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Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by internal policy funds (KA131-HED) - Coordinator: Institut de Genech

2023-1-FR01-KA131-HED-0001155372023Mobility of higher education students and stafffinalized
Countries: FR|CA|IE|NL|ES|US · Grant: €30,981

Objectives

For over twenty years, our institution has been actively committed to a European and international openness approach aimed at promoting the success and personal growth of all students, including the most vulnerable. Participation in the Erasmus+ program is fully aligned with this institutional strategy. Our project aims to offer mobility opportunities that are in line with European priorities and the concrete needs of our educational community. Our goal is to enable a growing number of students and staff to benefit from meaningful mobility experiences, particularly in technological and vocational pathways. The European focus of our institution is based on strong partnerships and a constant desire to improve the quality, inclusiveness, and impact of our actions. One of the major goals of our Erasmus+ project is inclusion. We strive to make mobility accessible to young people with mild disabilities, students with special educational needs (such as dyslexia, attention disorders, etc.), and financially disadvantaged youth (scholarship holders). To achieve this, we have structured a dedicated support service that ensures personalized follow-up for these groups. Key elements of our approach include early identification of individual needs, careful selection of internship supervisors, family support, personalized mobility preparation, and appropriate educational accommodations. Even when students do not have official recognition from disability services (MDPH) but only a personalized support plan (PAP), we provide equivalent internal support. In this context, hybrid or partially funded mobilities allow us to broaden the number of beneficiaries while staying within our budget. This equity-driven strategy is communicated transparently to families from the start of the school year, through information meetings and individual interviews. The educational quality of the project is another key focus. Student work placements are organized with well-established and experienced partners (mainly in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain) capable of providing a secure and professional environment for our youth. Internship agreements and assessment grids are standardized and translated to ensure clear recognition of each student’s achievements. Placements in third countries not associated with the program (such as Canada and Senegal) are fully integrated into our institution’s international strategy. An official partnership has been signed with an agricultural training farm in Ziguinchor, Senegal, enabling the safe deployment of students under secure logistical conditions. These mobilities benefit from enhanced funding (20% international). Staff members are also involved in the project through training mobilities: job shadowing, language development, student supervision abroad, and comparative analysis of professional practices. This component strengthens internal skills, enriches our educational offering, and ensures high-quality student support. The implementation of these mobilities also enhances the digital skills of both participants and teams with online communication tools. Finally, our financial strategy is based on responsible and precise grant management. Taking over the consortium's management in 2023 led us to conduct a detailed analysis of the actual expenses incurred by students depending on the destination country. Thanks to strong partnerships, most students are housed and fed at no cost (notably in the Netherlands), significantly reducing individual mobility costs. Instead of automatically awarding full grants, we chose to allocate modulated grants, allowing a greater number of students to benefit from mobility opportunities. Through the Erasmus+ program, our institution therefore aims for coherent, inclusive, high quality, and sustainable development of European and international mobility, aligned with the program’s priorities and our students' expectations.

Project partners (1)