Introduction of UMAP and UCTS Background Development and Operation

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Introduction of UMAP and UCTS Background
Development and Operation
UMAP Workshop (June 12, 2009)

• Taiji Hotta, Ph.D.
• International Student Center
• hotta_at_hiroshima-u.ac.jp

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Development of UMAP

• UMAP (University Mobility in Asia and Pacific)
  was proposed by Australia in 1991
• Voluntary association of gov. and non-gov.
  organizations for student mobility in Asia and
  Pacific.
• 15 member states, i.e., Australia, Ecuador, Fiji,
  Hong Kong, Japan, Rep. of Korea, Macao, Malaysia,
  Mexico, New Zealand, The Philippines, Taiwan,
  Thailand, USA, Vietnam (356 institutions) as of
  July 2005

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Promotion of UCTS in Japan

• Actual promotion started in 1998 with the
  establishment of International Secretariat
  office in Tokyo
• In 2000, Japan started UMAP scholarships for
  exchange students. (see Next Table)
• From 2000, UMAP National Committee started to
  organize various workshops to promote UMAP and
  UCTS (UMAP Credit Transfer Scheme) in Japan as
  well as other Asian nations.
• In 2001, summer UMAP leaders programs started.
  However, it lasted only until 2003
• Also the government developed UMAP Fund in
  Trust for UMAP Scholarship Program

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Example of Japan UMAP Scholarship
Number of scholarships
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• Part 1
• Two Surveys on UCTS in Japan and in Asia
  Pacific region

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1.Survey1(2005) on UMAP in Japan

• Do you know UMAP? (171 respondents)
• 14(24 institutions) know UMAP very well
• 74 (126 institutions) do not know well
• 12 (21 institutions) do not know at all
• Do you think UCTS is necessary? (168 respondents)
• 42 said UCTS was necessary
• 53 said somewhat necessary
• 5 said not so necessary

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Reasons for necessary

• (Out of 71 institutions, which said very
  necessary" or necessary)
  
• 25 Easy for credit transfer
• 22 Can graduate within 4 years
• 21 Can transfer credits actively
• 17 Increase outgoing students
• 13 Increase incoming students

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Reasons of Not Using UCTS

• Use of UCTS ?
• Yes, 19 universities (11)
• No, 152 universities (89)
• Reasons for No
• 26 Current system is sufficient
• 20 Not well understood
• 13 Seems too complicated
• 11 No compatibility in curriculum
• 9 No students request to transfer credits
• 7 Lack of information about curriculum

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2. Survey 2 (2006) among UMAP participants

• 1. Do you specifically promote UMAP as a part of
  your student exchange program?
• Yes 58.8
• No 30.0
• Unsure 11.2
• 2. Do you believe UCTS added academic value to
  your exchange program?
• Yes 50.0
• No 20.0
• Unsure 30.0

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Survey2 (2006) Result (part 2)

• 3. UMAP exchange students understand UCTS?
• Yes 27.5
• No 32.5
• Unsure 40.0
• 4. UMAP exchange students value UCTS as a useful
  tool for their credit transfer?
• Yes 35.0
• No 27.5
• Unsure 37.5

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Survey2 (2006) Result (part 3)

• 5. Do you have an internal credit transfer scheme
  for a general exchange program?
• Yes 75.0
• No 16.2
• Unsure 8.8
• 6. Do students under the UMAP exchange program
  are also required to adhere to your institutions
  internal credit transfer scheme?
• Yes 68.8
• No 22.4
• Unsure 8.8

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Survey2 (2006) Result (part 4)

• 7. How much does the implementation of UCTS
  require an additional administrative work?
• some extra work 40.0
• A lot more work 21.2
• a little extra work 13.8
• No extra work 8.8
• Unsure 16.2

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Survey2 (2006) Result (part 5)

• 8. Why do you use UCTS?
• 36.3 It enables clear planning of a student
  academic exchange program
• 25.0 It is an internal requirement of my
  university.
• 22.5 It is an administrative UMAP procedure
• 20.0 It is a funding or government requirement

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Survey2 (2006) Result (part 6)

• 9. Which statements reflect how UCTS is
  implemented at institution.
• 37.5 Completion of a modified UCTS form
• 32.5 Use to confirm prior approval of a
  students exchange study plan
• 12.5 The UCTS credit point scale is used to
  Award academic credit.
• 11.3 The UCTS grading conversion scale is
  Used to award academic credit

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• Part 2
• Issues and Opportunities of UCTS in Asia
  Pacific region

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Common Complains

• Too much extra work, especially in English
• Very difficult to change curriculum and credit
  system
• No one use it (takes long time to establish)
• Professors have authority for credit transfer (no
  power of international office)

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1. Too much extra work, especially in English
Reaction to Complains (part 1)

• Only one extra work for you. Start to PROVIDE
  information about your program and UCTS on the
  web. Thats all you need for the first step.

2. Very difficult to change curriculum and credit
system

• You do not need to change credit system. Just
  provide information about UCTS points and grading
  system.

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3. No one use it (takes long time to establish)
Reaction to Complains (part 2)

• If each university starts to send information
  about UCTS, everyone will know each other. You do
  not need to teach other institutions.

4. Professors have authority for credit
transfer. (no power of
international office)

• You do not need the approval of all professors.
  Your office can provide merely a conversion sheet
  for credit transfer to UCTS.

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Why do we need to join UMAP?

• Beacause.
• UMAP will assist the promotion of student
  exchanges
• UMAP will give new opportunities for your
  students to study abroad in various nations
• UMAP will provide some scholarships for your best
  talented students. (Some scholarships are
  provided by Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan,
  and Japan, etc)

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Experience at Hiroshima Univeristy
1. Exchange partners are willing to send more
students to us.
2. The number of incoming private students has
been increased.
3. Many exchange partners have used our credits
and grades as they are on UMAP Transcript.
4. We can know each students concrete study plan
and ones motivation.
5. UMAP Study Plan has created our students to
talk about their study plan with academic
advisors.
6 Our administrative offices are more active to
transfer overseas credits.
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How does UCTS make exchanges easier?

• UCTS will make transfer of foreign credits easier
  especially with new exchange partners
• UCTS will improve your quality assurance to
  exchange partner institutions and students
• UCTS will be useful for exchanges with European
  universities which use ECTS

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Key Activities of UCTS
Exchange of UMAP Information Package
Exchange of UMAP Study Plan
Exchange of the UMAP Transcript
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Key Task for UMAP Coordinators
? Send information about UCTS points for one
credit at your university (Japan 1credit 1.94
UCTS Thailand 1?? ? Ask students to fill in
the UMAP Study Plan with their academic
advisors. ? Send UMAP Transcript to your exchange
partners.