This article was translated from Norwegian using an AI tool.
KBT has recently received approval for its application for ECHE certification. This may open new doors for both staff and students when it comes to exchanges with vocational colleges, universities, and higher education institutions in other countries.
“The most important thing for us is that our teaching staff and students get an opportunity to develop their skills and competencies in collaboration with international educational institutions, through job shadowing and exchange,” says Roger Santokhie (pictured at the top of the article), Senior Advisor at KBT Vocational College.
Exchange of Staff and Students
Since its beginning, KBT Vocational College has had international collaborations and knowledge exchange in the fields we teach in, or plan to teach in, in the future. For example, we are part of a Nordplus collaboration to develop training for peer support workers in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
Until now, we have not had the opportunity to host exchange stays for students or staff, even though we have been contacted by people who wanted to come here on exchange. This is because certain approvals and formalities are required. We are therefore pleased to announce that our ECHE certification application has now been approved.
What is ECHE?
“The Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) sets out the fundamental principles and minimum requirements that higher education institutions must comply with when applying for and implementing activities under the Erasmus+ programme (2021–2027).” (Quote from HK-dir.no).
ECHE is a quality framework for the educational activities covered by Erasmus+ and contains a set of principles we commit ourselves to follow.
Vocational Colleges Now Joining the Field
With the new White Paper on Vocational Colleges, Skilled Professionals for a New Era – with Higher Vocational Education, it may become easier for vocational colleges to participate in international educational cooperation. KBT Vocational College already has a strong international network, with several cooperation agreements and project collaborations. We now look forward to also collaborating on exchange programmes.
Social Entrepreneurship – an Area with Great Potential for Exchange
One of the reasons KBT Vocational College applied for ECHE certification is that we have already been in contact with a university in Poland, the Eastern European Academy of Applied Sciences in Białystok, where staff and students wish to come on exchange and learn about our education in social entrepreneurship.
“They saw that we had much in common when it comes to marketing and economics related to social entrepreneurship, as well as recovery-oriented thinking,” says Santokhie.
With ECHE certification, this exchange can become a reality. We are also aware of several educational institutions in other countries that have relevant activities both regarding peer support work and social entrepreneurship. There is therefore great potential for an increased level of international knowledge exchange.
“This means that we can give our students opportunities to gain international experience, and that our staff have the chance to exchange knowledge and broaden their horizons over time,” says Santokhie.
The White Paper on Vocational Colleges – Curious About the Development of ECTS
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is “a tool for transferring credits and converting grades, with the purpose of facilitating international student mobility” (Meld. St. 11 (2024–2025), p. 112). In other words, it is a system designed to make student exchanges and recognition of studies across European borders easier.
In its review of the White Paper, the Norwegian Parliament decided that the government should ensure that higher vocational education in Norway is connected to ECTS during the parliamentary session 2025–2026. They are tasked with investigating and proposing how this connection can be established and implemented.
In practice, this probably means that we will be able to offer student exchanges with transferable credits no earlier than autumn 2026.
Shorter Exchange Stays Can Also Be Valuable
Many people know someone who has been on exchange, often for half a year or longer. But shorter stays are also possible. An example is the Intensive Week that took place at UiT in June, where nursing students from across the Nordic and Baltic countries gathered for a one-week course.
For many vocational college students, who are often more established in life than younger students at universities and colleges, such short stays may be more attractive. We are very excited about the road ahead and will be proactive in taking part in this development.