The RISE project objectives were to provide 218 mobility opportunities for students and 70 mobility opportunities for staff across European settings between start of September 2020 with all activity completed by end of July 2022. Given the pandemic challenges that arose over the delivery period, SRC were able to facilitate four mobilities, providing opportunities for 42 students and 18 accompanying staff. These are as follows: 1) Granada, October 2022, 17 students & 8 staff, 2) Portugal, February 2023, 16 students & 5 staff, 3) Finland, May 2023, 8 students & 5 staff, 4) Ireland, June-August 2023, 1 student. Whilst Erasmus+ provided an extension to the project end date to enable opportunities, the College was still restricted in terms of its own internal policies and by external policies imposed by some host countries. SRC could not have foreseen the Covid pandemic and made every effort were possible to provide these opportunities for our learners/staff without putting their health and wellbeing at risk. The College believe being able to provide opportunities for 20% of the initial target given the circumstances it was faced was an achievement. The 42 students and 18 staff who undertook mobilities did benefit greatly and as a result, the objectives of the project detailed below were still met: • The project supported learners in the acquisition of competencies (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) improving their personal development and employability in the European labour market. • The project enhanced students’ knowledge, know-how, skills, competencies required in their occupations as well as building their soft skills e.g., confidence, team-working, living and working in a global society. • The project enabled the College to provide excellent mobility opportunities which have added a European dimension to traditional activities and curriculum. • The project has not only met the project objectives but also the objectives detailed in the Colleges Corporate Development Plan (CDP), which is ‘To promote an outward and forward looking College through the development of international links supporting staff, students and knowledge exchange’. The College believes that through the implementation and delivery of the four mobilities detailed above, that the project objectives were successfully achieved.
Southern Regional College (SRC) is committed to Internationalisation, and it is embedded within the College Aims and Objectives and part of our annual College Development Plan. The College has a well-established track record in supporting staff and students to avail of knowledge exchange and sees it as integral to enhancing a learner’s educational experience, providing opportunities for continuing professional development and facilitating the sharing of best practice. SRC made the application to Erasmus+ for the Recognition for Internationalisation for Students across Europe (RISE) with a project start date in September 2020 with the aim of providing 218 mobility opportunities for students and 70 mobility opportunities for staff across European settings by end of July 2022. Unfortunately, due to the covid pandemic and the recovery of international travel and other external and internal factors, SRC were unable to fulfil the overall mobility targets resulting in only a small number of students /staff being able to undertake international placements. However, the students and staff who were fortunate to avail of this opportunity, had a great experience that enhanced their learning through gaining knowledge, skills and competencies applicable to their occupations as well as developing soft skills e.g. confidence, team-working, and living/working in a global society.