European Policy Document - University of Stirling

EUROPEAN POLICY STATEMENT
Part I
The University’s mission is to pursue research and scholarship at an international level
of excellence and to provide flexible and innovative programmes of learning and
teaching in an attractive and vibrant environment. As such, it aims to integrate the
European dimension as an important element in its teaching and research. The
University strongly supports developments which bring European academics, students,
institutions and communities closer together in a mutually beneficial spirit of cooperation.
In pursuance of these objectives, the University has established a wide network of
European student and teacher mobility programmes to enhance the learning
experience and broaden the horizons of students and teaching staff and help establish
a thriving community of international scholarship; this has been enhanced by
participation in COMENIUS, GRUNDTVIG, Intensive Programmes and other European
academic and social programmes.
Under the ERASMUS programme for 2007-13, the University:-
• will seek to increase by at least one third the number of its participants in
mobilityprogrammes over 2006-07 and seek new partnerships to extend both the
range of participation possible for students and staff and widen the geographic
coverage of its participation;
• will continue to develop such programmes, co-operating with partners to provide
mutual support systems for students at an academic and administrative level,
providing full credit accumulation and transfer for ERASMUS study placements.
• will encourage the dissemination of knowledge, shared experience and enhanced
teaching and research collaboration through further development of teaching staff
mobility, staff being assisted as required to establish and maintain collaborative
programmes and provided with support and recognition for collaborative work;
• will further enable the development of, and participation in, other activities within the
Lifelong Learning Programme such as Grundtvig, Comenius, Intensive Programmes
and Curriculum Development, building on the success of such participation under
SOCRATES;
• will maintain and enhance its firm commitment to people with disadvantages and to
equality of opportunity. It therefore provides support and access for students, staff
and the wider community who have disabilities or special needs and implements

oth national and EU laws and guidelines fully within the ERASMUS programme.
Additionally, the University operates on the basis of non-discrimination, whether of
gender, race or other factor, and has developed a range of internal, monitored,
procedures to promote equality of opportunity and treatment which are applied fully
in relation to ERASMUS as well as to general recruitment of staff and students and
provision of opportunity within the institution;
• will continue to promote widening access programmes, remote campuses,
teleconferencing facilities and similar developments to maintain its leading position
and close involvement in the move to opening access to education to all which
remains an underlying goal of the institution in all its activities;
• will encourage the spread of the benefits which flow from an outward-looking
education to all its students and staff and to the wider community in furtherance of
its long-established commitment to life-long learning policies and activities;
• will continue its goal to work with other educational institutions, governmental and
non-governmental organisations and other bodies to return to the community the
expertise developed by academic staff.
The University has made this European Policy Statement available for students, staff
and the community through its website (www.stir.ac.uk) and will publish its ERASMUS
University Charter there and through internally-disseminated promotional
documentation to ensure that all staff and students are aware of the collaborative
opportunities available. These opportunities are also publicised in the main prospectus
and in promotional materials sent to applicants.

Part II
The University has a high rating for teaching and learning quality and implements UK
quality study placement guidelines. Student mobility proposals requires a site visit to
review the suitability of courses, support systems provision for housing and support for
those with special needs. Departmental and central approval is required.
Support and advice provision comes from an academic coordinator who organises
promotion and selection, based on academic and equality criteria. Students have
access to course listings and application procedures through the academic coordinator
guiding the process and providing briefings.
A learning agreement is approved showing the credit to be awarded for successful
completion and is submitted to the host institution with its application form.
Subsequently, students submit confirmation documentation concerning their
registration and attendance and a transcript will be received.
Students continue to have support from the academic and institutional coordinators to
ensure they have advice and information, including details for their return when they
progress to the next academic level, subject to meeting progress requirements. Credit is
transferred using an agreed credit scheme and students will meet with academic
coordinators to discuss their experience.
Incoming students access module information, and application documentation via the
website. Applicants’ programmes are checked by academic advisers, ensuring choices
are appropriate. Students have access to academic advisory staff and to learning
support. ERASMUS students are fully integrated into the University community with
guaranteed housing and access to all the teaching, social and sporting activities. No
tuition fee is charged. Students with special needs have access to specialist support on
an individual basis. Transcripts are provided to facilitate credit transfer.
Application, admission and monitoring processes are organised in accordance with the
University policies on equality and non-discrimination.
For teacher mobility, programmes have departmental sanction and the teaching
experience is recognised, the potential being to develop student mobility or other
academic collaboration. Both incoming and outgoing staff have the administrative
support system of the academic department in relation to the organisation of their
programmes. Support for incoming staff may include finding housing and access to
departmental and University resources and facilities. Outgoing staff have a central
administrative contact to assist with contractual and financial aspects. Staff
participants in teacher mobility are expected to submit a report of their mobility both to
their department and to the central coordinator.

Application for Extended European Policy Statement
1.a) Please describe clearly your institution's strategy, objectives and priorities for its
Erasmus activities (mobility, multilateral projects and networks, etc.) and any other
actions in the context of the Lifelong Learning Programme.
The information under this section should cover the following points:
- What is the institution's previous experience in international exchange and
cooperation programmes?
- How does the participation in the Erasmus programme relate to the overall
international strategy of the institution?
- What are the institution's priorities/objectives to be reached by participating in the
Erasmus programme?
- What are the specific activities to be implemented in the framework of the Erasmus
programme (e.g. exchange of students and staff, development of cooperation with
higher education institutions or other types of institutions, participation in Erasmus
multilateral projects/ networks)?
The University’s Strategic Plan (2011-16) specifically refers to two strategic drivers that
demonstrate its strategy, objectives and priorities for international activity and which
encompass all Erasmus activity. The Plan states that we will strengthen our status as a
globally connected institution, and provide a vibrant, multi-cultural, intellectually
stimulating environment for our student community by increasing our international
population and enriching the learning experience for all students.
The University supports students on their learning journey and endeavours to ensure
that our curriculum is relevant, distinctive, inclusive, and engaged with the world. It is
our ambition to develop graduates who are active global and local citizens. In order to
achieve this ambition, the University is in the process of establishing a new, dedicated
Graduate School to provide a supportive environment for our graduate student
population. It is also committed to maximising employment experiences, encouraging
work placements and international study to augment the traditional student learning
experience. It recognises that such opportunities are valuable for employability and
considered desirable graduate attributes.
The University has a long history of exchanging students both within Europe dating back
to the Socrates programme since 1988 and beyond Europe, especially in North America
where it has held continuous exchange agreements that were established soon after its
founding in the late 1960s. Recently the University has attempted to develop new
international study and placement opportunities, in line with its internationalisation
strategy, for students studying and seeking out placements in subjects that have been
traditionally underrepresented, such as nursing and law.
It is expected that successful application for the Extended Erasmus University Charter
and the resulting ability to arrange placement opportunities for its students will enable

the University to realise an intended outcome associated with its Strategic Plan, to
establish multi-strand (research and education) partnerships with a range of academic
institutions and businesses.
We are currently active in numerous Erasmus strands including Erasmus Student
Mobility – Study (SMS) and Erasmus Staff Mobility – Teaching (STA), sending and
receiving students in near equal numbers and having increased the number of staff
taking part in STA from two in 2009/10 to 14 in 2011/12. Often SMS and STA mobility
is interconnected and the two strands are mutually reinforcing. In addition the
University is contributing to a number of Erasmus Academic Networks including ‘Aquanet’.
It is hoped that addition of the Erasmus Student Mobility – Placement (SMP)
strand will enable the University to broaden the variety of opportunities open to
students to spend a portion of their studies outside of Scotland and make it an even
more attractive destination for students seeking an international education.
What specific actions are planned to give visibility to Erasmus activities and what type
of publicity will be given to the Erasmus University Charter and the EPS?
Student exchange opportunities are promoted through many of the same channels as
other exchange programmes, mainly in the form of fairs, information events, email
blasts, www.stir.ac.uk/erasmus, and local promotion through our Schools.
Opportunities for participation in staff exchanges are publicised through the senior staff
from each School and via School websites. The Erasmus University Charter is posted
visibly in the International Office and the EPS is published on www.stir.ac.uk/erasmus.
What kind of arrangements, if any, does the institution ensure to comply with nondiscrimination
objectives (e.g. actions related to gender equality, integation of disabled
students and staff, enhancement of social and economic cohesion and combating of
xenophobia and racism)?
The University’s Single Equality Scheme sets out how we will tackle discrimination and
harassment and promote equality for staff, students and service users. This and related
resources, including policies and support available through HR, Student Development
and Support (incorporating the Disability Service), can be found at
www.diversityandequality.stir.ac.uk. International students benefit from a full-time
International Student Advisor and services provided by the Student Union.
What kind of specific measures are implemented to ensure high quality in student
placement? Give details on how the work-programme and the placement agreement
are prepared and implemented. Please describe the practical arrangements agreed
between the parties. Please specify also the monitoring and evaluation of the
placement period as well as its recognition in the curriculum.
The University of Stirling ensures that student placements meet the principles of the UK
Quality Assurance Agency’s Code of Practice on Placement Learning. Placement
mobility under the charter will be embedded within the student’s programme of study

and will as such be governed by the University academic framework and all relevant
professional requirements.
The placement organiser in each School will determine whether a placement is an
appropriate learning environment that ensures students develop key skills and obtain
relevant practice and experience. In advance of any placement being arranged practice
and academic learning outcomes will be clearly defined and communicated to the
student and the host placement institution.
In some professional subject areas, placements will be formally organised for students
while in other areas students will generate the placement themselves and request the
School to contact the placement provider on their behalf.
Approval of the placement will only be secured if a common understanding of host
institution and visiting student responsibilities is agreed. Once approval has been given,
students will be informed that they are subject to the same conditions that would apply
to all employees in the placement area.
Students will develop a learning plan for their placement visit. During the placement all
involved parties will maintain regular contact in order to monitor and evaluate the
progress of the placement and attainment of the agreed learning outcomes. Students
must submit a report on on return to the University and share their experiences.
Each year an annual report will be prepared for placement activity, containing evidence
from the participant students, the school placement organiser and the host institutions
placement contact about the nature, conduct and learning environment of the
placement. Credit for placement learning experienced will be determined in the School
examination board in line with normal practice.
Last updated April 2012