IRIS - Internationalisation through Research Activities

Category of recipe: Internationalisation through research activities, Internationalisation through partnerships.

Objective: Developing global competence / employability skills, improving academic quality / offer, Attracting International students.

Short description of the recipe
The IRIS programme fosters international research collaboration by enabling students to engage in mobility within partner institutions (sister schools) through joint research projects.
Sister schools refer to institutions with the same scientific disciplines or degree programmes, such as Pharmacy or Medicinal Biotechnology, and with ongoing research projects in similar fields.
The programme is designed for final-year undergraduate (typically 3rd or 4th-year students) or master’s (2nd-year) students, particularly those working on a thesis or research project that can be developed in a lab or within an active investigation.
Students, IRIS coordinators, and representatives from the sister schools formalise participation through an international research agreement, ensuring alignment with both institutions' academic priorities.
Each year, participating institutions provide a list of available research projects. Students apply by submitting a research proposal (3–4 pages) outlining project objectives and expected outcomes.

Level of difficulty: Advanced

Calendar and time needed
Opening of the IRIS programme in each academic year (December/January)
Duration of the programme for participants: Either the 1st or 2nd semester, or up to 12 months (similar to an internship model).

Cost summary: € or €€

Academic recognition
Recognition through ECTS credits (if integrated into a curricular unit).
Alternatively, students receive a certificate of participation, detailing the number of research hours completed.

Language and level required: Minimum B1 level in English.

Roles and Responsibilities
Students (Graduating undergraduates or master’s students)

• Apply for the IRIS programme through the UNITA or mobility office.
• Engage in virtual and physical mobility components as outlined in the research agreement.
• Selection occurs in the year prior to participation, allowing students to plan their research project in advance and secure placement in a suitable institution.

Academic coordinator

• In consultation with the responsible person for each research project:
• Discuss with students the best opportunities for developing their research project.
• For curricular research projects or internships, contact Erasmus coordinators at the partner institution.
• For master's students or independent researchers, collaborate with the Erasmus coordinator, Head of Degree Programme, and research lab supervisor to finalise placements.

Erasmus Coordinator at Partner Institution

• Reviews student applications and facilitates research agreements.
• Ensures administrative compliance for student mobility.

UNITA Office / Mobility Office

• Manages student applications and ensures compliance with international mobility agreements.
• Guides students through administrative and logistical procedures.

Advisor in Internationalisation (if available)

• Ensures IRIS aligns with the university’s global research strategy.
• Provides institutional guidance on international research partnerships.

Pedagogical Engineers (if available)

• Support the development of digital tools and frameworks for international research training.

Ingredients
Signed agreement for research internationalisation under the IRIS programme.
Virtual component prior to physical mobility, allowing students to plan research activities collaboratively.
Physical mobility for experimental or laboratory-based research at the host institution.
Learning Agreement signed by all participating institutions and students.

Recipe steps
Step 1: Opening of the IRIS programme in each academic year (December/January)
Step 2: Publication of the list of available projects and sister institutions (December/January)
Step 3: Applying to the IRIS program (February) – prior to the academic year in which the investigation will be made
Step 4: Analysis of the applications (March)
Step 5: Publication of student selection results (April)
Step 6: Virtual mobility (May – 1st semester or November – 2nd semester)
Step 7: Physical mobility (September–February: 1st semester / February–July: 2nd semester)

Budget description
Research activities are included in the ongoing investigation projects available in each sister school.
Costs are supported by each receiving institution or project.
Costs related to programmed and authorised research activities can be supported by grants, if available.
Students will not bear the cost of any research activity.

Non-mandatory items

Resources: (tutorial/template documents, videos, Flash-learns, international skills frameworks, etc.)

• Re-UNITA Project: Sharing Research Infrastructures
  • Facilitates research exchanges across UNITA partner universities.
  • Enables researchers to access laboratory equipment at partner institutions.
  • Encourages cost-sharing and collaboration in research projects.

For more information: https://research.univ-unita.eu/en/support-for-researchers/shared-research-infrastructures.html
Successful examples of this recipe
Instituto Politécnico da Guarda: At IPG, students of Pharmacy and Medicinal Biotechnology have participated in research mobility at institutions in Spain and Italy.