Case studies: the transformative effect of research mobility
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Building strategic relationships between Centers of Excellence |
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Building strategic relationships between Centers of Excellence |
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Congratulations! You have been successful in your application for an RMP award to spend some time undertaking research and developing collaborative links at a WUN partner institution.
“The RMP provided valuable interaction with leading scientists and academics working in closely related fields at Washington University, and exposure to a wider variety of surface analysis techniques and state-of-the-art instrumentation currently being used at Washington University. ”Gautram Mishra, Sheffield University, visited the University of Washington, Seattle.
There are now a few administrative steps you need to take to ensure that your trip is a successful one.
If you have not already begun to prepare for these, you are strongly advised to begin to make these arrangements now.
We hope that the following guidelines will help you to plan your trip. Most of them are of particular relevance for students, though staff too may find them useful.
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that you make the appropriate arrangements for your visit.
The main steps you need to take are:
Check out the link to the information about individual universities for information on your host university. Links to all WUN partner institutions are provided on the WUN home page.
You should start to make arrangements for obtaining your visa immediately. See the section on visas for some help in getting you started.
Please make sure that you maintain regular contact with your host supervisor and local RMP Coordinator and advise them of any delays and changes to the previously agreed dates of your visit.
As with any trip abroad you are strongly advised to take out adequate insurance cover. This is your responsibility and you should not leave this until the last minute. There may well be an office on your campus which can help you with this – contact your campus travel agents or your local RMP Coordinator who may be able to point you in the right direction.
Your host institution will help you to find accommodation. It may write to you directly with information about this. If not, you should refer to your host institution’s website for information on availability and price of accommodation and to find out what kind of service its accommodation office can offer. As usual, please contact the RMP host Coordinator if necessary.
You need to be very prompt in making enquiries about accommodation, as there can be considerable pressure on the availability of accommodation in many universities throughout the year.
You will normally need to be registered at your host university in order to obtain a student card, and access to the library and computing facilities. NB: This is normally more important for students than staff, though staff too are advised to contact their hosts to ask about library and IT registration.
Because of the flexible nature of the RMP, the procedures for registration often differ slightly from normal university procedures and will be different in each host institution. If your host university does not write to you directly with information about this, you are advised to contact the RMP host Coordinator to find out how this process will work, and what you can do now to ensure that your case is dealt with promptly.
It may be possible to put you in contact with another student or staff member who has already visited your host institution under the programme and may have some useful tips to offer. If you would find this helpful please email your local RMP Coordinator.
Your home institution might have a Study Abroad Office. You might find it helpful to contact them for country-specific pre-departure information.
In some cases visa applications can take several months – depending on your nationality status, the country to be visited and due to unexpected complications or delays at the issuing visa agency. You are therefore strongly advised to give yourself plenty of time for dealing with this process.
It is your responsibility to find out whether you need a visa and what steps you will need to take to obtain one. Your first steps should be to contact your nearest relevant visa agency to find out what documentation you need to start to prepare, and what the expected timescale is. Below are some links to get you started:
The US State Department website has helpful information for students:
The US Embassy in UK: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/
The US Embassy in China: http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/
The US Embassy in Norway: http://www.usa.no/
To support a US visa application, students normally need to obtain form DS-2019 [a certificate of exchange visitor status] which is provided by the host institution. Since individual institutions differ in the way they deal with RMP students you are advised to check with your host university ASAP regarding form DS-2019. Please note that you will not be able to apply for a US exchange visitor visa without obtaining form DS-2019.
You should also expect to have to pay an extra fee. All exchange visitors issued with a DS2019 form must now pay a fee to support the US automated system, SEVIS, which keeps track of students. For more information on the SEVIS fee go to: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html
The following departments in the US WUN partners issue the DS2019 forms, and can advise on visa procedures:
You can also contact your host supervisor’s department or host RMP contact for some extra help if the university is slow to issue the DS2019 form.
Most visitors from the UK, US, and Norway travelling to Australia for up to three months will be able to visit using an ETA (Visitor) (subclass 977) Visa. This visa will allow you to observe and participate in research, attend meetings and conferences and travel within Australia for up to 3 months. You can arrange this visa through your travel agent or online. More details are available at the Australian Government Citizenship and Immigration website, http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/business/956-977/index.htm
Nationals from China and other countries who are not eligible for an ETA Visitor Visa will need to apply for a Business (Short Stay) Visa (subclass 456). More details are available at the Australian Government Citizenship and Immigration website,http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/business/456/index.htm
The Australian High Commission in the UK: http://www.uk.embassy.gov.au/
The Australian Embassy in the US: http://www.usa.embassy.gov.au/
The Australian Embassy in Denmark (also serving Norway):http://www.denmark.embassy.gov.au/cpgn/home
The Australian High Commission in Canada:http://www.canada.embassy.gov.au/
The Australian Embassy in China: http://www.china.embassy.gov.au/
The Home Office is the government department which deals with visas. Information on visas is at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/passports-and-immigration/visas/
The British Embassy in the US: http://www.britainusa.com/
The British Embassy in China: http://www.uk.cn/bj/index.asp
Citizens of the European Union and European Economic Area do not normally need a visa to come to UK. Non EU citizens studying in Norway or the Netherlands should consult the nearest UK Embassy.
In Norway this is: http://www.britain.no
The Chinese Embassy in the UK: http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/
The Chinese Embassy in the US: http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/
The Chinese Embassy in Norway: http://www.chinese-embassy.no/eng/
The Norwegian Embassy in the US: http://www.norway.org/
The Norwegian Embassy in China: http://www.eurovisa.info/
You should note, however, that the UK does NOT participate in the Schengen scheme.
Finally, please feel free to contact your main WUN RMP contact if you experience difficulties.
Each WUN partner will have its own way of looking after visiting RMP students. This section contains brief information on how to go about registering and finding accommodation at your host university, along with some local tourist links and any comments from previous awardees to that institution.
When you return from your visit, we would be grateful for any useful information which you think should be on the website. Please email any comments to your local RMP Coordinator.
Your main RMP contact at Bergen is Ellen Margrete Grong, tel +47 555 84984. Your host department will normally assist you with accommodation and email and library access, but please contact Ellen if you need further assistance with practical matters.
Some useful local information:
Your main RMP contact is Isobel Howe. Please contact Isobel as soon as you know you will be coming to Bristol so that she can advise you on local arrangements.
Some useful local information:
Your main RMP contact at Leeds is the WUN Coordinator, Anoushka Kulikowski, tel +44 113 343 1733. Please contact Anoushka as soon as you know that you will be coming to Leeds so that she can assist you with local arrangements.
Some useful local information:
Your main RMP contact at Sheffield is the co-ordinator Graham Sykes. Please contact Graham as soon as you know that you will be coming to Sheffield so that he can assist you with local arrangements such as Registration, and ensure that Housing sends you an information and application pack as far in advance as possible.
Some useful local information:
Your main RMP contact at Southampton is the WUN Development Manager, Elisa Lawton.
If you are a postgraduate student, you MUST contact Elisa as soon as possible to tell her you are planning to come to Southampton. She will liaise with the relevant School contact who can provide you with information on the registration process, accommodation, what to do on arrival and email and library access. Jill looks forward to meeting you.
Your main RMP contact at York is the WUN Coordinator, Sandy Ritter, sr23@york.ac.uk, tel +44 1904 433198.
If you are a postgraduate student, please contact Sandy as soon as possible to tell her you are planning to come to York. She will write to you to explain the registration process at York and what you need to do to secure accommodation and email and library access. She will help postgraduate students to register with the Graduate Schools Office and to apply for accommodation, and will meet you on arrival to introduce you to the University.
Some useful local information:
“The International Office has a box where WUN students leaving York can leave their cookware and other items for dorm life. Ask about it—it can’t hurt to rummage through and pick up whatever you might need by way of dishes, cookware, desk lamps, and other equipment.”
“The porters should be aware that you are arriving and be able to give you your room key and direct you to your housing. Your room will include a telephone, bed, desk, wardrobe, etc., and you can rent bedding (including a bottom sheet, duvet and cover, pillow and case); your room will not be equipped with toilet paper or soap—be aware of that if you are arriving after shop hours. In Halifax there is a Costcutters small shop nearby, and there is another Costcutters in the center of campus. The porter can also give you a Dog ‘n Bone card, which you can use to make non-campus phone calls (you add money to it with your credit card).”
Your main RMP contact at Sydney is Nicholas Haskins, email n.haskins@usyd.edu.au, tel +61 2 9036 7219. Please contact Nicholas Haskins when you know that you will be coming to Sydney so that he can assist you with local arrangements.
RMP awardees should note that short-term accommodation in and around the University of Sydney is limited and can be expensive. Approximately $350-$400 a week should be budgeted for accommodation. On-campus accommodation is almost impossible to secure during semester (Mar-June & August-November). Previous RMP awardees highly recommend the Cambridge Lodge for accommodation. Located in the pleasant suburb of Stanmore, the Cambridge Lodge offers clean, comfortable, modern single rooms with en suite for approximately $350 per week (dorm rooms are available for those on a tighter budget). It is situated close to trains and buses that will have you on campus in 10-15 minutes, or alternatively, a 30-minute walk.
Some useful local information: