Training programme for HE managers & support staff

Comprehensive training programme for higher education managers and support staff members

One of the tools developed under the UniWeLiS project that should support higher education institutions in the Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in implementing measures for better integration of incoming PhD students and academics, and more effective internationalisation management in general, is the comprehensive training programme for higher education managers & professionals involved in internationalisation.

The programme consists of 6 training modules focusing on key areas identified during the in-depth interviews with higher education managers and support staff members from the target region on their most desired training needs. It is a practical training focusing on development of skills needed to manage and support mid and long-term mobility of international PhD students and academic staff. It shall enable higher education managers to better understand the challenges related to the topic and propose strategic actions in addressing them, while the support staff members will gain an opportunity to develop the skills needed to implement these actions. Thus higher education institutions will be able to create environments more supportive to international PhD students and academics and in this way, to become capable to attract and retain more international talent.

 The developed training programme was pilot-tested by the managers and administrative staff members from 5 consortium institutions at an international training event. The presentations, detailed training manual and other support materials are available also to other interested higher education institutions enabling them to replicate the programme. Hence, institutions in the target region will be able secure their managers’ and support staff members’ professional development.

 

Training materials

Below you may find training materials from the Training Manual: “Let’s professionalise the services for mobile academics! Comprehensive training for higher education managers and support staff”. All materials are free and can be copied while preserving copyright and delivering information on the project and its funding.

The institutions wishing to deliver workshops according to the Training Manual are invited to consult “Introduction to the Training Manual” and training materials for the chosen module(s).

 

List of modules:

Module 1. Institutional welcome centre: practical and strategic considerations

The training module 1 focuses on raising awareness on the importance and benefits of the strategic and systematic approach to building a welcoming environment and offering high-quality standardized support services to incoming PhD students and academics. It also demonstrates the transformation of such approach into an institutional strategic plan. The module does not stay only with a theory, it also showcases concrete systematic measures, practical steps and phases of setting up an institutional welcome centre.

This training module is an introduction to the whole cycle and serves as an umbrella for all other training modules. It helps to assign specific activities to the biggest idea and get a broader perspective. Therefore, it might be crucial for university authorities, board members, and managers who want condensed knowledge. Nevertheless, it will also be very useful for support staff members directly involved in the international mobility of PhD students and academics as an introduction to the topic.

PRESENTATION: Institutional welcome centre: practical and strategic considerations

Training scenario

For more details, check the Training Manual

 

Module 2. Digital Welcome Center

The module 2 focuses on designing a clear vision of data collection processes in the welcome centre (including designing a meta-model), achieving awareness on the directions to digitalize the operations of the welcome centre and motivating participants to master different kind of online collaboration tools.

PRESENTATION: Digital Welcome Center

Training scenario

For more details, check the Training Manual

 

Module 3. Comprehensive approach to support services

The training module 3 will help to understand support services as a process which affects institutional efficiency in hosting international PhD students and academics. It will present ways of how to design and improve support services to answer real needs of the target group and build a better institutional image. The training will also present examples of good practices in support services provided by many higher education institutions across Europe.

PRESENTATION: Comprehensive approach to support services

Training scenario

For more details, check the Training Manual

 

Module 4. Local Partnerships

The training module 4 highlights the importance of collaboration with various partners and explores how local collaboration affects international academic mobility.

PRESENTATION: Local Partnerships

Training scenario

For more details, check the Training Manual

 

Module 5. Intercultural Communication: Responding to cultural specifics and universals

The training module 5 aims to deepen the recognition of cultural differences and to apply this in effective communication with international PhD students and academics coming for a mid-term or long-term mobility to your institution. It will help participants primarily be more aware of the communication situations they enter.

PRESENTATION: Intercultural Communication: Responding to cultural specifics and universals

Training scenario

For more details, check the Training Manual

 

Module 6: Global profile, marketing, and talent attraction

The training module 6 aims to develop knowledge of strategic approaches and solutions in building an institution’s attractiveness for global talent (researchers, lecturers, PhD students).

The training covers two areas:

1. global visibility of higher education institutions,
2. strategic approaches to talent recruitment.

It contains various examples of good practices applied by higher education institutions in South-Eastern and Central-Eastern Europe.

PRESENTATION: Global profile, marketing, and talent attraction

Training scenario

For more details, check the Training Manual

 

 

INTERNATIONAL MANAGER TRAINING MEETING IN SOFIA, BULGARIA (October 3-6, 2022)

The pilot testing of the training programme for higher education managers responsible for international mobility and professional staff members involved in assistance of incoming PhD students and academic staff was conducted by 5 consortium institutions in October 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria. For the photos from the training click HERE.