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Use the form below to search for the best practices that will help you achieve the selected goals, address problems of the different target groups in different categories.

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There are 65 found practices.
To read more about the the practices in this table, click on Description tab above. To review the personnel efforts, time and cost for implementation of the found practices, click on Implementation tab above. To find out all details of the selected practice, click on its title.
Title Category Target group
Collaboration with external partners and customised assistance in offering accommodation Social Integration & Daily Life Family Matters Accommodation PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers) Internationals spouses/family members
Soft skills trainings for PhDs/academics Social Integration & Daily Life Profesional & Academic Development Networking PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Promotion via social media in English Networking Promotion & Visibility PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Administrative staff
International scholar safety guide Safety, Healthcare & Wellbeing PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Networking institutional events for support staff Capacity Building of Support & Management Staff Administrative staff
Networking events for PhD students and academics Social Integration & Daily Life Profesional & Academic Development Networking PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Mobility data collection and management Administrative & Legal Support Institutional Processes Institutional strategy Administrative staff Management staff
Academic mentoring programme for international PhD students Profesional & Academic Development PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers
Mentoring scheme for support staff Capacity Building of Support & Management Staff Administrative staff
FAQs collection for support staff to share cases internally Institutional Processes Capacity Building of Support & Management Staff Administrative staff Management staff
Promotion of talent recruitment schemes at international fairs Promotion & Visibility PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers) Administrative staff Management staff
Collaboration with alumni Profesional & Academic Development Networking Promotion & Visibility PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Mental health support for international PhD students and staff Social Integration & Daily Life Safety, Healthcare & Wellbeing PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers) Administrative staff
Bilingual campus signs (English and local language) Social Integration & Daily Life Safety, Healthcare & Wellbeing Promotion & Visibility PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Bilingual institutional administration processes Social Integration & Daily Life Language Support, Language Policy Administrative & Legal Support Institutional Processes PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers) Administrative staff Management staff
Welcome buddies/guides for international PhD students and academics Social Integration & Daily Life Family Matters Networking PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Customised assistance: social integration and daily life issues (accommodation, health care providers, childcare, etc.) Social Integration & Daily Life Language Support, Language Policy Family Matters Accommodation Safety, Healthcare & Wellbeing PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers) Internationals spouses/family members
Customised assistance: funding offers, application preparation Profesional & Academic Development PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Welcome event for new international PhDs/academics Social Integration & Daily Life Profesional & Academic Development Networking Promotion & Visibility PhD student/Early career researcher R2 - R4 researchers Lecturers (incl. Language Teachers)
Career support for international PhDs and junior academics Profesional & Academic Development PhD student/Early career researcher
There are 65 found practices.
To review the personnel efforts, time and cost for implementation of the found practices, click on Implementation tab above. To find out all details of the selected practice, click on its title.
Title Description
Collaboration with external partners and customised assistance in offering accommodation

Accommodation is the second most important aspect of the successful impelemtation of international academic mobility, right after getting a job/fellowships/scholarship. The requirements for accommodation may vary according to cultural customs, financial possibilities of academic, family conditions (single or with a partner, or children), relationship to ecology (type of transport), health status (need for lift, etc.) In any case, the apartment should have basic equipment: furniture, basic electrical appliances. In the case of international academic and international PhD. student, it is usually a lease for a certain period of time. It is necessary to take into consideration the possibility that some young academics or students may be interested in living together (larger flats), some prefer single living (smaller flats). It is welcome if the institution can offer accommodation in its own accommodation facility, which usually represents a separate room with basic facilities and accessories and a shared kitchen / study room.

In case the own HEI lodging facilities are limited, it is desirable to reach out to external partners for ensuring extra rooms, flats. The practice idenifies practical activities, where a HEI can be a mediator between the external contractor and the incoming international.

Soft skills trainings for PhDs/academics

The main benefit of this practice is that such training improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the international PhD students and academic staff and increases their satisfaction and social integration. Soft skills are at the core of making any mobility programme successful. Soft skills related to intercultural communication can facilitate researchers' and PhDs' adaptation and social integration. Researchers and PhDs need to receive regular training in the full range of soft skills to perform best in their jobs/academic and research tasks. As a result of that training, it is expected that the atmosphere in the academic teams will improve substantially since a lot of conflicts and misunderstandings will be avoided and communication will run more smoothly. The most important thing for this practice is that to have sustainable results such courses need to be offered on a regular basis.

 

Promotion via social media in English

In the era of technology, it is a great idea to use social media for promotional purposes. Welcoming institutions should set up a page where they can promote the incoming academics and staff members, and do so in English so that other institutions could have access to it. It might significantly contribute to greater visibility and new possibilities for cooperation.

International scholar safety guide

The higher education institution is responsible for ensuring personal safety and security of its employees and students including international ones.

International academics might not be familiar with the surroundings and lack awareness of local risks (e.g. related to accomodation, streets at night, use of transport, health safety risks).

The objective of the international scholar safety support/guide is to provide concise English-language information about off-campus and on-campus risks and guidelines on how to act in specific situations and where to seek help.      

 

Networking institutional events for support staff

The main aim of institutional events for support staff is to strengthen the professional knowledge of support staff through different types of meetings/events but also optimize information flows and procedures. Via these events, they can share experience and ideas, develop and share contacts within and outside of the organisation and improve internal processes. External experts/partners can be invited to such events or they can be organised jointly with them to expand and deepen collaborations for the sake of a smoother incoming researcher and academic staff mobility. The practice could eventually prepare the ground or even lead towards a broader scope of further professional development activities for support staff, including various focused trainings.

Networking events for PhD students and academics

Networking events, be it live or virtual, could help connect PhDs and academics with similar interests, and they could also help them discover different ways of approaching certain aspects of academia life. They could be organized in the form of conferences, seminars, lab meetings, various social events as well as online social networks, where social media profiles of academics can be used for a rather useful purpose. Such events bring people from different fields of academia together, creating opportunities for them to hear about other people's research, and also allowing them to discover different institutions they could visit in order to gain new knowledge. 

 

 

Mobility data collection and management

Collecting and managing data about mobility could significantly affect the quality of the institutional process related to assisting mobile researchers and internationalization in general. It produces a body of evidence for strategic decision-making, facilitates smooth and effective communication with mobile researchers, provides a framework for a flow of activities related to assistance, and improves the efficiency and productivity of the service center.

  • Basic level: Creating a Mobility info sheet (Xls/word file) enabling the contact person to fill in all the relevant data on an incoming PhD student/academic and share it across all the relevant departments involved (IRO, HR, Accommodation department, Library, IT center) before his/her arrival. For details see the example Mobility Data Infosheet.
  • Intermediate level: Simple central online application enabling an inviting person/department to enter all the parameters on incoming PhD/academic prior to his/her stay, sending out an auto-generated welcome email with information and access to all university services (online library, pass/card, other electronic services before the arrival of incoming.
  • Advanced level: Central comprehensive IT mobility system/database with advanced functionalities regarding task management/work division among support staff members, personal information of incoming, pop-up notification of new arrivals, details on visa/residence procedure, health insurance, reminder of expiry dates of various documents (visa, residence permit, hosting agreement, etc), expected services and interest in social events, information of accompanying family members and their needs, email invitation generation, overview of all the emails sent via the database, indicator of completeness of case, statistics, etc.
Academic mentoring programme for international PhD students

Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be (Eric Pasloe).

A dedicated mentoring programme for PhD students allows institutions to encourage students to progress with their thesis, connect PhD candidates with alumni and local peers, support academics in their professional development, and build a vibrant academic community at the institution.

International PhD students can particularly benefit from their engagement in an institutional mentoring programme by expanding their professional network in the host country, gaining knowledge about local academic culture and traditions, gain tangible academic/professional experience (e.g. workplace visits, shadowing, interview experience, placements, a graduate job), develop written and verbal communication in the local language. Academic mentoring programmes therefore greatly contribute to the professional and social integration of early-stage international scholars.

Mentoring scheme for support staff

The aim of this activity is to pair employees involved in providing services to international academics in a mentoring relationship to foster professional development and career growth while building an inclusive culture and diverse networks. 

 

FAQs collection for support staff to share cases internally

The FAQs platform is a practical tool for storage of practical information and good practices for processing the agenda of incoming PhD students and academics. It´s a database of standardized responses/solutions to recurring questions helping thus the support staff members efficiently navigate through administrative processes/issues they typically encounter. It is particularly useful for newcomer support staff as well as for situations occurring just sporadically. It could be part of an internal knowledge-sharing platform or any other type of intranet. 

Promotion of talent recruitment schemes at international fairs

Using physical and online exhibit marketing can be powerful for higher education institutions to foster their visibility and attract new students and early-stage researchers through the promotion of national and institutional opportunities for study and research.

Higher education institutions can use this channel to communicate externally about their institution and possibilities to engage with it, including existing scholarships, grants and other forms of support to collaboration.

Collaboration with alumni

Database of PhD students/academics and a structured programme how to engage alumni in the academic and public life of the HEI.

Various forms of collaboration engaging alumni are possible e.g.: information sharing/distribution, organising events, alumni as academic and cultural ambassadors, alumni as academic and intercultural mentors

Active alumni networks of international PhDs and academics play an important role in strengthening the HEI reputation at the international level. Their knowledge and working and life experience represent a valuable resource from which potential/future Ph.D. students and visiting academics can greatly benefit. Active alumni are valuable assets for the HEI, their experience of living in a host country and the knowledge of how they incorporated their study or research/academic activity at the particular HEI into their further professional career can help the HEI optimize their study/research programmes, academic or research conditions, and external cooperations. Alumni can help in achieving higher visibility of the HEI nationally and internationally, they can create bridges among different cultures and reach out to broader academic and public audience.

On the other hand, the alumni can benefit from a variety of professionals and workplaces and continue their lifelong learning and develop rewarding collaborations.

 

Mental health support for international PhD students and staff

The aim of this service is to provide mental health and wellbeing support to all interested international PhD students and members of staff in order to ensure they feel psychologically safe and to enable them to focus more effectively on their professional/academic goals.    

Bilingual campus signs (English and local language)

The use of bilingual signage at key university areas creates an internationally welcoming environment by facilitating orientation and access to main university sites and helping international students and staff navigate the campus.   

Bilingual institutional administration processes

Bilingual or multilingual policies and practices enhance the international dimension of a higher education institution. They foster the inclusion of international students and staff in the academic and social life of a university by improving communication on key issues. 

Welcome buddies/guides for international PhD students and academics

This is a form of personal assistance that helps international PhD students and academics with the adaptation process in the new environment handling not only practical issues but also help them with social and cultural integration. While the basic services such as airport/train transport assistance or arrival to the hosting university/faculty can be provided by local undergraduate students (Erasmus+ buddies), international PhD students and academics, especially in terms of social and cultural integration, need a more sophisticated approach and the commitment of his/her new colleagues.

Customised assistance: social integration and daily life issues (accommodation, health care providers, childcare, etc.)

Customised assistance regarding social integration and daily life of incoming international PhD students, academics and their families helps to make a better experience of settling-in in a new place, whether it is finding housing, opening a bank account, finding a suitable health care provider (s), securing childcare, building a new social network, learning a foreign language and generally, getting accustomed to a new culture and way of life. It can also include information on local/regional public transportation, host city parking policy, waste collection, registering a car, bringing in a pet, etc. Various levels/intensities of service provision might be opted for based on specific needs and available resources. The service might also be helped to deliver by a trained buddy/guide.

 

Customised assistance: funding offers, application preparation

Customised assistance ranges from providing an overview of available funding opportunities from various sources to tips for writing an application and pre-screening of application as well as assisting in finding a project team or inter-institutional project team. Individualised support will also facilitate the professional development of the academic staff and will improve communication and cooperation between the HEI’s support staff and the international academics and PhDs. Increased academic activity will influence positively the HEI’s visibility and may increase enrolment and retention of academic staff. This service requires well-trained support staff in the area of academic development, funding opportunities and procedures, and project drafting. However, writing an application is not a simple matter. It requires knowledge of the methods and techniques of creating applications.

An indispensable part of the application preparation is a thorough reading of the funding scheme documentation, e.g.call for proposals with attachments. programme thematic priorities, guidelines for applicants and project beneficiaries, funding principles, etc.. These documents describe all major information, including who can apply for a grant (i.e. eligible applicants), what grant can be obtained (grant size and total call budget), the procedure and deadline for application (when and where to submit an application), what the project evaluation criteria are, how will they be assessed, what costs are eligible, or it is possible to find the content of the future contract along with the terms of the project implementation. Before completing the application, each applicant should also check whether the instructions for its preparation have been provided. The task of the support staff is to provide support and assistance to the applicant in the process of preparing and submitting the application.
 

Welcome event for new international PhDs/academics

This is an opportunity to welcome the international PhD students, academics and researchers, distribute information and meet hosting HEI’s staff in person. It can also be a way to promote HEI research and didactic work among international PhD students and academics. HEI’s external partners can enrich the sessions with their presentations and other events as a way of popularising their work. Social events accompanying the welcome event are an important way of establishing social and professional networks. 

 

Career support for international PhDs and junior academics

Career development support for PhDs and junior academics is an important part of preparation for future employment. The main aim of career development support is to help PhD students and early career researchers:

  • Understand the specifics of job search in the labour market for researchers
  • Explore career opportunities within and beyond academia
  • Navigate them in terms of decision making of their future job and
  • Develop their skills to match the requirements of potential employers.

If there is career support service for researchers at your institution, make sure that it is also available for international PhD students and researchers and that it takes their specific needs into account.  As they probaly have neither knowledge of local labour market nor strong professional network in your country they might benefit from availibilty of career advice a lot.

Ensuring accessibility of career advice to international PhD students and researchers might help you to:

  • Increase the attractiveness of your institution for international talents as they see that the support for their next step will be available to them
  • Retain international researchers (and your potential collaborators) in your region
  • Develop collaboration with local employers who gain an access to wider pool of highly skilled candidates.

Final output: career support services available to international researchers and PhD students.

Major activities: Examples of such services might include professional career coaching, individual career counselling, interactive trainings, workshops, online navigation tools etc.

There are 65 found practices.
To read more about the the practices in this table, click on Description tab above. To find out all details of the selected practice, click on its title.
Title Importance Scale of change Setup cost Setup time Setup personnel Delivery cost Delivery time Delivery personnel
Collaboration with external partners and customised assistance in offering accommodation Important to have
Soft skills trainings for PhDs/academics Important to have
Promotion via social media in English Important to have
International scholar safety guide Important to have
Networking institutional events for support staff Important to have
Networking events for PhD students and academics Important to have
Mobility data collection and management Important to have
Academic mentoring programme for international PhD students Important to have
Mentoring scheme for support staff Important to have
FAQs collection for support staff to share cases internally Important to have
Promotion of talent recruitment schemes at international fairs Important to have
Collaboration with alumni Important to have
Mental health support for international PhD students and staff Important to have
Bilingual campus signs (English and local language) Important to have
Bilingual institutional administration processes Important to have
Welcome buddies/guides for international PhD students and academics Important to have
Customised assistance: social integration and daily life issues (accommodation, health care providers, childcare, etc.) Important to have
Customised assistance: funding offers, application preparation Important to have
Welcome event for new international PhDs/academics Important to have
Career support for international PhDs and junior academics Important to have

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