Erasmus Student Network

Erasmus Student Network

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a European wide student organisation.
Aims:
· to support and develop student exchange;
· to promote the social and personal integration of the exchange students;
· The local ESN-sections offer help, guidance and other valuable information to the exchange students hosted by their university;
· Provision of relevant information about academic exchange programs and student mobility.


Carolina Quintela nº1062

Sandrina Sousa nº 1229

Turma: 10º G

Euro desk

· Eurodesk is a European network of information services in 27 countries providing a unique access to European information for young people and those who work with them.The Eurodesk network receives ongoing support from the European Commission through the Commission's YOUTH programme, which is operated by the Directorate General for Education and Culture.
Who is involved?
In each participating country, the Eurodesk national partners are national bodies working in the youth field (non-governmental organisations, or organisations supported by a Ministry), which have been selected by the relevant ministry in each country, to deliver Eurodesk services. These national partners work together as a European network supported by the Brussels based co-ordination unit, Eurodesk Brussels Link. Eurodesk National Partners co-operate with over 500 local youth information providers (Eurodesk Local Relays) to extend the availability of Eurodesk information services to young people at local level. Eurodesk offers these local agencies training, information tools, help and support to facilitate the provision of European information within their existing information provision, thereby increasing young people's access to European information.If you are interested to know more about becoming a Eurodesk relay, contact your Eurodesk National Partner.The Brussels Link acts as co-ordination office for the Eurodesk Network. The staff team in Brussels undertakes the research of European information for the network and manages the communications structure and databases. The Brussels Link also has a development function in relation to new tools and approaches for European information. To contact Brussels Link: info@eurodesk.org.
What does Eurodesk offer?
The Eurodesk national partners are responsible for delivering a range of public European information services at national and local levels, which can include:
· free enquiry answering - by phone, visit, e-mail, fax, etc.
· advice and help to enquirers
· publications and resources
· events, conferences, seminars etc.
· internet access to European information
· training and support services

How can you access Eurodesk services:
Eurodesk on-line

Eurodesk on-site
The Eurodesk Network's web site gives instant access to European information on funding programmes. Eurodesk also offers live help and on-line support to those working with young people through its Support Centre and European Info Centre located on this site http://www.eurodesk.orgEurodesk uses Intranet communication technology to create a Europe wide network of information workers, keeping all the members of the Network in touch with each other to maintain and improve the quality of the services offered to young people. The Network Partners also benefit from information management tools provided through the Intranet.A multilingual enquiry answering database is used throughout the Network to help with answering European enquiries. The database can be accessed from this site.

Each Eurodesk National Partner maintains a free enquiry answering service for European questions relating to young people. Even if you can't visit them directly, the national partners are available for contact by phone, fax and email. Many national partners bring a Eurodesk presence to events or exhibitions involving young people. Keep a look out for a Eurodesk stand at youth events.The network of Eurodesk Local Relays has been created to give more local access to European information. Already working as established centres for information for young people, the Eurodesk Local Relays offer the opportunity to meet and talk to someone directly about European questions and young people.
Eurodesk is constantly developing new tools and approaches to help improve the access to European information for young people.

Practise English Grammar

Here you have the site where you can learn and practise English G
rammar.
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www.englishpage.com

Erasmus Student Network

Erasmus Student Network

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a European wide student organisation.
Aims:
· to support and develop student exchange;
· to promote the social and personal integration of the exchange students;
· The local ESN-sections offer help, guidance and other valuable information to the exchange students hosted by their university;
· Provision of relevant information about academic exchange programs and student mobility.


Carolina Quintela nº1062

Sandrina Sousa nº 1229

Turma: 10º G

UK COSA

UKCOSA supports staff who work with international students in universities, colleges and schools.

UKCOSA’s Mission

UKCOSA was established in the late 1960s after the introduction of differential fees for overseas students in 1967. In the words of Professor Peter Scott, Chair of the Executive Committee of UKCOSA, it was founded “because of the introduction of two-tier tuition fees threatened to turn international students into a commodity. There was therefore an urgent need to re-assert their fellow importance, and value, as people - fellow citizens of the world and partners in learning, scholarship and research”.
UKCOSA’s mission stems from its belief in the benefits that result from international student mobility. In this belief, it promotes and seeks to protect:

•The interests of students from other countries studying in the UK;
•The interests of students from the UK studying - or wishing to study - abroad;
•The factors facilitating student mobility.

In pursuing theses goals UKCOSA will act a resource centre, an agent of research and policy department, and a forum for its members and others!

Europe Direct

Europe Direct Leeds is part of a network of 30 Europe Direct information centres in the UK, 475 across Europe which aim to act as an interface between the EU and its citizens at local level. We distribute information and advice about the European Union's policies, actively promote local and regional debate about the European Union, allow the European institutions to disseminate local and regional information and give the public the opportunity to send feedback to the European Union institutions

EUROPE DIRECT helps you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Your queries are answered by the Contact Centre's multi-lingual staff who are based in Brussels.

History of the EUROPE DIRECT Contact Centre
1996:The Commission opens an e-mail service to answer information requests concerning its activities. A small team of operators inside the Commission handles these requests and provides advice on how to find the required information. Also in 1996, as part of the 'Citizens First' initiative promoting citizens' rights inside the Internal Market, a first call centre is launched to send guides and fact sheets to the enquirers.
1998: The European Council meeting in Cardiff calls for the creation of a permanent Call Centre under the name EUROPE DIRECT in order to give a user-friendly direct access to information and advice about the Union.
2000: Following an open call for tenders in 1999, the EUROPE DIRECT service starts operating in May 2000 with different free-phone numbers for each Member State.
2002: The various free-phone numbers are replaced by a single free-phone number accessible from all fixed telephones in every member state and from mobile phones in most countries: 00 800 67891011.
2004: The service becomes accessible from 25 Member States and operational in 20 official languages
2005: Comparing to 2003, the service doubles the number of citizens whose questions it answers and reaches 100 000 users in November 2005.
2007: The service is extended to two new Member States, Bulgaria and Romania, and becomes operational in 3 additional official languages: Bulgarian, Irish and Romanian.
What is the EUROPE DIRECT Contact Centre?
The EUROPE DIRECT Contact Centre is a service which helps you find answers to your questions about the European Union. It offers information on all sorts of subjects related to the EU including youg rights and opportunities as an EU citizen and how to take advantage of them. It can provide direct responses to general enquiries and, if you have more detailed questions, signpost you to the best source of information and advice at EU, national, regional and local levels.
Who can use the EUROPE DIRECT Contact Centre?
Citizens, businesses, students, etc. In other words, anybody and everybody who has a question on the EU.

About Erasmus

What is Erasmus?
Erasmus ("European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students") is the European Commission's educational programme for Higher Education students, teachers and institutions. It was introduced in 1987 with the aim of increasing student mobility within the European Community, subsequently the European Economic Area countries, and the Candidate Country of Turkey.
In 1995 Erasmus became incorporated into the Socrates programme which covers education from school to university to life long learning.
In 2007 the new Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 replaced the existing Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci, and eLearning programmes which expired at the end of 2006. Erasmus is one of the four sectoral programmes supported under the Lifelong Learning Programme.
2007 The Erasmus Programme Celebrates its 20th Anniversary
The Erasmus programme was launched in June 1987 and 3244 participated in its first academic year. Now, more than 150 000 people benefit each year from the programme. The Commission and the 31 participating countries will celebrate its 20th anniversary throughout the year 2007.
The Erasmus programme, which is arguably one of the best-known Community actions, encourages student and teacher mobility, and promotes transnational cooperation projects among universities across Europe. The scheme currently covers nine out of every ten European higher education establishments. It was named after Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466 - 1536), who was a Dutch humanist and theologian.Erasmus has developed beyond just being an educational programme. It gives many European university students the chance of living for the first time in a foreign country, and it has reached the status of a social and cultural phenomenon. Well over 1.5 million students have so far benefited from Erasmus grants, and the European Commission hopes to reach a total of 3 million by 2012.









Erasmus Mundus Frequently Asked Questions
[Back to Erasmus Mundus Contents]
The objective of Erasmus Mundus is to attract students and scholars from outside Europe and to enhance the appeal of European Higher education, through the support of high quality Masters level courses, and cooperation on promotion and development projects. We have received a large number of Erasmus Mundus enquiries and we thought that it might be helpful to point you towards the Frequently Asked Questions on the Commission's Erasmus Mundus web pages, which cover most areas of the application and funding. They can be found at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/mundus/faq/index_en.html Attached is a summary of the answers to questions which we have received.Please could you pass this information to anyone in your institution who is preparing an application or has expressed interest in the programme. The following table shows how the various Actions of the programme have been or will be implemented over the 5 programming years.
Memorandum by the UK Erasmus Student Committee
I. STRUCTURE
This written evidence is divided into four parts. The first establishes who the UK Erasmus Student Committee ("UK ESC") is, followed by a brief explanation why the UK ESC is contributing towards the Inquiry. The third and fourth sections explore the advantages and disadvantages of the current Erasmus programme and those proposed by the European Commission ("Commission") respectively.[5]
II. WHO UK ESC IS
The UK ESC is a body composed of returning Erasmus students elected at annual conferences in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh. It aims to promote the Erasmus programme to (a) UK students in order to increase UK student participation in European exchanges and (b) employers so as to heighten their awareness of the "Erasmus benefits" that Erasmus participants gain.[6]
III. WHY UK ESC IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INQUIRY
The UK ESC is contributing to the House of Lords Inquiry because it believes it can provide valuable information and first-hand insight[7] on the advantages and disadvantages of the current Erasmus programme and those attached to the Commission's proposal on the European Integrated Action Plan for Lifelong Learning ("Proposal"). The UK ESC bases its comments on the advantages and disadvantages of the current and proposed programmes, as well as its recommendations on areas requiring immediate attention and improvement, on the Erasmus experience each member of the UK ESC has benefited from. The UK ESC hopes that its observations will contribute towards greater UK student participation in European exchanges.
IV. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE CURRENT PROGRAMME
1. The main advantages of the current Erasmus programme can be split into three categories. First, Erasmus permits personal growth and development. As the Commission's Proposal correctly identifies, the overall exchange experience has a profound impact on students. Not only does the programme offer students the possibility to learn another language, discover new cultures, enrich communication and activate a wide European network, but it also contributes to students exploring and developing their own values and identity.[8]
2. Second, as the process of globalisation and European integration continues to have a larger and more direct impact on individuals in Member States of the European Union, there is an undeniable need for a deeper understanding of "European Identity," ie, the core elements that create Europe and its citizens. Erasmus is a potent instrument for supporting and accelerating both enhanced integration and a shared European Identity.[9]
3. Third, European and global integration have created an increasingly dynamic job market for which students need to gain necessary skills.[10] Erasmus provides the opportunity to develop the competence and expertise to adapt to and thrive in such an environment.[11] Many students in the UK ESC and those in contact with us have given impressive accounts of how their own career paths have led beyond their national borders and into territory of other EU Member States.
4. Disadvantages do exist, however. First, UK student participation in Erasmus is extremely low compared to continental student involvement, a fact that is attributed primarily to the lack of linguistic capabilities. For UK students to benefit from the advantages listed above, the value of foreign languages needs to be re-emphasized by the British Government and at schools. Although this problem is primarily a national one, as opposed to a flaw in the Erasmus programme itself, it severely affects one of the main goals of the Erasmus programme, namely, integration through learning.
5. Second, there is insufficient communication between Erasmus-participating universities. Problems resulting from this lack of interaction include enrolment on incorrect courses, administrative errors and, in some cases, host universities being unaware of the arrival of foreign students.
6. Third, European departments at UK universities generally suffer from under-funding, leading to problems for students when they are trying to (a) organise their year abroad; or (b) access the information necessary to make a decision as to whether they should participate in the programme or not.
7. Fourth, lack of information available to UK students (both at schools and universities) as to the existence of the Erasmus programme is continually brought to the attention of the UK ESC. By contrast, in many other Erasmus participating countries, such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain, Erasmus is a household name. Students in these countries are aware of the programme from an early age and look for the opportunity to participate from the moment they arrive at university. In the UK, it appears that Erasmus is a well kept secret. Aside from those on language and law courses, not many students know about Erasmus and even fewer know that studying abroad with Erasmus is relevant and possible for all subjects. Thus, a far greater effort is needed to inform school students about Erasmus even before their arrival at university. Many students are wary of changing their plans after arriving at their chosen higher education institution. To ensure the future success and improvement of the Erasmus programme within the UK, it is vital that such information is provided at the secondary education stage.
8. Finally, as a result of the low numbers of domestic students entering the Erasmus programme, many universities are beginning to lose money through the one-sided "exchange." With the balance between continental students arriving in the UK and those leaving to study abroad becoming increasingly disproportionate, UK universities are having to bear the weight of greater student numbers.
V. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME
1. In the opinion of the UK ESC, the Commission's Proposal maintains and, more importantly, adds to the advantages already gained under the current programme. First, the Proposal simplifies and streamlines the administrative process involved with Erasmus and the other exchange programmes related to Socrates. The Commission recognises in its Proposal that the current system is "bureaucratic and inflexible." In welcoming the Commission's Proposal, the UK ESC hopes that the new structure will provide a basis for addressing and resolving some of the disadvantages cited above in relation to the current programme.
2. Second, with "decentralisation" being a keyword in its Proposal, the Commission suggests that a number of areas of decision-making and implementation will be transferred from the European level to national agencies. This process is welcomed in general, the UK ESC hoping in particular that the additional resources provided by the Commission will be used to help the national agencies deal with these extra levels of responsibility. This financial aid would help combat the disadvantages referred to in points IV.5—IV.8 above.
3. Third, the Commission states it hopes to encourage greater synthesis between the separate programmes that they propose to place under the single umbrella of the "Integrated Programme." The UK ESC (a) finds these words extremely positive in relation to its aims of encouraging greater UK participation in Erasmus; and (b) would like to see Comenius used as a stepping-stone towards the Erasmus experience. More specifically, the UK ESC would strongly encourage teachers and Comenius representatives to raise secondary school students' awareness of possibilities of European exchanges at an early stage. This form of interaction would indeed help counterbalance the disadvantage cited in point IV.7 above.
4. Fourth, the Commission proposes an increase in funding in general. The UK ESC hopes that a reasonable portion of this extra money will be put towards the promotion of the Erasmus programme. In effect, such funding would contribute towards correcting the problem mentioned in point IV.4 and IV.8.
5. Last but not least, the changes proposed within the Erasmus programme in particular add great value to the current programme. More specifically, the proposed amendments to funding are welcomed: (a) Joint Masters programmes would receive funding for the entire length of their duration; (b) Students would be able to receive grants every time they participated in the Erasmus programme;[12] (c) The monetary amount of individual grants would be increased;[13] and (d) Work Placements would become part of Erasmus. The UK ESC believes that each of these factors will contribute to raising the level of UK student participation in Erasmus.
6. The UK ESC wishes to raise a couple of concerns, however, as regards the Commission's Proposal. First, as regards the concept of "decentralisation," the UK ESC fears that what could happen in practice is that decentralisation would lead to individual university staff members, who are already dealing with exchange programmes, having a greater workload to cope with. The administrative "trickle down" effect that could arise from the Commission's proposed decentralisation mechanism would place even greater strain on an already insufficiently funded infrastructure within UK universities. Thus, the disadvantage cited in point IV.6 would not only remain but would be aggravated. The effect would be to hinder the Commission's attempts in encouraging more students to participate. However, the Commission's proposal of increasing funding (see points V.2 and V.4) may quash the UK ESC's concern.
7. Second, the UK ESC wishes to emphasise that many of the disadvantages under the current programme are likely to persist in the proposed programme because the main problem is one of lack of awareness, initiative and energy at both individual and institutional levels. A national campaign about Erasmus as well as a dedicated Erasmus team in each academic institution would help increase UK participation within Erasmus.
January 2005
5 The written evidence submitted by the UK ESC focuses on only those parts of the Commission's Proposal that affect the Erasmus programme as it currently stands and the ability of students to participate in exchange programmes in the future. The UK ESC is aware that the Proposal encompasses a far larger spectrum than that which it is able to examine in such a brief report. Back
6 The "Erasmus benefits" include, inter alia, cultural sensitivity, the ability to communicate and overcome obstacles, proficiency in another language, confidence and maturity. Back
7 As indicated under heading II ("Who UK ESC is"), all members of the UK ESC are former Erasmus students, and thus have acquired personal experience in studying and living abroad. Back
8 For example, some former Erasmus students have reported that: "[Erasmus is] a journey of discovery-walking, striding, gliding . . . flying!" [per Uju Obi, a UK ESC member who read law at the University of East Anglia, was a runner up in the Erasmus Prize and spent her Erasmus year in Uppsala, Sweden]; "This Erasmus year was one of growth for myself and others with me, educationally, politically, culturally and socially" [per Shanaz Khan, the Societies and ESN Liaison Officer of the UK ESC, who spent her Erasmus year in Maastricht, The Netherlands]; "[Erasmus] has made us more aware and proud of our cultures, the small details that to us are ordinary and yet to others are so different" [per Rosie Harpur, UK ESC member, who spent her year in Budapest, Hungary]; "I grew as a person, developing my self-awareness, my education, my skills as a communicator and above all, my experience made me into the confident person I am now!" [per Holly Franklin, a UK ESC member, who spent her year abroad in Siena, Italy]. Back
9 "Erasmus provided me with a fantastic opportunity to integrate not only with the Dutch, in whose country I studied, but also with people from all over Europe and the rest of the world. The experience gained living with, working alongside and learning from students with vastly diverse personal and academic backgrounds has left indelible memories and a strong desire to gain much more such experience" [Christopher Dyson read Law at the Universiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands. Christopher is not a UK ESC member, but his enthusiasm confirms that his Erasmus experience was invaluable.]. Back
10 "[Erasmus] cultivates a maturity and confidence that allows people to adapt to new surroundings quickly and take diversity in their stride" [per Holly Franklin, a UK ESC member, who spent her year abroad in Siena, Italy]. Back
11 "I realise now how crucial the steep learning curve I experienced whilst abroad is for a future international career" [Rachelle Antal, UK ESC Deputy Chair and Website Officer, read English law, French law and Germany law at the University of Warwick and spent her third year at the Universität des Saarlandes, Germany and Universit de Lille II, France]. Back
12 Currently students receive an Erasmus grant only once. Back
13 The increase in grants for students from 150 per month to 250 per month is extremely welcome. With the cost of studying rising continually in the UK many students are deterred from an extra year in their degree course (which an Erasmus scheme automatically entails) due to the additional costs entailed by spending a year abroad. This significant increase will hopefully go a long way to dispelling the myth that studying in Europe is too expensive for most British students

Erasmus

ERASMUS programme

ERASMUS students gathering at a party in Netherlands.

The ERASMUS programme, also known as European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students, was established in 1987 and forms a major part of the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 of the European Union.
It is the operational framework for the European Commission's initiatives in higher education.

Origins of the name
The programme is named after Erasmus of Rotterdam, a philosopher, known as an opponent of dogmatism, who lived and worked in many places in Europe to expand his knowledge and gain new insights, and who left his fortune to the University of Basel.
The ERASMUS Programme, together with a number of other independent programmes, was incorporated into the Socrates programme when that programme was established in 1995. The Socrates programme ended on 31 December 1999 and was replaced with the Socrates II programme on 24 January 2000. That, in turn, was replaced by the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 as from 1 January 2007

Students
There are currently 2,199 higher education institutions participating in ERASMUS across the 31 countries involved in the Socrates programme and over 1.6 million students have already taken part.

Requirements
To participate in the ERASMUS programme students must be studying for a degree or diploma at a tertiary-level institution and must have completed their first year. They also have to be a citizen of one of the countries in the wider Lifelong Learning Programme.