English version International ERASMUS +Key Action 2

B-International - Building Internationalisation in Pakistan

B-International is a project co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 2 Capacity Building in Higher Education.

It aims to provide staff at universities in Pakistan with a framework by which to implement international strategies that support the wider aims of the universities and to provide staff with knowledge and practical tools to implement international activities that support the strategic aim of both the university and the wider Higher Education sector.

The project will therefore examine traditional components of internationalisation such as mobility, TNE and international research, but will also include more contemporary concepts such as developing international campuses that explore the wide tapestry of international cultures. This ambitious four-year project will run until 31 December 2023.

Visit the website: https://b-internationalproject.com/

WP1

Work Package 1 - Benchmarking, Strategy and Training

Training on internationalisation and developing strategies to support a framework.

A series of eight internationalisation workshops as part of Work Package 1 of the B-International project were delivered via the Microsoft Teams platform by our colleagues Frédéric Dorel and Caroline Kerello of Centrale Nantes to our partners in Pakistan.

The workshops began with an introductory session on 1 March and culminated in a conclusion and feedback session on 19 March 2021. They covered topics such as the essential gains of internationalisation in our global society, internationalisation at home, internationalisation strategies as well as the identification and implementation of autonomous strategies.

Watch the video for PIFD's feedback on the WP1 Online Training Sessions:

WP2

Work Package 2 - Training Workshops – CPD for All Staff

Developing a short course on internationalisation for the CPD of all staff.

Building on the feedback that has emerged from the Work Package 1 sessions, four main themes featured during WP2 training sessions. Those themes have been selected collaboratively between the EU and the Pakistani partners and were as follows:

Implementation of the strategic plan for internationalisation;
Achieving high quality international partnerships;
How to attract external funding;
The academic recognition of staff

These themes were presented and analysed in four rounds of three/four training sessions for each subject. The entire WP2 training programme happened between December 2021 and November 2022 and were co-delivered by the University of Bologna and by representatives from each one of the Partner Country’s Higher Education Institution which are taking part in the programme.

The aim of WP2 is to support the practical implementation of the internationalisation strategies which have been devised and ratified by the Pakistani HEIs during WP1 and to provide all staff with the knowledge to support and encourage the internationalisation of their institutions.

WP3

Work Package 3 - Online Learning Platform

Online learning for the professional development of staff

In much the same method as Work Package 2, staff with responsibility for internationalisation at the Partner Country’s Higher Education Institutions built on the training and strategy development that they completed in Work Package 1 to develop a programme designed to bring the concept of internationalisation to all staff.

During the project meeting held in Lahore, in Pakistan, the B-International “WP3 Online Learning Programme”, finally entitled “Introductory Course to Building Internationalisation in Universities in Pakistan”, was launched on 30th November 2022 at the Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS) and on 1st December at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD). Both launches were live streamed so that our colleagues from our Islamabad based Partners (CUI and NUST) could connect via their Centres for Internationalisation.

The main goal of this course is to familiarise staff members in Pakistani universities with different degrees of experience with internationalisation implementation methods, something that could end up being significantly beneficial for their institutions. In connection with other activities planned and implemented as part of the B-International project, staff with specific responsibilities for internationalisation at the Pakistani Higher Education Institutions will be able to build on the training and strategy development that they completed previously in this project to develop a programme (in collaboration with the European partners) designed to bring the concept of internationalisation to all staff members in their institutions. This course is the result of this work.

Staff members of all the participating institutions have cooperated to develop this course, focused on concepts such as internationalisation of the institution, mobility, recognition, quality assurance, international partnerships and supporting international students. This approach will support the practical implementation of internationalisation and provide all staff with the knowledge to support and encourage their own internationalisation. The programme and materials have been developed once the internationalisation strategies at each university have been drafted (they are currently being ratified).

WP4

Work Package 4 - Cultivating an International Campus

Ongoing

The WP4 of the B-International project emphases on the internationalisation of the campus, creating opportunities to immerse Pakistani students and staff with other cultures and environments whilst on campus. Since the fall 2021, the four Pakistani partner campuses host international events, virtually and/or face-to-face, and take full advantage of their newly launched Centres for Internationalisation.

The Be International Award is the Centre for Internationalisation’s employability Award that recognizes extra-curricular activities that focus on self-development. The Be International Award provides students with an opportunity to widen their skillset, increase their international awareness and grow as an individual and a well-rounded professional by completing 6 criteria that will engage themselves with national and international faculty, staff and alumni.

Students who complete the 6 criteria will be awarded the Be International Award Certificate during a special ceremony that will be held every year in June by our 4 Pakistani partners. The ceremony will be a joyful occasion to congratulate students and emphases on the importance of Internationalisation at Home in order to broaden ones’ horizons without going out of the institution campus.

Here are the previous B-International Events Award Ceremonies:

WP5

Work Package 5 - Centers for Internationalisation

The centres provide a dedicated resource for students and members of the international virtual community. They are equipped with the latest smartboards for interactive and collaborative learning experiences: 25 laptops for member use and a laptop for training facilitators and guest speakers.

The equipment is supported by software that will enable virtual connections including SmartNotebook and Panopto. The centres are also equipped with virtual reality technology to enable virtual exchange and experiences of environments around the world. The technology will also allow students to film their own local learning environments to be shared with their peers around the world.

The Centres form a hub for activities, and, through effective promotion, will be known to all students as the place to go to connect with peers nationally and internationally, as well as providing resources and skills development. They were officially launched on 2 February 2022.

Watch the video to see what our Partners think of the Centres for Internationalisation!

WP6

Work Package 6 - Toolkit

Ongoing

Although this is not a structural project and so does not seek to make systematic change to policy, it will provide the framework for the government of Pakistan and/or universities in the country to initiate their own strategies for internationalisation and adopt some or all of the processes.

The toolkit will bring together all of the activities that the project has undertaken, providing guidelines on how they were implemented, resources and materials that support the implementation of activities, hints and tips, an analysis of the project’s activities and their impact, as well as recommendations for policy and national roll out.

Although the toolkit will be most suited to the higher education system of Pakistan, it will also be available for use by other universities internationally and may be useful to countries with comparable systems such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.