INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGY at KEMPTEN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES ǀ 2023 – 2026
STARTING POINT and DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Kempten University of Applied Sciences, founded in 1977, stands for openness and tolerance, and combines opposite poles – it is both traditional and cutting-edge, regional and international, close-knit and ambitious. National and international students enjoy a warm and friendly atmosphere on our “campus with short pathways”, while the town and wider region offer a rich recreational setting.
Vision of “Competence driven by networked diversity”
Kempten University of Applied Sciences pursues the vision of making a substantial and sustainable contribution to solving current and future challenges facing society.
We conduct competency-based and innovative teaching that nurtures the holistic personal development of our students in order to prepare them for the best possible start to their careers. We achieve this by increasingly networking the university’s wide-ranging offers to create interdisciplinary formats, implementing state-of-the-art learning methods, and continuously liaising with industry and society. We appeal to domestic and international students and create framework conditions for developing intercultural skills. Our comprehensive education programme promotes social responsibility.
Development process
During the past ten years, Kempten University of Applied Sciences has taken a number of important steps towards further internationalisation – such as instating a Vice President and Office for Internationalisation, creating and expanding important internationalisation interfaces and service points, and concretising further internationalisation offers for students. Gaining international EFMD programme accreditation (and re-accreditation) for our MBA in International Business Management & Leadership, refining and augmenting our support programme for international students, and digitalising the administrative processes in our international partnership management have marked further milestones in our expanding internationalisation.
Audit Compact by the HRK
In 2021, Kempten University of Applied Sciences took part in the Audit Compact conducted by the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) with the aim of undergoing assessment of its internationality and gaining support with the (further) development of its internationalisation strategy. The experts’ recommendations for measures to further expand internationalisation formed the basis for developing the 2023 Internationalisation Strategy and the goals defined therein, thus anchoring internationalisation topics long-term at Kempten University of Applied Sciences.
STRATEGIC INTERNATIONALISATION GOALS
Kempten University of Applied Sciences strives towards internationalisation that meets actual needs, helps furnish the future (German-speaking) demand for skilled workers in the region and to maintain and boost national and international competitiveness, and elevates graduates’ international credentials.
Improved framework conditions and highly tuned support services should enhance the appeal of Kempten as a destination for German and international students. In particular, the aim is to attract more international students to study for a degree at Kempten University of Applied Sciences.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences aims to achieve the following four strategically interlinked and overarching internationalisation goals by 2026:
Goal 1) Attract more international students
International students play an increasingly important role for Kempten University of Applied Sciences – helping to stabilise student numbers, strengthen its international profile, and boost graduates’ international, foreign-language and intercultural prowess. This ensures that the demand for skilled labour can be met in the region.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences is therefore aiming to attract more international students to study here for a degree.
Goal 2) Clearly present and expand the internationalisation of teaching
Clearly flagging up modules with international elements forms the basis for measuring the international scope of a degree programme.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences collaborates with 100 partner universities and offers a wide range of exchange opportunities for students.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences is therefore aiming to clearly present and expand the range of international courses on offer.
Goal 3) Evaluate university collaborations according to specific criteria, and expand these according to need
Kempten University of Applied Sciences has established a global network of international collaboration with over 100 foreign partner universities. Crises flaring up around the world and dynamic changes that also affect higher education present a growing challenge. University-wide standards, on the one hand, and nurturing partnerships, e.g. through maintaining regular contact, on the other, are important building blocks for sustainable collaborations that clearly generate added value for all sides.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences is therefore aiming to systematise international university partnerships, evaluate them according to specific criteria, purposefully intensify them, and establish new partnerships according to need and in a targeted manner.
Goal 4) Attract and encourage internationally spirited university members
A broad basis and encouraging individual endeavour are building blocks for the sustainability of internationalisation efforts.
Kempten University of Applied Sciences is therefore aiming to broaden the base of internationally spirited individuals by introducing an incentive system in order to strengthen the sustainability of internationalisation measures.
GUIDELINES FOR INTERNATIONALISATION KEMPTEN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
INTERNATIONALISATION OF KEMPTEN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
We understand internationalisation as the process of integrating international, intercultural and global aspects into and at all levels of the university.
It is our task to contribute to ensuring that the demand for skilled labour in the region can be met and thus fulfil our educational mission. In order to maintain our national and international connectivity, we are therefore committed to an international pathway and strive for stronger internationalisation in line with our mission statement “Competence driven by networked diversity”.
MOTIVATION AND GOALS OF OUR INTERNATIONALISATION
Our efforts are aimed towards our goals of training graduates internationally, in foreign languages and interculturally, preparing them for the international challenges of the labour market, and attracting more international students onto degree programmes at Kempten University of Applied Sciences.
Our efforts in pursuit of internationalisation are expressed in our university’s policies, studies and teaching, research and transfer of knowledge, infrastructure and administration, and our external image and communications.
In order to attain our goals, we are reinforcing the international dimension of our university structures, teaching, research, and support services.
The regional focus of Kempten University of Applied Sciences is being augmented with selected international elements (e.g. stronger integration of internationally themed modules into teaching) with the aim of successively expanding these aspects precisely as required. Activities in the areas of international responsibilities, coordination processes and internal communications are regarded from an overarching institutional perspective.
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
In consultation with the faculties and other stakeholders, university management defines the objectives and instates the university framework (cornerstones).
The contributions made by the faculties and other stakeholders within this framework may vary in form and focus on different areas, but all faculties must contribute.
INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGY
Specific goals and measures for internationalisation are elaborated and defined, and priorities are set, within a coordinated internationalisation strategy and based on the following cornerstones:
We regard ourselves as a cosmopolitan university in which variety and diversity are reflected and practised in all areas and all groups.
We promote multilingualism by providing language support structures for all members of the university (students and staff).
We increasingly integrate international elements into teaching, research and transfer, and encourage participation in international efforts.
We promote exchange of knowledge via international networking and collaborations in all areas (teaching, research, administration), intensifying and expanding these activities as required.
We create framework conditions that enable all students to gain experience of internationalisation during their studies – in particular by means of mobility – and to acquire or enhance international, intercultural and foreign language skills.
We provide opportunities and actively encourage all employees to acquire international, intercultural and foreign language skills.
We align our infrastructure and design our support and service structures internationally.
We provide assistance and services to welcome international arrivals (students, employees, guests).
We design our external image and communications internationally.
We create structural framework conditions to anchor the internationalisation process as a cross-sectional task in the awareness of all stakeholders and to increase willingness to assume responsibility for international issues.
These guidelines were developed by the Internationalisation project group in close consultation with the President. They were approved by the Extended Executive Board of the University on 9 November 2021.
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