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Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by internal policy funds (KA131-HED) - Coordinator: UNIVERSIDAD DE VIGO

2023-1-ES01-KA131-HED-0001236682023Mobility of higher education students and stafffinalized
Countries: ES · Grant: €1,571,773

Objectives

This project was submitted in the 2023 call in order to carry out student mobility actions for studies and internships, teaching and administrative staff mobility, long- and short-term mobility actions, and long- and short-term mobility with third countries not associated to the Programme. The objective was to implement all these activities mainly during the 2024–25 academic year, given that funding from the previous KA131 project was available for the previous year. The application did not include participation as a coordinating institution for Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), since, after informing and consulting the university community about this action and not receiving firm coordination proposals, we decided to request funding that would allow the participation of our staff and students in BIPs coordinated by other institutions, while working on the development of high-quality coordination proposals to be submitted in future funding calls. All actions included the possibility of mobility to third countries not associated to the Programme, within the limitations established in the budget. Therefore, all calls (long-term studies, short- and long-term doctoral mobility, internships, and staff mobility) have included this possibility throughout the project. The application and subsequent implementation aimed to achieve the participation of students with fewer opportunities, in line with the Programme’s priorities, and thus contribute to the acquisition of transversal skills, a better understanding of other cultures, and the improvement of digital competences, all contributing to greater employability and to narrowing the gap between university and the labour market. In fact, in the application, the percentage allocated to these participants exceeded 50% of the total mobilities, a figure based on participation in previous projects and the expansion of the groups considered as students with fewer opportunities included in our calls. From the beginning of the project, we also aimed to allow participation from students of all degree programmes at the institution, and particularly to promote the participation of PhD students through a specific call. This has helped to strengthen research and technological innovation, offer the possibility of obtaining a doctorate with an international mention, and complement traditional long-term mobilities with short-term mobility options, which are more feasible for students unable to relocate for extended periods. Another objective of the project is to welcome international students to study at our institution, and to receive foreign staff for teaching, training, or sharing best practices. The mobility flows justified in this project would not have been possible without the support of the Programme. Although participants were funded by their home universities, participation in the project made it possible to finance expenses related to their mobility through organisational support funds (materials, Spanish language courses, academic and cultural activities, etc.). Participation in all these mobility activities represents a significant increase in the internationalisation of all faculties and schools at the Universidade of Vigo, as well as for the participants themselves, for whom this project offers an opportunity to acquire transversal skills, both academically and personally. For the majority of participants in long-term study mobilities, the Erasmus experience continues to be their first international academic experience. The improvement of language competences is also one of the project’s key objectives: language courses and other activities for the promotion of languages and cultures have been organised. The Language Centre at the Universidade de Vigo, which is part of the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalisation, has worked in close coordination to promote the various activities carried out during the duration of this project.

Project partners (1)