THE FIRST UNS ERASMUS+ BIP FOCUSED ON INTERNATIONALISATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND SERVICES

The process of internationalisation in higher education, science, and university services represents one of the strategic areas of many European universities. As an important topic with many current challenges, the University of Novi Sad focused its first Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on this common field of interest, hosting 26 representatives of partner universities from seven countries – Portugal, Hungary, Finland, Romania, Spain, Croatia, and North Macedonia – to jointly investigate and discuss important aspects and challenges of internationalisation in higher education.

“The topic of this programme – the process of internationalisation, has been a priority of our University for many years and the best proof of that is the quality of our cooperation with international partners, the number of international projects we are both coordinating and participating in, and the willingness to change and adept to new ideas, trends and modes of working,” Prof. Dr. Dejan Madić, Rector of the University of Novi Sad said in his introductory speech at BIP opening May 29 2023. He also pointed out that what made the BIP programme unique was “that it looks at the process of internationalisation as multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, that it shows that all areas of work are included in it, and that networking between these areas is what brings success.”

Since BIPs are structured as a combination of online and on-site programme, the University of Novi Sad organized a virtual part 25-26 May 2023, followed by the programme hosted at the University premises from 29 May to 2 June 2023. The event offered lectures, workshops and study case presentations, with the aim to introduce new perspectives and possibilities to learn, as well as to offer networking opportunities and exchange of best practices in the field of higher education internationalisation to all BIP participants. Whether the case is about creating and coordinating international or European projects in the field of higher education, or about how to participate successfully in international cooperation and in international project teams, it is necessary to understand how different university factors work together in this process, what the trends and expectations are in this regard, and what aspects should be taken into account.

The participants in this first UNS BIP were partly from partner universities within the European University Alliance for Global Health – EUGLOH, and from other UNS partner universities as well.

Programme