IVU ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT
International VISION (VIZYON) University (IVU) is a multi-language speaking university. Established in 2015, the University mission is focused on the commitment to achieving international norms and standards in all areas of its operations and in all study programs offered. Our mission is to produce and spread the knowledge in free thought environment and reveal the entrepreneur spirits of our students by expanding their visions and raising intellectual awareness of individual for new business environments in a very short time in order to gain a rich position both in domestic and international platform. IVU is dedicated to fostering the international recognition of the traditional features and values of the different ethnicities of our society and simultaneously, fostering cultural and educational values in the country. In this light, IVU is committed in promoting tolerance, understanding and democracy through forward-thinking research, research-based teaching, and civic commitment. The university offers bachelor, master and doctoral programs in the social sciences, humanities, psychology, architecture, and information technology.
The vision of International VISYON University is to become a modern international academic institution recognized by the scientific and research achievements as part of an integrated international higher education.
Our vision is to be successfully integrated university with international standards, whose study programs will be composed of internationally academic and professionally recognized. We strive to be an institution with a high level of international and inter institutional cooperation and coordination, which will represent a community of free individuals, teachers, and students, which will represent a combination of the development of research in the field of multicultural life at local and international level. In this light, our strategic goals address inclusion, innovation and interconnectivity to meet with common European values and strengthen both the students’ and staff’s European identity.
In this frame, the University constantly promotes the regional as well as global development, leadership by strict respect for the ethical principles and developing skills for life-long learning. Our study programs beside the conventional elements are created to foster critical and analytical thinking in students and building their creativity and digital literacy.
Living in the contemporary and globalized world requires education that will cope with the requirements of the global market. Therefore, the University is focused in profiling of graduates whose skills and competences will be useful for building international career beside the domestic ones. The University is already determinedly committed to internationalization and modernization of education as described in the European higher education policy, providing that students and graduates need to be mobile and flexible, and engaged in global issues and awareness of diversity.
International VIZYON University in Gostivar is continuously working on the establishment and promotion of cooperation with universities in the region of Southeast Europe, the European Union and the world. Within this cooperation number of activities are realized aimed at the exchange of experiences between students and teaching staff a large number of seminars, conferences and congresses, and other types of academic gatherings that are important for professional development for academic staff, and with the sole intention to further encourage international cooperation.
Expanding the participation in the Erasmus Programme is in accordance with our major objectives defined in International Vision University Development Strategy including, particularly: promotion of the European dimension of education, further development of multilateral cooperation between our institutions and universities, companies and local government, along with an increase of the number of all mobilities (student, teaching and administrative staff), as well as promoting full, mutual recognition of qualifications acquired by Participants. Our final aim is to shape the future towards a more positive direction.
International Vision University is fully committed in providing equal opportunities to all students, academic and non-academic staff. For students, high-quality short- and long-term mobility procedures for studies and traineeships are clearly expounded. We strongly encourage the staff mobility, in order to widen our partnerships, share good practices, develop modern knowledge, skills and competences and co-create new practices. In line with the current global needs, online collaboration will be explored and developed to address the internationalization issues. Altogether, participation in the Erasmus Programme supports our institution’s mission and vision to effectively cope with the challenges thus develop transversal and specialized competences that will strengthen University’s organizational competitiveness and enhance the regional prosperity.
International Vizyon University aims to participate in each of the Actions of the Erasmus+ programme as they are all crucial for obtaining the University’s objectives set out in its developed strategies, as detailed below:
1. Erasmus Key Action 1 (KA1) - Learning mobility: The University will continue to support the mobility exchange programs for students, virtually and physically at every level of IVU’s academic programmes. It has already been stated in the strategic goals that students’ mobility is invaluable international experience for students that promotes their academic and personal development, intercultural competencies and therefore it is vital to their studies. Mobility options are available for all cycles of studies: undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students. Other core objective of the University is to “develop the academic and administrative staff”, through “training and development opportunities”. University will continue to support the staff mobilities as they are vital to the professional development and good practices exchange. Staff exchange mobilities are important for importing best international practices and building of personal networks as added value to the University’s future endeavours, innovations and development.
2. Erasmus Key Action 2 (KA2) - Cooperation among organisations and institutions: University will focus intensively in developing interest and participation in the strategic partnership as they have crucial role in exchanging of good practices, sharing of innovative ideas and widening the cooperation networks with partner institutions. Furthermore, accent will be given to the Joint Master Degree programs as they are beneficial for making the students mobile and flexible and reaching excellence in education, research and innovation. We will strive to become European University i.e. member of the alliance “the universities of the future”, promoting European values and identity, and transforming the quality and competitiveness of European higher education. This initiative will contribute to enable our University working with partners beyond the existing HEI cooperation and develop long-term strategies with the partner institutions.
3. Erasmus Key Action 3 (KA3) – Support for Policy Reform: It is part of the IVU’s strategic objectives aimed at supporting and facilitating the modernisation of education, research and education. The University will participate in Jean Monet activities to promote excellence in European integration studies and foster dialogue between our academic world and policymakers to enhance the EU policies for higher education.
In line with the general objective of the Erasmus Programme, IVU’s strategy is directed to support, the educational, professional and personal development of its students and staff, (through lifelong learning) through active participation in all possibilities offered by the program. The aim is to contribute to wider and quality employment opportunities, development of scientific research, gaining new experiences and cohesion between peoples thus support sustainable growth, new innovation, and strengthening the European identity and active citizenship.
The most important objectives behind the participation of IVU’s participation in the next Programme (2021- 2027) include:
- to improve the University’s internationalization indicator in terms of number of realized mobilities
- to broaden the network of cooperation with other higher education institutions from the region but also globally
- to strengthen the University’s international exposure and attractiveness (through participation at international rankings and increasing the number of scientific publications and participation at international scientific conferences)
- enhancing the quality of teaching through promoting digital and innovation skills to meet demands for skilled graduates at both the domestic and international labor market
- improvement of language competences of participants and deeper understanding for the linguistic, social and cultural diversity among the programme participants.
Participation in the Erasmus program and providing the opportunity to spend part of their studies abroad will result in increased attraction of students and increased retention ratios.
The impact of quality improvement in this regard is essential. By international exposure of students and staff, participants will gain invaluable experiences and share mutual knowledges and practices. In this regard, the University assigns considerable importance to the development of joint degrees and the Erasmus Programme plays a central role in this effort.
International VIZYON University already undertakes student and staff mobility since its participation in Erasmus Program in 2016. We have entered more than 50 International Cooperation agreements for Erasmus but also other forms of cooperation. The university plans to continue with this fashion of entering into Cooperation agreements with more Higher education institutions from the Program and Partner countries. Mobility is particularly important for us in order to promote knowledge flows and ensuring a diverse and highly skilled workforce capable to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges.
The interaction with foreign colleagues will undoubtedly contribute to the learning, teaching and research capabilities. It will also open new horizons to staff with respect to use of new technologies, new innovative ways and techniques of teaching but also it will open door for joint future cooperation activities. Boosting the educational performance is highly expected: students will greatly improve their knowledge and core competences but also their linguistic and communication. By looking at the progressive, foreign practices, participation in Erasmus is expected to significantly foster the multicultural tolerance and understanding among people from different multicultural background as the city in which the IVU is situated is known for.
Furthermore, it should be taken into consideration the fact that Erasmus students develop great sense of European self-identification and therefore, such promotion and European identity is expected to promote the socio-political aspects of European integration and foster further economic integration.
As a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively the University is achieving key Erasmus objectives, the following KPI shall be used:
- increase the number of outgoing student mobility to 8% each year thus at the end of the program in 2027 we will have at least 45% of graduated students with international exchange experience.
- increase the number of incoming students mobilities for 5% each year, especially from the EU Universities as the practice has shown lack of interest among students from these countries to participate in international exchange programs in N. Macedonia.
- increase the number of students going for traineeships by 8% each year
- increase the number of teaching and administrative staff mobility by 10% each year
- Increase the number of projects K2 by at least 10% of the year
- create of at least 2 joint degrees at the end of the new program
- increase the number of inter-institutional agreements by 10% each year
- increase the number of scientific publications by 10% each year
- increase the participation at scientific conferences by 10% each year.
- follow the performance and employability rate of graduates to have positive progress curve
The impact follow-up is an integral part of the IVU quality management process, where all the key areas of the strategy implementation are prudently reflected.
All the above endeavors are directed towards creating our University an institution with a global reach and reputation. We believe that by investing in our staff and educating the young people we will create the future leaders of society that will reflect the democratic nature of the European Union.
