1 Joint Programmes Require Joint Forces: the Management Aspect Francesco Girotti International Relations Division, Bologna University JOIMAN project‘s coordinator 18 October 2012, Malta BRIDGE PROJECT FINAL CONFERENCE

2 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

3 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

4 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

5 5 International collaboration Individual programmes Cotutelle 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)

6 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

7 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

8 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

9 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.

10 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

11 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 QUALITYASSURANCEMEASURESQUALITYASSURANCEMEASURES FINANCIAL MANAGEMENTFINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Quality in the application phase: transparency Sharing of the budget Quality 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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13 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: Tangible outputs

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16 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…