International (EU and non-EU) Strategy

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Due to the financial crisis, the European human capital remains mostly unexploited. Education, training and research are the keys for innovation and productivity. FREDERICK Institute of Technology (FIT) considers international cooperation as an important factor enhancing the quality of its research and teaching activities. Its strategic objectives are above all the constant improvement of educational system, that is open for new methods and techniques of teaching that can be adapted to the need of local and providing students with the highest quality of education and training.

International and European co-operative activities, student and staff mobility play a key role in the FIT’s strategic plans. The Institution is committed to a policy of raising its international profile and reputation through promotion of international collaboration in education, research and knowledge transfer, through intercultural exchange and by creating an enriched environment for the university community. Frederick Institute of Technology, residing in Cyprus, which is an island with a relatively small population, considers international collaborations central to its advancement

Key to meeting these objectives is participation in the Erasmus programme, through which, international collaborations are sought in the following directions:

a. Collaborations in research projects (internally or externally funded)
b. Collaborations in the development of new joint programs of study, and in the use of state-of-the-art technologies in teaching and learning.
c. Collaborations for mobility of students, faculty and administrative staff
d. Collaborations for participation in training programs and linking and interacting with business
e. Collaborations for the development and participation of short/intensive programs FIT already undertakes student (placement) and staff mobility programs with 4 institutions and it is a participant in research programs. FIT has been also approved to run the first 4 year bachelor course and therefore mobility for studies will also take place by the next year.

Mobility is particularly important in promoting knowledge flows and ensuring a diverse and highly skilled workforce that has the capacity to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges. The Institute is therefore committed to offering more study and placement mobility opportunities to students. It currently has a target of doubling its student mobility activity in the next years under the “Erasmus for All” program of the European Union.

Frederick Institute of technology can engage in collaborations with other universities for designing and delivering joint degrees, a practice with well-established benefits for the participants. Furthermore, such programs often entail the use of state-of-the-art ICT tools for teaching and learning that further improve the offered teaching service of the Institute. The Institution maintains a policy of diversifying its collaborations under the Erasmus Programme, as long as a common ground on offered academic programs of study exists. The Partners are usually chosen after the first proposal of each Department of the University and after the final approval of the Erasmus Committee of the University. Priority is always given to Universities that want collaboration with both Students, considering placement exchange, and Teachers. The Institute actively pursues collaborations with all institutions that could contribute on the above directions. The majority of collaborations are made with institutions in the European Union.

FIT’s Partners are few, due to the low number of mobility exchange, as it offers until 2012/2013 academic year, only 2-year diploma courses. The Institution tries, though, to establish agreements with countries in European Union, who offer similar programs of study with FIT. These agreements will help teachers to establish mobility for Teacher Assignment and administrative staff for Training.

The Insitution’s objective is to find countries from all the geographical areas in Europe. Also, to establish bilateral agreements with almost all the countries of Central Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe and Western Europe. Furthermore FIT’s policy is to have an equal choice of Universities located in capital cities and smaller cities. Finally, collaborations with third countries are also high on the international policy of the University as Cyprus resides on the easternmost boarder of Europe.