2013

Exchange

Local actions guidelines actions Local Europein

"Europe in Exchange" is an AEGEE-Europe project that aims to give all students and young people in Europe and neighbouring countries the possibility to take part in mobility programmes.

[email protected] http://www.projects.aegee.org/eie/

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1 - Introduction: Mobility is probably the topic closest to our AEGEE heart, a heart formed by different ideas and interests, but with a common aim: to fight for creating a Europe without frontiers and to allow the creation of a European community among the youth of Europe. AEGEE has done many big things in the past supporting the mobility of students in Europe. Students’ mobility has reached the level it has now in our continent partly due to the work our association has done in the past. AEGEE has done many big things in the past supporting the mobility of students in Europe. Students’ mobility has reached the level it has now in our continent partly due to the work our association has done in the past. AEGEE has organized many actions with this topic such as Erasmus manuals and newsletters, Socrates Actions Days and Weeks, as well as projects like Socrates on the Move or Education for Democracy. Europe in Exchange project Aim of the project: wants to do it again.

Europe in Exchange (EiE) is an AEGEE-Europe

project that aims to give all students and young people in Europe and neighbor countries the

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Our objectives:

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Why students don't go on exchange? What does it stop them? Studying, working, or volunteering abroad offers a huge range of benefits for students taking part: they increase their intercultural awareness, develop their sense of initiative, increase their international network of friends and connections, grow personally, and improve their employability, etc. However, many students miss this life changing opportunity. Low scholarships to finance the expenses that require a period of study aborad

Low number of destinations offered

Difficult and slow procedure for applying for mobility programs

Erasmus and other mobility programmes are not present in their country

Lack of coordination between the home University and receiving one. Lack of competence of the Erasmus coordinator

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Erasmus is the only mobility program most young people know

Language barrier: not enough competence in foreign language

The academic programs are not compatible or not in English

Not interested in studying abroad

Problems with recognition of ECTS credits

Visa problems

Fear they won't integrate in the new surrounding

Erasmus is associated with party, not with getting new relevant knowledge and skills

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2 – European Mobility Days European Mobility Days consist of organizing a “one day action” in your university/city to either promote mobility programmes among students (promotion actions) or discuss how to increase possibilities for students to participate in mobility programmes (local conferences). You can organize European Mobility Days wherever is most suitable for you. European Mobility Days can be achieved through two different actions: promotion actions and local conferences.

2.1. Promotional actions Promotional actions aim to inform students about possibilities for mobility. You could organize workshops at universities, info events, as

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well as workshops at high schools. The majority of students are familiar with the Erasmus program, but there are many other unfrequented mobility possibilities that are overlooked. AEGEE can assist in making these possibilities more visible and expose them to future participants.

Types of action you can organize:

• Do you know how magnificent is to work Info events with students from high schools? Informing them about the possibility to • You can organize a be part of mobility programs and workshop where you • If you want to promote encourage them to go is the best thing can work the different mobility you can do for them. You can do simultaneously with exchanges you should different workshops in the high schools, the group on specific organize info events, starting with presentation what is problem that the where you can present mobility, how can they take part, how students have in the different types of can be fundraised, what will do they your city. programs to the there, for which period can go, where students. . can go, etc. Workshops at universities Workshops in high schools

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2.2 Local conferences After completing the Lifelong Learning program (which will be replaced by Erasmus for All/Erasmus+), AEGEE can evaluate the program and the mobility situation for students. By evaluating the program and providing feedback, AEGEE people will be more informed of additional mobility possibilities. Previous participants and/or current participants involved in local conferences can generate effective results, both for students and the university. Local conferences are another great way of promoting the mobility of students. You can also invite representatives from national agencies or people from NGOs that are working in the mobility field to be guest sat the conferences.

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Use the mailing list, social media, personal contacts, random meets. Make some promotional materials and spread them

 How to organize the conferences? So you are interested in organizing a promotional action or a local conference and wondering how you can organize it. Here is the easiest way to do it: -

Be well prepared for the event; talk with the students that are present. Make a list of their contacts.

Find former exchange students and include them in the Don’t forget to make an evaluation of the action, and event. Always keep in mind that they could be potential tell us how it was. AEGEE9 | membersP a g e so – don’t forget to present the organisation.

3 - New partnerships This proposal’s purpose is to establish new partnerships for mobility with other higher education institutions from EU and neighboring countries. By creating new partnerships, the possibilities for incoming and outgoing students are diversified.

Why do it? Many times the possibility for mobility among students is limited because some institutions choose not to participate in students’ mobility programmes or they do not have enough partnerships with other universities. Thus, the number of options and places for potential mobility students are bounded. Because of these Increased university factors, only a limited amount of students can participation go on exchange in many cities. = What if all universities (all departments) Increased mobility opportunities were part of the exchange network? Can you = imagine how the mobility of students would increase? The need to Increased number of students include more universities in the exchange network and encourage on exchange universities inside and outside the current Erasmus zone to engage in the program is vital for its success. 10 | P a g e

Europe in Exchange encourages and supports universities to establish new partnerships with foreign institutions in order to:

Include in the current Increase the number Erasmus of the incoming Increase the number map, countries in the exchange students and of the outgoing EU Neighbourhood open more positions & exchange students Policy and the placements EuroMED countries

How to do it? The primary action is to focus our attention on universities. Universities can hold a big mobility & exchange number of students; locals should approach them and present in the most attractive way the benefits of creating more partnerships with other universities. Asking for the addition of more placements should also be considered - in case they already have some partnerships with other departments.

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The first step toward creating new partnerships begins with contacting the International Office of your university. Explain to them roughly what the theme of the proposal and arrange a meeting. During the meeting you will present them a dossier (EiE will provide you with one) describing in detail the proposal. Then you will proceed to explain and discuss the possibilities offered to the university and whether or not the university is interested in the proposal. It is important that you identify the needs of the university and show them how you can help. In the case that they are not interested in your proposal and you cannot help them with their needs, the collaboration will not be possible. In any case, the goal of the meeting should be to analyze the offer and determine the interest of both parts. It is crucial that during the meeting you arrange a following step with the potential collaborator (another meeting, the promise of a prompt answer by email, etc.). Following the conclusion of the meeting, you should contact the EiE team to inform us about the result of the meeting, so we can help you in the further steps. EiE project will provide you with a dossier to explain the proposal to the university, the contacts of other universities which want to participate in the action, as well as guidance during the whole process. If you are interested, you can join the group "Newpartnershipsformobilityprograms" on Facebook.

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Idea: Ask everyone in the meeting to put a sign (a small flag or a

label) with the language that he/she speaks, so other people can

approach easily

Language meeting What kind of activities can be organized? Arrange a meeting place

Tandem Invite people

interestedd in languages system Collect info - who wants Language Library to teach/learn Collect old books at foreign language Create database from other students Mitchmach Create section in the library People could rent the book 14 | P a g e and Improve their language

knowledge

If you are interested, you can join the group on Facebook. "LanguageexchangeprogrammesinAEGEE"

5 - Lobbying actions We want you to take part in bringing the students’ word to the policy makers of your university. You can use the word advocate. Policy makers and managers of the university many times lack the perspective of the students about several issues which concern the latter. This commonly causes them to miss one side of the story, not being able to look at the whole picture. As a result of this, wrong decisions could be made or some problems that for students that are evident will not be detected. For that, we propose Easier procedures you two relevant topics to when applying for mobility programmes lobby/advocate for: Also, the lobbying actions could be combined with the local conferences to have a More courses in English in the bigger impact. universities

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 Easier procedures when applying for mobility programmes  Why lobby for this?  How to do it?  More courses in English  How to lobby/advocate? You can follow two approaches: a) Detect a problem/s and propose a solution/s for it (we have situation a, which is not working adequately, and because of it, we propose you situation b). In this case, you will start basing your proposal by identifying the failures/problems of the system and proposing possible solutions to each one of the problems. In this case, you will need to start convincing the policy maker of the problems you are detecting. Once s/he is convinced of it, you can propose solutions and how to implement them. b) Imagine an ideal scenario and propose how to reach it. In this case, we need first to identify the ideal situation that we would like to have (which elements/characteristics does it have. Then we will compare it with the current situation, detecting the differences and then proposing bridges between the current situation and the ideal one. In this case, you will need to convince the policy maker that the ideal scenario you are presenting to them is a good one and, once achieved, that the changes needed to arrive there are worth the effort. Thanks to the vast AEGEE network, you can find examples of other universities that are implementing similar measures successfully. EiE project will help you find these solutions. 16 | P a g e

Have an idea of what you want to lobby for (which one of the previous two proposals... or Idea maybe a different one).

Form a team to work with and define the Team proposal. You may also need to search supporters outside AEGEE. Try to estimate how much outside help is needed and discuss the Message steps needed with your team.

Maintain close contact with a person from the university’s Contact administration to identify who you need to talk with. Try to determine the prospective possibilities of your proposal.

Document Collect your idea in a formal document which you will present to the policy maker(e.g. Dossier, letter, etc)

Meeting Set a meeting. Be sure that as an outcome of the meeting, a next step has always been agreed upon: a next meeting, the contact of someone else you need to talk with, the promise of a prompt response by email, etc. Follow up

Follow up the development of the proposal: further meetings, 17 | P a g e 3rd - Have a clear messagecontact of whatothers you who are asking are responsible for. If your message is

The final step is to gather (in a document) a specific, clear and coherent proposal to present.Try to arrange several meetings with representatives from the university to discuss your proposal. It is not likely that you will initially achieve everything that you want. Remember that any little change will bring the situation in your university closer to the ideal one.

6 – AEGEE antennae as EVS accredited organizations: What is EVS? European Voluntary Service (EVS) is a program of the European Union, part of Youth in Action program. It allows a young person (18–30 years old, exceptionally 16-30) to become a volunteer in another country (normally in the EU but also outside of it) for a specified period, between 2 weeks (although normally it's not so short) and 12 months. Travel costs, food, accommodation and language trainings are being paid by the program.

Why your antenna should participate in EVS project? If your antenna participate in EVS you will have the chance either to host volunteers from other countries (being hosting organization) and/or to send young people from your city to volunteer in

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other countries (being sending organization). If you are hosting organization, you will have the chance to receive volunteers to work for your local and boost your human resources. If you are sending organization, you will give the chance to several young people from your city to live an amazing experience volunteering in another country for some months. And the best part? All is funded by Youth in Action!

How to participate?

Get informed and think: First of all, you need to think and decide if you want to participate in EVS and which kind of projects you would like to participate in (this will be important for the latter stages).

Get accredited: In order to participate in an EVS project, you first need to be accredited. Only accredited organizations can participate in EVS program. Accreditation is a quality assurance process to make sure that promoters involved in EVS are aware of the values, objectives and rules of EVS.

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How to get accredited? Once you have already decided that you want to participate in EVS, you must send an Expression of Interest to your National Agency (or Executive Agency in Brussels if your country is not a YiA program country) describing your motivation and ideas for EVS activities. For the Expression of Interest you have to use the official form and fill all the sections included in it. You can get accredited as hosting organization (to receive volunteers) and/or sending organization (to send young people to volunteer abroad). It the evaluation of your Expression of Interest is satisfactory, you will be accredited to participate in EVS projects. The accreditation lasts for three years. More Info You can find more information about how to get accredited here.

Prepare a project: Read the section about EVS in the Programme Guide of the Youth in Action program (if

you haven't read it before), to be aware of all the details to submit an application for EVS. The evaluation

process of the Expression of Interest takes around 6 weeks, so if you want to submit an application for a

project, you should start the process at least two months before the deadline. Check the deadlines in the 20 | Pwebsite a g e of your National Agency of in the Programme Guide of Youth in Action.

All the Youth in Action projects are based in partnerships, so for your EVS project you will also need partners. You can find partners in the EVS database of the European Commission. Try to find partners from the countries you are more interested in and which a profile which suits your idea for project. One of the partners will assume the role of coordinating organization (normally the hosting organization) and will take care of sending the application. Get in contact with your partners enough time in advance to plan the details of the application (although many times the hosting organization is the one who prepares most of the application and the sending organization/s just join the idea).

All organisations must apply the principles of the European Voluntary Service Charter at all stages of the project.

* For any doubt about the process to participate in EVS as accredited Please, keep in mind: organization you can contact You can get a lot from participating in EVS us or your National Agency. (especially as hosting organization), but be aware that it also implies important As hosting organization you need to find and responsibilities. Any organization participating provide volunteers with suitable working and in an EVS project needs to provide personal living conditions (accommodation), food, language and administrative support to each volunteer. classes and support along the whole process (with regular

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meetings and evaluations), helping them in what they need.

Moreover, if you are hosting organization, you may also be coordinating organization, what means that you will need to deal with the application, managing the budget and money of the project and reporting to the National Agency.

As sending organisation you will be in charge of the preparation and support of the volunteers especially before de EVS starts, but also during and after it if needed.

The main purpose of EVS is the personal development of the volunteer. EVS program is conceived as a non- formal education process. Therefore, the learning of the volunteer is even more important than the help he/she can provide volunteering. When preparing your organization to host volunteers, keep this in mind: the volunteer is there also for his/her own personal development, not simply to help you. That doesn't mean that he can do whatever s/he wants, though: the volunteer has some responsibilities s/he needs to comply with, otherwise, s/he may risk that the organization will finish the contract and the volunteer has to come back home.

Participating in EVS can be a step forward for your organization, but it needs to be prepared carefully before taking the decision.

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7 – Other ideas  Social actions- social actions such as: concerts, games, mobility city tours, flash mobs, parties where exchange students are participating, aperitifs with exchange students etc, are great ways to motivate students engage in mobility exchange programmes. Another activity is organizing international and multicultural days/nights/dinners/meetings, where exchange students can meet, talk, form friendships, and have fun. You can also cooperate with other international NGOs in your city like: ESN, BEST, AIESEC, etc. and do the action together. The possibilities are endless. If you need help/advice during the organization process we are gladly here to help. And of course, send us pictures afterwards and tell us how it was :)

Do have an idea or a new event in mind? We want to hear it. Approach us: [email protected]

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7 – Information and links about mobility programmes

General information about programmes of the EU: http://ec.europa.eu/education/pub/pdf/general/what_en.pdf http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/index_en.php

Opportunities for Higher education

The Erasmus programme is a European student exchange programme offeringuniversity students the possibility to study or to work abroad in another European country for a period of at least 3 months and a maximum of 12 months. The Erasmus programme is a great opportunity to spend 3

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to 12 months in another European country, and have it count towards your degree. You get to experience another culture and a new way of looking at your subject. You can make new friends and grow as a person. Erasmus is offered for bachelor, master & doctorate students and also for young entrepreneurs. There exists also Erasmus Placement that gives an opportunity for a traineeship abroad. Erasmus for higher education

http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/students_en.htm http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/funding/scholarships_students_academics_en.php

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/

Erasmus for Western Balkans

www.erasmus-westernbalkans.eu :

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LEONARDO DA VINCI

Leonardo da Vinci focuses on vocational education and training, other than at a tertiary level. It addresses both learning and teaching needs in the sector, and is therefore aimed at all parties involved, namely trainees in vocational education, teachers and trainers, institutions and educational bodies, enterprises, associations, social partners and bodies relating to either lifelong learning or the labour market. http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/ldv_en.htm

CEEPUS

Central European Exchange Program for University Studies (CEEPUS) is an exchange program for universities in Central Europe.Students can spend a study period abroad or teachers can undertake a teaching period at a partner university. http://www.ceepus.info/default.aspx

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DAAD-OSI

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Open Society Scholarship Programs are sponsoring a joint scholarship program for graduate students in the Balkans and the Transcaucasian and Central Asian countries of the former Soviet Union. The DAAD-OSI Program is designed to improve opportunities for teaching and research in the humanities and social sciences in the region. http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/daad-osi-program

EURAXESS

"EURAXESS - Researchers in Motion" is a unique web portal providing access to a complete range of information and support services for European and non-European researchers wishing to pursue research careers in Europe. http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm

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ACADEMIC FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The Academic Fellowship Program contributes to higher education reforms by supporting promising local scholars and assisting progressive universities in certain countries of Southeastern Europe and Central Asia.

http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/academic-fellowship-program

EUROWEB

EUROWEB is a scholarship programme for students of undergraduate, master, doctoral and post- doctoral levels, as well as university staffs in academic or administrative positions. The scholarship is open to selected nationals in EU countries and Western Balkans who want to study or work at one of the partner institutions, see Applicant information. http://www.mrtc.mdh.se/euroweb/

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PLOTEUS

PLOTEUSaims to help students, job seekers, workers, parents, guidance counselors and teachers discover information about studying in Europe. http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/

TEMPUS

TEMPUS is the European Union’s programme that supports the modernisation of higher education in surrounding areas around the EU. Tempus promotes institutional cooperation that involves the European Union and partner countries and focuses on the reform and modernisation of higher education systems in the Partner Countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region. http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/index_en.php

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BASILEUS http://www.basileus.ugent.be/index.asp , http://www.joineusee.eu/

ATHENS

The ATHENS Programme (for Advanced Technology Higher Education Network/Socrates) is a 1- week exchange session by a network of European higher education institutions. http://www.athensprogramme.com/

Volunteering

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EVS

The European Voluntary Service (EVS) provides young people with the unique chance to express their personal commitment through unpaid and full-time voluntary activities in a foreign country, within or outside the EU. In this way, it seeks to develop solidarity, mutual understanding and tolerance among young people, thus contributing to reinforcing social cohesion in the European Union and to promoting young people's active citizenship. http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/european-voluntary-service_en.htm http://prezi.com/rdihlwkslxom/servicio-voluntario-europeo-sve/ (Sp) http://ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/hei_en.cfm (EVS accredited organizations)

Adult Education

GRUNDTVIG

TheGrundtvig programme focuses on the teaching and the study needs of learners taking adult

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education and ‘alternative’ education courses, as well as the organisations delivering these services. It aims to help develop the adult education sector, as well as enable more people to undertakelearning experiences, notably in other European countries.

Grundtvig for adult education: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning- programme/grundtvig_en.htm

School Education:

COMENIUS PROGRAMME

The Comenius Programme focuses on all levels of school education, from pre-school to primary to secondary schools. It is relevant for everyone involved in education:not only pupils and teachers but also local authorities, representatives of parents’ associations, non-government organisations, teacher training institutes and universities.

Comenius:http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/static/en/overview/comenius_overview.htm

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UWC

United World Colleges (UWC) is an education movement comprised of 12 international schools and colleges with national committees in more than 140 countries and a series of short educational programmes. Students are selected from around the globe based on their merit and potential. UWC schools, colleges and national committees offer scholarship and bursary schemes as well as accepting fee-paying students. http://www.uwc.org/

Non-profit Organizations

AFS

AFS is a non-profit international exchange organization for students and adults that operates in more than 50 countries, and organizes and supports intercultural learning experiences.

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http://www.afs.org/

YFU

YFU is one of the world's oldest, largest, and most respected international educational exchange programs. Through the exchange experience, YFU students gain skills and perspectives necessary to meet the challenges of and benefit from the opportunities that the fast-changing global community has to offer. http://www.yfu.org/index.php/europe

Other programs

ETEP

The European Talent Exchange Program is an initiative to stimulate the circulation of European repertoire on festivals, radio and media in Europe. Each year ETEP brings together the leading

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European festivals, radio and other media and stimulates them to ‘exchange’ a selection of artists. http://www.etep.nl/en/

Cultural Exchange Program

Cultural exchange programs were originally developed in the U.S. in an effort to increase international cultural awareness, and foster cooperation between nations. These types of programs allow participants to live and work in another country, giving them a deeper connection to the native lifestyle, language and culture, and offering a more meaningful and rewarding travel experience. http://www.bakpakguide.com/europe/europe101/intro/cultural-exchange-programs.shtml

Programs for studies outside Europe.

Bilateral cooperation program: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/bilateral_cooperation/index_en.php The European Commission has set up bilateral agreements between the European Union and some industrialised countries outside Europe to fund innovative projects. These projects focus on academic cooperation and student mobility. The programmes under these agreements give support to consortia of higher education and training

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institutions working together to improve their educational services, to compare and modernise curricula and to develop joint study programmes with recognition of credits and qualifications. The Executive Agency , unit P10 manages the following three bilateral co-operation programmes:

- theEU-USA ATLANTIS Programme, - theEU-CANADA Transatlantic Exchange Partnerships (TEP) Programme, - EU-ICI ECP: Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea International cooperation agreements

Not involving EU countries: Intra-ACP mobility Scheme (financed by EACEA): The intra-ACP academic mobility scheme supports higher education cooperation between countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). The scheme aims to promote sustainable development and poverty alleviation by increasing the availability of trained and qualified high-level professional manpower in the ACP countries. More about the programme http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/intra_acp_mobility/index_en.php

Experiences of former exchange students:

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- http://www.stexx.eu/find out more detailed information about the country/city/university that you want to go, check what other students have experienced there and get some useful information and inside tips. http://www.central.aegee.org/~erth/erasmusguide/ http://iris.siu.no/ wwww.myerasmus.com www.erasmusworld.com http://www.iagora.com/studies/ http://www.beeabroad.com

FR:http://thepienews.com/news/crowdfunding-site-launched-for-study-abroad/

Learning languages: Language exchange programmes in AEGEE Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129689850539231/ http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/eilc_en.htm http://www.conversationexchange.com/

Housing:

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http://www.studentmundial.com/home.php http://www.erasmate.com/ http://www.casaswap.com/

Other resources: “Probably in your country Ministry of Education website you can find more info about possibilities for studyingabroad”.

More info: http://www.eurodesk.org/edesk/EUToolbox.do?go=6 http://www.eurodesk.org/edesk/FTSearch.do?query=&stype=Programmes&maxresults=10 (links to Eurodesk info for each country) http://www.eurodesk.org/edesk/facebook.jsp (links to Eurodesk FB pages for each country) http://www.student-grants.eu/student-grant-application/

Information by countries: http://ec.europa.eu/education/study-in-europe

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http://www.ehea.info/members.aspx Spain: http://www.oapee.es Germany: https://www.daad.org/

Websites with info about universities, studies and scholarships: http://www.studyportals.eu/ http://www.eu-wishes.eu/study/ http://www.esn.org/content/other-exchange-programmes http://www.mladiinfo.com/ http://www.scholarshipportal.eu/#basic http://www.campuseuropae.org/en/ http://www.iie.org/ http://eastchance.com/ http://www.nuffic.nl/en http://www.studyineurope.eu/ http://www.universitieseurope.net http://scholarship-positions.com/

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http://www.findaphd.com/ http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/

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