Erasmus University Charter 2021-2027

Academy of Physical Education in Katowice by adapting a multidisciplinary approach is successfully achieved by linking sport, health and management sciences, constantly developing itself in the field of sport, physical education and health sciences and aims to provide the highest worldwide standards in knowledge, projects and academic output, developing resources, realizing collaborations and training highly qualified graduates.

The efforts to strengthen and develop international collaboration, multiculturalism, mutual respect and understanding, as well as sustainable development are the foundation of Academy of Physical Education in Katowice (AWF Katowice) activities. Our mission is fully compatible with the values expressed through the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), with its provisions being observed in all the aspects of our work, as they constitute an integral element of AWF Katowice Policy. Therefore, participation in Erasmus+ Programme is a natural path for us to follow in furthering our development and our mission.

 The academic units at all levels in Academy of Physical Education in Katowice are involved in Erasmus actions as stated in the internationalization strategy. The internationalization strategy of our University accepts the important contributions of staff and student mobilities and their participation in European and international collaboration projects to gain the quality of higher education programs . 

Depending on the general internationalization (emphasizing Erasmus projects)  and modernization strategy, Academy of Physical Education in Katowice is regularly evaluated by government organizations within the framework of a qualified, transparent and reliable education and scientific targets. 

These studies are very important in order to contribute to the improvement of universities and the quality of education. Within the framework of the studies carried out by the relevant units of Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, accreditation studies are carried out through independent international organizations. 

Our university has the necessary infrastructure for conducting research at the world level, thanks to two scientific institutes: Institute of Sport Science and Institute of Physiotherapy and Health Sciences. All evaluated faculties at Academy of Physical Education in Katowice had been graded level "A" during last national evaluation procedure, which is an outstanding result. 

Our long-term strategy for the period 2021-2027 includes continued efforts to increase both the presence of international students and our international presence, while increasing student and staff mobility and collaboration with other higher education institutions within Erasmus+ Programme:

I. Strategy, priorities and activities of international cooperation cells of Physical Education in Katowice, in the context of the activities of the Erasmus program

In order to meet the essential requirements of the Bologna Declaration on the European Higher Education of Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, actively participating in the current activities of the ERASMUS+, wants to continue to share in the new component of the ERASMUS.

During the period 2021-2027 is provided for further dynamic development of the exchange of students and academic staff. In order to improve the quality and attractiveness of multilateral cooperation between Physical Education in Katowice and other higher education institutions in Europe, the university intends to further expand and share offer teaching in English. 

Due to participation in Erasmus+ our academic, teaching and administrative staff have been developing international collaboration skills which foster their participation in international environment and provide them with valuable experience of working within our partner institutions abroad. Our objective for the years 2021-2027 is to continue and strengthen this process, including transfer of knowledge and exchange of experiences and best practices with our partners, with a view to create long-term benefits for the whole region, country and EU. 

II. Providing high-quality academic exchange

In order to ensure and improve the quality of education for several years, is developed internal quality assurance system. Its operating items include: USOS (University System of Study), the full, updated information about the university, entry conditions, studying principles, schedule of classes, etc.

To ensure an adequate level of academic exchange program ERASMUS+, skills of students and teaching/administrative staff of the program shall be annually measured by AWF.

The task of improving the quality of education at the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice manifests itself through the implementation of the following provisions:

 

 1. for students arriving / departing

full availability of the curriculum for all courses and subjects (university website, current information about the offer of study for a given semester and the European Credit Transfer System - ECTS);
each incoming student is Polish "guardian" - a student who helps him;
meetings with the coordinators of the program and the direction of explaining the rights and responsibilities of students of Physical Education and determining the final versions of the Learning Agreement (Learning Agreement);
accommodation in a student AWF to facilitate the integration of Polish students;
providing full professional administrative assistance with application procedures;
staff visits to assess the quality of study at partner institutions;
financial assistance provided by the AWF for various activities related to the exchange students;
recognition of periods of study abroad, including assessments of foreign university diploma at graduation;
after returning home, students fill in the questionnaire and evaluate their studies abroad.

2. for incoming / outgoing teachers;

ensuring adequate recruitment of academics;
organizing the stay of visiting teachers both at school and in their spare time;
arranging travel and stay abroad for teachers leaving;
extra points for the teachers involved in the exchange during the evaluation of teachers;
reports from teachers after returning from the exchange to provide feedback and opinion on their experience of teaching at the partner universities.

III. Ensuring high quality of student mobilities

            The practice should be consistent with the program practices that the student is under study and the basis for their credit as a mandatory student placement. The period of practice is usually from a few to several weeks, depending on the requirements outlined by the University in the curriculum.

An important role in the organization and conduct practices have tutors called for each specialty. Their duties include: develop programs practices, setting of practice, to oversee the organization of practice, working with careers practices in the workplace.

            Acquisition of the institutions in which they will carry out the placements will be through establishing direct contacts with foreign institutions active in the thematic studies at the Academy of Physical Education. The agreement between the university and the institution organizing the placement will provide information on the practice, its scope, number of students in training, practice time, appoint a guardian practices on behalf of the institution to provide adequate jobs internship program in line with the practice of programming, monitoring the correct application of practice, to ensure the social conditions of students staying at the place of practice.

During the practical training students are supervised by the tutors on behalf of the university and the workplace.

Student Internships are an integral part of the curriculum for all courses of Physical Education. They provide high quality detail:

verification of the target institutions - institutions are only accepted from the highest qualified staff and modern equipment;
verification of academic staff who supervise practice, accept their place and program, monitor the progress of students (including visits to the site) and make a formal pass all the requirements;
mentoring in the institution in which the placement, which takes care of the student and help him in his work;
mandatory daily practice, the student writes and analyzes every day, and each entry signed by the mentor;
Final completion practices is based on daily practice, the opinion of the institution where the placement, and the opinion of the promoter.

Internationalization projects implemented allow for a smooth continuation of this process of the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice (PL KATOWIC05), constituting the foundation for high quality development of the entire university, in particular international cooperation.

Erasmus + is the foundation of international cooperation and after many years of operation has become an extremely recognizable brand, permanently included in the canon of transnational activities. The highest class academic internationalization is the main goal of the University of Physical Education in Katowice from the beginning of participation in this process.

All projects that were and are implemented for this purpose are aimed at high quality and, ultimately, success - both at the stage of recruitment of students and academic staff for the program, as well as at later stages - during preparation for mobilities, during their implementation, as well as after returning, in the process of recognizing the results.

A well-planned and transparent qualification system facilitates further procedures and finally the settlement of results with due liquidity.

Constant monitoring of internationalization needs results in periodic analysis and refinement of the Information Catalogue, containing structured information about studies at the Academy, as well as an information package for employees going on an exchange.

We believe that it is in the shared interest to harness the full potential of education and culture as drivers for job creation, economic growth and improved social cohesion, as well as a means to experience European identity in all its diversity. 

We fully support the European Education Area vision contained within this policy is that, across the EU: 

spending time abroad to study and learn should become the norm

school and higher education qualifications should be recognised across the EU 

knowing two languages in addition to one’s mother tongue should be standard

everyone should be able to access high-quality education, irrespective of their socio-economic background

people should have a strong sense of their identity as a European, of Europe’s cultural heritage and its diversity

The Erasmus projects are aimed at the following goals:

1) permanent cooperation with partner universities as well as managing institutions to increase the level of internationalization of both our university and partner universities,

2) refining the procedures to constantly improve the quality of international cooperation,

3) propagating the idea of ​​internationalization, giving a sense of belonging to the European and supra-European community and broadening the horizons of beneficiaries,

4) working with people who have already benefited from the Erasmus + program, creating a group of "ambassadors" of projects.

Erasmus internationalization projects on behalf of the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice involve students and employees as part of study offers, apprenticeships, mobilities for training purposes and for conducting classes. A group of students are representatives of all fields of study. This is related to the broad nature of our international cooperation, which is based on all the courses offered by the Academy of Physical Education.

We provide information in advance to incoming students about the possibility of participating in Polish language classes at the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, which results in nearly 100% participation by students, which is approved by partner institutions.

The Academy provides comprehensive assistance - organizational and substantive: it facilitates the exchange of necessary documents, advises on transport and insurance matters, and, above all, supports the creation of a set of subjects entered into the agreement on the study program.

We also provide accommodation for all project participants in our university facilities, which significantly affects the comfort of project implementation by all parties.

We regularly assess the progress of individual project participants during monitoring meetings, we verify the original assumptions regarding the implementation of programs, which allows us to dynamically respond to any doubts that arise.

Participants knowing that someone is always there supervises the proper conduct of the whole process, they feel cared for and grateful, which they have repeatedly emphasized in conversations with the coordinators of individual tasks. The implementation of international projects is an essential element for the development of our university, as well as a contribution to the internationalization of the entire country.

By expanding the horizon of our current international mobility development program, we also contribute to the involvement of the entire academic community in projects.

The authorities of the University of Physical Education in Katowice constantly support the development of internationalization by matching system solutions that facilitate studying within exchanges, as well as promoting the international activity of employees.

Academy of Physical Education in the past years did not report problems related to gender, xenophobia or racism. Students are educated in the spirit of respect for human rights and democratic principles.

The strategies for development and making internationalization more attractive developed by the Department of Science and International Cooperation prove to be right, gaining the support of a wide audience.

Annually in the reports, program participants describe a significant expansion of their knowledge, including the acquisition of numerous experiences through participation in the mobility - this applies to both elements of professional work or the education process, as well as results in a significant increase in cultural awareness. Teachers and administrative employees using the exchange have introduced or declare their willingness to introduce educational and organizational solutions that they had the opportunity to encounter during the mobility. Many of the contacts result in modernizing the programs of individual subjects and developing cooperation in the scientific field.

We plan to use the effects of the projects long after each of them is finished, intensively promoting the beautiful idea of ​​internationalization of the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice.