1. Cherry James, London South Bank University

2.  Assumption: that a period of study abroad is a ‘good thing’ for students and society alike  Jan Figel: European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth: 'Erasmus programmes have given 'Europe' real meaning in hundreds of thousands of families for whom it would otherwise have remained a vague and abstract concept'.  Much smaller proportion of UK students have a period of study abroad than do other European students - a pity!  Good for CV: valued by employers; students report positively of experience

3.  Strictures of QLD  Little room for optional modules  Often students doing at least one compulsory core module for most or all of degree course

4.  For Law students on QLD hard to fit an Erasmus year or semester abroad into a three year QLD  Pay fees to home institution whilst abroad - costly to add a year, about to become more so

5.  An Erasmus Intensive Programme - about 250 a year  Alternative to studying at a university in a different EU Member State for a period of three to twelve months  Funded by EU Lifelong Learning Programme  Staff and students from at least three universities from at least three EU MSs  Joint study of particular specialised topic  Short period (ten days to six weeks) - can fit into a university holiday

6.  LSBU and four other universities  Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Rotterdam, co-ordinating role  Other partners: University of Ulster; University of Pècs, Hungary; Cergy Pontoise University, France  Application for funding for a three year IP

7.  Requirements: integrated into the study programme of the participating students  Commission preference for IPs in rapidly evolving and new areas  Also if IP is in a study area where extended period of study abroad not possible

8.  Coming into force of Treaty of Lisbon was imminent: hence very topical. Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: Title V ToL  Recognised as area ripe for academic focus: many conferences etc  Not generally addressed in standard EU law courses, anticipated this might change  Six specialist topic areas: Terrorism, Organised Crime, State surveillance, Asylum and immigration, Free movement of persons, Citizenship: one student from each university to each topic

9.  Multinational teaching of specialist topics which otherwise not taught much at all  Students and teachers working together in multinational groups, gaining new perspectives on topic  Teaching staff to exchange views on teaching content and new pedagogical approaches and test teaching methods in international classroom

10.  Variety of innovative assessments  Pre-IP phase at home universities:  Two papers:  1. Group paper on implementation of AFSJ law and policy in university’s Member State  2. Individual paper on an issue within student’s specialist topic area.  All uploaded onto IP VLE

11.  Oral presentations on national group papers and individual papers  Moot court in national groups  Group paper prepared in international specialist topic groups, on problem scenario  Oral presentation of group paper findings  Classes during IP: specialist lectures, lectures on national legal and court systems, visits, group paper coaching

12.  Diverse – individual and group work both national and international  Mooting  Oral presentations  Learning about AFSJ law and policy and its implementation and operation in different MSs  Erasmus IP aims: ‘...enable students and teachers to work together in multinational groups...and gain new perspectives on the topic being studied’.

13.  Hard to distinguish cause from effect, but –  Some former participants have gone on to longer Erasmus exchanges (semester or year)  Some have gone on to Master’s degrees in international topics at home or abroad  All have said it was very worthwhile, some the ‘most worthwhile’ thing they have done during their degrees  Element of self selection by those with ‘international’ backgrounds/interests  For staff: expect the unexpected!