Leading position of Kufstein University of Applied Sciences in the area of international mobility confirmed with 200 partner universities.
International cooperation and mobility for students, teachers, and researchers has been a goal and a part of the mission statement of the University of Applied Science Kufstein Tirol since its founding in 1997. The life of diversity, the recognition of different individuals with different cultural backgrounds, mentalities, religions, languages, and social status has remained a building block of the values at the Kufstein University. A network of 200 partner universities has developed to date – all with the same goal to form an international network in which cross-border exchange can take place. On this basis, the FH Kufstein Tirol was awarded with an outstanding 10th place in the student mobility of the global university ranking U-Multirank 2016, as the only university in Austria in this category.
“Right now, we are particularly proud of the signing of the 200th agreement, which best represents our top position as well as our ambitions and aims in the area of internationalization. At the Kufstein University internationality is alive, our network has grown and we are connected with partners sharing the same outlook, which is based on knowledge transfer and education, in order to meet the challenges of our time,” said University Director Prof. (FH) Dr. Thomas Madritsch.
Students Benefit Most from the Exchange
The students of the FH Kufstein Tirol, who participate in a required semester abroad in the Bachelor’s program, have benefited from this international exchange for the past 20 years. Last year, 285 students from the Kufstein University were sent out to 40 nations. Over time, the number of students sent by the partner universities, the incoming students to Kufstein, has grown to an average of 200 students per year. With them each year, a fresh international air comes to the campus. Various initiatives and events have been developed to create and maintain contact opportunities between students.
The new partner University Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
The 200th partner university of the FH Kufstein Tirol is a leading university in Peru. The main campus of the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL) is located in Cercado de Lima and offers around 4,000 students space for their bilingual studies in management, law, tourism, health, architecture, and education. Four university campuses are spread across the Lima metropolitan area to the south of the Pachachamac district, some 150 km away, dedicated to research and development and are home to more than 1,400 students. The training concept of the internationally acclaimed university USIL includes not only an ambitious bilingual education, but also a background in business management.
Continuing International Ambitions of the USIL
The founding president and CEO of USIL, Raúl Diez Canseco Terry, was the vice president of Peru from 2001 to 2004 and is the initiator of the partnership agreement with the FH Kufstein Tirol. “Our activities are very diverse and ambitious in order to best prepare our students for their international careers.” This view is also shared by the Rector and President of the USIL, Ramiro Salas Bravo. “We were involved in founding schools, business schools, and universities in Paraguay, Miami, and Beijing. Today we are one of the top institutions in Peru and have over 260 international strategic partnerships worldwide – one of which is the FH Kufstein Tirol!” said Rector Salas Bravo at the signing of the partnership agreement with the FH Kufstein Tirol.
Multi-Stage Selection Process Confirms Quality of the FH Kufstein Tirol
“The highly prominent advisory board of the new partner university USIL includes three Peruvian ministers and the former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar“, confirms CEO Prof. (FH) Dr. Thomas Madritsch, who is particularly proud that the FH Kufstein emerged as a new partner from the multi-stage selection process. “This confirms our high quality and the excellent reputation that our university enjoys internationally,” says a very pleased International Relations Coordinator Mag. Noureddine Rafili.