Erasmus An overview

Introduction What is Erasmus? Who can take part? What can you do? Where can you go? How many take part? Benefits

What is Erasmus? Largest organised mobility programme in the world Forms part of the EU’s Lifelong Learning Programme Managed in the UK by the British Council since 2007 Over 4,000 Higher Education institutions in 33 countries participate Introduced in 1987 to encourage student and staff mobility in the EU

Who can take part? Students doing a higher education degree or a short term higher vocational education course Students from all subject areas - from art to zoology Part-time students are eligible Higher Education Staff – both academic and administrative

What Can You Do? Students can study 3-12 months in another European country as a part of their degree programme Students can also do a work placement which provides a good preparation for future employment Academic staff can teach for 5 days up to 6 weeks in another European university Administrative staff can train - short secondments, job-shadowing and study visits

Where Can you Go? Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Liechtenstein Luxembourg Latvia Lithuania Netherlands Norway Malta Poland Portugal Romania Spain Sweden Slovakia Slovenia SwitzerlandTurkey

How many take part Over 2.5 million students have participated since 1987 – over 200,000 from the UK In 2010/11 8603 UK students studied and 4270 undertook a work placement 2068 staff from the UK took part Over 200 higher Education institutions in the UK are involved Spain, France and Germany are most popular destinations

Benefits for Students Stand out in the job market Gain life-skills Acquire cultural understanding Adapt to new environments Get a grant Earn credits Learn a language Gain international experience Return more motivated, independent and confident Have a fun, life-changing experience! Benefits for Students

Acquire knowledge of another European educational system Discover best practices and new ideas Develop international networks Enhance the teaching experience Learn about new cultures and working environments Return motivated and enthused Improve your CV! Benefits for Staff

A degree is no longer a passport “ Employers are looking for more than just technical skills and knowledge of a degree discipline. They particularly value skills such as communication, team-working and problem-solving. Job applicants who can demonstrate that they have developed these skills will have a real advantage.” Digby Jones – Former Director-General, Confederation of British Industry Erasmus students get better degree results and earn higher salaries according to the report produced by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE): "Attainment in higher education of Erasmus and placement students".

“ I returned with a renewed belief in myself “ I returned with a renewed belief in myself... I know that a year’s study in another country will make me more attractive to prospective employers ... Above all I leave with an insight into life in another country, fluency in another European language and friends who come from all over the world. ” Katie Goodfellow, France

"Erasmus has helped me in so many ways - personally and academically "Erasmus has helped me in so many ways - personally and academically. It has enabled me to grow as a person, meet lots of new friends and feel academically confident for my future studies. Completing the Erasmus programme is perhaps one of the best decisions I have made in my life so far. " Sarah Breen, Austria

Erasmus- your passport to success http://vimeo.com/18749547

Thank you www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus