CONTEXT/BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT Ca' Foscari University of Venice has a long-standing tradition in the Erasmus Programme, being involved in its management since 1987. In the last five years Ca' Foscari University of Venice has remained faithful to a path which maintains internationalisation as one of its top priorities. Such a path is not to be considered an end in itself, but is instead understood as the means to achieving a number of objectives which have been designed in line with the mission of a university which intends pursuing excellence. The principal goals which Ca' Foscari has set for itself include, above all: - international networking: the placement within prestigious networks of international universities so as to provide its students and teachers with the possibilility of professional and cultural enhancement - internationalisation at home: to develop an international study and research environment at home, capable of attracting international students and academic. - development of the European identity: to contribute thanks to its activities to increase students and staff's awarness and sense of belonging to Europe as a whole. This overall strategy has the specific objectives of attaining: - qualitative and quantitative growth of mobility, for students, faculty and administrative staff - increase of international study programmes (double and joint degrees) at all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD). - increase international visibility and attractivenes of study and research products - foster participation in EU and non EU cooperation programmes that expand from mobility to other activities, such as teaching and research in order to enrich the common educational environment. Ca' Foscari, in compliance with the principles of the European Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) which has been awarded with, ensures full recognition for satisfactory completed activities of study mobility, as per its internal regulation for the recognition of study periods abroad (http://www.unive.it/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=86427) based at its turn on the equivalence of 1 ECTS= 1 CFU (Credito Formativo Universitario). Ca' Foscari is very well-placed in the internationalisation rankings of the Italian Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MIUR), specially regarding the share of fundings awarded in reference to the following performance indicators: - number of graduated students who have obtained at least 9 CFU (ECTS) abroad - Ca' Foscari is ranked 3rd in Italy - number of ECTS obtained abroad by enrolled students - Ca' Foscari is ranked 7th - number of Erasmus outgoing students in 2013-2014 academic year - Ca' Foscari is ranked 16th The funding granted by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research to our University thanks to its internationalisation performance amounts to Euro 1,116,493 in 2014 and Euro 1,125,000 in 2015. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: The whole community of the university (students, scholars and administrative staff) may participate to the mobility opportunities that Erasmus+ offers, within the framework of this project that Ca' Foscari has been awarded. UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES Student mobility for studies (SMS) - 469 students involved in mobility for studies between Programme Countries Student mobility for traineeships (SMP) - 51 students involved in traineeships between Programme Countries Staff mobility for teaching (STA) - 15 scholars involved in teaching activities between Programme Countries Staff Mobility for training (STT) - 9 administrative staff involved in training activities between Programme Countries RESULTS ATTAINED Ca' Foscari participation in the Programme encourages and pushes forward the modernisation of internal governance and administrative mechanisms which are increasingly based on performance indicators. The main longer-term benefit attained thanks to the Programme is the qualitative and quantitative growth of mobility, for students, faculty and administrative personnel. In fact from 2009-2010 academic year to 2014-2015, number of mobilities achieved by Ca' Foscari within the framework of the Erasmus programme has risen from 382 beneficiaries to 544, which means an increase of 142.41% All beneficiaries who have taken part in this programme declare that the experience has enriched their knowledge personally, culturally, and academically, in particular regarding their cross-cultural competences, soft skills and overall their sense of belonging to a large Europe, that is the main aim of the Erasmus + programme. In particular as far as scholars are concerned, the possibility to undertake a mobility period allows them to acquire specific competences such as intercultural abilities which enable them to improve the internationalisation level of their academic programmes back home.