MOBILITY BETWEEN EU AND NON-EU HIGHER EDUCATION

Zdenka Gadušová, zgadusova@ukf.sk Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra

Bratislava, 1.3.2013

Erasmus-Mundus

ACTION 2 - Partnerships between European and non European higher education institutions at all academic levels

MANECA – provides mobility scholarships for students and staff from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to five European partner universities

Partners EU partners:

*Technische Universität Berlin (DE), coordinator

*Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre (SK)

*Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg (DE)

*Lessius Mechelen - Campus De Nayer (BE)

*Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (LI)

CA partners: *Kazakhstan 4 uni + 4 assoc. partners

*Tajikistan 3 uni

*Uzbekistan 4 uni + 2 assoc. partners

*Kyrgyzstan 3 uni + 1 assoc. partner

*Turkmenistan 1 uni + 1 assoc. partner

Mobility- three target groups for individual mobility flows

1. Students and academic staff registered in one of the CA universities (members of the partnership)

2. Third-country nationals working in public administration, public and private enterprises (not included in the partnership)

3. Nationals of the third countries concerned by the geographical lot who are in particularly vulnerable situations, for social and political reasons

- five different types of individual mobility for students and academic staff

- UG, MA, PhD, post-doc., staff

Total number of mobilities – 114

per country: KZ 31, UZ 27, KG 25, TJ 20, TK 11per mobility type: UG 31, MA 20, PhD 21,

post-doc. 17, staff 25

Length of mobility

UG, MA, PhD., post-doc.: 6 -10 months

Staff: 1 – 3 months

Scholarship covers: Travel expenses Subsistence costs Insurance costs Tuition fee (where applicable)

Subsistence allowance: UG, MA – 1000€/m

PhD. – 1500€/m

Post-doc. – 1800€/m

Staff – 2500€/m

Application procedure

1 stage – finding EU uni and a supervisor

2 stage – submitting application with the letter of confirmation from host uni and other supporting documents (detailed info on web) to coordinator in Berlin

3 stage – on-spot (mostly by coordinator) and Skype interviews of applicants

4 stage – communicating decision

Getting ready for mobility

To apply for visa: letters of acceptance (coordinator + host uni) accommodation agreement insurance agreement air ticket

To apply for temporary residence permit (TRP): criminal record from home country with super

legalisation birth certificate

(aforementioned docs translated into Slovak) criminal record from SK application form with stamps and photos

During the stay

mobile phone bank account biometric data collection to receive

TRP medical report confirming the

applicant does not suffer from a disease endangering public health

survival Slovak language course, attending classes, courses, visiting supervisor, libraries, conferences, writing papers/essays/other works

  KazakhstanTurkmenista

n UzbekistanKyrgyzsta

n Tajikistan

UG 4        

MA 1        

PhD 1 1 1 1 1

Post-doc

1 2 1 2

Staff 2 1 1

Mobility to CPU according to the type of mobility and country

CPU: 20 persons, 151 person-months

 Kazakhsta

nTurkmenist

anUzbekista

nKyrgyzsta

n Tajikistan

UG 4 x 6 = 24

MA 1 x 10 = 10

PhD 1 x (6+4) = 10 1x 10 = 10 1 x (6+4) =

101 x (6+4) =

10 1 x 10 = 10

Post-doc 1 x (6+4) = 10

2 x (6+4) = 20

1 x (6+4) = 10

2 x (6+4) = 20

Staff 2 x 2 = 4 1 x 1 = 1 1 x 2 = 2

Total number of months

9 / 58 1 / 10 4 / 31 3 / 22 3 / 30

Project Pros – EU perspective

New experience as a project partner in E-M

Wide range of challenges related to work with students and staff from different cultural background

Exchange of information, knowledge and skills

Creation of network for future co-operation among universities in Asia and Europe by expanding experience in student and staff exchanges

Central Asia – one of the geographic target regions of EU strategy for internalisation

Project Pros – CPU perspective

New bilateral cooperation agreements with universities in CA developed and signed

More CA students coming for study stays at the university

Joint research projects plannedJoint publications publishedDual diploma (at masters level) in the process of signing

Teaching staff mobilities (both directions) continue

New projects written and submitted

Project Cons – EU perspective

Lack of information about the systems of education and grading in CA HEIs

Lack of knowledge about visa and TRP application procedure

Lack of FL skills of Slovaks working with foreigners (police, hospital)

Extensive paper work and preparation Problems with applicants from countries

where the country doesn't have embassy Time for adaptation to a new living and

working place

Project Pros – CA perspectivePossibility to study abroad – in EuropeHaving fully subsidized study stay Getting to know system of European education

Exchange of scientific knowledge and research results (post-docs and staff)

Publishing possibilities abroadDevelopment of language skills Certificates about successful completion of study stay abroad – important documents for future carrier of mobility participants

New cultural experience Possibility of travelling in Schengen areaFinding new friends and contactsRaised self-confidence

Project Cons – CA perspective

Administrative and language difficulties with addressing and finding host supervisors

Problems with getting visa (necessity to apply in person – huge distances to travel) and TRP

Extra expenses and time to travel and to get visa (only 2 embassies for 5 CA countries)

Extra expenses to travel and to get visa to the other CA country to get Schengen visa

Getting used to a different study systemDifficulties to find matching study subjects to have them recognized by their home university

Extra expenses and time to travel and to get visa (only 2 embassies for 5 CA countries)

Problems with home university (bachelors were not allowed to stay for another semester)

Lessons learnt

Set clear management rules and timingBe ready to invest much time into communication with applicants and then, students

Give clear and structured instructions to applicants

Work closely with the sending and receiving departments

Face the challenges of study stay recognition – look for similarities in the systems and possibilities how to match them

Be ready for unexpected – stay flexible