Why I answered the call for International Staff mobility and you should too

The first thing a visitor sees on his way into UCL’s main building is Jeremy Bentham. A mummy of the English philosopher (1748-1832), spiritual father of the first University in England to accept all students with no limits of race, sex, creed or political allegiance, is conserved in a wooden case on the side of what is now the Rector’s office on Gower street at Bloomsbury, in the heart of London. 

Their message is clear: openness and equality (and enough money to pay tuition fees) are the founding principles of the University that occupies the seventh place in the QS world rankings and the top position in the QS rankings for research quality in the UK. I’ve just had the privilege and the pleasure of spending four days here thanks to the Erasmus staff training programme. 

Once you get past Bentham, UCL closes its historical parenthesis to reveal a University with goals and objectives projected toward the future. The University’s global range of action and  intensive use of communication channels, both new and traditional were the primary motivations of my choice to come here.  I was also motivated by my appreciation for their idiosyncratically “Anglo-Saxon” approach to communication that is so down-to-earth – distant in many ways from  traditional “schools” of communication –  that it comes across as scientific. 

The UCL Marketing & Communications department’s open office from which (60!) colleagues communicate daily to 11 thousand faculty members, 38 thousand students and major international newspapers was a hub for discussions, ideas and new outlooks. In just a few days they gave me a complete picture of all their activities, particularly those in line with my interests and skills. I found unforeseen similarities between our two institutions along with shared problems, different methods and new ideas. UCL staff was very helpful , kind, and open to discussion and I couldn’t be happier with my choice of host institution. 

This is an opportunity for professional development not to be missed and I would highly recommend it to all my colleagues from every sector of Ca’ Foscari. The more use University staff make of these opportunities – open not only in the EU but also internationally – the closer Ca’ Foscari will move to an international stage.

5 top tips for people who have already decided to travel on the Erasmus Staff Training or other mobility programmes:

1. Choose the right place for you by visiting as many places as possible. Ca’ Foscari has a very wide range of international agreements compared with other Universities.

2. Calls for applications usually have a restricted time-frame so it is worth contacting the Universities you are interested in as soon as possible and, ideally, to have your chosen University approve of your application before the call is published. The International Relations Office at Ca’ Foscari was a great help in my application process and I would recommend them as a point of reference.

3. Specify what your interests are from the start, without narrowing the field too much. A comprehensive view will be useful to you and your colleagues. 

4. If possible, it is worth asking for a programme of your visit in advance. You will probably have appointments set up with many people and you may want to keep yourself organized or check on some specific points.

5. Choose to stay in a hotel or home close to the central Headquarters of your chosen institution, particularly if it’s in a large city. You will probably end up spending more on accommodation but will save on transport. I know that this is a personal opinion, but I stand by it. All expenses can be added to your daily spending allowance. 

One last point for those of you who, like me, have young children: Leave them at home with someone and go without worrying too much about it. When you return, bring them a nice present and they will be happy to let you leave again.

Federica Scotellaro
Communication and Public Relations Office
Communication Unit