Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window (EM ECW)

EM ECW - Objectives The Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window aims at mutual enrichment and better understanding between the European Union and Third-Countries, through the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills at higher education level Specific Objectives –To enhance the international cooperation capacity of universities in Third-countries –To promote cooperation between sending and hosting institutions –To enable students to benefit linguistically, culturally and educationally from the experience of pursuing academic studies in another country –To improve the transparency and recognition of studies and qualifications –To contribute to provide good students from vulnerable groups with further education and professional development –To enhance the skills and qualifications of foreign higher education staff –To build the capacity of the administration and public and private sector –To enhance in the medium term the political, cultural, educational and economical links between the European Union and Third-countries

EM ECW – Geographical Coverage EU Members States, Acceding (Romania, Bulgaria) and Candidate Countries (Croatia, FYROM, Turkey) EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) AND THIRD-COUNTRIES grouped in 9 “geographical lots” –Neighbouring Countries in South Mediterranean and Eastern Europe ( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Israel, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia) –Central Asian Republics ( Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan) –East Of Jordan (Yemen, Iraq and Iran)

EM ECW – Eligible Partnerships Applicants: European HEI (holding an Erasmus Charter) or Association/network of European HEI (including at least 10 HEI with an Erasmus Charter, located in at least 5 different European countries) Partners: Same as applicants + recognised HEI from the Third-Countries covered by the geographical lot Partnership: Minimum size: 5 European HEI (holding an Erasmus Charter) + 1 recognised HEI from each of the Third-Countries covered in the geographical lot (exception for lot 7 and 9: obligation to cover only 2 of the countries concerned) Maximum size: 20 eligible partners (incl. the applicant) The same partnership can apply to 4 lots max (separate applications) Associates Any type of organisation in the eligible countries whose involvement can contribute to the implementation of the mobility scheme (e.g. enterprises, chambers of commerce/industry, research centres, NGOs working with refugees, local/regional authorities, …) Associates must be mentioned in the application but do not benefit directly from the Community funds

EM ECW – Activities and Target Groups ACTIVITIES : Preparation, organisation and implementation of individual mobility exchanges of European and Third-Country students (all levels) and academic staff in a large number priority disciplines. TARGET GROUPS –TARGET GROUP 1: Students and academic staff registered in a HEI member of the applicant partnership Target Group 1 must represent at least 50% of the total mobility European mobility is limited to a maximum of 30% of the total mobility –TARGET GROUP 2: Nationals of an eligible Third-Country, enrolled in (or having obtained a university degree from) a HEI of these countries non-member of the applicant partnership –TARGET GROUP 3: Nationals of an eligible Third-Country in a particularly vulnerable situation (e.g refugees, asylum seekers)

EM ECW –Types and Duration of Mobility Type of MobilityTarget Group 1Target Group 2Target Group 3 Undergraduate students 3-10 monthsNot applicable6-34 months Masters studentsEU: 3-10 months TC: 3-22 months 6-22 months Doctorate students6-34 months Post-doctorate students 6-10 months Academic staff1-3 monthsNot applicable All mobility flows must start during the academic year 2007/08 !!!!!!!

EM ECW – FUNDING Total budget of 36,4 mio € Between 1 and 6 mio € per project (in accordance with the volume of mobility and the available budget per funding instrument) Project Grant Calculation –10,000 € per eligible partner for mobility organisation costs (max. 200,000 €) –Unit costs to cover Individual Mobility Travel costs (from 250 € to 2,500 € according to distance) Monthly Allowance (from 800 to 2,500 according to type of mobility) Tuition fees (varies with duration and type of mobility; from “fee waiver” to 5,000 € / acad. year) Insurance costs (75 € / month abroad) Max individual grants –Undergraduate TG 1: 13,675 € - Undergraduate TG 3 : 45,500 € –Masters: 30,650 €- Doctorate: 64,050 € –Post-doctorate: 23,750 €- Academic Staff: 7,725 €

EM ECW – Implementation calendar 1.31 January 2007: Submission of Applications to the Executive Agency 2.Third week of February 2007: selection of proposals by independent academic experts : a)Assessment and selection of best concept notes (approx. twice as many as the number of proposals fundable with the available budget) b)Assessment and selection of best proposals resulting from a) 3.May 2007: communication of selection results to applicants 4.As from 3. above and until December 2007: identification and selection of individuals to be mobile during the academic year 2007/08 5.December 2007: submission of the list of mobile individuals (incl. reserve list of candidates) 6.From Sept 07 to April 08: starting date of individual mobility flows

EM ECW – Expected Results Implementation of a European students and acad. staff scholarship scheme with Third-Country partners, combining the Erasmus type institution-based mobility and the Fullbright free mover mobility, complementary to the Erasmus Mundus Master scholarships. More than 1,300 individual mobility flows starting in acad. year 07/08 Cooperation with High level European HEI (holding and Erasmus Charter) and contribution to the Bologna objectives (incl. recognition issues) Improved cultural understanding and diversity respect

EM ECW – Usefull Links Call for proposals documents: 2.pl 2.pl (select: programme "OTHER", status "Open", type: "Grants", region and country "All", and go to the bottom of the page after having hit the "Submit Query" button) FAQs: coop/call/index.htm coop/call/index.htm Functional Mailbox for additional questions: