International Strategy:                                                                                                                                                                                                            

1. Strategic Vision

The University of Surrey is committed to being a world-leading university. The international strategy is a key component in ensuring that world-class research and teaching secure strategic benefits internationally.

The University of Surrey International Strategy is a cross-cutting strategy for all University activities. It therefore sets out to deepen and extend core strategies with a commitment to excellence in research, teaching and the staff and student experience in key international regions and institutions.

2. Strategy Architecture

The University Global Partnership Network (UGPN)

The UGPN is a holistic, multilateral framework for excellent research, learning and teaching and other relevant activities among its members. The University will continue to commit sufficient resource to deepen existing relationships (through the establishment of the UGPN Executive Committee), and extend membership in close consultation with existing members according to potential for fit with core strategies, regional pre-eminence, complementarity and sustainability. UGPN partners will have strong, global reputations for excellence.

The mission of the UGPN is to develop high-impact, international quality research, an international student experience for incoming and outgoing students, multilateral programme provision across the partnership and an internationalised curriculum.
The University will continue to support strategic collaborations with relevant funding councils, government and non-governmental agencies and departments in support of the above.

Strategic Partnerships

The University will continue to enhance the Surrey International Institute – its Strategic Partnership with Dongbei University of Finance and Economics. It will also promote research at SII and integrate SII in other University international activities.

The University will explore, potentially with other UGPN members, further Strategic Partnerships in target countries where there is high growth, political and economic stability and high demand for UK higher education.

Capacity-Building Strategic Partnerships

As lead in the South-East India Partnership Network, the University of Surrey will continue to build research and some teaching programme activity in collaboration with the Indian Institute for Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune. It will seek external funding to pursue capacity building.

Bilateral Partnerships

The University will continue to promote high quality Bilateral Partnerships developed by the Faculties where these directly support high-impact research, teaching and the student experience.

Engagement with the European Higher Education Area

The University will actively support engagement with the EHEA, the European Research Council, next generation of EU programmes from 2013 and the European Council for Doctoral Education.

3. Strategy Dimensions

Excellence in Research

International partnerships will support excellence by affording collaborative research opportunities and support for pump-priming, major research bids, symposia and colloquia in support of the University’s Research Strategy.

Excellence in Teaching and the Student Experience

International partnerships will support excellence by internationalising the student experience, raising cultural awareness across the institution, introducing curriculum innovation and actively promoting international study or professional placement, summer schools and Study Abroad opportunities.

The University will commit adequate resource to support these aims in the UGPN, Strategic Partnerships and Bilateral Partnerships.

4. Non-University Partnerships

The University will continue to promote partnership with international enterprise, governments and the non-governmental sector in support of shared interests in research, education and training. The advice and strategic support of other University of Surrey units and the International Advisory Board will be actively sought.

5. Institutional Contexts

As a holistic strategy, the International Strategy depends on synergies between the International Relations Office, the Alumni and Development Office, Research and Enterprise Support, Centre for Educational and Academic Development, Student Recruitment Office, Corporate Services and the four Faculties.

6. Support Structures

The International Strategy is supported by:
The International Relations Office
The International Student Office
Faculties, particularly through the Associate Deans (International)
The University International Relations Committee
The International Advisory Board

Updated December 2011