1. Student Mobility - Challenges and Initiatives in a Nordic perspective Gunnar Backelin CEO, Ladok Consortium (Sweden) Lene Oftedal Senior Adviser, Norwegian Ministry of Education & Research Geir Magne Vangen Head, Methods & Technologies, Section for Development of National Administrative Systems, University of Oslo NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 1

2. 3 parts: GB Some remarks on NordForum - Nordic cooperative arena LO Challenges and possibilities in student mobility GV Systems support for student mobility NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 2

3. On our way out of the frame: Can regions – such as the Nordic countries – work as a starting-point for wider cooperation? NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 3

4. Cooperative initiative among 4 Nordic countries The starting point at EUNIS 2006 An informal arena for exchange of experiences and ideas, and for small experiments Small group, slowly growing, now 20-25 members In common: National providers of Student Information Systems, representing a majority of universities in each country Norway Sweden Finland Denmark NordForum ?? – the basic concept NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 4

5. Norway: UiO (FS, Cristin) Sweden: Ladok Consortium (Ladok) Denmark: Uni-IT (STADS) Finland: Oodi Consortium (Oodi) and RAKETTI (national project) ‘National providers’ NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 5

6. Cooperation – basis for & structure of So many similarities: - we share internationally mobile students - our HE systems are very much alike- we share the same big technology box We all live under the cold star of scarcity! Therefore: We try not to focus on differences, instead identify and develop similarities. We train our capacity to see and think in terms of cooperation structures We seek and utilise each other’s experiences and expertise NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 6

7. Meetings 1-2 times annually; thematised, step by step taking on a firmer shape We learn about and from one another! We benefit from our aggregate networks and undertakings We share evaluations of alternative methods and tools We try to discriminate between problems vs. possibilities We inform about our plans - ’Plan tuning’ We try small, common projects Ways to expand frames NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 7

8. … but also: Sharing Good Times! NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 8

9. We have mapped our system functions against identified business processes We have started to establish methods for benchmarking We work at common sets of concepts and definitions We hope to achieve a common process description method and a common conceptual data model We encourage the adoption and use of common standards in documentation of students and studies We conduct a preparatory study on the conditions and demands for a service for effective exchange of study information between the Nordic countries.... Examples of activities NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 9

10. Decision makers We get approval for taking part in international processes Getting Nordic decision-makers together opens up On an 18-month-basis we arrange broader seminars for invited key persons, in Oslo 2009 and Stockholm 2011 NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 10

11. Some standardization initiatives Large contributions to MLO (Metadata for learning opportunities) We participate on ELM (European learner Mobility) Taking good care of standards taken by CEN and adopted as national standards We take active part in a pilot project under RS3G NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 11

12. Starting to think, discuss and build in modules gives us more freedom to choose – also from an international menue! We can make use of others’ enquiries and evaluations combine modules of different origin in order to optimize make better time-tables for application development actually develop together, or trade modules among parties Modular thinking expands opportunities NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 12

13. Sub-groups can make a difference If a subset of European constituents reaches an agreement and makes a standpoint, this will affect further cooperation. If we can decide on common standards, methods, services or other resources, this is an incentive to bring it on to the European market for discussion, improvement and maybe implementation! NUAS Seminar, Stockholm 2012-08-13 13