Download AoC International Charter

AoC International Charter:
A Framework for Excellence
John Mountford
AoC International Director
Introduction
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More and more Colleges are undertaking international activity of
some kind, as a result of:
Increasing awareness of the global impact of a global
society and a global economy on home learners and
communities
Increasing recognition of the role UK Colleges can play
with international VET systems and what we can learn from
global partnerships
The need to diversity income sources
We will all need to take an international approach and the
sooner we can engage globally the sooner we will be successful
Essentially, Colleges are making the globalisation agenda and
‘agenda for all’ and an integral part of the College’s commitment
to quality
Introduction
A changing focus:
Traditionally, international activity for Colleges has
tended to be defined as student recruitment or commercial
services.
Colleges now embracing a more holistic global agenda are
exploring ways in which all areas of their operations can help
make staff more globally aware and equip its learners to
achieve in in a global economy
UK Colleges’ International Activity
This may include for example:
• Recruitment of international students to the UK
• Institutional twinning and international learning-based
partnerships
• Consultancy and advisory services to assist with education
reform overseas
• Delivery of training or other services or via distance
learning or franchise arrangements
• Student exchanges and joint educational programmes
• Involvement in European programmes
• Involvement in aid programmes/capacity-building for institutions
in developing countries
Challenges
• Competitive market, UK Colleges need to be able to
demonstrate their commitment to high quality service
delivery, scrupulous and robust business processes and
an ethical, customer-focused approach to all their dealings
with overseas students, clients and partners
• Lack of international understanding of the UK FE offer
demands a clear ‘charter mark’ that will help these
prospective students, clients and partners to make
informed choices about working with the UK
• Lack of specific training and development for people working in
international College work
• Internal UKBA – need to clearly define our work from the private
sector and emphasise the quality, ethical approach we take to
international work
AoC International Strategy
Association of Colleges’ ‘Core purpose’ is:
• To represent and promote Colleges
• To provide services to members
The aim of AoC’s International strategy:
To support member Colleges with the implementation and
further development of international, commercial and
Internationalisation activities, to represent their interests with
the UK government and national bodies (as well as where
appropriate those in other countries) to raise the profile of the UK
College sector
AoC International Strategy
Key priorities:
• To promote and represent Colleges’ international work
• To promote Colleges’ international commercial
opportunities
• To provide professional support for Colleges in the
implementation of international and internationalisation
activities
• To utilise the AoC International Charter to promote UK
Colleges international work
Creating an International Community
• Competitive but by working together we can learn from each
other on how we are planning, implementing and supporting
international activities
• Encourage the forming a network that will create an international
College community focused on forming partnerships and
sharing resources that will assist in the capacity building of the
sector as a whole, smarter business operations and enhanced
collaborations
• To provide the framework and focus for a ‘joined-up’ approach
to support the sector’s international activity on the part of UK
government departments and national agencies
• Endorsed by The British Council, DBIS, and UKCISA
Key ingredients of the Charter
• New awareness of the opportunities afforded by engaging
internationally
• Opportunities and challenges facing Colleges as they
look to engage internationally
• A clear charter mark to capture and define Colleges’
work to international and domestic stakeholders
• A key tool in supporting AoC’s international strategy for
Colleges
• The need to create a community of international College
practioneers
The Review
For a College to be awarded the AoC International Charter they
need to demonstrate their commitment to:
• Developing an International/Global Strategy which
Reflects the mission and learning goals of the institution
• Meeting the needs of its local community, staff and
students in relation to understanding and responding
effectively to a global society and a global economy
• Working strategically with international partners in order
to share best practice and learn from other countries
• Embracing the highest possible standards of quality and
integrity in all aspects of their work with international partners,
clients and students
• Promoting an ethical approach to student recruitment and to
working with developing nations
The Review
• Normally a 1 to 2 day Review visit conducted by AoC trained
assessors
• Meetings with key strategic College personnel and
internationally focused staff
• Four key commitments
• These commitments can be adapted to each College’s
individual situtation
Commitment 1:
The College has a management structure to support
international work which includes:
• A policy statement for international work
approved by the Governing body which
reflects the core principals of the Charter
• A named member of the senior management
team with designated strategic responsibility
for international work
• An International/Global Strategy and a budget
for a development plan approved by the
Governing body
Commitment 2:
The International/Global Strategy and Development
Plan:
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Prioritises the target areas for development, including the development
of international partnerships
Has been developed in consultation with internal and external partners
and relevant stake-holders
Supports the economic and social development of the College and its
wider community
Promotes for international working, only those areas of provision which
have been graded as ‘satisfactory’ or higher, via the external inspection
process applicable
Provides opportunities for appropriate professional development for all
staff and managers
Provides opportunities for the home student community to develop their
knowledge and understanding of other cultures
Seeks to disseminate the benefits of working internationally across the
College, ultimately embedding an international dimension within all
curriculum areas
Commitment 3:
The College assures the quality of its services to
international students, clients and partners by:
• Applying the same rigorous internal quality assurance
to international work as it does to its provision for UK
learners
• Including within its annual self-assessment report, all
international activities, whether carried out at home or
abroad
• Ensuring that all members of staff engaged in
activities with international learners, clients and
partners are appropriately experienced, aware of
cultural sensitivities and supported by relevant
professional development and training
Commitment 3:
Where applicable to specific activities:
• Providing dedicated support for all overseas students
attending the College
• Ensuring that the College has the capability and the
capacity to deliver a high level of expertise and to
make available necessary resources, before
committing to the special projects, consultancy
services and offshore programmes
• Operating robust processes for supporting,
monitoring, quality assuring and evaluating off-site
activities carried out by partners under franchise,
agency or other types of sub-contracting or
collaborative arrangements
Commitment 4:
The College guarantees and ethical and inclusive
approach in all its international activities, via:
• A marketing strategy and promotional materials which reflect
high standards of accuracy and integrity
• Celebrating and valuing the diversity of cultures brought to the
College community, upholding at all times, the Colleges’ policy
for equal opportunities in relation to race, nationality, religion or
belief, gender, disability, age and sexual orientation
• A student centred approach to international recruitment which is
focused on the individual’s abilities, personal learning goals and
career plans
• Ensuring that all international partnership activities are
undertaken in a context of mutual respect and mutual learning
What are the specific benefits of the
Charter?
• A kite mark which is recognised and promoted by national and
international stakeholders and which will continue to grow
international recognition
• A framework for strategic planning and quality improvement
• An access to a community of practice at sector level
• An vehicle to help drive up standards and gain competitive
advantage for institutions and the sector as a whole
• Access to specific practical resources to assist with
planning, implementation and professional development
via website, seminars, events
• Protecting and capturing the fantastic UK offer to international
partners
Department for Business, Innovation and
Skills
International activity in a College adds a new dimension to the
learner experience. We welcome any initiative that enables
learners, whether home; European; or international
students, to make informed decisions about their place and
course of study. The AoC’s International Charter
demonstrates the FE College sector’s willingness to develop
a framework and set standards for its members’ international
business and measure performance against these
The British Council
The British Council endorses this important step change in
embedding quality improvement for international work in the FE
sector within this integrated framework which addresses
equality and inclusion for international students, as well as
community engagement and diversity in the wider College.
This has to be the way forward for embedding a global
perspective within a College, achieving quality across the
board for all students and all programmes, and maintaining
the international reputation of the FE sector in an
increasingly competitive environment.
UK Council for International Student
Affairs
• This is an important new step to ensure that the standards of
international student support and related activities in UK
Colleges are maintained and enhanced. We are
delighted to support it and will give whatever assistance
we can to colleagues and Colleges committed both to the
standards and overall vision reflected in the Charter
CONTACT/FURTHER INFORMATION
[email protected]
[email protected]