With the action plan, Lund University wants to strengthen the work with internationalisation in order to contribute to a democratic knowledge society, characterised by diversity and tolerance. The action plan shall be followed up annually by the International Council.

The overall goals of the plan are:

1. Students must develop their international experience and intercultural skills,
2. The quality and utilisation of research shall be strengthened through in-depth international work, 3. Deepening international cooperation to contribute to the work on the global challenges and Agenda 2030,
3. Employees must have good international experience and intercultural competence.

A total of 36 sub-goals must be met before the end of 2021. Each sub-goal has its own delivery date.

How far has the university come with the Action Plan for Internationalisation?

Since the action plan was approved by the Vice-Chancellor on 3 October 2019, the work has been initiated through projects for each sub-goal. In November 2020, project plans for 23 of the 36 sub-goals were decided by the Vice-Chancellor as client after approval by the International Council. Three additional sub-goals have been included in the work on the special action plan for EU certification "HR Excellence in Research".

The sub-projects are usually coordinated from the joint administration, and the work takes place through working groups where faculties or equivalent, and the student unions, are represented according to needs and subject area.

Although the pandemic has affected internationalisation, the relevance of the subprojects remains. However, the pandemic has led to reprioritisations of tasks, which has led to delays for individual sub-projects, as well as minor adjustments to delivery targets and the implementation of certain sub-projects.

Final reported projects

To date, the following five of the sub-goals have been implemented and finalised to the International Council. Contact Pär Svensson (par [dot] svensson [at] er [dot] lu [dot] se) if you wish to read final reports in full.

Sub-goal 1.2

Carry out an inventory of which programmes lack mobility windows and identify the reasons for this, with the aim of increasing the visibility of the different ways and for which programmes mobility windows can be incorporated in programme syllabi

The survey shows that most training programs at LU have mobility windows in some form, but that mobility windows do not mean guaranteed mobility because there is competition for places. The project also identifies reasons for missing windows.

Sub-goal 1.12 

Draw up a proposal for the development of conditions for incoming students’ student influence

After extensive interviews and discussions, the project identifies obstacles to student influence and provides proposals for measures for teachers, departments/faculties, university management, university administration, as well as recommendations and proposals for support for student life developed in collaboration with student unions.

Sub-goal 1.13

Draw up a proposal for the development of the University’s conditions for participation in EU funding programmes for educational collaboration

Based on a comparison with other Swedish and European universities, several proposals are given as a support function at the International Office before and during the application, but also for approved projects. The project also proposes financial incentives and how the university should work strategically with the EU's education programme.

Sub-goal 2.2

Draw up a proposal for how the University is to work with closer partnerships for research, education and external engagement. Attention is to be given to the environment and sustainability as important aspects

The final report proposes that the definition of university-wide deepened partnership (UFP) for LU should be a strong and bilateral collaboration within various disciplines at several levels in the university organisation that shows potential for continuous development, is well rooted in the business, has university management commitment and funding from the university. The project proposes different activities for a UFP and how it should be followed up.

Sub-goal 2.6

Draw up a proposal for support for researchers and students for commercial utilisation and innovation within international collaborations

The project proposes three work packages:

1. Inventory and needs planning in collaboration with international actors
2. Tools for implementation
3. Exchange of experience with other higher education institutions

Background – why an Action Plan for Internationalisation?

The action plan is based on the university's strategic plan 2017–2026, in which internationalisation is one of six priority areas, and recommendations in the inquiry into increased internationalisation of universities and colleges (SOU 2018:3 and SOU 2018:78). With the Action Plan, the entire university gets a tool that makes the work with internationalisation more efficient and common obstacles are removed, and the university's development as an international university continues.