Starting in 2019, the mission and vision for internationalisation within Gilde Opleidingen has been further refined for the next five years (2019 - 2024). This means that we will go further than just organising and implementing (separate) activities concerning mobilities abroad. Internationalisation should be an integral part of Gilde Opleidingen' study programmes. The impact Gilde wants to achieve: "Students leave school internationally competent. Through internationalisation, we add value to our students' education, regardless of their education or level, preparing them for a society in which working, learning and living in different international contexts is a reality. The aim is that by 2024, Gilde Opleidingen will have an integrated approach to internationalisation, in terms of policy, process and educational execution. " This means that in the future, EVERY student and teacher at Gilde will have to deal with internationalisation, regardless of the study programme, level or whether or not they choose an international work placement. From the start of the study programme, attention is paid to the international labour market and intercultural competencies and the opportunities for our students in this context. For instance: Focus on internationalisation during career orientation and citizenship lessons, internships abroad, language lessons, excursions abroad, guest lessons from the Euregio, job application training sessions focussing on the German and Belgian labour market, cultural workshops, etc. Intended outcomes: We are satisfied ... - When students and staff are interculturally sensitive and can deal effectively with diversity in working, learning and living situations. - When students and staff have developed themselves professionally as well as personally through their experience abroad and become (internal) ambassadors of the Internationalisation objectives of Gilde Opleidingen - When students and teachers work in a demand-driven way ("I want to go abroad, how do I do that?" instead of "We offer you a scholarship and who wants to go?"). - When students have better chances on the labour market because they find a job faster. - When Gilde Opleidingen, with its strong position in the (eu)region, can contribute to solutions for labour market issues. - When we see that the motivation of students in the entrance programme has increased and they more often progress to level 2. The specific outputs of the activities we wanted to and do want to achieve are the following: 1: The quality and quantity of the foreign work placements have been increased - Efforts have been made to further expand a network of 'preferred companies - Increasing the number of international mobilities, also among teachers - More promotion of traineeships in the Euregion in Belgium and Germany 2: Language education more attractive and more effective - Make language education more attractive by organising excursions across the border, guest lessons from companies, job interview training in German - A multi-day excursion in entry-level education (in order to also specifically mobilise this target group) 3: The international dimension is integrated into the subject matter - Adding an international dimension in the subject lessons and subjects such as career orientation and counselling - Attention to different cultures, diversity and excursions and guest lessons across borders 4: International experiences are recognised, visible and valued - Award a certificate after a successful internship, possibly also a formal recognition of a part of the education, also obtaining a Goethe Certificate after following a language course - Project with BVE Zuid-Limburg and Techniekcollege ZL European project (Romania) - Promoting Euregional education, for example by developping and using the Euregio Toolkit The context in which international activities take place is largely (eu)regional oriented. That means in the cross border region with Belgium and Germany. It has been shown that students in MBO later find their job within a radius of about 30 km from where they live. This means that working and learning in the euregio is a very real option for our students. However, even if they do not end up working abroad, it is necessary to provide them with intercultural skills. The chance that their colleagues, customers and suppliers will come from abroad is probably even greater. In specific terms, this means that many activities will focus on learning the language of the neighbouring countries (German), the labour market situation in the neighbouring countries and the cultural differences and how to deal with this. Excursions, workshops and guest lectures from year 1 and for every level are examples of how we intend to achieve this. We work closely together with the other (VET) institutions in Limburg, with the Province of Limburg and the Euregio rhine-maas-north to realise this. Apart from using the Erasmus Plus programme for VET learners and staff, Gilde Opleidingen therefore also focuses on euregional cooperation with all the stakeholders involved. In doing so, we make for example use of Interreg VA programmes such as Euregio Xperience, People2People, mini-projects, etc. in cooperation with the Rhine-Meuse North Euregion. Active participation in the Euregio Expert Group in order to built networks and connections with other educational institutions in the Netherlands and across the border. Another example is the development of a new VET course called 'Gilde Grenscollege/Gilde International', a 3 year course with 4 different specialisations focussing on the euregional labour market and the career opportunities in this cross border labour market.
In 2020, the previous policy document of Gilde Opleidingen on Internationalisation was updated. This updated version describes the following ambitions of Gilde Opleidingen for the next 5 years until 2024. 1. Gilde Opleidingen offers study programmes in which an internship abroad is part of the curriculum. 2. Gilde Opleidingen has included the possibility of a work placement abroad in its training policy for all its employees. 3. Gilde Opleidingen offers study programmes in which the international dimension is integrated in the curriculum and ‘LOB’ lessons. It uses the available opportunities (optional subjects, digital media, projects and cooperative ventures). 4. Gilde Opleidingen maintains a sustainable network with international companies in the Netherlands. 5. Gilde Opleidingen offers study programmes in which language is an integral part of the programme. Also outside the language subjects. It cooperates with partners in the Euregion, including other VET (MBO) and Pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) institutions in the Province of Limburg and partners across the border. 6. Gilde Opleidingen makes the international knowledge and experience acquired by its students and staff visible. This also includes the recognition of degrees in/by other countries. 7. Gilde Opleidingen offers the Euroregional programme 'Gilde International (‘Gilde crossing borders')’. 8. Gilde Opleidingen provides a central information point, where the right information for EVERY target group can be found in the right place. 9. Gilde Opleidingen makes the successes of specific actions and the experiences of staff and students more visible to the outside world. During the period covered by this call, Gilde Opleidingen received the Erasmus Plus VET Mobility Charter on 5 September 2019 and signed the accreditation agreement, valid until 31 December 2027, on 2 June 2021. Two important milestones for Gilde Opleidingen to make progress on it's internatinalisation strategy! The Erasmus Plus programme is an integral part of the internationalisation strategy of Gilde Opleidingen. It makes a substantial contribution to the international experiences of students and staff, the acquisition of knowledge in an international context and the development of international competencies, language skills and thus to the internationalisation objectives of Gilde Opleidingen. Among other information sources especially the participants reports clearly show that learning in an international context is an extra challenge and promotes the learning process, personal development and language skills. Thanks to their international experience, students have more career opportunities, orient themselves more towards the labour market and are more self-confident after their return. Teachers do not only share knowledge in an international context, but also build an international network, which contributes directly to the ambition of Gilde Opleidingen to integrate internationalisation in all study programmes. The main objective of course is that students leave Gilde Opleidingen after graduating internationally competent. Staff members return internationally competent and contribute actively to the internationalisation proces of Gilde Opleidingen.