Izmir University (IZU) aims to become a research-oriented university with an international focus, emphasizing graduate training and lifelong learning well as short-cycle and first-cycle education. As a young university founded in 2007, IZU continues to grow in terms of the variety of academic programs offered, number of students, academic and administrative staff. Internationalization is part of IZU’s founding strategy and great importance is attached to the promotion of the Erasmus Program, implementation of Bologna Process and enhancement of European Education and Research Areas. The International Relations Office (IRO) has been established in 2009 to coordinate internalization efforts. IZU received its EUC in 2010. Since then, our international network and partnerships have grown quite rapidly with 11 cooperation protocols, 13 signed & 6 pending Erasmus agreements for student/staff mobility. IZU has become an adherent of the Community of Mediterranean Universities and has a pending application to enter the online database of International Association of Universities. The list of cooperations is available at http://uio.izmir.edu.tr/en/cooperations.html IRO works to increase the number of partnerships and advises students & staff on Erasmus, other mobility programs, scholarships and projects. IZU puts special emphasis on Erasmus to promote internationalization, quality standards, student-centred learning, ECTS, transparency and accountability. IZU has a Bologna Committee implementing the elements of the Bologna Process, and will launch quality assurance programme and develop its strategic plan. IZU also provides programs for lifelong learning in its Continuing Education Centre IZMIRSEM. The medium of instruction at IZU is English & Turkish. The English preparatory year and optional second & third foreign language courses equip students with strong language skills to prepare them for mobility. One of the main priorities of IZU is to realize mobility and projects with European partners. IZU currently has the capacity to send & receive up to 20 students, 8 staff for teaching and 8 staff training in its first year of participation in Erasmus. Our mid-term goal is to have 5% of our students and 10% of our staff benefit from Erasmus. IZU encourages its students and staff to do research, generate projects and aims to support/participate in at least one EU project or intensive program per year. IZU issued a Diploma Supplement (DS) to its short-cycle graduates in 2010 for the first time and will continue to give DS to all of its graduates automatically in English, free of charge. IZU will give priority to Erasmus student & staff mobility and placements, join/coordinate intensive R&D projects, curriculum development, thematic networks with higher education partners and other stakeholders. Participation in the Erasmus Program will improve IZU’s international network, foster a diverse academic setting and increase awareness of different educational systems.

EUC will be displayed in the main hall of IZU. IRO will publicize and promote Erasmus activities, EUC, EPS and bilateral agreements via its website (http://uio.izmir.edu.tr/en), newsletters and media channels. Student clubs will actively promote Erasmus. IRO will prepare handouts/brochures/posters and organize regular information/orientation meetings for students and staff. Notices and guidelines for partners, students and staff will be announced via IRO website, notice boards and e-mail groups.

IZU strictly enforces non-discrimination, a constitutional right, with zero-tolerance for xenophobia or discriminatory acts based on gender/ethnicity/race or religion. Disabled Unit helps those with special needs. Social Responsibility Centre enhances social & economic cohesion. The campus is disabled friendly. IZU conducts panels on disabilities, employs disabled staff, sponsors an Amputated Basketball Team, Turkish Library for Visually Impaired and will give scholarship to 5 disabled students.

Departments worked meticulously to determine ECTS based on student workload, revised learning outcomes and course descriptions. IZU Information Package has been prepared. All departments have Erasmus coordinators to help students select courses while studying abroad. Learning agreements of incoming/outgoing students will be devised with care and approved by all parties. Outgoing students will get full recognition of courses/credits taken

abroad. To affirm recognition, IZU developed an equivalence chart listing courses taken abroad, ECTS credits and equivalencies at IZU. Partner university’s courses will be shown on students’ transcript and DS with their original names, credits and grades, and will be included in the grade point average. Students already get English courses in the curriculum. Outgoing students and staff may also benefit from language courses of IZMIRSEM. Orientation programs will be organised for outgoing students to prepare them for the mobility. IRO will guide incoming students during application/arrival, reserve dormitory rooms, find suitable housing, get residence permits, organize orientation meetings, social/cultural activities and campus/city tours. Each incoming student will have an advisor at IZU, choose courses from the ECTS Course Catalog and get a Transcript of Records at the end of the term. Mentors, volunteer IZU students, and Student Council will help them to integrate into academic /social life. IRO will assist incoming/outgoing staff thoroughly to facilitate academic/administrative staff mobility. Academic staff mobility enables partners to familiarize, which improves the quality of mobility and leads to joint projects. IZU views

staff training as a crucial tool to improve quality of services, so IZU will encourage its personnel to receive training and assist them in all stages while welcoming incoming staff to receive/give training. Basic Turkish courses will be organized free of charge for incoming students & staff upon demand.

Implementing a wide range of academic programs, IZU strives to raise fully-equipped students demanded by the industry. Cooperation with universities & companies abroad creates many opportunities to transfer and implement innovations. IZU supports placements as an important part of students' education. Curriculums based on student participatory education supported by modern teaching methods and problem-solving activities necessitate students to enhance their knowledge & practical skills in placements. Mandatory placements are integrated into the curriculum. Students must successfully complete their internships to graduate. IZU prepares meticulously to realize qualitative placements. IZU helps students to find placements in Turkey and agrees to find competitive & suitable Erasmus placements. Since the reception of its EUC, IZU has formed a wide network in a relatively short period of time. IRO has been actively engaged in an ambitious search and formed ongoing contacts with 5 confirmed placement partners announced on IRO website. All information on placements is available at http://uio.izmir.edu.tr/en/erasmus/student-placements.html To secure the conditions & tools for monitoring & evaluation of the placement as well as its recognition in the curriculum, current internship regulations at IZU will be updated to cover Erasmus placements. Outgoing students will sign placement contracts with IZU and the host, which will include a work plan and a quality commitment accepting to comply with all the rules of the placement. IZU will request reports from the student and host institution. Host institutions will issue placement certificates for students. IZU commits itself to give full recognition to Erasmus placements in the curriculum by giving ECTS and showing them on transcripts & DS. Same processes will apply for incoming students. Placement content will be documented; assessment & monitoring will be done by IZU staff. Students will write a report and receive an assessment.