ISTUN Erasmus Policy Statement
The strategic goal of Istanbul Health and Technology University (ISTUN) is to become one of the leading higher education institutions and knowledge centers of international importance in the European education and research region, uniting the full spectrum of health, technology and other related disciplines in a unique way at national level. Its mission is to serve Turkey's economic and social progression, the renewal and development of health and technology sectors through outstanding training, research, development and innovation activities. The policy and vision of ISTUN are rooted on the concept that universities of 21st century must provide a space where the present diverse student, academic and professional communities work together to fully realize the potential of education and culture as drivers for job creation, economic growth and social fairness and to experience European identity in all its diversity.
Thus ISTUN started to build the university of the future by promoting innovation, creativeness and European identity. This means that our university will develop methods, strategies, competencies, skills that will be fundamental for the renovation of the higher education system and the adaptation of all the components to the emerging challenges of the 21st century. This includes;
For the future years, ISTUN’s aim is to establish a mobility model based on a looser and more flexible framework, where, independently of specific agreements, students enrolled at any member of the established international network can accumulate credits identified in their customized curriculum, and get a double/multiple Diploma. Students will be able to move in a seamless way, between different programs, different areas (research, innovation, work), different levels (1st ,2nd or 3rd cycle) to design profession- and/or research-oriented curricula, with the common main goal to overcome the present disconnect between the demands of the 21st century economy and what graduates are prepared to do when they leave academia.
Thus Erasmus+ Program represents a major tool for implementing the Institution’s policies:
ISTUN considers fundamental values and principles to afford those themes in an international context, within and outside Europe, in order to gain a global vision of the cultural and societal challenges of today. ISTUN acknowledges the importance of education, research (including knowledge transfer) and innovation in the face of increasing global competition. The mission of ISTUN is to contribute to economic, cultural and social wellbeing of society through fostering quality, innovation and internationalization of education and research by improved transnational collaboration between education and research institutions, and other stakeholders
Strategy and Institutional Implementation of the Erasmus+ Program at ISTUN
Strategy and Institutional Implementation of the Erasmus+ Program at ISTUN One of the main strategic goals of ISTUN in building the European Education Area is to create a sustainable basis for examination of the University and the ongoing strengthening its international position. ISTUN is committed to keep and improve its results, especially at international level by intensifying world-wide collaborations, strengthening post-graduate programs, expanding research opportunities, recruiting new faculty all over the international arena and tailoring its curricula to the evolving needs of the global scenario. ISTUN provides high quality education and gives an international scope to the study which can be achieved only through programs that enable students and staff getting international experience by participation in various forms of mobility. This comes as a consequence of the globalization process and the creation of a global market of research and higher education. That is why ISTUN’s efforts are focused on producing effective links between education, research and business that are necessary for improving the continuum between basic and applied research and transfer of the knowledge to the healthcare and technology sectors. ISTUN is committed to the creation of high-quality research and inspirational teaching within an inclusive academic culture. Academic mobility is one of the strategic priorities of ISTUN and one of the key aspects supported by ISTUN in international cooperation, is the extensive exchange of students, professors, assistants, researchers and administrative staff within the Erasmus+ Program, as well as all other mobility schemes funded by the European Union. An important objective of ISTUN is to achieve the appropriate balance between incoming and outgoing mobility, to encourage student mobility at all cycles of study, and to make sure that extensive mobility of academic and administrative staff has a sustainable impact on the process of internationalization at the institution as a whole. International credit mobility, apart from brining great benefit to individual students and staff, is seen as an exceptional capacity building and quality raising mechanism for university and faculty services in implementing the priorities, set out in the institutional strategy of internationalization. The years 2021-2027 are going to bring about further dynamic progress in student and university staff exchange in the whole new context. In accordance with the mission and vison of the new Erasmus+ Program, ISTUN will be even more focused on different forms of mobility such as: virtual, blended and physical that can enrich study programs offered by specific units and the Centre for Distance Education. As an indicator of its dedication to internalization and digitalization, ISTUN hosted several virtual seminars and conferences with international participants during the pandemic (https://www.istun.edu.tr/tr/etkinlikler), and will continue to hold such virtual and blended international events. Mobility window imbedded in the study programs is a key aspect in the ISTUN's internationalization strategy and offering students the period during which they can gain international experience is one of the most important goals that we are aiming for. In this context, mobility is a key to promote common European values, booster social integration, enhance intercultural understanding and build a sense of belongingness to the European society. The innovative character and the challenging aspects lie in the integration of virtual and physical space, that can offer academic community a wide variety of fully inclusive mobility formats. This harmonizes with the development of higher education in and outside Europe, including in particular the adaptation of curricula to the European Qualifications Framework, the increased mobility of students and teachers as well as the development of new forms of learning under the assumption that permanent access to education is a prerequisite for full participation in the society based on knowledge. ISTUN will establish a European higher education inter-university 'campus', where not only students but also staff and researchers will enjoy mobility (both physical or virtual). This will enable them to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services in cooperating partner institutions; transdisciplinary and transnational teams of students, academics and external stakeholders that tackle big issues facing Europe such as climate protection, democracy, health, big data and migration. Students can also design their own flexible curricula, leading to a European Degree. Moreover, practical and/or work-based experience is provided to improve an entrepreneurial mind-set and develop civic engagement that reflects the social, economic and cultural diversity of the population. In this context, ISTUN aims to foster excellence, innovation and inclusion in higher education across Europe, accelerating the transformation of higher education institutions into the university of the future with a structural, systemic, long-term and sustainable impact. The strategic plan of our university (2021-2025) (see ISTUN’s strategic plan at https://www.istun.edu.tr/en/officeof-international-relations/about-us) adopts objectives dedicated to quality, innovation and internationalization and anticipates an increase in the number and quality of researchers and projects aiming;
The main aims of the international strategy of ISTUN are to increase the number of international students and academic staff mobility in ISTUN. Therefore, having ECHE will provide a big contribution to the internationalization strategy of ISTUN. While choosing partners, ISTUN will seek to ensure active, long-term and sustainable networks and partnerships, which are in balance between academic interests and other factors such as geographical distribution or subject area and which produce results for mutual benefit. ISTUN will choose its partners according to the compatibility of curriculum, courses, credit system, collaboration opportunities for students and staff and demand from students, academic and administrative staff and linguistic criteria for nominated students, prospective partner institution's reputation and benefits, which would be brought to ISTUN academic units.
ISTUN benefits largely from its geographical position as being at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa and Middle East and has a geographical dispersed internationalization strategy (covering both EU and non-EU countries). Erasmus+ program will be a crucial aspect of international activity of the ISTUN with new inter-institutional agreements.
The most important target groups of ISTUN's mobility activities are researchers living abroad, incoming/outgoing students (short cycle, first cycle, second cycle and third cycle), teaching and research staff. ISTUN aims to draw the attention of research environment and to enhance its international profile. ln the light of all these, our main goal as ISTUN is to allow the young generation to benefit from the best education and training opportunities regardless of their socio-economic background and to ensure that their education is recognized through these programs. As a result, ISTUN is committed to train incoming European citizens with advanced language skills, students who are familiar with EU norms and values, who have basic qualifications for lifelong learning, digital skills, common values and inclusive education, and are connected to the European cultural heritage.
Our international strategy seeks to follow this change as we keep pace with development by maximizing our international engagement. It includes maintaining the quality and relevance of our current education and research activities, but the driver of development will always be our current and future students. We strive to provide access to up-to-date knowledge that meets the needs of the labour market at home and abroad according to our students’ needs and expectations.
ISTUN expects its participation in Erasmus+ Program to strengthen its international involvement. Processing the results achieved so far, this goal will be achieved as the international reputation of the university will further be strengthened, collaborations will be developed (e.g. joint degree), new, mainly interdisciplinary foreign language courses will be launched due to the demand of incoming students, and the quality of other services provided to students will be improved (e.g. bilingual university, interactive boards with map application). The higher Erasmus+ traineeship grant will give disadvantaged students the opportunity to get to know an environment different from the Turkish corporate culture and to acquire new skills by increasing the number of participants in mobility programs. ISTUN is committed to continuous development and improvement.
Objectives of ISTUN Erasmus+ Program in the light of its internationalization strategy and modernization efforts: Istanbul Health and Technology University has formulated its Erasmus Policy Statement in accordance with its mission statement and its institutional development plan, as well as its internationalization and modernization efforts, and is committed to achieving the following goals:
The institution's modernization efforts are topical issues in several areas but the main priorities are improving education and training practices and pedagogical work and, in this context, organizing learning in practiceoriented and student-centred ways; and the development of student services and infrastructure. Erasmus+ Program mobility and cooperation projects can contribute to the success of modernization processes in all areas, the main objectives in this area are:
Improved quality and efficiency in education and training, creation of the corporate culture for sustainable quality assurance, increased transparency in all education activities, improvement of learning outputs, adaptation to information society and European Education Area, rooting tolerance and intercultural dialogue within the institution, and contribution to research and scientific development are some of the envisaged impacts of ISTUN
Indicators
The main objective for the participation of ISTUN in Erasmus+ Program is the implementation of actions able to tackle the main constraints to a sound and sustainable development of the institution and the territory where it is located in a worldwide perspective.
ISTUN is implementing a model that integrates research, teaching and engagement, and opens out the institution to the wider world. This new approach encounters resistances due to the assessment criteria used at national and international level for which research and teaching are still separate functions with their own measures of academic success. Citations and research impact assessments quantify research effectiveness, the national and international students surveys can give an idea of teaching quality, but only recently efforts have been made to try to measure the complex and unpredictable innovations arising from civic engagement. Erasmus+ project implementations support institution’s internationalization strategy and modernization efforts in developing the following areas: international mobility, international cooperation, training portfolio and methodology, student services, administration, human resources, capacity building, sensitization, equal opportunities.
ISTUN strives to continuously increase the number of students, teachers and administrative staff involved in mobility in both directions, and to make quality improvements at the same time. The proportion of international students at ISTUN is constantly increasing. Staff mobility for training in KA103 projects is a priority at ISTUN: since the establishment, the language, sensitization and intercultural trainings of staff working in student services and learning support have been brought to the fore. The success of these trainings has given a huge impetus to increasing awareness and acceptance within the institution of the principles, priorities and modernization efforts of Erasmus+ Program. Furthermore, these mobilities will also facilitate the sensitization of staff, and has been increasing the interest of employees in participating in the programs, which will make the university’s internationalization efforts more well-known and accepted. In addition to the teachers' commitment to joint degree programs, there is also a growing interest in the introduction of blended mobility. This was reinforced by the transition to digital education caused by Covid-19 pandemic. Impact assessments of Covid-19 pandemic on mobilities and co-operations have formed an integral part of the next period both at university and international level. Participation in such projects will be supported and facilitated by the ISTUN.
The ISTUN's internationalization strategy focuses on maintaining existing bilateral agreements on the one hand. On the other hand, in line with the main directions of EU and Turkish foreign policy, ISTUN seeks new relations in all the regions of the world. In line with the neighborhood policy priorities of recent years, the Caucasian and Balkan countries have come to the fore since promoting their Euro-Atlantic integration is of strategic importance to both Turkey and the EU. ISTUN will try to make good use of the opportunities offered by the KA107 international credit mobility: every year since the launch of the program ISTUN will be applying for support with a growing partner network. An important condition when ISTUN expands its partnership network is to match the profile, education and research portfolio of the partners. Synergy between the programs is the most prominent in the field of cooperation as an effective and well-functioning partnership enhances trust even in the case of a new application.
Cooperation agreements may be initiated by a partner, by ISTUN, by the leadership or even by a department/institute. The quality of cooperation is proved by practice; the effectiveness of partnerships is regularly reviewed by the institution. At the beginning of Erasmus+ Program, prior to the conclusion of the inter-institutional agreement for the new program phase, ISTUN will review the quantitative and qualitative parameters of the previous period and only active, prosperous agreements will be extended. Thanks to KA107 programs, the institution will be able to involve higher education institutions from remote, exotic countries in its network.
In the field of international cooperation, our aim is to strengthen relations also with international organizations, foreign companies, diplomatic and delegation missions in addition to higher education institutions primarily in the framework of KA2 proposals, but we strive to increase institutional participation in KA3 higher education development programs as well. In our internationalization and modernization efforts, we support the application for and participation in international research projects to increase the role of strategic partnerships and knowledge alliances, the development of the university's research infrastructure and research teams, the implementation of more efficient transfer of knowledge and technology; the institution's participation in thematic international research networks.
Our degree programs respond to the demands of socio-economic changes, but the intensity of the modernization of ISTUN's program and research portfolio will increase significantly in the upcoming period. Our strategic objective is to strengthen cooperation with local, regional and national economies, and to adapt the program structure to the structure of the national economy. Increasing the number of international students and teachers and the number of English-language programs, developing and applying innovative digital teaching methods, increasing interdisciplinarity and practice-orientation in the training portfolio is a global trend, which is highly supported by Erasmus+ programs. ISTUN values joint and double degree programs, the development of new programs, the modernization of existing programs (blended mobility, e-learning) and it emphasizes the interdisciplinary and intercultural aspects both in the framework of existing Erasmus+ cooperations and in new projects In order to develop traineeships and research activities and to enhance R&D&I activity, KA2 innovation collaborations and knowledge alliances have to be reinforced by the greater involvement of firms of the technology intensive sector and domestic SMEs, being aware of aspects of sustainability, environmental protection and environmental awareness. ISTUN also plans to explore synergies between Erasmus+ and research support programs within the institution.
The principles of Erasmus Charter for Higher Education and the wide range of opportunities of Erasmus+ programs play a key role in the development and modernization of student services and student support systems. The infrastructure and capacity building and human resources needs of these systems will be evaluated in the university in coordination with Erasmus+ Program and development directions will be determined accordingly. Staff mobility within KA1 projects is part of the annual work plan for staff working in the international field, and we are constantly expanding the staff involved, e.g. staff of the Education Directorate, economic and financial departments who do not have direct contact with international students in the course of their work. We are committed to the introduction of the European Student Card and the Erasmus+ mobile application, as well as to the general simplification and digitalization of administration. Considering this, we will also regularly review the organizational structure, adapt it to the needs as far as possible and expand if necessary. Erasmus+ KA1 mobility projects are managed and implemented centrally by ISTUN Office of International Relations, involving faculty units and/or coordinators. KA2 and KA3 projects will also be submitted with the involvement of the central international and tender management, but depending on their nature and theme, implementation will be carried out by the relevant units.
ISTUN is expected to undergo a major transformation in its institutional communication and marketing activities following the institutional transformation in 2020, in which it intends to make use of the good practices of communication and dissemination related to Erasmus+. The promotion of Erasmus+ programs will be a priority within the institution with a number of international events (conferences, workshops, trainings, international week, international opening ceremony). Our plans include an international talent show aimed at sensitizing the local community. The materials, trainings and events of the National Agency, as well as visits to international educational fairs, exhibitions, conferences, student recruitment events and other professional events that increase the international visibility of ISTUN will also be incorporated into our institutional practice.
ISTUN is increasingly focusing on intercultural sensitization, enhancing the acceptance of other cultures, and strengthening active citizenship among students. Sensitization takes place mainly through events with active student and teacher participation. At the university level, volunteer language clubs are very popular, in which language eaching is provided by students, often on a reciprocal basis Active TalkEng English Club regularly starts every semester. German, French, Spanish clubs are also expected to be organized by future Erasmus exchange students. We will also organize a program at local level which is the ‘’Intercultural Encounters’’ when our international students visit secondary and primary schools so local pupils can meet representatives from different countries and cultures in an interactive English lesson. These lessons strengthen the atmosphere of trust. For many students, this is the first experience with a foreigner, and it can be a huge driving force and motivation to learn languages and know new cultures. More and more of our students will take part in mentoring activities, the main area of which is the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), but other types of volunteering activities are also proliferating, e.g. building a community garden and forming sport groups. Volunteering helps to build relationships with local and international social organizations, civic initiatives such as local and international environment protection and animal rights organizations. In addition to ensuring equal opportunities and access to programs for disadvantaged people, ISTUN is committed to make mobility programs as widely accessible as possible. This effort is closely intertwined with the institution’s educational and structural modernization, since blended mobility, e-learning programs, simplified administration and the development of student support services all make access easier for the disadvantaged.
Our objectives and the targets related to those objectives have been listed as below. The qualitative and quantitative performance indicators related to each target and linked to specific a timeline have been presented on our International website
Objective (A1): Strengthening Education and Internationalization Activities Target
(H1.1): To increase the number and quality of education programs Target
(H1.2): To increase student success with student-centered learning, teaching and assessment methods Target
(H1.3): To ensure the implementation of the Bologna process in all its stages Target (H1.4): Developing education and training infrastructure Target
(H1.5): To increase internationalization activities in education and training
Objective (A2): Strengthening Scientific Research and Publication Activities Target
(H1.1): To facilitate access to information by enriching library resources Target
(H1.2): To develop the R&D and innovation infrastructure Target
(H1.3): To develop R&D and innovation projects Target
(H1.4): To increase the number of university-addressed publications Target
(H1.5): To increase the number of scientific activities within the university and participation in nonuniversity scientific activities
Objective (A3): Developing Social Contribution Activities Target
(H1.1): To support community service practices and collaborations Target
(H1.2): To increase the level of benefit from training and certificate programs Target
(H1.3): To increase social activities such as culture, arts, sports, etc. Target
(H1.4): To increase an awareness for environmental and barrier-free university Target
(H1.5): To provide and improve health services for the society
Objective (A4): Developing Entrepreneurship Activities with Public and Private Sector Cooperation Target
(H1.1): To increase the economic contribution of academic studies and to support their commercialization Target
(H1.2): To develop entrepreneurial activities Target
(H1.3): To institutionalize university-sector collaborations and increase service capacity Target
(H1.4): To establish Advisory Boards Target ,
(H1.5): To develop educational activities related to entrepreneurship
Objective (A5): Creating a Quality Culture within the Institution and Ensuring Institutional Development Target
(H1.1): To disseminate a quality culture Target
(H1.2): To establish Quality Assurance Management System and Gain Quality Certificates Target
(H1.3): To develop the corporate culture with a participatory, transparent and open to change management approach, to increase the cooperation between the units Target
(H1.4): To increase the quality and quantity of academic and administrative human resources Target
(H1.5): To create modern and technological campuses
In addtion to above given targets and attached indicators, ISTUN specifically aims to achieve the following targets; Targets and specific indicators;
Erasmus Key Action 1 (KA1) - Mobility of individuals
Mobility of learners and staff:
Target: Local students and staff, international students and staff, institutional and departmental Erasmus coordinators, Office of International Relations staff.
Qualitative Indicators expected: Increased knowledge of objectives, awareness of the different approach to learning and teaching, degrees taught in English, scientific contributions with an international co-author, number of life-long learning courses, competence enhancement in assessing virtual and blended mobility activities. Quantitative indicators expected: Increased mobility, increased number of embedded mobility. Short-term and long term impact: (Attainment expectation and timeline) 5% of students mobility by 2023, 20% by 2025. 5% of staff mobility by 2023, 15% by 2025. One more project by 2023, two by 2025.10% increase of graduate students by 2025.
Erasmus Key Action 2 (KA2) - Cooperation among organizations and institutions
Transnational Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Alliances:
Target: local and international student and staff, local and international stakeholders. Qualitative Indicators expected: increased employability, enhancement of teaching skills and competencies. Quantitative indicators expected: number of courses developed in cooperation with enterprises, number of multidisciplinary curricula. Short-term and long term impact: (Attainment expectation and timeline) 20% increase of modules developed with enterprises by 2023, 30% by 2025. 30% of academicians adopts challenged based teaching methods by 2023, 50% by 2025.
European Universities:
Target: Local and international student and staff, local and international stakeholders, academic governance, High School leavers and freshmen. Qualitative Indicators expected: development and adoption of the new model of university, better integration of research into teaching. Quantitative indicators expected: number of degrees offered in the new framework, number of students applying to the new degrees. Short-term and long term impact: (Attainment expectation and timeline) 3 degrees offered in 2023, 6 in 2025
Capacity Building for higher education (HE)
Target: local and international student and academic staff, local and international stakeholders, academic governance. Qualitative Indicators expected: establishment of cooperation with Partner Countries Institutions Quantitative indicators expected: number of partners and joint activities. Short-term and long term impact: (Attainment expectation and timeline) 2 new projects by 2023, 5 by 2025.
Erasmus Key Action 3 (KA3): Support for the policy reform
Target: University community, administrators, local and national authorities Qualitative Indicators expected: Increased knowledge of EU policies in the field of education and training, improved dialogue among stakeholders. Quantitative indicators expected: number of events/projects focused on EU policies dissemination, number and role of participants. Short-term and long term impact. (Attainment expectation and timeline) 2 events/projects by 2023, 6 by 2025. Number of participants between 50 and 100.
The expected general long term impact concerns:
1) Extensive adoption of integrated and interdisciplinary curricula.
2) Adoption of methods developed for the pilot curricula in other fields of study.
Target; Faculty Members; Students; Living Labs researchers,
Assessment tools: reports, interviews, and beneficiaries’ evaluation of methods and timeframe for recognition of interdisciplinary curricula.
As ISTUN, we intend to make arrangements that will improve our university's ability to attract international students, integrate it with Erasmus Charter for Higher Education and make it sustainable. We are committed to increasing the number of students and staff participating in Erasmus exchange programs by 20% between 2021-2027, as well as making our university more recognizable in international education and scientific activities through a strong international network. We are also committed to increasing the number of international joint scientific activities and mobilities between 2021-2025 and to carrying out all Erasmus mobilities through the online platform by 2021. Erasmus Without Paper is one of the projects that we follow closely. In this regard, we encourage the training of entrepreneurial graduates according to the needs of the country and the region by planning and organizing certificate programs in the field of entrepreneurship during their studentship in order to train graduates who can reconcile national and universal values, think critically, develop creativity and entrepreneurship spirit and adapt to change.