Strategy 2021
On 2 June 2021, the Board of Directors of STINT decided on a new strategy for 2021–2026. The strategy sets out the direction for the activities during the period. The Board aims to follow up regularly on monitorable objectives.
Vision
STINT shall be a national knowledge resource with strategic programmes in the internationalisation of higher education and research.
Core values
STINT wants academic partnerships to contribute to openness, tolerance and understanding between people.
STINT supports education and research collaborations between Swedish higher education institutions and higher education and research institutions abroad, provided that the results and documentation of projects are reported transparently, and activities adhere to good research practice.
The internationalisation of higher education and research
- is not an end in itself but a means to an end
- is changeable
- promotes countries’ development and transparency and thus contributes to bolstering global cooperation
- must be integrated (comprehensive internationalisation)
- must be conducted thoughtfully, responsibly, and sustainably
- requires leadership, commitment, and knowledge
- requires continuous analysis and monitoring.
Objectives
STINT shall
- influence and drive internationalisation, particularly comprehensive internationalisation, at Swedish higher education institutions, resulting in long-term outcomes
- play a leading role and actively cooperate with the rest of the Swedish system regarding issues of internationalisation
- promote the development of knowledge and skills in the area of internationalisation
- invest in the international partnerships of young researchers/teachers, and higher education shall be included in STINT’s programme offering
- be at the frontier regarding the establishment of higher education and research partnerships with strategically significant and dynamic countries
- contribute to enhancing the international competence of researchers, teachers, doctoral students/students and university leaderships as well as their understanding of cultural contexts
- contribute to cultivating an international approach and network at the management levels of higher education institutions
- help higher education institutions to navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.
The wider world: Current situation and outlook
Internationalisation has gone from being regarded as an added value to a strategic tool that needs to permeate all higher education activities. Today, all research funders support internationalisation.
Internationalisation has become increasingly complex, due to
- rapid, disruptive changes
- the emergence of new actors
- new ways of connecting people and environments through digitalisation, but also of separating them
- factors limiting physical mobility
- growing global challenges that demand greater international cooperation and better understanding of each other and local contexts.
All these factors make strategic internationalisation more important than ever before.
Observing and analysing trends, expert information gathering and strategic relationship building are therefore central, particularly because several of the new leading science nations differ from traditional leading nations, for example through limited transparency.
Researchers, teachers, doctoral students/students, and university leaderships therefore need increased international competence and understanding of the contexts of the countries/regions in which they work.
STINT: Current situation and outlook
STINT
- plays a unique role as an actor promoting the internationalisation of Swedish higher education and research
- acts explicitly as an agent of change and shall contribute to the renewal of internationalisation of higher education and research
- acts as an intermediary between higher education institutions, funders, and other public agencies
- offers programmes open to all disciplines and encourages cross-disciplinary partnerships
- promotes comprehensive internationalisation
- shall primarily target countries outside of the EU/EFTA in its programme offering.