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Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by internal policy funds (KA131-HED) - Coordinator: ACADEMIA DE STUDII ECONOMICE DIN BUCURESTI

2022-1-RO01-KA131-HED-0000574222022Mobility of higher education students and stafffinalizedGood practice
Countries: RO · Grant: €1,503,564.8

Objectives

Through the Higher Education Mobility Project 2022 KA131, the aim was to ensure international mobility and further accelerate the internationalization process of the study programs at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE). Therefore, the objective was to facilitate the mobility of a significant number of students from all faculties and study levels, primarily in participating and associated third countries, but also in non-associated third countries as a complement to the KA171 project, especially in the SMS OUT component, but also in the SMT OUT, whether they were short-term or long-term. ASE offers a wide range of opportunities through collaborations with prestigious universities, research institutes, private sector organizations, and NGOs, whose specializations are compatible with those of ASE. It is worth mentioning that the project also opted for the international openness component, organizing mobilities to non-associated third countries in the Erasmus+ program, with universities that have a long-standing cooperation with ASE Bucharest, or with new partners. As part of this project, we also chose to support students and staff from universities in Ukraine, organizing incoming mobilities for them. Additionally, our commitment will be directed towards facilitating staff mobility to partner universities, for professional development and the strengthening of inter-institutional relations. Unlike previous projects, this one focused also on the training of administrative staff, as well as on disseminating the results of STT and STA mobilities. The Erasmus+ Office established "Mobility Cafe" – a monthly hybrid event that allowed mobility participants to share their experiences and mobility results. It is considered that the specific objectives have been achieved, both in terms of the quality of mobilities and participant satisfaction, as well as quantitative, particularly in the training mobilities for administrative and teaching staff, whose numbers doubled compared to the initial estimates. The same situation was recorded in the SMT component. Regarding the SMS and STA components, the numbers were similar or slightly higher than planned. Given the large number of beneficiaries, we believe that the Erasmus+ project met the needs of many participants, which is a success. To achieve this goal, ASE Bucharest opted to organize a large number of short-term blended mobilities, which allowed for the efficient use of the budget to offer a higher number of grants. The Erasmus+ mobility project also supports PhD students, who have a mandatory mobility component in their study contracts with ASE Bucharest, with Erasmus mobilities providing a favorable context and a viable financial solution. As for the blended intensive programs, this indicator was only partially achieved, but it is encouraging to note the high level of student satisfaction, as well as the diverse origins of incoming students, which allowed for greater international exposure for local ASE Bucharest students. Moreover, the use of green transportation methods was encouraged, with many participants choosing the bus as their means of transport to and from the partner organization. In terms of inclusion, the Erasmus+ Office offers the option for students to receive social top-up grants, providing top-up grants to all applicants who qualify for them, in accordance with ASE Bucharest’s Scholarship Award Methodology. Regarding digitalization, there is a gradual shift toward digital mobility management, with the first targeted component being long-term SMS OUT, whose selection and mobility management process was the one transitioning under this project. In conclusion, we believe that ASE Bucharest’s 2022 KA131 project successfully achieved its proposed objectives, strengthening participants' skills, promoting intercultural exchange, and significantly contributing to their personal and professional development, in line with the values and strategic directions of the program, as well as the 2016-2027 ASE Bucharest Internationalization Strategy.

Project partners (1)