Influence of Erasmus+ mobility on higher education students’ competences and attitudes Warsaw, 28-90 November 2018

Erasmus student mobility in Poland (higher education) Liczba wyjazdów studentów 1998/99-2018/19: 236 066; 2015: out 16.500, in 13.500. Każdy student wypełnia indywidualny raport uczestnika; od 2014 w MT An average number of mobilities per year equals: 11,000 studies abroad/year 5000 traineeships/year According to the legal basis, individual projects do not have to have any systemic impact. This combined result of these projects should contribute to the systemic impact, and such impact can only be seen at the end of the program implementation period. The program guide states that "in the long term, the combined effect of several thousand projects supported under this key action will have an impact on education, training and youth work systems in participating countries, thus stimulating reforms policy

Online reporting in Poland Mobility Tool+ Participants reports Before 2014 Since 2014 Online reporting in Poland Mobility Tool+ National reporting: Participant reports – part of the final report, including statistical summary of the student and staff reports; 2002: online participant reports: NA analysis of student answers to open questions; GISE („Erasmus student opinions exchange”) 2014 – critical year: Mobility Tool Challanges (as data conversion) and disadvantages as (multiple answers or lenght of the survey) - aleady mentioned.

First steps… The publication prepared for the 10th anniversary of Poland’s participation in the Erasmus programme included analysis of students’ reports.

Mobility of Erasmus(+) students Mobility of Erasmus(+) students. Analysis of students reports, 2007-2015 Findings: An overall satisfaction, as well as satisfaction with particular mobility aspects, is very high, regardless of the field of study, country of departure or level of study (dissatisfied students: less than 1% each year); Academic outcome: over 80% of „very satisfied” and „satisfied” students; Placements: over 80% students declared that tasks were in line with thier field of study/educational profile/met the expectations. Joanna Dąbrowska-Resiak, Zespół Analityczno-Badawczy

Mobility of Erasmus(+) students Mobility of Erasmus(+) students. Analysis of students reports, 2007-2015 (2) Findings: Integration: more intensive with other E+ students than with local ones; Main motivation for mobility: to improve foreign language skills: ~80% of students going for studies (and over 60% going for placement) declared improvement of language skills during the mobility; Students belive to have better chances to get a new or better job: Over 90% considerd working abroad after graduation, Over 80% wanted to work abroad/ international environment (…) Only a small proportion of students declare that their language skills have not improved (and at the same time did not use it fluently before leaving).

Further careers of mobility participants: Students in higher education Erasmus(+) students participating in studies or traineeships in the years 2007-2015 (n=6877) Focus on: Mobility impact on further academic and professional career and on personal development of students, Transfer between academia and labour market, Graduates’ situation on the labour market –comparison between age cohorts, fields of study, different HEIs. Aim of the study: To gain knowledge about the educational and professional career paths of mobility participants; Research population: ~100,000 mobility participants Quantitative approach On-line survey Longitudinal study – 1st edition in October/November 2017: presented last year at the seminar Pilot study – June/July 2017, sample of 3,000 respondents; How many participants continue education? Why do they decide to continue education? Are university graduates interested in academic career? Where do they work? How long it took them to find their first jobs? How much they earn on average? What impact mobility has had on their development (professional, educational, personal)? What skills they have developed abroad? Are those skills and competences useful in their professional and/or academic career?

Further careers of mobility participants: Students in higher education (2) 9 out of 10 students underlined their Erasmus experience during recruitment process Findings: By 2010, more than 90 percent the respondents decided to go for studies. In the years 2015-2016, internships accounted for over 20 percent of all student trips, and in 2017 - almost 30 percent. ¼ has worked abroad, most of them in a different country than E+ scholarship;

Further careers of mobility participants: Students in higher education (2) Influence of E+ mobility Findings: By 2010, more than 90 percent the respondents decided to go for studies. In the years 2015-2016, internships accounted for over 20 percent of all student trips, and in 2017 - almost 30 percent.

Analysis of Academic Recognition for Higher Education Students Studying Abroad with the Erasmus+ Programme An analysis of barriers to student recognition and challenges on reporting levels of recognition for higher education students studying abroad under the Erasmus+ Program’s Key Action 1: Learning Mobility for Individuals; The Project is coordinated by the Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education and involves: Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Sweden; The purpose: to provide the five E+ NAs with solid background information on the matter for use in their national administration of the E+ and in their strategic communication to their institutions of higher education; Final report expected by mid-2019.

European Court of Auditors „Special Report” Feedback from participants reveals very high satisfaction with Erasmus+ mobility and its effect on their employability. For example: 93.8 % of respondents as at January 2018 declared that they had increased their key competences. 93 % of staff say they learnt new good practices, 75 % stating that they had returned with practical skills relevant for their current job. 79.1 % declared that they had increased their employability. Such feedback, whilst informative and encouraging, may be subjective. 81. This participant feedback is useful but, as it is subjective, should not be used as the main measure for assessing the quality and results of a mobility (…) 82. The students we met said that the questionnaires were too complex (in particular for VET) and use too much EU jargon. Some students reported difficulties in filling in the questionnaires.

European Court of Auditors „Special Report” Post-mobility questionnaire for participants is subjective and complex. https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/AnnualActivityReports.aspx 81. This participant feedback is useful but, as it is subjective, should not be used as the main measure for assessing the quality and results of a mobility (…) 82. The students we met said that the questionnaires were too complex (in particular for VET) and use too much EU jargon. Some students reported difficulties in filling in the questionnaires.

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