The main tasks of Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences are education, research and development and regional development, and at COU the importance of internationalisation is emphasised throughout all these activities and functions. According to the new strategy, the mission of the internationalisation process is to create knowledge about and understanding for other countries, cultures, religions and values among the students and the staff and to develop the international competences of both students and staff. In this respect, our students are offered good possibilities to do part of their studies abroad and to get cross-cultural experiences at our own campuses through our internationalisation@home policy. We also strive to provide our staff with qualitative opportunities to establish and foster links with foreign universities and institutions. As from the academic year 2007/2008 we offer 6 degree programmes conducted in English and these programmes are the cornerstones for an active mobility and internationalisation@home policy. Co-operation within Europe is most important for us and the Lifelong Learning Programme, and the Erasmus Programme in particular are thus of utmost importance for us.
Our priorities with regard to the Erasmus activities for 2007-2013 are to increase the mobility of both students and teaching staff. Moreover, we also intend to encourage staff training mobility in co-operation with partner institutions as well as with enterprises, as we see this activity as an excellent tool for both involving the whole staff in international co-operation and for introducing new forms of co-operation with our partner institutions. Furthermore, we intend to encourage our degree programmes to actively develop intensive programmes. Of the centralized actions, curriculum development projects, including development of joint degrees and European modules and projects focusing on co-operation between universities and enterprises, will be prioritized.
The possibilities offered through the Erasmus Programme will be given wide visibility at our institution. The international office will present the programme for our decision-making bodies and we will also arrange information sessions at all departments in order to disseminate information about the actions to the staff and the students. Information about the Erasmus University Charter and the EPS will be disseminated among the students and the staff along side the new strategy and the EPS will be regarded as a part of the strategy. Moreover, we intend to actively involve enterprises and organisations in actions under the new programme. COU actively promotes gender equality, especially with regard to the balance between male and female students and in the employment policy. All degree programmes are declared to promote tolerance, and to combat racism and xenophobia. The premises and facilities of all departments ensure full participation of disabled students and staff. |
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COU has since 1.8.2005 used the ECTS system as the only credit system in all degree programmes. Students are ensured full recognition of studies done abroad during Erasmus exchanges and we use Learning Agreements and Transcript of Records for all Erasmus exchanges. We strive to fulfill the ECTS Label criteria and will launch an Information Package/Course Catalogue in Finnish, Swedish and English during for the next academic year. This package will be the main tool for providing our partner universities and prospective exchange students with relevant information on our curricula and practical information about studying at COU. The international office at the central level as well as all international co-ordinators at all departments provide outgoing students with counselling and study abroad advising and we also arrange pre-departure orientation session for all outgoing students. Similarly, we also arrange orientation days for all incoming exchange students. We are able to provide all incoming exchange students with accommodation in the student residences in the proximity of our campuses. As from 1.1.2007 we have also launched a new project through which focus on improving the student services offered to international students and multicultural tuition. The project also strives to increase interaction between Finnish and international students and at helping international students integrate. COU informs about and encourages incoming students to take part in EILC language courses and we also offer Finnish language courses as well as a course on the Finnish society and culture for international students. We encourage teaching staff exchanges since they bring an added value to the institution as well as advance the careers of the individual teachers and we inform our staff regularly about teaching staff mobility possibilities. Furthermore, we also regard incoming teaching staff mobility as very valuable as it is an important tool for internationalisation@home. The strategy defines mobility, internationalisation@home and international networking as the most important tools of the internationalisation
The bilingual Central Ostrobothnia Polytechnic, which operates in an area on the west coast of Finland, is the region's centre for know-how and the engine of its development. Due to its extensive co-operation networks, COP is a forum for bringing together enterprises, educational and research establishments and other experts. Internationalisation is a great challenge for successful SME enterprises in the region and COP promotes the internationalisation of, in particular, SME enterprises through the exchange of students, teaching staff and experts, co-projects, bilingual degree programmes and courses taught in a foreign language, an extensive language programme, international training, trade fair service, export teamwork, and through international offices. |
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International co-operation |
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COP is committed to providing education that meets the requirement of students, employers and the community as a whole. All units and departments have the explicit mission to educate professionals, which are internationally oriented, tolerant and well prepared for functioning in a multicultural environment and for meeting the challenges of the internationalised labour market. Moreover, COP also strives to support and promote the internationalisation of the region, in co-operation with enterprises and institutions.
The mission of COP is to improve the educational level and skills of the region's population and to enhance the individual's abilities to succeed in a changing, multicultural environment as well as his readiness for continuing learning. The central fields of know-how and expertise comprise of the following: the electronics industry, automation, metal and engineering, mechanical wood processing, the boat industry, renewable resources of energy, the leather, fur and clothing industries, the internationalisation of SME enterprises and social and health care.
Internationalisation has been declared as one of the top priorities of COP. The region's open-minded, bilingual culture, with its positive attitude towards internationalisation and entrepreneurship provides a solid basis for COP's international activities. COP is recognised by international as well as national partners as an institution which is wholeheartedly committed to international cooperation. |
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