Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg

Campus Without Borders – The Internationalisation Academy

The Internationalisation Academy “Campus Without Borders” strengthens innovative competences within the CIVIS Alliance – for staff who rethink, shape and sustainably embed internationalisation.

Group work at staff week "Shaping the future"

Objectives

The Internationalisation Academy aims to sustainably strengthen the strategic internationalisation of universities in the CIVIS network through targeted training, networking, and employee empowerment. It provides an umbrella for various formats – Staff Weeks, Communities of Practice (CoPs), job shadowing, the annual CIVIS Conference, and training courses such as SUCTI (Systemic University Change Towards Internationalisation). The target group is administrative and academic staff at all CIVIS partner universities, especially those who contribute to internationalisation operationally or strategically in their daily work – in central units, faculties, or decentralised services. Specifically, the Academy aims to: • build and further develop competencies for internationalisation (e.g., intercultural communication, change management, global citizenship), • promote a structured transfer of experience and knowledge between universities, • develop innovative cooperation formats, • sustainably strengthen interinstitutional networking. The Academy supports key strategic goals, including: • the development of a European Higher Education Area through shared learning and development opportunities, • the promotion of innovation and change in administration, teaching, and support through human resources development, • the strengthening of institutional internationalisation strategies through targeted training measures. Compared to previous individual measures, the 2024 concept was consolidated and strategically developed under the umbrella of the "Internationalisation Academy." New elements include: • a coherent structure with coordinated learning objectives, a programme calendar for programme planning, and implementation guidelines, • a stronger focus on sustainability, diversity, and digital internationalisation, • and monitoring to measure impact at both the individual and institutional levels.

Background

The CIVIS Internationalisation Academy was launched in 2023 in response to the shared goal of the CIVIS Alliance to embed internationalisation structurally, inclusively, and impactfully within its member universities. The need to specifically foster internationalisation-related competencies among academic and administrative staff became evident through earlier CIVIS projects (e.g. SUCTI, staff training initiatives) and strategic needs assessments conducted within the Alliance. The concept was developed through a participatory process involving several CIVIS partner universities. Coordination was led by a work package leader (EUA project CIVIS 2, Work Package 7 “Connecting Staff Communities”), supported by institutional contact persons, thematic experts, and the CIVIS management team. External input was provided, among others, through European programmes such as Erasmus+ and networks like SUCTI and other EUA initiatives. Framework Conditions & Institutional Support The Academy responds to current framework conditions: increasing demands for internationalisation, a shortage of skilled professionals in key areas, the growing importance of intercultural competencies, and ongoing digital and sustainable transformations. Its implementation is supported by institutional commitments and the strategic integration into the CIVIS work programme. The formats (Staff Weeks, Communities of Practice, Job Shadowing, Annual Conference) are sustained through alliance resources, local engagement, and shared standards. University leadership actively supports the initiative – for example, by raising its visibility, granting mobility leave, and integrating the Academy into internal professional development strategies. With over 410 participants to date, the Academy is making a concrete contribution to professional development and to shaping the European profile of CIVIS member universities.

(Implemented) Activities

Practice-oriented staff weeks on key topics such as internationalisation, digitalisation, diversity and project management specifically promote the development of skills and networking among employees. Since the introduction of structured guidelines and an accompanying ‘Call for Proposals’ at the beginning of 2024, the number of staff weeks has increased from four (2023) to twelve per year - one at each partner university. One example is the staff week ‘Shaping the Future’ (University of Salzburg, February 2025), which dealt with the career expectations of young generations in the context of AI and labour market change. The CIVIS Annual Conference specifically strengthens international networking and Internationalisation@home. The first event was the ‘Unconference’ in Lausanne (November 2023), followed by the SUCTI Train-the-Trainers programme in Stockholm (winter 2024). 20 employees were trained as multipliers for intercultural and strategic skills. Building on this, a CIVIS trainer group is currently developing a joint curriculum with quality standards. The first training course is planned for the end of 2025 as a blended intensive programme (BIP). Job shadowing enables individualised peer learning in areas such as Career Services, International Offices and Human Resources Development. Since 2025, a centralised matchmaking form on the CIVIS website has facilitated targeted placements. A digital platform is currently being developed: university departments can indicate whether and in which areas they will accept guests. These offers are published so that interested parties can find suitable opportunities more easily. This will systematically support the interplay between supply and demand in peer learning. Communities of Practice (CoPs) are subject-specific peer groups formed through shared interests or as a result of Staff Weeks. Currently, five active CoPs regularly exchange good practices, develop shared resources, and promote cross-border collaboration.

Results

Key results (since 2023): • 15 Staff Weeks hosted by 9 universities, involving over 400 participants from both academic and administrative sectors. Key topics included digitalisation, mobility coordination, career development, innovative teaching, and change management. • The Annual Conference 2023 in Lausanne reached 35 participants. It was followed by the SUCTI Train-the-Trainers programme in Stockholm (Winter 2024), where 20 staff members from 9 CIVIS universities were trained as multipliers for Internationalisation@home. The certified trainers are currently co-developing a shared curriculum including quality standards. The first CIVIS-wide SUCTI training is planned for late 2025 as a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). • The Job Shadowing scheme was professionalised with the launch of a central matchmaking form in 2025. In addition to nine short-term visits, three long-term shadowing activities were conducted in the past year: two two-month exchanges in IT and coordination units, and one six-month placement in PR and communications. These extended formats open new pathways for structural staff mobility and aim to be institutionalised similarly to academic research stays. • Currently, there are five active Communities of Practice (CoPs) in areas such as HR, Career Services, Libraries, PR, and International Relations. They meet regularly online, co-create shared resources (e.g. guides, FAQs), and develop pilot formats for cross-alliance collaboration. Two CoPs emerged directly from Staff Weeks and contribute to long-term institutional networking within the CIVIS alliance.

Lessons learned

The implementation of the CIVIS Internationalisation Academy has clearly demonstrated how crucial the involvement of diverse stakeholders is for the success of international cooperation – and how complex it can be in practice. One of the greatest challenges lay in coordinating the numerous internal actors across the eleven partner universities. While the initiative explicitly targeted academic and administrative staff, it quickly became clear that formats such as Staff Weeks, Job Shadowing, or Communities of Practice required far more units than initially anticipated. In addition to International Offices and staff development units, departments such as IT, communications, libraries, career services, faculty leadership, and senior administration were involved – each with their own structures, timelines, and priorities. The main challenge was to identify and involve all relevant actors and align them around shared goals. Without existing personal connections or active relationship-building, this process often proved to be time-consuming and difficult. Only through individual outreach, intensive networking, and trust-based communication could sustained engagement be achieved. This required strategic sensitivity, patience, and strong communication skills – particularly in light of everyone’s day-to-day workloads. Lessons Learned: Early and broad-based stakeholder analyses are essential. Personal relationships are key to enabling institutional cooperation. Only through continuity and presence – for example via bilateral meetings, decentralised information formats, or pilot projects – can long-term commitment be established. Good concepts alone are not enough – genuine participation requires space, time, and trust. It is precisely this engagement with internal dynamics that has enabled the Academy to grow into a robust platform for strategic internationalisation.

Internationalisation Award 2025

3. place in category Mobilitätsförderung und Kompetenzentwicklung für Lehrende und allgemeines Hochschulpersonal

Further links