International collaboration to update and coordinate content of your degree programme

    From UNITApedia

    Category of recipe: Internationalisation through research activities, Internationalisation through pedagogical activities and development of international skills for students (curriculum), Internationalisation through national and international students.

    Objective: Improving academic Quality / offer; Attracting International students; Academic, professional and personal growth; Developing global competence / employability skills; Improving academic quality / offer; Ensure that degree programmes remain competitive and applicable.

    Short description: Professors and academic networks collaborate to update and align course content across institutions. This ensures consistency with the latest academic and professional developments, facilitates student mobility, and supports the mutual recognition of ECTS credits.

    Academic recognition: The acquisition of the updated and coordinated contents is integrated into the general framework of the degree programme, and therefore will be systematically assessed and contribute to obtaining the diploma (and associated ECTS).

    Level of difficulty: Advanced

    Calendar and time needed: Whenever you can update the contents of your degree programme, and in any case before presenting to the students the intended learning outcomes of the concerned courses.

    Cost summary: No funds needed.

    Language and level required: The level corresponding to the degree programme.

    Roles and Responsibilities:
    Square red.png Course coordinators: Responsible for a course that is taught in two (or more) institutions and who wish to collaborate to up-date and coordinate the contents of that course will work together to ensure that the course remains aligned with current academic and disciplinary developments. This can involve integrating recent research findings, best teaching practices, or international benchmarking efforts. Each person within their own institution will have to manage the corresponding bureaucratic processes to produce the final course guide.
    Square red.png Institutional administration: Supports the approval and implementation of updated course content, ensuring alignment with internal policies and regulations.
    Square red.png Professors: Participate in discussions, share insights, and contribute to the development of content based on evolving academic and professional trends.
    Square red.png International Relations Office: Assist with coordination efforts, particularly in ensuring alignment with international education frameworks and student mobility programmes.
    Square red.png Advisor in Internationalisation (if there is such a person in the university):: Provides strategic guidance on international partnerships and supports content alignment with global academic standards.
    Square red.png Pedagogical Engineers (if there is such a person in the university):: Offer expertise in curriculum development, instructional design, and technological integration to enhance the quality of teaching and learning.

    Ingredients:
    Square red.png A course within a degree programme that is offered in two or more institutions.
    Square red.png Leaders with responsibility and capacity to modify the course content in each institution, committed to boosting internationalisation.
    Square red.png Partnerships with international institutions to support course content alignment and academic collaboration.
    Square red.png Opportunities for professors to engage in global teaching-focused collaboration initiatives.
    Square red.png A group of professors who:

    • Recognise the benefits and added value of coordinating course content across institutions.
    • Are committed to working collaboratively to improve the academic experience for students.
    • Are willing to implement best practices and innovative teaching methods addressing global challenges.


    Recipe steps:
    Square red.png Step 1: Identify professors interested in content alignment.

    • Engage professors interested in aligning and updating the content of a specific course across institutions.
    Square red.png Step 2: Internal coordination.
    • Organise an information meeting with the engaged professors within each institution to discuss the expected integration, coordination, and update of the course content.

    Square red.png Step 3: International coordination.

    • Host an international meeting with partner institutions to establish an agenda for content alignment.
    Square red.png Step 4: Schedule regular meetings.
    • Plan virtual (or in-person) meetings across institutions to maintain ongoing collaboration and alignment.
    Square red.png Step 5: Key milestones for content alignment.
    • Provide a list of the intended learning outcomes that can be coordinated across the participant institutions considering the idiosyncratic characteristics of each institution.
    • Once (a) is accomplished, identify and provide a list of the minimum contents identified by recent research and academic consensus as essential and best practices for students to achieve the intended learning outcomes.
    • Identify internationally recognised and reliable resources of information and ensure the access to support content update.
    • Once (a) (b) (c) are accomplished, develop a coordinated syllabus that each institution can adapt to its specific framework while maintaining consistency in key content areas.
    Square red.png Step 6: Implement teaching and evaluation practices.
    • Organise teaching and evaluation as usual.


    Budget Description:

    • Cost for the Organising Institution:
      • This activity does not require direct funding, as collaboration between institutions relies primarily on existing academic networks, virtual communication tools, and institutional support. Minimal costs may arise for travel and accommodation if in-person meetings are required.
    • Business Model of the Activity:
      • The collaboration is based on voluntary engagement from professors, institutional representatives, and academic networks.
      • Costs are minimised by using virtual meetings and digital platforms for content exchange.
      • Each institution manages its internal administrative process for updating course content.
      • If physical meetings are required, travel expenses may be covered by available mobility funds.
    • Budget Type / Sources of Revenue:
      • Institutional support from participating universities.
      • Erasmus+ or other mobility programme funding (for potential in-person coordination meetings).
      • Internal research and teaching development grants (if applicable).
      • Specific international cooperation agreements that support curriculum development.
    • Cost per Participant:
      • No direct costs for professors or institutions if virtual collaboration is used.
      • If in-person coordination meetings are necessary, costs may include travel, accommodation, and per diem expenses, which can be covered by institutional funding or mobility grants.
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