Erasmus Policy Statement

The participation in the Erasmus+ student and staff mobility programme is the key constituent of the strategy of the University of Applied Sciences Hrvatsko Zagorje Krapina in terms of modernisation and internationalisation of its programme and activities together with its hopeful contribution to the professional and research field in the area of Traffic Logistics and Management.

With the implementation of international student and staff mobility within the Erasmus+ programme, the institution expands its vision to create experts via quality transfer of knowledge onto the international level, together with the strategy to increase the quality of knowledge and expertise transfer through encouragement of outgoing student and staff mobility.

With close cooperation and partnership with HEIs in similar field of profession and research we strive to establish high and transparent standards of our degree programmes, with the purpose of gaining recognition on the international educational scene.

The VHZK chooses partners in similar professional and research area and in closer geographical region in order to establish a knowledge and expertise sharing experience, to promote regional cooperation in training and education and to enable higher levels of mobility among staff and students in terms of easy flow of movements between the selected HEI partners.

Through the implementation of the Erasmus+ mobility and cooperation programme the VHZK hopes to achieve its mission to implement and internationalization strategy in order to become one of the leading regional education institutions in the field in order to provide experts in charge of the regional development of the Krapina Zagorje county within the international policy of the Republic of Croatia.

Our modernisation and internationalization strategy includes continuous innovation in terms of curriculum and teaching methodology, which the VHZK hopes to achieve through international regional partnerships within the Erasmus+ Programme based on continuous promotion of student and staff mobility, presentation and recognition of results of mobility activities, organisation of knowledge and experience sharing panels among staff and students.

The VHZK student mobility will be implemented on the basis of first cycle study programme in accordance with the Learning Agreements with similar international higher education institutions in order to provide incoming and outgoing students with relevant knowledge and skills pertaining to the area of Traffic Logistics and Management, making their mobility activities integral part of their degree study programme.

The key objective in the implementation of student mobility is to make sure that the VHZK's internationalization and modernization strategy is achieved through synchronisation, transparency and relevance of the study programmes on the European level with the purpose of raising the quality and promoting the relevance of higher education in the region.

The key objectives of staff mobility are staff development, acquisition and knowledge of modern teaching methods and approaches, encouragement of staff participation in international projects of knowledge and expertise sharing and encouragement of presentation of staff mobility activities and results with the purpose of modernisation of the study programme curricula.

The overall key aim of the participation of the VHZK in the Erasmus+ Programme is to promote the relevance of higher education for the purpose of excellence and development of the region through its modernisation and internationalization policy and strategy. It is through international cooperation that the relevance of the study programmes offered by the VHZK can achieve its mission of supplying experts that would implement the European quality standards for the purposes of regional development of the County.

The expectations of the VHZK in the participation and implementation of the Erasmus+ mobility programme are the following:

1. To increase the number of highly qualified regional experts in the area of Traffic Logistics and Management and to provide relevant knowledge, skills and expertise relevant for easier participation of graduates in their personal and professional life.

2. To form close cooperation with regional corporate world in order to make the study programmes relevant and of high quality for the purposes of easier employability and competitiveness on the labour market.

3. To open the path to student and staff mobility through recognition of mobility activities and facilitation of moving through similar study programmes for the purpose of improving the quality of undergraduate degrees and promoting teacher excellence.

4. To expand the areas of knowledge and expertise sharing among students, hither education institutions and the corporate world in order to achieve high levels of relevance and importance of the higher education institution as partner in regional development in the area of Traffic Logistics and Management.

5. To use funding offered for international mobility and cooperation projects toward the modernisation and awareness of relevance of higher education degrees in the field of Traffic Logistics and Management, especially for the purpose of improving the levels development of the Krapina-Zagorje county within the context of the European Union.

The participation in the Erasmus+ programme forms constituent part of the modernisation and internationalisation strategy of the University of Applied Sciences Hrvatsko Zagorje Krapina Hrvatsko Zagorje Krapina.

In particular, we want to perform the following actions:

• Key Action 1 (KA1) - Learning mobility of individuals:

1. Student mobility for studies

We will receive 4 foreign students per semester in programme Traffic Logistics and Management, in semesters 3, 4 i 5. For this purpose, we will provide courses in English.

2. Student mobility for traineeships

We will receive 4 foreign students per semester in programme Traffic Logistics and Management, in semesters 5 i 6. For these students, traineeships will be provided in the following companies, we have hired for this purpose:

Vetropack Straža d.d., Hum na Sutli

Omco d.o.o., Hum na Sutli

Presečki Grupa, Krapina

Lagermax d.o.o., Luka

Salvus d.o.o., Donja Stubica

Hotel Magdalena, Krapinske Toplice

Each participant will supervised by both a mentor in VHZK and in the training company. The successful course of traineeship will be monitored by continuous status meetings. The traineeship will be concluded by a certificate.

3. Staff mobility for teaching

We will provide the 4 positions for guest teachers in courses: Inteligent Transport Systems, Internet of Things, GIS, Marketing for Managers. Each guest teacher will be supportes by a host teacher of VHZK in a similar field.

4. Staff mobility for training

We will provide the 2 positions for guest teachers for training in areas: Logistics, Management.Each guest teacher will be supported by a host teacher of VHZK in a similar field.

• Key Action 2 (KA2) - Cooperation among organisations and institutions:

1. Partnerships for Cooperation:

Participation in projects enables the opening of an international scientific world-class cooperation, transfer of knowledge and technology, understanding the issues and increasing the competencies of employees and external associates of the University of Applied Sciences Hrvatsko Zagorje Krapina (VHZK) who participated in the project. The VHZK directs its activities towards development in the regional scientific centre in the field, which will encourage and coordinate research activities in the field, achieve knowledge transfer through training, laboratory and field work of new and young researchers and cooperate with other scientific institutions in the region and beyond. In the coming period it is necessary to continue with the organization and participation in professional and scientific conferences. The goal of all these participations is for teachers and students to be at the centre of the latest scientific and professional knowledge, and to translate this knowledge into the acquisition of knowledge and skills needed for inclusion in the labour market.

2. Partnerships for Innovation

Projects must also be prepared on which work can begin immediately gaining space in the business incubator. Taking into account the characteristics and limitations of the VHZK, but also the areas that are good covered by professional and motivated teachers it is necessary to set priorities, provide funds and link teaching and research work. One of the priorities is in the field of new technologies, for which existing programs must be significantly modified.