Strategy 2009-10 to 2013-14
Global
Strategic Aim Four - To continue to be a leading UK university of choice
for international students and to further develop the international
dimension of our research, educational and cultural activities.
The University has been committed, since its inception, to
internationalisation. This is reflected in its character, outlook and values
- in the international perspective that characterises much of its teaching
and research and the large proportion of students and academic staff who are
recruited from outside the UK. The University draws its students from 130
countries and has staff from more than 70 nationalities.
The
University takes pride in its dynamic international community, the support
and experience it provides for its international students, and the
international opportunities it affords all its students and staff.
The University created the post of Dean of International Development in
2009 in order to provide strategic leadership, and to develop and implement
a new
International Strategic Agenda (pdf) that was approved in July 2010:
This new strategy:
- Further elaborates, develops and supports the
University’s ambitions under the Global strategic aim.
- Ensures that opportunities and connections between
international research, education and curricula, mobility
(staff and students), capacity-building and development can
be taken and made effectively.
Strong recruitment of international students remains a cornerstone of the
strategy, ensuring that the University’s international character continues
into the future. Increasingly, as the national and international context
changes, further emphasis will be placed on developing bilateral and
multilateral institutional links, trans-national educational initiatives and
building recruitment activities upon research and other academic
collaborations between the University and its increasing range of
international partners.
Increasing participation levels, and diversifying modes, of student
mobility is a key aim. Moving the university from a largely
student-interest-driven study abroad agenda towards an institution-strategic
student-mobility agenda is the responsibility of a new Student Mobility
Committee that works pro-actively with the Study Abroad Office, the
faculties and departments.
Central to the International Strategy is the goal of building the Global
Alliance - a strategic alliance of universities from around the world,
allowing multilateral collaboration across the full range of our core
activities.
The University will also support, within the institution and with a broad
range of international partners, a small number of Global Challenge research
projects. Through these Global Challenges and the Global Alliance, the
University will seek to:
- Fulfil its economic, social and cultural obligations.
- Undertake international teaching and research
collaborations.
- Share best practice in teaching, learning, management
and leadership.
- Share marketing and profiling opportunities.
- Develop the University’s global visibility and
influence.
- Focus on research with global significance.
Our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) explain the
targets.
Further information on
Essex’s Global
Challenges, including the four projects is available.
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