Project Description

The project will support the participating universities in establishing high quality standards in the internationalization work by focusing on cross-cultural communication and solving problems in an international environment The main focus of the project is to improve the key professional skills of staff of both higher education institutions. The project target group is the administrative staff working in international relations offices, working in connection with others and willing to empower their communication skills, soft skills, as well as exchange and bring back ideas to facilitate cooperation, mobilities, project implementation, etc.

1. Project Objectives
• to strengthen the bilateral relations between Romania and Norway by enhancing intercultural dialogue between staff and experts from partner universities;
• to provide key skills and service effectiveness for university staff in organizing the activity in IRO`s on the following directions:
I. Increasing the number and quality of mobilities for a) students - study and placement mobilities through dissemination and promotion of activities, cultural integration support, ECTS integral recognition and other methods of recognition, quality assurance in partnerships & language competence; and b) teachers & academic staff - teaching and training mobilities through formal and informal recognition of STA and STT mobilities, spin-off effects: other cooperation opportunities, etc
II. Improvement of services offered by IRO`s and universities through assistance with visa and other legal issues, electronic services, language support & cultural courses, orientation and welcome services, etc
III. Internationalization at home for non-mobile students through international activities - workshops, seminars, webinars, summer schools and modules of foreign culture and civilization
• to improve the quality in the international services offered by both partner universities based on the increased international experience of LBUS and HSN.
• to organize a joint workshop at LBUS entitled Best practices exchanges for internationalization of higher education.
• During the workshop the activities will be made in groups with the purpose of defining a new and improved perspective in university services in international environment through the following strategies and methods: Mind Mapping, World Café, Conversational Leadership, Co-Creation, Community of Practice, Appreciative Inquiry. Based on the activities and discussions during the workshop all the conclusions will be gathered in a Best Practices Handbook - a guide with measures to improve the activity in the International Offices
• to organize a Dissemination Conference for promoting the results of the workshop and the Best Practices Handbook
• Target group will consist of LBUS representatives, partner university`s representatives, personnel from International offices of both universities, coordinators for international activities from faculties, students` associations representatives, other relevant stakeholders. Photo of the project programme

2. Impact
The experience from running a common project and the continuous monitoring will aid quality standards in transnational project implementation in the participating universities, thus obtaining joint results and increasing mutual knowledge and understanding between Romania and Norway. The impact on the estimated target group is positive, they will be able to use work skills, acquired knowledge, and improve their transversal skills in international activities. At the end of the project activities, the major outcome will be providing excellent trained people with increased knowledge in the field of internationalization. The workshop and the conference will give to participants the opportunity to focus on cross-cultural communication and solving problems in an international environment. LBUS will valorize this experience by organizing other projects and events in other related fields. The infrastructure created by the project will be used to organize other events, seminars, conferences, etc; the reinforced relationships will be used in organizing postgraduate courses in the future years. HSN will gain value by the knowledge on how to apply procedures based on the experience of trans-national cooperation; better skills in managing international projects and communication abilities in an international environment.

3. Sustainability Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, has created its Development strategy for 2020 with specific focus on active participation in international programs. The internationalization strategy of the university includes the targets of the Development Strategy, further defining goals and measures to increase amongst others know-how transfers to and from partner universities, opening up new vistas of collaboration like mobilities, bilateral cooperation, projects, etc. All the conditions of the collaboration, the common efforts and the exchange of good practices between universities are a key influence for acquiring adequate education, skills and competences meeting the high quality standards and the requirements of the European labor market in this way developing the human and knowledge capital in partner universities. Based on the project implementation the bilateral relation between the two universities will be strengthen, opening the possibility for other cooperation activities. Both universities will support the sustainability of the project by assuring a continuous access to the project results and open online access to the materials resulted.

Best Practices Handbook

Best Practices Handbook will be made on the following structure:
I. Increasing the number and quality of mobilities
a) students - study and placement mobilities
b) teachers & academic staff - teaching and training mobilities
II. Improvement of services offered by IRO`s and universities
III. Internationalization at home for non-mobile students
And it will also address other HEI`s, as it will be made available online for them to increase intercultural competences at a larger level.
– download (.pdf) Best Practices Handbook

Workshop Best practices exchanges for internationalization of higher education

"Lucian Blaga" (ULBS) in partnership with University College of Southeast Norway (HSN), Norway implements in the period 09.01.2016 - 01.31.2017 the inter-institutional cooperation project Best practices exchanges for internationalization of higher education, financed by Financial mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA) 2009 - 2014. Within the project the Workshop Best Practices for Internationalization of Higher Education exchanges will be organized between 14 -15 of November, 2016.

In this frame the selection process was launched, for choosing candidates who will participate in the workshop entitled Best practices exchanges for Internationalization of Higher Education, which will be organized respecting the principles of transparency, equal access opportunities and avoiding conflict of interest (in the constitution the selection committee and award).

Online File (PDF)
- Application Form (download from here)
- Relevant documents complementary to application form (diplomas, certificates, work certificate, working contract,

attendance certificates, published articles on internationalization subject etc)
- Motivation Letter

Eligibility Criteria :
- To be academic staff / administrative staff in International Relations Department in one university from Romania or Norway;
- To have been participated as a project team member in international projects (intensive programme, summer school, bilateral and consortium cooperation projects etc)
- To have been participated to international events (International weeks, staff training and teaching mobilities, conferences on Internationalization etc)

The participants will be awarded with a total grant of 460 Euro for covering subsistence, accommodation and travel expenses

The selection criteria will be: Application form (accompanied by supporting documents confirming the eligibility) – 60 points, Letter of motivation – 40 points.

Selection Calendar
Phase I: October 24, 2016 - November 7, 2016 - Submission of applications online on the e-mail ioana.mircea@ulbsibiu.ro
Phase II: November 8, 2016 - dossier evaluation and posting of results
Phase III: November 9, 2016 - filing appeals to SRIPC
Phase IV: November 10, 2016 - posting the results after resolving potential complaints
Phase V: November 11, 2016 - filing appeals to the ANPCDEFP and display results after resolving the potential complaints within the statutory period.

Agenda (Programme)
Application Form
Selection Procedure