HOW TO BUILD DURABLE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPE AND SOUTH AMERICA

HOW TO BUILD DURABLE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPE AND SOUTH AMERICA

Dr Paula Casari Cundari, Feevale University, Dr Mervi Friman Häme University of Applied Sciences, Jonna Pedersen, VIA University College

Summary
The idea of the paper is to describe and analyze the keystones of the international strategic partnership between universities in Europe and South America. The durable partnership basis as well in formal and informal elements in the different levels of the university. By the formal elements, we mean agreements, strategy, quality management, and schedules as well as facilities such as research and work groups and exchange activities etc. By informal elements, we mean collegiate relationships between the staff members and students. These can lead to formal projects or they can be consequences of projects or visits. We explore the issue from four levels/perspectives: management; teachers; researchers; students, based on the outcomes of a durable strategic partnership between the universities in Brazil, Denmark and Finland. Management (partnership seminars, connections with global and national HE policies, visions, aims, alignments, communication, branding, quality assurance, commitment). Researchers (international network on common research areas on Smart and Sustainable Life and to work as research teams, which are based on multiple competencies). Teachers (to build up a common platform, focusing on developing common, trilateral e-modules). Students (exchange programmes, projects, seminars, Inovamundi). In the end of the article we make a view to the inputs of the partnership and the results of the self-evaluation made in Spring 2018, concluding with the outcomes of the partnership in the universities: regionally; nationally (partnership supports the international profile of the universities); internationally (connections to and through Faubai).

Key Words: Durable Partnership, Cooperation between Europe and South America, Levels and perspectives.