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Higher education student and staff mobility project
Start date: Jun 1, 2014, End date: Sep 30, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

On behalf of the academic staff and students of Medical University-Pleven, Bulgaria, we are glad to present the outcomes of our completed project activities, to highlight the local progress in implementing the best collaborative practices regarding the exchange and to summarize the impact of Erasmus+ international mobility on education and research at our institution. For the reported period, MU- Pleven has fulfilled in 100% the planned in the Grant Agreement 2014 mobility for 8 students and 5 staff members. Moreover, due to difference in the duration of the program, we have been able to enroll 3 more participants, 2 students and 1 staff member, so that the completed mobility for the period reached the total of 16 (10/6 student/staff). Compared to previous years, we achieved one more mobility flow in Staff mobility for teaching and signed agreements with 4 new receiving countries like the Czech Republic, Germany, Cyprus and Slovenia. We interviewed all participants for their experience and personal opinion on the whole period of mobility after return. Feedback showed the participants were generally satisfied, energized and positively inspired by the activities during their stay and practice at the host institutions. The majority of students and staff highly assessed the significance of Erasmus+ mobility for their professional development and personal enrichment. The students were able to share and improve their medical knowledge, to gain professional experience in problem-solving sessions and group-oriented clinical discussions, to develop presentation skills in an international teamwork and atmosphere to improve their flexibility and adaptation to new circle of colleagues and co-workers. The participants generally perceive the period of exchange as a unique opportunity to develop intercultural competence and language skills for precise medical expertise, critical thinking and fluent doctor-patient communication. The mobility analysis has shown an increased motivation of students to join voluntary initiatives organized by the local Association of Medical Students like Days on Hypertension Diabetes, Breast Cancer, Rare Diseases, etc. Moreover, students were inspired to invite their colleagues from the host institutions to take a part and to present their research at the annual International Medical Scientific Conference for Students and Young Doctors at MU-Pleven. The students prefer Student mobility for traineeships because there is a mismatch in the curricula of Medicine in the universities in Europe. Our university primarily focuses on facilitating the mobility of students pursuing a Master's degree at Medical school. Through this project we realized mobilities of additional target groups - students pursuing a Bachelor's degree at the department of Public Health and Health care, faculty members and non-academic administrative staff. The average number of recognized ECTS is 17.5, because the duration of student mobility for traineeships is less than 1 semester - usually 2 or 3 months during the summer. Through the project, Medical University – Pleven established collaborative relationships with several new European universities. This, in turn, created new opportunities for students and staff educational exchange. Based on feedback from participating students, we increased the share of practical training in the University curriculum through more workshops focused on biotechnology and emergency medicine. In addition, we introduced elective classes in the areas of Medical Oncology and Emergency Medicine for Faculty of Medicine. To ensure early information and smooth preparation for mobility, we organized an Erasmus+ Information day which was attended by more than 110 participants from different specialties and faculties in MU-Pleven. We focused on sharing the outcomes of past project activities and presenting the new opportunities for academic exchange and cooperation. Outgoing teaching staff and students who returned from Erasmus+, bilateral and other program mobility were invited to share their impression regarding the quality and relevance of the exchange. All student mobility participants wrote an essay - "My Erasmus + experience" which, along with photos was published in the University's magazine and our Facebook page. The impact of participating in the Erasmus+ program encompasses a range of aspects: 1) it allows students, administrators and faculty to experience state-of-the-art teaching technologies and methods used in participating partner European countries; 2) it improves the quality of the educational process; 3) it helps accumulate experience which contributes to the development of innovative best practices in the areas of administration and education which are essential in today’s rapidly changing educational environment; 4) it fosters the development of tangible skills among students and faculty, such as teamwork, cross-cultural collaboration and foreign language communication; 5) it helps p
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