Erasmus Charter for Higher Education

Işık University Erasmus Policy Statement (2021-2027)

Işık University gives the utmost importance to the implementation of "internationalisation at home", which is part of the institution's current strategic plan, through the international mobility programs, increasing the number of international students and staffs, and developing international cooperation in the field of higher education. University commits itself to the principles of high quality education, dynamism, transparency, equality, diversity, modernization and student centred approach in its education structure. University's core values would be summed up as shared knowledge, transparent and inclusive governance, academic freedom, producing social action, The university provides an excellent academic environment for its students and staffs where they can gain key competences such as entrepreneurship and leadership, facilitate scientific researches and technological developments, share knowledge nationwide and globally, and contribute to the global values which are well related to the initiatives of the European Education Area.
University aims to educate individuals who are socially responsible, academically strong and Erasmus+ Programme is considered as an enormous opportunity for achieving the mentioned principles, promising an intercultural exchange for students and staffs and empowering the internationalisation strategy of the university. Being an active participant of Erasmus+ Programme, Isik University plans to foster international experience for its students and staffs via active partnerships, European projects and wide range of internationally recognised degrees. The University has been going through the Bologna process, by adapting the initiatives in higher education such as using ECTS, providing diploma supplement, ensuring full automatic recognition for mobility activities abroad, and promotes the European Education Area initiatives by encouraging its member to participate in mobility programmes abroad, digitalising its academic and administrative processes, building a stronger European identity through inclusive training and education, and developing high quality and accessible opportunities. University's understanding of equality and transparency will also be in effect throughout promoting and implementing the Programme which ensures that all participants, especially with fewer opportunities, have an equal access to the information and opportunities which should be transparent and fair to all participants. Erasmus+ Programme will also be a significant influence on establishing more areas of collaborations with respect to joint programs with strategic partners and expanding Isik's global network with European institutions which will enhance the multicultural environment mutually and enable an international excellence in education. Through the network of our faculty members, Research Centres and Technology Transfer Office, collaborations will be expanded with the NGO's, entrepreneurs and other companies strengthening the university-industry collaborations with Europe. Current mobility agreements with HEI's will be re-evaluated on the basis of previous mobility activities outcomes and the strategic plan of the university. Isik University pays a special attention to all dimensions of sustainability in its academic programs and administrative procedures as part of its modernization approach. In these days when the world is going digital, Isik University remains ready to assist mobility processes, thanks to its online infrastructure and vision of promoting science, innovation and technology for fast changing world and will accordingly correspond to Europe's new digital future initiatives. Isik enriches the digital learning and digital competences through its accessible online system and high quality technology infrastructure which will also foster the European Education Area initiatives.

Isik University intends to expand its activities in the framework of Erasmus programme to enrich the international initiatives of the university abiding by the rules, regulations and quality standards defined by ECHE and National Agency. Following the relevant guidelines, from establishing partnership through promoting the Programme, from selection through the placement of the participants, the whole procedures will be conducted in a fair, transparent and documented way. Erasmus+ Programme is a key element for globalization of higher education in Europe building a bridge between countries and embracing a multicultural perspective in managing HEIs. In this respect, Isik highly values the contribution of the programme in strengthening the university's mission and vision. Participating in the programme will provide a unique opportunity for Isik students and staffs to improve their professional, social, communication skills and employability, broaden and enrich the curriculum which will become cross national and intercultural, and establish a mutually beneficial collaborative work with other HEI's and enterprises in Europe. There is a significant correlation between the programme's aim of building an inclusive education and Isik's commitment of preparing its members to become more interactive, liable, innovative, socially and environmentally conscious, diverse, virtuous individuals with strong intercultural competences.
Students at all levels of education at Isik will be encouraged to participate in study and/or traineeship mobility programmes to raise their cultural awareness and interpersonal skills; and International Office as well as Faculty Erasmus Coordinators will promote the programme opportunities in this respect. Students of Isik University are expected to graduate with at least one semester of a study abroad experience, volunteer or/and compulsory internship experience, foreign language knowledge on top of their native language and English and engaging in a social responsibility project. These are among the core objectives of the university and Erasmus+ Programme is a key provider in this sense.
Administrative and Academic staffs, on the other hand, will be provided with the opportunities of new learning and teaching approaches to sustain highly effective and inclusive education as well as underpin the university's culture of continuous improvement. Staffs will be supported to involve in strategic projects and cooperation as a shared motivation to boost the values of the university and their personal and professional skills.
Isik University has been an active user of KA1 projects and will look forward to increase the number of mobile participants in both directions and explore other activities under the same action. The University plans to benefit from the KA2 and KA3 actions in order to expand its network and raise the institutional visibility in transferring the knowledge, ideas and practices. The University values the contribution of scientific projects, research, industry-university cooperation, innovation and entrepreneurship in providing sustainable education environment and Erasmus+ Programme actions will provide a strong endorsement to maintain its goals in this respect.
Isik University highlights the importance of entrepreneurship, creativity, generating scientific solution, critical and analytic thinking, multilingualism and multiculturalism for adapting to the rapidly changing and digitalising world. By participating in the Programme, Isik University will widen the opportunities for academic development and scientific research for with its academic staffs by participating in the teaching mobility activities. Administrative staffs on the other hand will benefit from different administrating models of the HEIS in Europe and expand their network. Students will gain core competences necessary for life, get to know another language and culture and will improve their employability through the study and traineeship mobility activities. As active citizens, they will learn to develop skills to contribute to the welfare of the society, be part of the change and get a quality study/work abroad experience. The University targets to involve not only its undergraduate and postgraduate students but also vocational school students in the Programme activities and encourage them to participate in the traineeship programme to gain a work experience through the Erasmus+ Programme. Isik University would encourage its students and staffs to participate in the Erasmus+ Programme activities and increase the numbers of participants in this respect. Therefore, the University gives a lot of importance to promoting the Programme and its benefits as well as the financial and other supports given to the participants by providing a constant and sustainable information. All the initiatives will contribute to increasing the European culture and identity within the campuses, staffs and students. Erasmus+ Programme will provide a basis of internationalising the University's campuses, teaching and learning environment, providing a unique opportunity to its students and staffs academically, professionally and personally. The University would be eager to plan an International Week in 2022 to invite its existing and potential partners to its campuses and offer them a wide range of training opportunities during the week. By organizing the International Week, the University will increase its brand awareness and a wider recognition of its programs within the Programme countries aiming to welcome more incoming students and staffs
In order to contribute to the internationalisation strategy, The University plans to increase its strategic partnership, building relationships with key stakeholders and developing new practices in the field of higher education by maintaining its quality care and assurance. Involving its academic units as well as Technology Transfer Office, by 2021, the University proactively aims to develop more EU supported projects engaging the industry-university cooperation and developing innovative practices under KA2. As the University aims to become one of the active players amongst the HEIS in Europe, contributing the policy making and engaging in youth dialogue projects under KA3 will also be the key approach of the University. The University will also foster the European identity through inviting strategic partners and organising youth workshops as part of Youth Dialogue Project together with its Technology Transfer Office and Career Office.