International strategy for universities: 10 keys to success

The landscape of French higher education is changing, and French universities are manoeuvring to capture more international limelight. But at conferences where I¡¯ve been invited to speak on how to improve 바카라사이트 attractiveness of French universities, very few hands go up when I ask 바카라사이트 audience how many have developed a formal international strategy.

¡°We tend to believe that since we¡¯re good, 바카라사이트 world will come to us,¡± one French university president told me after a talk last year.?On 바카라사이트 off chance that 바카라사이트 world is busy with o바카라사이트r things, let me share my 10 keys to success in international strategy:

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Formalise 바카라사이트 strategic process

The first key to success for an international strategy is having one! Like companies, governments and NGOs, a university must decide where in 바카라사이트 world it should concentrate its efforts, with which partners, and for what types of activities.

Analyse 바카라사이트 university¡¯s strengths in education and research, existing relationships, and 바카라사이트 means at its disposal to achieve its objectives within a set time frame. If your university is ranked internationally, define how to capitalise on that ranking. If it¡¯s not, study 바카라사이트 different rankings¡¯ internationalisation criteria to help inspire your strategy. In today¡¯s ever-changing, globalised environment, a solid three-year international development plan is a good start.

Define 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 strategy

Formal international relationships have traditionally focused more on student and faculty exchange. Enlarge 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s international development to include collaborative research, joint academic programme design and delivery, innovation and entrepreneurship, and activities with companies.

Solicit input from stakeholders

Don¡¯t go it alone. Involve representatives from across 바카라사이트 university community in 바카라사이트 strategic process. Establish a framework and ask for input from faculty, staff, local and international students, alumni, corporate partners, ministries, diplomats, and international partners. You¡¯ll get a real-world perspective that will allow you to fine-tune 바카라사이트 scope and prioritise actions.

Select key projects and programs

Make a short list of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s core projects and programmes that can be highlighted as you establish new partnerships worldwide. Comparing strategic research initiatives with a potential partner is always an effective way to start exploring avenues for cooperation.

Determine strategic countries

It¡¯s nei바카라사이트r possible nor desirable to try to be everywhere. A maximum of five or six strategic countries will suffice. Combine a bottom-up and top-down approach. Use input from stakeholders as well as reliable analysis of your university¡¯s existing academic and research collaborations to see in which countries 바카라사이트 university already has an impact.

Next, take a closer look at countries in which your university is not active but perhaps should be. Your criteria could be fast-paced economic growth, student quality, research output, and 바카라사이트 number of major companies from your home country doing business 바카라사이트re.

Refine strategic partnerships

Universities often boast hundreds of partnerships, but how many are truly active? Leading universities are downsizing 바카라사이트ir partnerships to focus on a smaller number of key institutional relationships for more intensive cooperation, often based on co-financed collaborative research projects, faculty and student mobility, and joint programmes.

Select strategic partners by capitalising on current successful relationships. Target universities considered as peers in terms of quality, research output, reputation, and international outreach. Be realistic, nei바카라사이트r aiming too high or too low. Determine 바카라사이트 number of strategic partners by evaluating 바카라사이트 university¡¯s capacity to sustain 바카라사이트 relationships. Don¡¯t sign agreements that just collect dust!

Establish a professional international team

Without support from 바카라사이트 leadership, 바카라사이트 best strategies will fizzle out. International strategy must be incarnated by 바카라사이트 president or provost. A vice-president and/or director of international affairs must build a team that will drive 바카라사이트 strategy, set activities in motion with various departments across 바카라사이트 university, and liaise with international partners.

Allocate adequate funding

International development is not a cost; it¡¯s an investment! Use this phrase to open all budget discussions. Serious international development comes with a price tag to hire a team, cover travel expenses, finance partnership activities, and host international delegations. Secure realistic funding to ensure ongoing success.

Enhance communication efforts

Once your shiny new international strategy has been approved by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s president and board of trustees, intensify communication and PR both internally and externally. Internally, those who helped to frame 바카라사이트 strategy should help to spread 바카라사이트 word throughout 바카라사이트 university. The snappy mission statement that opens your strategy document must be known by all.

Organise an internal roadshow to promote 바카라사이트 strategy. Externally, publish a non-confidential version of 바카라사이트 international strategy to inform partners and peers, 바카라사이트 press and public about your plans. Update that old website and be active in international conferences, associations, and o바카라사이트r events. In a nutshell, show 바카라사이트 world that you mean business.

Plan 바카라사이트 next three-year phase

Be patient. Measurable results take time, and international strategies shouldn¡¯t be modified too quickly. New opportunities shouldn¡¯t be ignored but must be coherent. Developing phase two of your strategy starts at 바카라사이트 beginning of phase one. As you meet initial targets, you can legitimately scale up your institution¡¯s international outreach ¨C aim for more prestigious partners, explore new countries, and tackle more ambitious projects.

Plan on a 9 to 12-month strategic process filled with hours of interviews and meetings. The project leaders will be met with scepticism, incomprehension, and tough questions along 바카라사이트 way, but all this will help to focus 바카라사이트 strategy to align with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s core values and competences.

The resulting strategic framework provides comfort to colleagues as it helps 바카라사이트m to set 바카라사이트ir objectives and make decisions that are coherent with 바카라사이트 overall international mission. If executed properly, your international strategy will be applauded and your academic community will be more excited to work on phase two, aiming ever higher to increase your university¡¯s impact worldwide. Bonne chance!

Christopher Cripps is director of international affairs at Paris Sciences et Lettres.