ICA member survey 2007

Introduction

This questionnaire is part of a process of continuous improvement in the services offered by ICA (the Association for European Life Science Universities). There are 15 questions in all, most of which can be answered with mouse clicks.

You have been sent it because your opinions are the best information we can get to help us in that improvement. Even if you know nothing about ICA at the present, it is important that we know your views about how we could make it work for you in the future. Even if you give us your contact details (Question 15), it will not be possible to identify your response in any published documents based on this survey, so you should feel free to be honest and open about your reactions. There is no obligation to answer any question.

The questions

1. Were you aware of ICA before receiving this questionnaire?

Yes [Go to question 2]
No [Go to question 4]

2. What is your level of contact with ICA? (you can tick more than one box)

Frequent contact (e.g. through membership of the Board or Committees)
Attendance at conferences (e.g. of ICA, its Standing Committees (AGRIMBA, ECHAE, IROICA, NATURA, SILVA, USAEE) and partner organisations (CEDIA, NASULGC))
Involvement in ICA-supported collaborative projects (e.g. QUALITY, AMEU, AFANet, DEMETER)
Occasional contact (e.g. through newsletters)
very rare or no contact
Other (please specify)

3. How do you rate the value of ICA services to your institution?

4. Looking at the list below of services offered by ICA, please indicate your perception of their value to you and your institution - even if you answered 'no' to Question 1.

	To you personally	To your institution
Professional updating through ICA's conferences and workshops.
Stimulus and support for education, research and knowledge transfer.
Networking resulting from involvement in ICA activities
Linkage to developments worldwide through ICA's cooperation with international associations (e.g. NASULGC and GCHERA).
Participation in externally-funded collaborative projects.
Opportunity for senior managers (rectors and deans) to discuss strategic issues.
Bringing Standing Committees together to develop projects and discuss professional matters, and to avoid unnecessary duplication.

5. If there are any other benefits that YOUR INSTITUTION gains from membership of ICA, please note them here.

6. If there are any other benefits that YOU PERSONALLY gain from membership of ICA, please note them here.

7. Below is listed a number of ways in which ICA might improve the value of its services to member institutions IN THE FUTURE. Please rate each of these by their likely value to your institution:

	Extremely Important	Quite Important	Not At All Important	I don't know
Facilitate international accreditation of degree programmes, including joint and double degrees.
Create a searchable database of teaching and learning capabilities of in ICA members, for use in identifying Erasmus and other collaboration opportunities.
Disseminate Good Practice Models developed by ICA members, and recognition of universities that developed these good practices.
Develop research networks which cross the boundaries of disciplines and of the professional societies.
Create a searchable database of research capabilities in ICA institutions, for use in forwarding funding calls, partner opportunities.
Support the professional development needs of the administrative research officers in the same way that it supports international relations officers.
Become a focus for the dissemination of the outcomes of research networks, e.g. EU framework programmes.

	Extremely Important	Quite Important	Not At All Important	I don't know
Create specialist services and events for Senior Managers (Rectors/Deans/Heads of Department).
Share good practice in marketing activities to recruit students.
Support the professional development of marketing and student recruitment officers.
Act as an information platform concerning university-industry connections (e.g. to develop joint projects, or to acquire student placements).
Enhance the credibility of project applications by ICA acting as a partner with experience, contacts and reputation.
Lobby in the European Commission to promote the discipline area and the interests of ICA's members.
Provide information to members on developing European Commission programmes.

8. Are there any other ways in which you think that ICA could improve the value of its services to you and your institution?

9. Below are listed some ways in which ICA could improve its communications. Please tell us how valuable you think each might be in helping to raise awareness of ICA and its services.

	Excellent value	Good Value	Little value	Don't know
Improve the general corporate image of ICA (e.g. on website, newsletters, etc.)
Make newsletters more frequent and regular.
Send all communications by email.
Update the website more frequently.
Upgrade the website to an information 'portal' with links to external organisations as well as ICA and associated organisations.
Inform all members of opportunities for collaborative projects, short-notice partner calls, etc.
Include open invitations to participate in ICA-sponsored projects.
Put a greater emphasis on research.
Place more emphasis on opportunities for industry links.
Ensure a clearly-identified ICA contact person within your institution.

10. Please feel free to explain further any of your responses in Question 9, and/or add any other ideas.

About you...

11. What type of institution do you belong to?

Specialist university (i.e. of agriculture and related topics, applied life sciences)
General university with a life sciences interest
Specialist college, fachhochschule, hogeschool (i.e. of agriculture and related topics, life sciences)
Other (please specify)

12. What position do you hold in your institution?

Top management (Rector, Vice-Chancellor, Principal, CEO)
Senior management (Deans, Head of School, Department or Division)
Senior administrator (Head of Administration, Registrar)
Academic staff (teaching and researching as main roles)
International Relations Officer
Research Support Officer
Other (please specify)

13. Are you a member of an ICA Standing Committee?

yes
no

14. In which country is your institution based?

country

144. ICA needs the active involvement of its members, would you be willing to be approached to become involved in a future activity of ICA

yes
no

15. We may wish to explore your ideas further with you. If you would be willing for us to do so, please give your contact details. This will also ensure that you are automatically entered for the draw for Amazon vouchers. These details will not be used in any way in the collation and analysis of results.

Name
Institution
Email address

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to answer our questions. Now please click the 'SEND RESPONSE' button to return your responses to us. If you have any further comments on ICA or the questionnaire, please do not hesitate to email kerstin.trieb@boku.ac.at.