Erasmus Policy Statement (2021-2027)
UPM's Overall strategy
Global UPM: International strategy of global positioning
We are a Madrid-based university but we have international aspirations, and it is in this context in which we have to measure up. We operate in a global playing field, and this should be reflected in all our activities as a university.
The UPM has a lengthy history as an international university, of which it is proud. This strategy aims to build upon this tradition and reputation at the same time as securing a position for a changing future. UPM is already a strong and internationally respected university. It is the leading university in the Spanish-speaking world for engineering. But it is time to go global. We need to put Madrid and the UPM more firmly on the international map or at least clarify its place in the world rather than just relying on rankings.
Global UPM Strategy: based on ten pillars
- Forge alliances with the best universities and institutions in the field of the technology.
- Develop mutual confidence and commitment with our partners, identifying common interests and opportunities, focusing on the longer term and opting for the development of joint programmes within the teaching, the research and the innovation fields
- Defend our public service status, preserving the principle of public service as a key component of the mission of our university.
- Be an asset to our country, aligning our international strategies with the policies of our region and country, go with Spanish technology companies in their international expansion.
- Take advantage of national and local strengths: Spanish language, gateway to Latin America and Africa.
- Develop innovative formats of collaboration.
- Be a reference in terms of sustainable development goals.
- Adopt a strategy mainly targeting positioning: defend and boost our brand.
- Do not go it alone: international networks and strategic partnerships.
- International offices as platforms upon which to build and boost the university's strategy in the respective region. The UPM has a networked structure of international offices. It is their job to support UPM students, staff and researchers and promote ther internationalization, increase the visibility of the university in the respective region and recruit young researchers.
Erasmus+ Programme as a key element
A key issue for furthering our internationalization strategy is deep-going interconnectedness. One of the most successful means of interconnection within international education is, and should continue to be, international mobility, especially physical mobility. In this respect, our primary goal is to assure that a sizeable number of our future graduates have experienced international higher education. Therefore, we should steadfastly move forward by helping all learners to acquire international and intercultural competences through the internationalization of the curriculum or physical mobility, without passing over virtual/digital and/or blended formats or participation in innovative international environments at home institutions.
Furthermore, the three key actions of the Erasmus Programme have a high impact on almost all ten pillars our strategy is based on. One key element to forge alliances and to develop mutual confidence is the mobility of persons itself. Innovative formats of collaboration and not going alone can be achieved by participating in cooperation projects, strategic alliances and partnerships for excellence. All these can be accomplished using the international offices as platforms to build and boost the UPMs international strategy.
Therefore, the Erasmus+ programme will continue to be a key instrument enabling our internationalization.
ACTIONS
One of the central elements of UPM policy is the mobility of higher education students and staff thru the participation in Erasmus Key Action 1. We have been participating in the Erasmus Programme since its very beginning prior to its integration in a more ambitious plan, Socrates 1994. Since then we have earned experience in implementing mobility.
As today we can affirm that all procedures and mechanisms are mature enough to guarantee high quality mobility for both student and staff.
Another element is the cooperation among organisations and institutions by participating in the Erasmus Key Action 2. We have a wide experience in cooperation and exchange of good practices projects, that many times come up by initiative of individuals. That for, we have dedicated staff for channelling those initiatives and aligning it with the overall strategy. We help these individuals to find appropriate partners and giving all information to succeed in the application. Also a transparent and adequate budget management is assured by our Financing Department.
Excellence is a key in UPM international strategy. We forge alliances with the best universities and institutions in the field of the technology. Our goal is to develop mutual confidence and commitment with our partners, identifying common interests and opportunities, focusing on the longer term and opting for the development of joint programmes within both the teaching and the research fields. In that sense we have applied as coordinators for the European Universities Initiative, and regardless the final result, we have the commitment of all participating institutions that we will implement the idea.
As a public University we must be an asset to our country, aligning our international strategies with the policies of our region and country, go with Spanish technology companies in their international expansion. From our perspective we have to contribute to policy development and cooperation.
UPM has a broad experience and commitment to take part in the three Key Actions. At School level and at Central Services the staff is well prepared for accomplishing all details related to all actions. Each School has its international relations service that mainly deals with academic exchanges and research issues. At Rectorate level, the Vice-Rectorate for Academic Strategy and Internationalization has a team of more than 30 trained staff that manage all aspects of mobility, cooperation projects, cooperation for development activities, strategic alliances, Language Centre and the Centre for Leadership and Technology. On the other hand there are other units like the Interntional Research Projects Office (OPI), Technology Transfer Office (OTT), Technological Innovation Support Centre (CAIT) that work close together to give specialized support and supervision to the personal initiatives that arise.
EXPECTED IMPACT
UPM will focus on mobility quality and increase the number of student mobility in both SMS and SMP. Right know the average number of student mobility for studies per academic year is around 2000 outgoing and other 2000 incoming counting al mobility programmes. Within Erasmus, we send yearly about 1100 students and receive about 800 hundred. Our goal is to increase the outgoing students in 30% to 40% and achieve a balance of incoming students to the same figure. The increase in the incoming figures will be accomplished by increasing the offer in the courses taught in English in all our programmes.
Mobility Quality will be assured by “going fully digital” thru the implementation by 2023 of the EWP for students, staff and offices.
Regarding the staff mobility our goal is to double the figures for STA and STT. Better recognition mechanism should be put in force for STT and find an agreement and consensus by the end of the Programme among all parts (Human Resource Department, Unions, and University Management).
The objective of our participation in KA2 is to increase at least in 50% the number of projects specially focused on innovation and long term lasting.
Increasing our Partnerships for Excellence will be also a goal for the next programme. We will continue applying for European Universities and building up Joint Programmes with our main partners especially at Master and Doctoral Level. We will achieve in these years more than 100 Joint/Double degree programmes covering all the Engineering Disciplines.
UPM is committed to improve the already existing programmes and networks with Latin America and Asia, like the Magalhaes network (with the mobility program called SMILE) or the Sino-Spanish Campus at Tongji University. Those initiatives, that enhances mobility and cross-border cooperation, will strengthen quality in all aspects. We will try to achieve KA107 o KA2 projects with all non-European Partners in those Networks.