The overreaching purpose of this WP is the implementation of international relations offices in Myanmar partner universities. The specific goals to be reached within it are: raising awareness of International Relations Offices’ strategic role in promoting internationalization, exposing Myanmar partners to three different models of international relations management, enhancing Myanmar partners’ capacity in designing their own IROs supporting the implementation of the existing ones. EU partners are required to support MM partners in drafting their IROs mission and feasibility plans for the future implementation.
4.1. Ministry of Education endorsement to the implementation of new IROs
Dr. Thein Win, Director General, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Prof. Pho Kaung, Rector, University of Yangon opened with their greetings and remarks the workshop "a Global outlook for Myanmar Universities" held in Yangon in January 2020 (see conferences) . The aim of the workshop was to highlight the strategic role of IROs in fostering and managing international cooperation and to define the mission and tasks of IROs to be implemented in MM HEIs whit the support of the Ministry of Education. During the workshop EU partners described how their institutions designed their international offices, explaining how and in what extent the IROs respond to the international strategy of their universities, how IROs can act as a collector for international actions and why international offices are a wide strategic resource that can represent a global connection for all students, faculty members and staff involved in international initiatives. The discussion continued with the presentation by Myanmar partner of the challenges and opportunities for the establishment of IROs in MM HEIs. The involvement of MM Ministry of Education is this workshop was crucial for the development of the WP activities development and outcomes achievement.
4.2. Mobility to EU International relation offices
This activity was planned to be developed in Spring 2020. The Consortium has been forced to reschedule it in terms of period and modality due to the new panorama imposed by the pandemic outbreak and related travel restrictions. Partners agreed to switch to a virtual mobility which took place on the 14-21-28 October 2020.
On October 14th CHINLONE Consortium, virtually met on ZOOM for the first day of WP4 International Relations online training held by Uppsala University. The day started with the welcome note by Ms. Marta Cocos, (Project coordinator, Unit for global partnerships, Uppsala University) and was then devoted to the first topic of the training: Effective mobility flows management.
The audience assisted to the presentation held by Mr. Gustaf Cars, (Head of Unit for global partnerships at Division for Internationalization, Uppsala University) who gave an overview on Strategies and management of International Programs focusing later on what international partners look for and aspect to be considered when deciding to submit a project proposal. After a Q&A session the day continued with the presentation of Ms. Sara Hurtig (Unit for International Mobility at Division for Internationalization, Uppsala University), who exposed the services and quality tools UU offers to manage outbound mobility, soon followed by Ms. Jenny McKeever and Ms. Lina Solander, (Unit for International Mobility at Division for Internationalization, Uppsala University) video presentation on services and quality tools for inbound mobility.
These sessions gave interesting hints to start the discussion on how Myanmar Partner Universities can take advantage of the training experience, which tools and services can be adapted and applied to their context and in institutions in order to improve the practices already in place in the management of international mobility. After the presentation sessions, Participants have been divided in groups to focus the discussion on the following questions:
- How do you see your IRO in 5 years?
- What do you need to do in order to achieve that goal?
- What are the hindrances?
- What are the enabling factors?
- What will you prioritize to get started?
Participants will expose the results of this groups discussion during the next training day on October 21st.
On October 21st CHINLONE Consortium met online for the second day of International relations training, this time dedicated to outreach and promotion.
Participants assisted to the first session held by Mr. Matt Greig, (Head of the Unit for International Mobility at Division for Internationalization, Uppsala University). Mr. Greig started giving and overview of the day-to-day operations at Unit for international mobility focusing more in deep on the strategies and management of mobility programs (partner search, agreements, databases, projects); MoUs and Student Exchange Agreements (SEAs); Courses taught in English and Handling crisis situations. After a Q&A session the training continued with the discussion on the results of the first day.
MM partners participated in a brainstorming session moderated by Ms. Marta Cocos, (UU) during which they exposed the results of the discussion on carried out by the focus groups on the previous training day (please have a look at the box on the right for the brainstorming session results).
The second training day was concluded by Ms. Marta Cocos’ session on the efforts which may be done to promote the HEIs at an international level giving examples of how other HEIs try to promote themselves when looking for new potential collaborations. After this last session, participants divided again in smaller groups, have been invited to focus on how they could improve the promotion and outreach of their Institutions according to the available resources and to provide feedback.
On October 28th CHINLONE Consortium met online for the last IR training day. The session “Governance of international relations” has been held by UNIBO and started with Ms. Licia Proserpio, (CHINLONE coordination Team), who made an overview of the training course bringing the focus on the results the Consortium wants to achieve through this activity. The introduction was followed by Prof. Antonio Fiori (UNIBO, CHINLONE Project Coordinator), who led the discussion around the concept of Internationalization related to the construction of institutional strategies and how to do it in comparison to the global trends.
The day continued with a session on internationalization actors, decision and drivers. Prof. Fiori gave interesting examples on how the international dimension is perceived and managed at UNIBO giving hints and stimulating the discussion on which are the main challenges and opportunities for the enhancement of HEIs internationalization in the Myanmar context.
The final wrap up and indication of next Project’s activities by Ms. Licia Proserpio and Prof. Fiori final remarks closed the training days.
Training materials are available in the box on the right and at the training website.
4.3. Training MM Home Universities
After the virtual mobility at Uppsala University, Myanmar Partners organized cascade trainings at their home Institutions in order to share the new acquired experience and produce a spill over effect. The trained staff will be committed to draft the IROs mission and tasks and their feasibility plans. This activity has been carried out, according to the new plan, at the beginning of the new semester, between December 2020 and January 2021. Please have alook at the box on the right for cascade trainings materials.
4.4. Planning of the IROs
Myanmar partners drafted their IRO’s feasibility plans starting from the definition of the IRO mission, highlighting how this one is consistent with the university own mission and its strategic plan. The mission is fundamental and helps to understand the services needed to encourage international exchanges and cooperation. The feasibility plan shows also how each MM partner is going to tackle budget constraints and indicates the first services to be implemented as well as the personnel required. The office Mission should also appear in the university website, once the IRO is implemented. Please see the feasibility plans approved by MM HEIs Rectors on the box on the right.
4.5 International Relations Offices established
This activity foresaw the purchase of IRO new equipment and it has been already carried out between December 2019 and January 2020. The IROs are fully equipped and this equipment will be used for WP4 activities and project dissemination and exploitation activities. Please have a look at the gallery here for more details on the purchased equipment.
