VISION WORLDWIDE STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

 Framework

University College Arteveldehogeschool is a dynamic college, for which internationalisation is one of the pillars of its mission.
This is translated into a long tradition of cooperation in Europe regarding student and staff mobility, international cooperations, joint education development, research and services.
University College Arteveldehogeschool is part of the Associatie Universiteit Gent and is an active member of several
international networks, such as NAFSA, EAIE, EAN, EURASHE, ATEE, NACNAH, ASHAP, EUPRERA, ENPHE, Enothe, Comenius, Cohehre, Businet.
University College Arteveldehogeschool wants to expand its international vision by constructing a worldwide qualitative network of strategic partners.
For several departments this step has already been taken. The intention is to elaborate the network throughout the entire University College Arteveldehogeschool.

 University College Arteveldehogeschool's worldwide strategic alliance

An alliance or partnership is an agreement between privileged partners because of a common advantage, such as combining the knowledge and know-how that is present. The alliance can be a tool for internationally constructing high-quality education and research.
This implies that the worldwide alliance consists of a limited number of well-chosen institutions, which explains the term 'strategic' alliance.

University College Arteveldehogeschool has declared that it agrees with this principle. At the Internationalisation Forum¹ we have chosen a number of strategic regions, which were consequently approved and supported by the Artevelderaad².

We have chosen the following countries and international agents³:

• Canada (Jacques Allemeersch)
• Ecuador (Eric Van der Meirsch)
• Turkey (Filip Dejonckheere)
• Vietnam (Walter Baeten)
• South-Africa (Marc Velghe)

The choice for the strategic regions was determined by various factors.
We already have an intense cooperation with Canada, South-Africa and Vietnam for some departments, and thanks to the good experiences we have encountered, we have opted for expanding this cooperation towards other departments.
For Canada and South-Africa there is also the additional importance of the language.
Traditionally Flanders has had close ties to Ecuador, which has led to a small-scale cooperation, but is now expanded towards the entire University College Arteveldehogeschool.
Turkey is the outsider: it borders on Europe and the European Union has various initiatives to intensify the cooperation regarding education. Ghent, where University College Arteveldehogeschool is located, has an important Turkish community, which in turn influences the composition of the students and staff of the college. This is why we have decided to intensify the ties with Turkey and make the country a strategic partner. The college's cultural diversification policy implies the importance of the environment in which the college is located and educating students that are aware of the cultural diversity of the college and the city, but also of Europe and the world.

The strategic alliance will be centrally directed, with follow-up by the Internationalisation
department of University College Arteveldehogeschool.

 The objectives

The actual objectives in the cooperation with the various partners of the strategic alliance may vary by country and in the next stage also by region. The country file, linked to this vision, is supposed to expose the situation and is the basis for the strategic plan.

1. A strategic alliance is aimed at long-term structural cooperation: mobilities are a means rather than an objective, but obviously support the structural cooperation.
2. A strategic alliance will reinforce the cooperation regarding education, education development, professionalisation, applied research and services. It is a tool for developing high-quality education and research.
3. A strategic alliance is a tool for the future image of University College Arteveldehogeschool, domestically as well as abroad.
4. The sustainable development of a strategic alliance results in a broader and more in-depth cooperation between institutions, companies and training.
5. The reciprocity in elaborating the strategic alliance may result in mutual mobilities, and is eventually supposed to be mould into a more structural alliance with a visible added value for all partners, such as curriculum development, joint projects, applied research, professionalisation, etc.

 Criteria for the choice of partners in the region

• The partner is interested in cooperation in various areas of education, applied research and project-based cooperation. For some regions there will be proof of this by means of the results already booked by the partner.
• The partner is willing to apply the principle of 'capacity building' in the cooperation.
• The partner is willing to apply the principle of reciprocity, without this being an indispensable condition. Reciprocity is broadly interpreted as an added value for both institutions.
• The strategic partner has a broad educational offer making cooperation throughout the entire Arteveldehogeschool possible. The partner is also interested in interdisciplinary cooperation.
• The partner has a visible vision regarding education and research.
• The partner has a visible vision regarding internationalisation in the institution, for instance by mobility of staff and students, sharing knowledge, etc.
• The partner is active in local and regional networks.
• The partner has an active international network, making the transition from country to region simpler for the international agents.

University College Arteveldehogeschool believes that the dynamics of the strategic alliances will systematically increase by using these. University College Arteveldehogeschool is convinced that the investment in strategic alliances will lead to a fundamental added value for the education institutions involved.