underlines the commitment of European universities involved in the improvement of higher education in a global context. The project is coordinated by the University of Savoie Mont Blanc (France) and involves the following partner universities: Brescia (Italy), Transilvania University of Brasov (Romania), the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda (Portugal) and the Public University of Navarra (Spain). In addition, ARACIS (the Romanian National Evaluation Agency) and the other universities of the UNITA alliance are partners: Zaragoza (Spain), Turin (Italy), Beira Interior (Portugal), Pau and Pays de l’Adour (France), West Timisoara (Romania), the Higher Specialised School of Western Switzerland – HES-SO (Switzerland) and the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Ukraine).
Multiplier Event CONNECT-UNITA
On January 30th, professors, researchers, educational engineers, and administrative staff gathered at Université Savoie Mont Blanc for an afternoon of discussions on the challenges of international collaboration, learning activities, and innovative teaching approaches. This hybrid event aimed to showcase the final outcome of the Constellation project, hashtagConnect-UNITA. What is Connect-UNITA about?It is a collaborative platform and methodology designed to foster innovation in teaching and learning. The goal is not only to enhance knowledge and skill acquisition but also to break down barriers of geographical, linguistic, temporal, and social distance, promoting inclusion and international cooperation. Agenda highlights:Presentation of the hashtagConnect-UNITA project and its Time-Spatial-Linguistic Teaching and Learning Travel Machine. Insights into different applications of this travel machine in higher education and its benefits in an international teaching context. Experience sharing on internationalization of teaching at USMB.Exploring the integration of generative AI in higher education: current practices and future perspectives in an international learning environment. A huge thank you to all the speakers (Amy Church-Morel, Anne-Sophie Nardelli Malgrand, Adrien Badel, Vincent COUTURIER, Yannick Vidal) and participants for their inspiring and innovative contributions. Together, we are shaping the future of education, making it more interdisciplinary and collaborative! Special thanks to the hashtag UNITA USMB office (Pauline Jousseaume and lucie CONTAT) for logistics and communication, to the project leader UPPA, and to our UNITA partner institutions: UVT, TORINO, UNIZAR, and UBI. A big shoutout to Aurélie Falconnet, the software engineer, Sorana Cîmpan, the project coordinator at USMB, and Noelia Chambaz, UNITA educational engineer, for their outstanding work in organizing this event.