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Higher education student and staff mobility project
Start date: Jun 1, 2014, End date: May 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

In the context of KA103 mobility projects for single HEI beneficiaries, the University of Applied Sciences Ansbach, Germany could realize 26 mobilities for the purposes of study, traineeship, teaching or training in the programme year 2014-15. Furthermore eight incomings could be welcomed by the university. Two of whom were teaching staff. The different stakeholders were consistenly informed about the possibilities and conditions of the Erasmus+ programme. For this purpose the university uses its homepage, emails, flyers and brochures, different information events as well as individual consultations. Before the implementation of OLS the students who were selected for a study mobility at a partner university with a working language other than English were offered financial assistance for a language course. Two students used the offer in 2014-15. After OLS was implemented (in six languages) four students could be assessed with the tool. They had language courses at the partner institution that is why they declined the offer to take additional classes on OLS. After the end of the work or study period abroad the foreign language skills were checked again and a considerable improvement was found to be the case for all participants. Based on interinstitutional agreements 12 students could study at partner institutions abroad and eight students could do an internship in one of the programme countries. Four professors or other teaching staff and two staff members were able to share their knowledge at partner institutions or partake in a staff training which helped improve their skills and exchange good practice examples with colleagues. The exchange also helped strengthening the ties with partner universities and improving the cooperation (also in quantity). For all mobilities, the Learning, Traineeship, Teaching or Training Agreement were signed prior to the mobility. This ensures that learning outcomes are compatible with the study programme at the sending institution and equally ensures that similar criteria are used for assessing the quality of lectures. This procedure also ensures that foreign academic achievements can be recognized at the home institution. The participants did not only reach academic achievements and further their education or training but did improve their language skills, their intercultural competencies, their soft skills and went through a process of personal development. In addition, the making of contacts and the development of networks will most likely be useful for their later career (student mobility) or the promotion of cooperations (mobility for teaching or training). Mobility for traineeships was conducted for both mandatory and voluntary internships. The high quality of internships is assured through careful preparations in consultation with the traineeship coordinator/ supervisor and the with the support and advice of the institutional coordinator before and during the internship. Teaching mobility was entirely conducted with longstanding partners. Through similar structures and processes as well as a rising demand on the side of students and staff Nordic countries have become an important destination for mobilities. A visit to the University of Applied Sciences Aalborg, Denmark was conducted for that purpose. So far no contract has been drawn up. Staff from the library and technical staff benefitted from an Erasmus+ training mobility. It consisted mainly in job shadowing and the learning of new methods. Therefore, it not only improved work in the respective unit but also had a positive impact on students and the cooperation with the partner institution in general. Accommodation for all incoming students is provided in the student residence on campus, which is operated by the student services Erlangen-Nürnberg and offers well-equipped but low-cost rooms. One student who wished to experience private housing with roommates could be placed according to her wishes. The students all took part in the intensive language course prior to the Orientation Week. Throughout the orientation the students had an intercultural seminar and got information on the studies, the university/ campus as well as administrative information. Intense support was assured by the International Office, the academic coordinators as well as the Student Buddies. The Buddies assist incoming students in administrative matters and in social and academic life, German language courses are offered and students are invited to join all kinds of events. The students succeeded in the exams and a few did the TestDaF later on.
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