Erasmus Policy Statement
Erasmus Policy Statement – Sámi allaskuvla / Sámi University of Applied Sciences. Part B of application for ECHE 2021-2027.
What would you like to achieve by participating in the Erasmus Programme? How does your participation in the Erasmus Programme fit into your institutional internationalisation and modernisation strategy?
(Please reflect on the objectives of your participation. Please explain how you expect the participation in Erasmus to contribute towards modernising your institution, as well as on the goal of building a European Education Area1and explain the policy objectives you intend to pursue)
Sámi University of Applied Sciences would like to achieve increased internationalization by participating in the Erasmus+programme. Therefore during the next period the institution believes that that participation in the Programme will increase our involvement in the international arena and strengthen the institutional approach to internationalization.Participation in the Erasmus+programme gives Sámi University of Applied Sciences as an institution the opportunity to establish new contacts, engage in new collaborative networks, improve the cooperation and joint projects with other partner institutions, and to establish strategic partnerships. Mobilityhelps to developour institution on both academic and administrational levels. Our staff improves and enablesusto develop best practices within specific fields of knowledge.These opportunities are in accordance with Sámi University of Applied Sciences’ strategic plan. One of the goals in the strategic plan is that Sámi University of Applied Sciences shall strengthen its position as a leading higher-levelknowledge institution in Sápmi, in the indigenous world and internationally. Achieving those goals requires collaboration, in the development of research and new educational programs, with other higher-level knowledge institutions in the Nordic countries and indigenous areas, especially within the WINHEC (World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium).As well as, maintain, update,and develop collaborative agreements with networks, which strengthen students and staff’s international exchange. In addition, obtain current, durable,and useful international research projects with other Sámi institutions, indigenous institutions,or/andother institutions.
Please reflect on the Erasmus actions you would like to take part in and explain how they will beimplemented in practice at your institution. Please explain how your institution’s participation in these actions will contribute to achieving the objectives of your institutional strategy.
The student and staff mobility inhigher educationis an important part of the institution’s strategic plan of increasing internationalization. Our institution has a strategic priority to be a cross-border institution. We prioritize our expansions of activities all over the Sámi area in Finland, Russia, Sweden,and Norway. We cooperate with the other Nordic countries and higher education institutions in the indigenous areas in order to promote research and new courses of study. Through WINHEC we also do this on an international level, building WINU, World Indigenous Nations University. Our strategy is also to promote international cooperation through student and staff mobility, which also facilitates exchanges of practices. We have prolongedthe research grant agreement with the Nordic Councilof Ministers for the period 2020-2022, and will continue to actively communicate the research outcomes financedthrough the Council. We also promote and facilitate indigenous research andeducation with the help of the latest results of the activities of our institution.
What is the envisaged impact of your participation in the Erasmus+Programme on your institution? Please reflect on targets, as well as qualitative and quantitative indicators in monitoring this impact (such as mobility targets for student/staff mobility, quality of the implementation, support for participants on mobility, increased involvement in cooperation projects (under the KA2 action), sustainability/long-term impact of projects etc.) You are encouraged to offer an indicative timeline for achieving the targets related to the Erasmus+actions.
Sámi University of Applied Sciences sees the Erasmus+ Programme as an opportunity to attract more students to higher education. The student funding is an important part of giving students the opportunity of going on an exchange, regardless of the students’ background. The funding particularly gives the possibility of including those with fewer opportunities. Because of the Erasmus+ Programme and the cooperation with other international institutions, Sámi University of Applied Sciences can offer students the opportunity of funding, high-quality mobility and study programs that are internationally oriented.The Erasmus+programme gives both students and staff the opportunity to develop personally, professionally and academically, while experiencing the benefits of learning, understanding,and experiencing a different language, culture,and country. It gives the staff a unique career development opportunity, to feel inspired and motivated, to learn from another European educational system, learn and share ideas,and explore best practices. While students will be given the opportunity to develop cultural awareness and open-mindedness, as well as making them more adaptable and better equipped for the global world. Sámi University of Applied Sciences’ mobility targetfor student mobility is that 1% of the total number of program students should have been on a student exchange. The support for participants on mobility is key to achieving this goal.
