‘You don’t get these kinds of experiences in the EU’
“Saxion wants to prepare students for an internationally connected world and wants contribute to resolving current issues. Developing intercultural skills and being open to other ideas are an integral part of this”, according to Anne Wichers, Erasmus+ Programme Manager at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. This educational institution had already been working with partners inside and outside the EU for decades before starting to use Erasmus+. And while Saxion’s Erasmus+ journey started with individual mobility, the university of applied sciences has now been able to set up many extensive and strategic collaborations thanks to this European funding programme.
Outside the EU versus inside the EU
Despite the fact that Erasmus+ is a European funding programme, it also provides grants for mobility and cooperation outside the EU and even outside Europe. Saxion is happy to make use of this opportunity and has collaborations with institutions in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Southern Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Latin America and Canada. It also has other collaborations closer to home, such as in the Western Balkans including Albania. This collaboration is special, says Gerry Stegeman, Coordinator Internationalisation and researcher. “Albania is one of the few countries in action line KA171 where both incoming and outgoing student mobility is possible. Furthermore, sustainable travel is an option and it is a very interesting country politically.”
KA171
KA171 offers grants for both incoming and outgoing mobility of higher education students and staff members with third countries that are not affiliated to the Erasmus+ programme. This requires a substantive application, in which the relevance, quality and impact of a project are described and assessed.
It is highly relevant for our research group and for students, to experience a country like Albania, that wants to join the EU. A lot still needs to be done in terms of organisation and regulations to get everything ready for membership.
Albania: a special experience for students
Gerry works together with Joyce te Bos, Project Manager and researcher, at the Resilient Democracy Research Group. Joyce: “It is highly relevant for our research group and for students, to experience a country like Albania, that wants to join the EU. A lot still needs to be done in terms of organisation and regulations to get everything ready for membership. How this process affects the country and its population comes to life for students during mobility. You can’t experience this in countries that are already members of the EU.”
Saxion students in Albania
KA171-mobility: springboard and support
In some cases KA171 mobility works as an initiator to other forms of cooperation. For example, Saxion’s KA171 collaboration in the Western Balkans has led to a larger Capacity Building project. However, vice versa is also possible. Anne: “That’s what we are now seeing in the Sub-Sahara region. There we are a partner in a Capacity Building project where some universities are making the switch to more practical education, similar to Dutch universities of applied sciences. We have applied for KA171 mobility there, to support the Capacity Building project that is already running.”
Capacity Building
Capacity Building in Higher Education is all about cooperation to help improve and modernise higher education in third countries that are not affiliated to the Erasmus+ programme.
If you already have collaborations outside Europe, then it can be beneficial to do KA171 alongside these, as an incentive to accelerate other projects and deepen cooperation.
The impact of Erasmus+
In KA171, national agencies divide the funds available in the twelve regions, between applications that meet all quality criteria. In some regions, budgets are relatively low. “Erasmus+ can have a huge impact even on a small scale”, says Anne. “A couple of mobilities can already be valuable in starting a project. KA171 projects can supplement existing country and partner strategies. Although project ambitions do not depend on funding, it is essential for progress.”
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