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

This report describes the implementation of the project carried out under the Erasmus + programme , Key Action 1 - Individual mobility for learning purposes , in Portucalense University ( UPT ) by the call 2014 , implemented from 01/06/2014 to 31/05/2016 (24 months). According to the strategy defined in EPS, UPT believes that the experience of living a different culture from the Portuguese one is a very important factor for personal enrichment and of institution's itself, having defined mobility as one of its strategic vectors and in particular the following key objectives: 1) Ensure the maintenance of bilateral agreements and diversify the countries and geographical regions involved; 2) Raise awareness among students, teachers and other staff to the importance of the programme; 3) Ensure to all individuals involved, full equality in access and frequency of mobility; 4) Strengthen participation in multilateral projects; 5) Improve and facilitate academic recognition system; and 6) Improve and encourage the integration of visiting students, either in UPT either in Portuguese society. In that call, UPT had approved 40 flows (25 SMS, 4 SMP and 11 STA / STT), having executed 49 (36 SMS, 2 SMP, 11 STA / STT). This increase corresponded to student’s mobility for studies. 33 students (SMS and SMP) and 17 participants from staff for education and training were welcomed. Having as goal the increasing incoming mobility for staff and the keeping on and strengthening of relations between partner institutions, it was organized the 1st International Week, in April 2014. The coordination of the program was made by the International Relations Office (IRO), by promoting different sessions of dissemination in classroom context and at freshmen students’ reception event at the beginning of the school year. It should be noted that since school year 2011/2012, the number of students in mobility has steadily growed (27 flows in 2011/12 and 38 in 2014/15). In order to facilitate the access to mobility opportunities, UPT has continued the support to OUT students by reducing their tuition fee in 40% and giving unequivocal guarantees of academic recognition through internal documents, such as academic pre-recognition document (prior to mobility), the pre-academic recognition-change document (during mobility) and academic recognition document (end of mobility), all signed by the departmental and institutional coordinators. There was a full validation of equivalences either in the student's study plan or the diploma supplement. In the end, the IRO has triggered a survey to determine the degree of satisfaction of students. For incoming students, the course catalogue offered in English has been disclosed through website and welcome email and it was also offered a course in Portuguese Foreign Language and a course of Portuguese Culture in each of the semesters. At no time was any payment required to these students. For easier integration of these students some initiatives were carried out, such as the "welcome aperitif" and Buddy program.During their stay in UPT, the incoming received by e-mail all information about internal events, through weekly reminders and newsletters. The IRO implemented a survey to determine IN and OUT student’s level of satisfaction and the results have showed a high degree of enjoyment and accomplishment. The testimonies of students’ experience listed in the questionnaire were disseminated through the website, newsletter and, in person, in information sessions about the programme. As intended, the OUT students improved language and behavioral skills, especially autonomy and intercultural tolerance (measured by OLS and final questionnaires). There were IN students extending the period of mobility for placement, and it was UPT that has found the host institution. The results found through the surveys and other quantitative and qualitative information about Erasmus project were gathered in a final report available via intranet. Regarding staff mobility we have observed an increased number of teachers in mobility; regarding non-teaching staff mobility two persons have visited a university that had visited UPT during the International Week, under a recent new partnership, which enabled the exchange of good practices in the areas of social action and library. The disclosure of EPS and ECHE and of all information related to the programme was also made through the website of UPT, on pages of IRO both in Portuguese and English.

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