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

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) has successfully implemented Erasmus+ KA1 project of the academic year 2014/15. The project has provided opportunities for numerous students and staff to take part in the mobility exceling the initial objectives by 80% on average. The number of outgoing students under Erasmus+ programme has increased by 30%, incoming students by 11%, and the number of staff remained constant compared to the last year. Thus the project has significantly contributed to achieving the goals of institution?s internationalisation strategy, improving its visibility abroad and posing even higher challenges for the future. The project was run by VGTU International Relations Office which has a well established procedures and long term experience in organising mobilities. Wide scope of dissemination activities helped to motivate students to take part in Erasmus+ programme. Throughout the year VGTU has organised 5 events dedicated to Erasmus+ programme, published students? success stories on Facebook and blogg, promoted ?Mission Erasmus? action, supported Erasmus Student Network activities. Erasmus+ coordinators at the faculty level maintained collaboration with partners? institutions and ensured academic readiness for study exchange. Throughout 2014-2015 academic year 285 VGTU students took part in Erasmus+ study exchange programme in 26 Programme countries. The growing number of outgoing students was realized through over 300 inter-institutional agreements. For VGTU study exchanges is an effective tool for assessing institution?s educational standards on European scale and learning from good practices. Every 6th student coming to HEIs in Lithuania is welcomed by VGTU. Total of 259 students were hosted by VGTU in the frames of Erasmus+ programme, declaring 90% overall satisfaction with their mobility experience. High interest in studies at VGTU opens more opportunities for collaboration among Programme countries, strengthens institution?s competitive advantages in attracting full degree students. In 2014/2015 academic year VGTU sent 285 students for Erasmus+ studies abroad. VGTU has undertaken to sent 210 students funded by EU grant, but due to institution`s decision to allocate more funds to traineeships, 179 students received scholarship from EU. 87% of participants were bachelor students which proves that first study cycle students were more active than master students. Top 5 countries to study abroad: Portugal, The Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, Italy. 186 students and graduates carried out traineeship under Erasmus+ programme. The traineeship outcomes exceeded the initial plan more than twice due to qualitative career advisory services and additional funding received. The traineeship activity has brought new contacts with business companies which will continue hosting VGTU students and get involved in more academic activities. Representatives of the companies will hold lectures in the university and thus make study programmes more relevant to the labour market. The possibility for graduates to take part in the programme resulted in a number of success stories and students proclaiming Erasmus+ traineeship helped them realize their career path. During the period under review, VGTU had 141 outgoing staff mobility for teaching and 54 outgoing staff mobility for training under Erasmus+ programme so the achieved results exceeded the plan almost triple. New planning of selecting participants twice a year and intense programme marketing strategy helped to reach the goal. Staff mobility resulted new agreements between VGTU and programme countries for staff and students exchange, new placements for internships, new contacts for cooperation. The project outcomes have impact way beyond developing students? competencies and institution?s capacities. It contributes to improving overall education system in Lithuania by educating open, tolerant and successful citizens of Europe.
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