Erasmus Policy Statement of Kafkas University

 

Kafkas University (KAU) emphasizes the importance of internationalisation and modernisation in Higher Education in order to achieve and maintain excellence in all aspects of education and research. KAU’s internationalisation and its education and research strategies aim to promote longer-term and sustainable networks and partnerships with universities and other organisations active in research, teaching and enterprise for mutual benefit. Key objectives are: to raise the KAU’s international profile through recruitment and partnerships, to internationalise the curriculum to reflect an increasingly diverse student and staff, to expand the number of programmes offering an international experience, to engage actively with the Bologna process. Accordingly, the International Mobility Policy has a considerable strategic value in the development of Higher Education and research in KAU in line with Bologna Process and Implementation, Mobility Programmes. KAU is also devoted to a lifelong education and developed instruments for this purpose such as Continuing Education Centre (KAU-SEM), Centre for Distance Learning (KAUZEM). The location of KAU and its membership to Association of Caucasian Universities and Assembly of Silk Road Universities have enabled it to establish strong ties with Universities in Caucasia and Central Asia along with already existing EU mobility programmes. This new mobility policy has been improved and spread over the Europe, Middle East and Unites State of America. In this context, our institutional policies for the implementation and organisation of international mobility are to:

 

>  improve the curricular quality of our active programs,

>  attain the accreditation and the international full recognition of degrees,

>  encourage the student and staff exchanges between institutes of higher education,

>  compare the research and education 

 

KAU emphasizes the importance of internationalisation through encouraging inter-institutional cooperation and mobility, especially Erasmus+. KAU has a 12 years of experience in participating Erasmus program. The purpose is to increase the proportion of those participated in mobility at considerable rate. All communicational instruments (conferences, seminars, presentations, leaflets, brochures, booklets, posters, newspaper, internet, etc.) are used to disseminate related and useful information to all partners of concern (students and academic and administrative staffs). A comprehensive and user-friendly website has also been designed to maintain up-to-date information about EU and Mobility Programmes.

KAU intents to increase the recognition of the programme and visibility all around our city and country and as well as in an international way. Students with Erasmus experience has more advantages of employment comparing to the students who did not participate the program. Erasmus grant and generally the program motivates and encourages academics to have an international experience and Erasmus Office facilitates the process for them. We expect and also hope that participating in the programme will help and motivates more employment opportunities in the labour market.

KAU guarantees selecting participants to the program without regard to gender, ethnic origin, race, religion, nationality, social or economical background. Students with disabilities are supported with extra points during the selections according to Erasmus User’s Guide rules. Departmental Coordinators will be in contact with all students of mobility and traineeship and follow their advancement during the exchange.

All students are requested to work under the supervision of their departmental coordinators and keep in contact with them and Erasmus Office during their exchange. Outgoing students are prepared and informed by pre-departure meetings and previous year’s students give their advices. Incoming students will be informed about all the accomodation and transportation options before their arrival. KAU provides a guest house and youth hostels for all incoming staffs and students with an affordable price.

The programme helps the participants to discover their creative skills and improves the communications skills as well as learning environment. Erasmus+ program is promoted on its web page and throughout the campus. It will also keep Erasmus Charter on the university webpage and copies will be distributed to the departments. All our departments have good contacts with universities in program countries and they establish Erasmus Agreements with various departments.

After KAU has the charter and continue using ECTS this will help recognition of academic studies in the programme countries and will help our students to be evaluated in an international level. The ECTS was implemented at the beginning of 2000 and have been used since 2011 as compulsory. KAU ensures that all ECTS credits gained during the mobility will be recognized automatically without any attempt of students upon their delivery of their transcripts from host university. After the recognition of the ECTS credit, the degree will be traceable in the student’s transcript of records and the Diploma Supplement.