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Bologna and mobility
A central aim of the Bologna Declaration is to facilitate and increase the mobility of students (20% ultimately), as well as teaching staff, researchers and administrative staff (10%).
Mobility means exchanges or periods of study, teaching or research, in and between the countries which are signatories to the agreement. These study periods are time-limited (from a few days to a number of months) and are undertaken in a country other than the country of residence.
Mobility in the HES-SO
The HES-SO works in cooperation with numerous higher education establishments at a national and international level. Based on direct cooperation from college to college or lecturer to lecturer, alliances are sealed by cooperation contracts in the spheres of education and/or applied research.
Close to 200 institutional cooperation contracts for education and research have been concluded with universities abroad.
International cooperation
Like the other Swiss universities, the HES-SO is a participant in the Bologna process. This ensures that the bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded by the HES-SO are recognised nationally (Federal recognition) and internationally, as the degree courses comply with international criteria.
Types of cooperation
- Exchanges between students, teaching staff, administrative and technical staff Example
- Education programme partnerships Example
- Joint qualifications (joint master’s) Example
- Thesis work
- Conferences, cultural programmes, university visits, etc.
At present there are a number of partnership agreements in place between the HES-SO and universities, centres and institutes, both within and outside Europe, including France, Romania, Greece, China, the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Agreements may be concluded on two levels:
- Between one of the colleges of the HES-SO and the foreign institution
- Between the HES-SO (Head office) and the foreign institution
The second type of agreement offers the following advantages:
- As a university, the HES-SO is recognised as an institutional partner at a level equivalent to other institutions of higher education – universities, federal institutes of technology, etc.
- The recognition of these agreements by the HES-SO enables them to be drawn to the attention of all the colleges of the HES-SO, which may then develop new partnerships with these foreign institutions and promote the creation of networks.
- Finally, an agreement made at the HES-SO level enables it to increase its visibility to potential external partners.
Exchanges and mobility
Mobility, as provided by Bologna, corresponds to an exchange between two different institutions. An exchange between colleges of the HES-SO does not constitute mobility for the purposes of Bologna, but rather an inter-site relocation.
- Exchanges in Switzerland
The HES-SO has a “mobility” fund. A request for financing should be made to the senior staff for the relevant field of study.
- International exchanges
ICES
The ICES (Information and Coordination ERASMUS Switzerland) is hosted by the CRUS (Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities), which has been appointed by the Swiss Confederation to coordinate Switzerland's participation in the ERASMUS mobility programme.
ERASMUS Programme
ERASMUS is part of the European "Lifelong Learning Programme" since 2007. ERASMUS is open to all member states of the European Union, Turkey and member countries of the EFTA (Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway). ERASMUS co-finances cooperation activities between higher education establishments, student and teaching staff mobility in Europe, and thematic networks (cooperation between universities for disseminating innovation, improving educational methods and stimulating the creation of joint programmes and specialised courses). These exchanges enable students to undertake a placement, work on their thesis or complete a period of study abroad.
For the HES-SO, the MOVE office, located at the HES-SO Valais site, looks after all ERASMUS exchanges. The MOVE office publishes an electronic bulletin, IRNews, available by subscription, which gives details of exchanges undertaken by HES-SO students and teaching staff.
ERASMUS MUNDUS Programme
Erasmus Mundus is another international cooperation programme.
- Grants
Students wishing to participate in an exchange may also apply for a grant.
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