The University of the Faroe Islands and the University of the Republic of San Marino , both members of the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories, have been accepted to become signatories of the Magna Charta Universitatum, thus joining members Universitat d’Andorra, University of Malta, and University of Montenegro in espousing and promoting the principles of the Magna Charta Universitatum Declaration.
NUSCT first COVID-19 virtual Rectors Meeting
On May 4th, 2020, the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories (NUSCT) celebrated an online Rectors’ meeting , in lieu of the conference originally scheduled to take place at the Università degli Studi di San Marino, in San Marino, postponed due to travel restrictions.
Rectors and institutional coordinators in attendance shared respective institutional responses to the pandemic, ranging from support provided to students and staff, to process of migrating courses to online platforms, challenges with technology, and possible impact on the global post-COVID-19 higher education.
The online meeting was also an occasion for NUSCT to formally welcome the University of the Faroe Islands and the University of Montenegro, as the network’s new members, with presentations by their respective rectors, Dr. Chik Collins and Dr. Danilo Nicolic.
Rectors agreed to organize the 3rd NUSCT Rectors’ Meeting at the UNIRSM as soon as the global restrictions are lifted, and travel no longer poses health risks.
The NUSCT Coursera for Campus Initiative
On June 10, 2020 the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Coursera, the world’s major online educational provider, signed an agreement allowing the Network to join the latter’s Coursera for Campus COVID-19 Initiative, meant to assist universities in their response to the pandemic-caused instruction disruption.
The NUSCT Coursera for Campus platform will make available 3800 Coursera courses across 400 specialisations, with free Certificates for students completing the courses, and free access to provider’s reporting tools for the programs – one per member university – administrators (both are normally available only to fee-paying partners).
Through the agreement, Coursera has granted to NUSCT 20.000 licenses for the members’ university communities.
NUSCT students and staff will be able to enroll until July 31 2020, and must complete their courses by September 30, 2020 to obtain the corresponding free certificate.
NUSCT negotiated this agreement with Coursera in the belief that many of its courses might be useful resources for its members’ regular programs, particularly during these challenging times.
Although the “COVID-19 Academic Year” is almost over, these courses might be helpful to students needing remedial studies over the summer, with the added incentive of an official certificate to show for their work. Learners who have successfully completed their academic year, on the other hand, might also appreciate the opportunity to expand their academic knowledge through this particular model of online learning.
NUSCT Rectors to attend the 32 Anniversary of the Magna Charta Universitatum celebrations
NUSCT Rectors have been invited to attend the 32 Anniversary of the Magna Charta Universitatum and the launch of the 2.0 version of the Declaration.
The Anniversary which had been planned to be held in Bologna on 24 and 25 September, 2020, has been postponed to 16-17 June, 2021. The postponement is due to continuing uncertainty about when it will be possible for ‘normal’ university operations and travel to resume after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 virus.
The new Magna Charta Universitatum will be launched at this meeting. NUSCT members will sign it along with other signatory universities so as to make a global statement about the importance of MCU values.
Posted on 31/03/2020
Updated on 2/07/20
The University of the Faroe Islands joins the NUSCT
The University of the Faroe Islands (UFI – https://www.setur.fo/en/) officially joined the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories, NUSCT, on February 25, 2020, as its membership application was unanimously approved by members.
Official repository of the cultural heritage of the Faroese people and only higher education institution that teaches in Faroese in the world, the University of the Faroe Islands thus becomes the 8th member of our growing Network.
More information about this new partner
February 28, 2020
The University of Montenegro Underwrites the NUSCT Multilateral Exchange Agreements
The University of Montenegro, which joined the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories on April 8, 2019, subscribed to the NUSCT Multilateral Student and Faculty and Staff Exchange Agreements on May 17, 2019, thus expanding the mobility options for the NUSCT community.
NUSCT is a network led by the University of Andorra to enable universities in small countries that share similar characteristics and contexts establish collaborations, share strategies and best practices, and have a unified voice in international fora.
May 20, 2019
NUSCT Celebrates its 2nd Rectors’ Meeting
The 2ndrd NUSCT Rectors’ meeting took place on April 8, 2019, in Valletta, Malta, on the old campus of the University of Malta, as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of this university as a public institution.
The Network members ratified two multilateral exchange agreements for students and for faculty and non-teaching staff.
The new NUSCT logo was unanimously adopted.
NUSCT members also attended a talk on “Higher Education in the 21st Century and the Perspective of Small States”, by University of Malta professors Ronald G. Sultana and Godfrey Baldacchino, and a presentation on “Blockchain, Distribution Technologies, and Universities”, given by University of Malta Professor Joshua Elluldde.
NUSCT is a network led by the University of Andorra to enable universities in small countries that share similar characteristics and contexts establish collaborations, share strategies and best practices, and have a unified voice in international fora.
April 8, 2019
Multilateral Exchange Agreements Signed Amongst NUSCT Universities
After the creation, just a year ago, of the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories, NUSCT, its six university members (University of Andorra, University of Gibraltar, University of Greenland, University of Liechtenstein, University of San Marino and University of Malta) signed two unprecedented multilateral agreements to foster the exchange of students and staff (faculty and administrative and technical staff) amongst all of the Network members.
The Agreements were signed in Malta in the course of the Network’s 2nd Rectors’ Meeting, on Monday, April 8, 2029, and aim to enrich the academic and professional experiences of students and staff by giving them the opportunity to know other countries with similar socio-political and economic characteristics and different university systems. The stays will usually be for one semester.
NUSCT is a network led by the University of Andorra to enable universities in small countries that share similar characteristics and contexts establish collaborations, share strategies and best practices, and have a unified voice in international fora.
April 8, 2019
The University of Montenegro Joins the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories
The Members of the Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories assembled on April 8, 2019, at the University of Malta, in La Valletta, Malta, on occasion of the 2nd NUSCT Rectors’ Meeting unanimously approved the admission of the University of Montenegro (www.ucg.ac.me ) as the 7th member of the growing Network.
NUSCT is a network led by the University of Andorra to enable universities in small countries that share similar characteristics and contexts establish collaborations, share strategies and best practices, and have a unified voice in international fora.
April 8, 2019
NUSCT Kickoff Meeting (Andorra, March 2n 2018)
On the initiative of the University of Andorra (UdA), several representatives of the universities of small countries and territories met on March 2, 2018 at the campus of Sant Julià de Lòria with the aim of establishing a network of collaboration , which has been provisionally called in English under the name Network of Universities of Small Countries and Territories (NUSCT).
The academic institutions represented at the meeting share characteristics and specificities, and work in similar sociopolitical and economic contexts.
For this reason, they want to meet commonly in the international higher education forums, they want to exchange good practices, as well as deepen collaboration opportunities and share strategies to improve the professional insertion of graduates.
The first meeting was attended by the universities of Andorra, Gibraltar, Greenland, Liechtenstein, Malta and San Marino. The universities of Iceland and Monaco have also shown their interest.
