The
Erasmus University Charter
(EUC) provides the general framework for the
European cooperation activities a higher education
institution (HEI) may carry out within the Erasmus
programme. The Polytechnic Institute of Setubal was
awarded a charter extended which allows the student
mobility for studies and placements, teacher mobility and
staff mobility as well as participation in european
projects such as the Intensive Programmes (IP).
Reference number: 29226-IC-1-2007-1-PT-
ERASMUS-EUCX-1
ERASMUS ID code: P SETUBAL01
Application date: 26/02/2007
ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT (EPS)
STRATEGY, OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES
The LLP is an important instrument for the
accomplishment of the internationalization of IPS activity,
assuring the framework of the established aims:
- increase of student, teacher and non-teaching staff
mobility, which will reach an estimated rate of 3%
(currently fixed to 1%) until 2013. The implementation of
ERASMUS Programme as both classic mobility and
professional training is defined as a top priority. Special
attention will also be given to the development of
LEONARNDO da VINCI and GRUNDTVIG actions;
- development of joint training, research and
innovation projects with European reference institutions.
Therefore, applications for Thematic Networks and
Intensive Programs are classified as a high-priority, both
within the existing network and in the context of further
identified partners;
- promotion of partnerships for joint delivery of 2nd
cycle level courses. The application for Multilateral
Projects is defined as a high-priority;
- development of communication skills in foreign
language, including in Portuguese as a Foreign
Language for international students. The lauching of a
Centre of Linguistic Competences emerges as essential
in order to achieve this goal, in connection to
applications for ERASMUS Intensive Language Courses
and to the Transversal Programme (language learning).
IPS is committed to:
- create the necessary conditions for the achievement
of the specified internationalization strategies,
reinforcing the coordination, the merging and
rationalization of human and financial efforts and
internally encouraging an effective implementation of the
Bologna Process guidelines;
- promote an awarness of mobility activities fitted in
ERASMUS developed by students (by adopting the
Diploma Supplement as an instrument of external
valuation of their curricular and extra-curricular skills), as
well as by the teaching and non-teaching staff (valueing
international experiences, within the framework of their
professional abilities);
- publicize ERASMUS to the academic community, by
organizing occasional advertising activities, informal
sessions of clarification and welcome activities for
incoming students, opened to the community, promoting
gatherings of former ERASMUS students, creating a
programme for tutoring foreign students, annually
organizing an ERASMUS week of extra-curricular
activities).
IPS commits itself to act in accordance with the principles
of respect for the human being, social justice, equal
opportunities, protection of the diversity, accuracy and
cultural honesty and transparency thereby widening the
training of highly qualified professionals to conscious and
active Portuguese and European citizenship.
The present EPS, as well as the principles behind this, is
part of IPS Strategic Development Plan 2007-2011 so it
represents the commitment of IPS in developing and
reinforcing its European dimension. As such, it will be
widely publized in the IPS Portal and in leaflets
conceived for the effect.
QUALITY OF ACADEMIC MOBILITY ACTIVITIES
IPS is responsible for ensuring and promoting the quality
of mobility flows (incoming and outgoing students,
teaching and non-teaching staff) providing a framework
for a number of implemented/defined measures aimed at
this:
- establishing of a Financial Support Plan for
International Mobility aimed to finance or complement,
with own funds, the mobility actions of the IPS
Community;
- definition of the eligible activities and principles of
the Diploma Supplement (applied as soon as the new
legal frame for Portuguese higher education is known);
- self-evaluation of IPS performance within the
framework of ERASMUS development;
- adoption of ECTS as the only instrument of
recognition and validation of the student's academic
work (to be concluded in accordance with the
progressive adaptation of courses to the Bologna
Process);
- reorganization of the information packs in English
and Portuguese, as a result of the adaptation of the 1st
cycle level courses to Bologna;
- investment in the organization of incoming mobility,
with the support of the students' unions and tutoring for
welcoming and integration, delivering international
modules, organizing Portuguese language intensive
courses (certified as the A1 level), an offer of 10% of the
Hall of Residence's beds for ERASMUS students,
organizing leisure activities and by providing on-going
support to the displaced student;
- investment in the organization of outgoing mobility,
by offering services such as support in finding
accommodation, linguistic preparation (English and/or
the official language of the host country), organization of
informative folders about the country, the receiving
institution and the rights and duties of the ERASMUS
statute, permanent contact with the host institution and
organization of monitoring visits and incentive extended
periods of study.
QUALITY OF STUDENT PLACEMENT ACTIVITIES
Training is one of the well-known characteristics of
polytechnic education in Portugal. IPS has a large
experience in this area with the preparation of
thousands of highly qualified graduates who easily get a
professional job due to their profile of competences. IPS
is committed to:
- encourage the completion of work placements
abroad ensuring the establishment of certified
partnerships with European companies and higher
education institutions with a priority to the areas of
engineering and new technologies;
- reinforce the existing partnerships in the areas of
education (teaching training) and health care (clinical
practices) taking advantage of the good practices
developed in these areas;
- extend the investment already made in the
organization of LEONARDO da VINCI work placements to
other study areas;
- reinforce the visibility of ERASMUS work placements
presenting them as an added value for the students'
academic development (recognition and validation of
competences during their learning process), as well as
for teaching staff (valueing the advanced training and
the teachers' professional path) and non-teaching staff
(valueing on Job training).
The work placement periods will be previously
negotiated and defined and should contribute to the
development of identified skills classified as a priority by
the companies of Setubal's region with a view to
guaranteeing employment for the graduates (mainly of
1st cycle). The traineeships made by the students will be
supervised by the teaching staff of the involved higher
education institutions and will be integrated in their
curricular plan. Evaluation wiil be provided by the
monitors with self-evaluation being carried out by the
student.
IPS commits itself to act in accordance with the principle
of reciprocity ensuring that the protocols signed with the
companies of Setubal district will be extended to
international students thereby promoting the same
quality standards both in incoming and outgoing flows.
