Erasmus Policy Statement 2021-2027
BI Norwegian Business Schools has a unique position in the Norwegian HE scene. BI is an independent private business school in a country that is dominated by state financed HEI’s. Nevertheless, BI is one of the largest HEI’s in Norway.
BI’s latest policy statement for internationalisation 2018-2025 states that BI graduates must understand how internationalisation impacts business practises and societies and must have the knowledge and skills to contribute to - and succeed in an international and multi-cultural business environment. To deliver on this, BI must provide programmes and curricula that reflect on how internationalisation and international cooperation and competition impact business and that provide students with opportunities to thrive in an international context. This necessitates that BI have classrooms that provide students with international content, perspectives and experiences, and a programme structure that allows access to an international environment, partner institutions, companies and activities.
In the first year of the current strategy period BI re-visited full-time programs with respect to the incorporation of International and Intercultural learning objectives in the learning outcomes of programs and the consequences for teaching methods, teaching language and delivery modes, measurements and evaluation at the course level, and the facilitation of study and internships abroad.
The Master level programs at BI are fully taught in English and attract a substantial number of international degree and exchange students. In addition, BI has started with increasing the opportunities for internationalization @home at the bachelor level (where the vast majority of programs is still taught in Norwegian) by teaching more courses in English with the objective that every bachelor student is exposed to at least three courses with a physical or virtual international classroom. Also, BI is currently looking at the structure of its undergraduate programs in order to secure more flexibility and opportunities for study and internships abroad and guest lecturing by international faculty. BI intends to explore the possibilities for cooperative online international learning (‘virtual mobility’) at both bachelor and master level.
BI is looking to further internationalize its faculty base both by hiring internationally and –when hiring- by paying attention to faculty that has substantial international experience and know how to use it to advance their research and teaching. International guest lecturing from both companies and partner institutions if possible, facilitated by ERASMUS + is encouraged. Faculty should include the implications of internationalisation in their teaching and research and contribute to and transfer this knowledge to students and society.
The ERASMUS KA1 plays a crucial role in achieving the goals of BI’s strategy. The primary target group for BI’s exchange programmes are full-time students in first and second cycle programmes. These programmes share a general skill area called ‘diverse and multicultural work environments’ (able to work effectively in diverse work environments). The main objective of BI’s exchange programmes is to contribute to the attainment of this skill area through the students’ participation in cross-cultural learning arena’s both at BI’s campus and at BI’s partner institutions. Through its Internationalisation strategy BI is committed to further increasing the volume of exchange students outbound and inbound. This will contribute to achieving the above stated policy objectives: more opportunities for students to join an international classroom at BI and to study or do an internship abroad so that students are better prepared to contribute to - and succeed in an international and multi-cultural business environment.
BI also aims at building stronger more comprehensive relationships with selected European partners, exchanging students at all levels as well as cooperation within specific study programs, e.g. double and joint degree and a network master program focusing on Quantitative subjects. These initiatives might lead to more intensive cooperation and eventually to participation in ERASMUS KA2 Partnerships for excellence.
With respect to the building the European Education Area, BI’s activities under ERASMUS + intends to contribute to the following policy visions:
- The clear objectives regarding student mobility and international learning of BI’s International strategy contribute to building the European Education Area particularly with an eye on the policy vision that ‘spending time abroad to study and learn should become the norm’.
- Given the fact that the majority of BI’s student mobility takes place with the European area BI expects that this will lead to students having a stronger sense and awareness of their European identity and Europe’s diversity and cultural heritage.
- At the Master level, BI has developed a number of double degree and joint programmes with European partners and a Network Master programme in a Network of mainly European partners. These activities have contributed to increased mutual recognition of prior higher education qualification and further alignment academic programmes between the partners.