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Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by internal policy funds (KA131-HED) - Coordinator: Groupe ESIEA

2024-1-FR01-KA131-HED-0001980352024Mobility of higher education students and stafffinalized
Countries: FR|BE|HU|LV|LT|NL|NO|SK|ES|TR · Grant: €67,435

Objectives

The implementation of our Erasmus+ KA131 project is fully aligned with ESIEA's internationalisation strategy and represents a key driver for the development of our institution. Through this project, we aimed to provide as many students and staff as possible with a meaningful international experience, strengthen their academic, professional and intercultural skills, enhance their employability, and contribute to the further development of the European Higher Education Area. ESIEA firmly believes that a significant period of study or training abroad is a decisive factor in the personal and professional development of its students. Beyond the scientific and technological knowledge acquired through our partner institutions, participants develop essential transversal skills such as autonomy, adaptability, open-mindedness, self-confidence, intercultural communication and the ability to thrive in complex and multicultural environments. In a rapidly changing world marked by growing uncertainty, these skills play a crucial role in strengthening students' resilience and capacity to act effectively in diverse professional and social contexts. This conviction is reflected in our academic policy. Since the 2021-2022 academic year, an international mobility study experience has been a mandatory requirement for obtaining an ESIEA engineering degree. Students enrolled in the standard engineering programme must complete a study semester abroad, while apprentices are required to undertake an international mobility period of at least nine weeks. Our objective is to ensure that every graduate benefits from the academic, professional and personal added value of an international experience. ESIEA's active participation in the Erasmus+ programme for more than twenty years has been instrumental in achieving this objective. The development of a strong network of European and international partners now enables us to offer a diverse portfolio of mobility opportunities that meets the needs of all our students. During the 2024-2025 academic year, ESIEA organised 390 outgoing mobilities, including 130 to European destinations. To ensure that international mobility remains accessible to all students, the institution complements Erasmus+ funding with substantial internal resources. Additional agreements have been negotiated with several long-standing European partners in order to provide extra study places and mobility programmes specifically adapted to the needs of students in the apprenticeship programme. ESIEA's annual investment in these complementary mobility opportunities now exceeds half a million euros. Beyond the individual benefits for participants, the project also aimed to support the continued modernisation of our institution and the ongoing improvement of our practices. The requirements of the Erasmus+ programme, particularly in the field of digital transformation, have acted as a strong catalyst for innovation. The implementation of Erasmus Without Paper and the deployment of the Mobility-Online platform have enabled the full digitalisation of international mobility management, improving the quality of services provided to students and partners while enhancing the reliability and efficiency of our procedures. These improvements now benefit all mobility activities organised by the institution, regardless of whether they are funded through Erasmus+. The project was also part of a continuous quality enhancement process. Feedback from students, staff and partner institutions is regularly analysed in order to identify areas for improvement and adapt our practices accordingly. This culture of evaluation and continuous improvement is further strengthened through our participation in European cooperation projects. One example is the Erasmus+ KA220 project Strengthening the Ecosystem for Sustainable Student Mobility (SuMoS), through which we collaborate with several European partners on topics such as the simplification of academic procedures, environmental sustainability, inclusion and improved access to information. The tools, methodologies and innovations developed within this project directly contribute to enhancing the services and support provided to our participants. Therefore, beyond the implementation of individual mobility activities, our ambition was to make Erasmus+ a long-term driver of institutional transformation, innovation and quality improvement, serving the success of our students, staff and partners. At ESIEA, every Erasmus+ project contributes to strengthening our capacity to provide an international experience that is accessible, inclusive, high-quality and impactful for our entire academic community.

Project partners (1)