At the iConference in Wuhan, China, the representatives of the European iSchools agreed to work on a staff exchange agreement, which would allow iSchool faculty and staff to visit other iSchools in order to foster the exchange of research and teaching ideas, processes and strategies. At the iConference in Sheffield, UK (March 2018), the staff exchange agreement was agreed upon.

Staff exchanges will support the long-term objective of the iSchools to work more closely together, enter into more research collaborations to support and strengthen the iSchool movement and to move towards a more harmonized teaching structure and organization in Europe.

The iSchool Europe staff exchange initiative resembles the EC-supported Erasmus programme, but requires less administrative overhead because it is based on bilateral agreements between participating iSchools. Participation is voluntary and is based on bilateral agreements between staff exchanging iSchools.

Preparation of exchange:

• The participating iSchools will consider a staff exchange based on a proposal (1 page to describe the planned activities and envisioned benefits of a visit) by a visiting staff member, who has already contacted a hosting staff member.
• The participating iSchools agree on the length of the visit (between 1 day – 2 weeks are envisioned).
• The participating iSchools agree on requirements for the visitor, e.g.:

• number of teaching hours,
• number and duration of research talks,
• number and duration of demonstrations,
• number and duration of interviews.

• The hosting staff member will organize the visitor’s activities (in collaboration with the visiting staff member) at the host iSchool.

Funding support:

• The sending iSchool will fund the travel costs of the visitor.
• The hosting iSchool will fund subsistence cost at the host location (bed+breakfast).

Documentation and dissemination:

• A short documentation of each staff exchange (incl. the activities and partial outcomes) can be posted on the iSchools website to build up a portfolio of expertise areas of iSchools in Europe.

Participating iSchools in Europe:

A list of European iSchools willing to participate (incl. initial contact partners)