SSRD - International Relation Strategy Support Unit (IRSS)

Elena Consolini

Head of Administrative Division

Mission

Our mission is to aid the efficient and effective implementation of the University's internationalization strategies. This includes coordinating activities, projects and initiatives across different areas and facilities of the University as well as developing specific projects that aim to increase internationality and relate to the organizational structure as well as the institutional role of the University by working with other administrative divisions. This Unit also acts as the main proxy of the Rector and the Director-General by assuring that internationalization activities and initiatives are carried out smoothly. IRSS fosters synergies between past, ongoing, and future projects and activities aimed at increasing internationalisation, impacting members of the technical-administrative staff and management development.

Main duties

• Provide technical support and advice to the Director-General and other Governing Bodies on the international initiatives being carried out within facilities of the University and by companies connected to the university, by guaranteeing prompt updates and coordination and monitoring the status of in-progress activities.
• Create, design and coordinate specific activities and pilot cross-cutting projects aimed at increasing the level of internationalization of the University by liaising with the companies and staff members involved in each initiative.
• Set up and manage institutional visits of international delegations and other foreign institutional subjects to the University; set up and manage international institutional visits of the University of Bologna.
• Increase the visibility of the University's international relations and its most successful research collaborations; promote geographical and country-specific systematization to highlight the University's policy-making efforts in tackling global challenges (e.g. UN 2030 Agenda).
• Support the international relationships in research initiatives that call for strong links between higher education programmes and programmes of international mobility and collaboration.
• Collaborate with international students associations, the Collegio Superiore, the Institute of Advanced Studies (ISA) to develop ad-hoc projects and/or involve them in existing projects, fostering the exchange and interaction between international guests and advertise their presence in Bologna and the other cities of the Multicampus.
• Work with the General Administration and its divisions by acting as a reference for projects aimed at promoting internationalization among technical-administrative staff (e.g. outgoing staff training).
• Collaborate with the International Relations office and HR to manage the service of "Incoming Staff training" for technical-administrative staff members visiting the University of Bologna.
• Provide professional advice to the International Relations Office and other specific University divisions/areas on activities of Communication, Promotion, and Planning of international events and institutional visits.