Developing Partnership Co-operation in Student Exchange with Italian Universities
Koskelo, Mari (2010)
Kajaanin ammattikorkeakoulu
2010
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010052910935
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010052910935
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this Bachelor Thesis was to obtain different methods to develop international partnership co-operation in student exchange between Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and Italian universities. The thesis was commissioned by the International Office of Kajaani UAS which is responsible for internationality in education provided by Kajaani UAS.
Theoretical framework of the thesis consisted of internationality in Finnish higher education institutions in general as well as on practical level in Kajaani University of Applied Sciences. Strategies for internationalisation were introduced and activities related to internationalisation of Kajaani UAS were described more specifically. Another theme for theoretical background was comparison of the Finnish and Italian education systems including both pre-higher education level and higher education level.
Different sources used to gather information to develop partnership co-operation in student exchange between Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and Italian universities included new potential partnership universities, current partnership universities, Italian authorities involved in education and internationality as well as former Italian exchange students who had studied in Kajaani UAS. These sources were contacted by email and/or by phone.
As for results of the thesis, there were several opportunities discovered to develop partnership co-operation with Italian universities. Further contacts with a new potential partnership university should be made regarding academic year 2011-2012 as well as observe the situation with a current partnership university in L’Aquila in the future. Implementation of the Bologna Process was discovered to be seriously considered within Italian universities especially in relation to integration of European Higher Education Area. However, the amount of courses in tourism studies in English language on Bachelor level in universities participating in the Erasmus Exchange Programme did not fully cover the needs of the student exchange development process.
Theoretical framework of the thesis consisted of internationality in Finnish higher education institutions in general as well as on practical level in Kajaani University of Applied Sciences. Strategies for internationalisation were introduced and activities related to internationalisation of Kajaani UAS were described more specifically. Another theme for theoretical background was comparison of the Finnish and Italian education systems including both pre-higher education level and higher education level.
Different sources used to gather information to develop partnership co-operation in student exchange between Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and Italian universities included new potential partnership universities, current partnership universities, Italian authorities involved in education and internationality as well as former Italian exchange students who had studied in Kajaani UAS. These sources were contacted by email and/or by phone.
As for results of the thesis, there were several opportunities discovered to develop partnership co-operation with Italian universities. Further contacts with a new potential partnership university should be made regarding academic year 2011-2012 as well as observe the situation with a current partnership university in L’Aquila in the future. Implementation of the Bologna Process was discovered to be seriously considered within Italian universities especially in relation to integration of European Higher Education Area. However, the amount of courses in tourism studies in English language on Bachelor level in universities participating in the Erasmus Exchange Programme did not fully cover the needs of the student exchange development process.