BUP meeting of International Relations Officers (IROs)
As a part of the BUP Presidency in Czechia in cooperation with and co-financed by the University of Ostrava the BUP hosted this meeting. The event took place between 7 and 8 October 2024. The participants were colleagues at the International Relations Offices (IROs) at BUP participating universities. The meeting explored the idea of more actively involving IROs as a target group in the BUP’s work. At the meeting colleagues met and shared their experience with their universities' involvement in the BUP and took the opportunity to broaden perspectives and establish ties with colleagues from all over the Baltic Sea Region.
Program
The program (pdf) pdf, 264 kB. of the meeting focused on discussing and sharing experiences of being a part of the BUP, and the universities’ involvement in BUP activities as well as experiences from working in other networks like EHEA (e.g. European Universities Alliances). Also, discussing synergies in the internationalisation strategies of BUP participating universities, opportunities for financing joint activities, as well as concrete activities on how to cooperate, communicate, and promote at various levels.
The program included these sessions;
- 'Experiences of being BUP participating universities' which contained presentations and a workshop.
- 'Internationalisation and networking: Alliances and University networks as a part of the internationalisation strategy' which contained presentations and a group discussion.
- 'University Strategies and Networking for Sustainability' which contained presentations and a workshop.
- 'BUP internal cooperation' which contained a group discussion and workshops.
Outcomes of the event
The meeting led to the establishment of the BUP IROs network to foster stronger collaboration, partnerships, and closer connections, particularly in the areas of internationalisation and sustainability.
In the final part of a workshop, there were gathered ideas for the practical implementation of the BUP IROs network. One of the main suggestions was to create a space for IROs to exchange best practices, connect with one another, and explore joint opportunities. As a result, a LinkedIn group has been set up to facilitate ongoing communication and engagement between universities.
Since regular communication will be crucial to make this network work successfully, there is a plan to host regular BUP IROs online meetings. These sessions will provide participants with the opportunity to raise relevant topics, discuss areas of concern, and explore ways to further collaborate with each other and within the BUP.
Through several workshops and seminars, it was made clear that raising awareness about the BUP and improving communication between BUP contact persons could significantly enhance the Programme’s visibility. This would help to ensure that participating universities are more aware of the benefits of being a part of the BUP, such as access to student events, research collaborations, online courses, and more. To achieve this, the role of IROs within their universities is crucial.
With the aim to achieve this, the BUP Coordinating Secretariat will organise regular information and introduction meetings, specifically designed for new members, but open to all, to help them gain a clearer understanding of the BUP’s work.
Participants at the BUP meeting of International Relations Officers. Photo: Lara Kerschl
Evaluation meeting of International Relations Officers
The evaluation was sent out at the conclusion of the meeting and it was completed by 24 of the participants, half of those who attended.
Quotes from the evaluation
"The agenda was well-structured, covering relevant topics that promoted meaningful discussions and collaboration."
"It was great for building connections and getting to know each other."
"As a representative of an International Cooperation Department, the meeting provided invaluable insights into internationalisation strategies and best practices from other universities across the BUP network."
Results of the event
Participants gave a rating of 8.7/10 in response to the question of to what extent the event was worthwhile in attending, in terms of their work and position at the university.
The participating colleagues noted that they gained much knowledge regarding best practises and how other universities work with cooperation, exchanges and other internationalisation issues. Furthermore, the interactions between colleagues led to them extending their professional networks.
Organiser voice
"The idea of connecting IROs within the BUP had been there for a few years already. We felt the need to share good practices and talk about challenges in internationalisation activities, and furthermore, to discuss other opportunities for further collaboration and financing. When the University of Ostrava became the Czech BUP National Centre, the idea was brought to life and it turned out to be a big success. The three days were full of networking, sharing ideas, and laying grounds for future fruitful collaboration. We would like to thank the BUP Coordinating Secretariat for their support and cooperation.”
Participant evaluations
- The participants rated their expectations before the event at 8.1/10.
- Participants gave the event an overall 9.2/10 rating.
- Communication between the event staff and participants was rated highly, both before the event, 9.6/10, and at the event, 9.5/10.
- The overall impression of the program was rated at 8.9/10.
All overall ratings were made on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is considered negative and 10 is considered positive.
Voices of participants
Hannah Leichsenring - Participant from Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB)
Before attending the meeting I expected to get updated on international exchange and cooperation in the “post-pandemic” era. Mostly I looked forward to being able to “share a space” with like-minded people. I believe that IROs have an important role to play in furthering the European idea, and I feel that the regional basis of the BUP is very well suited for that.
The best part of the meeting was getting to know colleagues, learning about projects, and especially finding out that we all struggle with similar challenges and problems in internationalisation and discussing ideas on how to deal with them.
I believe there is an important role for networks like the BUP to further green travel in international meetings. We urgently need new ideas on how to cope with the time vs. money vs. sustainability-contradiction and the BUP could and maybe should be one of the networks contributing to this discussion.
Yuliia Kostiuk - Participant from Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University
Before attending the meeting, I was expecting to find new partnership opportunities and synergies with other BUP participating universities, as well as learn about their experience in international networks.
The best part of the meeting was getting to know our diverse group from 10 countries and over 40 universities, large-scale and small-scale, both those who are experienced and new in the BUP.
From the meeting, I will take with me the fact that internationalisation managers in different institutions and countries share so many challenges in working towards their goals and communicating with students and academics. I believe further experience exchange would benefit the whole BUP!
Images from the meeting
Photo: Klára Šmiřáková
Ivana Adamikova, BUP National Centre Director in Czechia, welcomed the participants.
Photo: Lara Kerschl
On the first day there was a presentation by Pavel Danihelka, University of Ostrava and VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, on the 'Complexity of sustainability as an opportunity for the BUP'.
Photo: Lara Kerschl
The participants had the opportunity to meet and get to know colleagues from all over the Baltic Sea Region.
Photo: Lara Kerschl
During the event there were workshops where the participants were divided into smaller groups.
Photo: Klára Šmiřáková
Inga Petrauskienė, Klaipeda University, gave a presentation on the role of EUCONEXUS in strengthening Klaipeda University's Internationalisation Strategy and strategic partnerships.
Photo: Lara Kerschl
Breaks in the program were also good opportunities for networking.
Photo: Klára Šmiřáková
Lyudmyla Babak and Lara Kerschl, BUP Coordinating Secretariat, held the workshop 'Future cooperation: how should we strategically cooperate?'.
Photo: Lara Kerschl
The workshops were opportunities to share knowledge and ideas.