Erasmus Policy Statement

Die hftm nimmt am Erasmus+-Programm der Europäischen Union teil und verpflichtet sich zu den Grundsätzen der Erasmus-Charta für die Hochschulbildung (ECHE). Die Charta bildet den Qualitätsrahmen für alle europäischen und internationalen Kooperationsaktivitäten. Sie stellt sicher, dass die Mobilität unserer Studierenden und Mitarbeitenden höchsten Standards entspricht.

Unsere langfristige Internationalisierungsstrategie, die wichtigsten Prioritäten und unsere Ziele sind in unserem Erasmus Policy Statement (EPS) festgehalten.

Offizielle Dokumente

• Erasmus-Charta für die Hochschulbildung (ECHE) 2021–2027
• Erasmus Policy Statement (EPS)

Erasmus Policy Statement (EPS)

Das EPS liegt im englischen Originalwortlaut vor.

Participation in Erasmus+

The Technical College of Higher Education Mittelland (HFTM) aims to become a leading regional and international leader for technical education. By participating in Erasmus+, we seek to bridge the gap between regional industrial needs and global technical standards/markets. Our primary objective is to equip our students and staff with the intercultural and linguistic competencies necessary for a globalized labour market, directly supporting our institutional goal of internationalization through bilingual (German/French) and English-taught programs.

Our phased strategy:

• Phase 1 (2026–2028): Focus on Key Action 1 (KA1) to establish a strong mobility culture for students and staff. Target: Increase outbound traineeships by 50% and staff mobility by 30% by 2027.
• Phase 2 (2029–2031): Expand into Key Action 2 (KA2) to develop strategic partnerships in areas such as Digital Transformation, Green Technologies, and Industry 4.0.

Strategy, objectives and impact

The Technical College of Higher Education Mittelland (HFTM) states in its mission statement that internationalization is an important interaction. Staff feel comfortable and are proud of their school, with an attractive working environment that fosters collegial collaboration. The school actively networks regionally, in Switzerland, and internationally, utilizing German, French, and English language skills to connect across language and national borders. Employees who wish to improve their language skills are specifically supported through contributions, and internal & external French, German and English language courses have also been offered for this purpose. More details are available on the HFTM website. www.hftm.ch

Institutional, Internationalization, and Modernization Strategies

"Participation in Erasmus+ is a cornerstone of our Strategy, which focuses on modernization through digitalization (e-learning and Industry 4.0) and sustainability (Green Tech which is taught in especially for this purpose created basic studies course ‘Sustainable development’). It aligns with our mission to foster a 'collegial and attractive' working environment by offering staff professional development through European and international exchanges.

• Modernization: We intend to modernize our curricula by incorporating best practices from European partners, specifically in robotics and systems engineering where our HFTM.team.solidus already competes at a world-class level.
• Internationalization: Erasmus+ enables us to keep and expand our existing network of partner universities (e.g., in Finland, France, UK, Ethiopia and Southern Sudan), allowing students to conduct practice-oriented diploma projects in international settings."

Impact

"We expect a profound impact on several levels:

• For Learners: Increased employability and a broader mindset, evidenced by the new 'Professional Bachelor' title which enhances international visibility.
• For Staff: Improved pedagogical and language skills through job shadowing and teaching assignments abroad.
• For the Institution: Increased visibility and competitiveness through international cooperation and innovation hubs at our Grenchen and Biel/Bienne campuses.

Indicators

1. Qualitative Indicators:

• Participation Rates: The number of outgoing and incoming students and staff per academic year. In Switzerland, the average mobility rate is currently around 15.7%; benchmarking HFTM against this can track growth.
• Academic Recognition: Percentage of mobile students who receive full ECTS credit recognition for their work abroad.
• Employability & Salary: Tracking the time it takes for exchange alumni to find their first job versus non-mobile peers. Some studies use starting salary as a proxy for the increased productivity gained through international human capital.
• Language Proficiency: Pre- and post-exchange assessment scores in English, French, or German to quantify linguistic improvement.
• Staff Professional Development: Number of staff teaching or training assignments that lead to new curriculum modules or research collaborations.

2. Qualitative Indicators:

• Intercultural Competence: Using self-assessment surveys (e.g., Likert scales) to measure changes in "global mindset," adaptability, and the ability to work in international teams.
• Institutional Innovation: Documentation of new best practices, such as Industry 4.0 methods, brought back from European partners and integrated into the Campus Technik.
• Satisfaction Levels: High satisfaction scores (often exceeding 90% in Erasmus programs) regarding the quality of the learning or mobility agreement.
• Long-term Career Path: Alumni feedback on whether their international experience directly influenced their current professional role or leadership assignments.

3. Strategic Modernization Indicators

• Digitalization: The extent to which exchanges lead to increased use of blended intensive programs or virtual collaboration tools.
• Professional Visibility: The impact of the new "Professional Bachelor" title on the international recognition of HFTM diplomas in partner countries.