This issue has a major focus on the Erasmus+ programme with a call for

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1 >praxis for students In this special issue: Editorial 1 Erasmus+ 2 Erasmus Mundus 6 Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs ENCATC is the leading European network on Cultural Management and Cultural Policy Education. It is an independent m e m b e r s h i p o r g a n i s a t i on gathering over 100 higher education institutions and cultural organisations in over 40 countries. ENCATC was founded in 1992 to represent, advocate a n d p r o m o t e c u l t u r a l management and cultural policy education, professionalise the cultural sector to make it sustainable, and to create a platform of discussion and exchange at the European and international level. ENCATC is supported by the European Commission s Creative Europe Programme. ENCATC is a nongovernamental organisation and an official UNESCO partner NGO. 8 Dear ENCATC students, For this special issue of the PRAXIS Newsletter for Students, we re focusing on EU mobility programmes that provide opportunities for students studying at ENCATC member institutions to gain professional experience and hone their skills in another cultural environment. Studies have shown that young people who study or train abroad are half as likely to experience long-term unemployment compared with those who have not studied or trained abroad and, five years after graduation, their unemployment rate is 23% lower. Moreover, 92% of employers are looking for personality traits such as tolerance, confidence, problem-solving skills, curiosity, knowing one's strengths/ weaknesses, and decisiveness when making a recruitment decision. Tests before and after exchange periods abroad reveal that students show higher values for these personality traits, even before their exchange starts; by the time they come back, the difference in these values increases by 42% on average, compared with other students. This issue has a major focus on the Erasmus+ programme with a call for ENCATC > PROMOTING STUDENT MOBILITY PRAXIS is an information service for ENCATC members ONLY. Issue N 10/2014 > EDITORIAL: Encouraging mobility to gain new experiences abroad proposals, a new online tool for linguistic support, facts and figures and more. ENCATC has also included presentations of two other European programmes that could be of interest for ENCATC students: Erasmus Mundus and Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs. ENCATC is convinced that European support will certainly help our members and students to build on existing ENCATC aims such as: gaining international experience and professionalising careers for academics, researchers, cultural operators and students; contributing to growth and learning in the arts and education sectors; and exchanging knowledge and practice among an increasing international pool or players and stakeholders in arts management education and research. In order for our students to take advantage of policies and funding opportunities, ENCATC continues in its strong commitment to provide up to date information and to be a platform for discussion and exchange in the sector. Yours truly, GiannaLia Cogliandro Beyens ENCATC Secretary General 1 Gwilmore / Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

2 Erasmus+ Programme Erasmus+ ( ) was launched at a time when nearly six million young people were unemployed in the EU with levels above 50% in some countries. At the same time, more than 2 million vacancies and a third of employers reported difficulties in recruiting staff with the skills they need. This demonstrated a significant skills gap in Europe. The new Erasmus+ addresses this gap by providing opportunities for people to study, train, gain work experience or volunteer abroad. Europe must equip its citizens with the education, skills and creativity that they need in a knowledge society. The world is changing fast, and education systems need to modernise and adapt to new ways of teaching and learning and embrace the new opportunities that exist. Education, training and non-formal youth learning are key to creating jobs and improving Europe's competitiveness. That's why Erasmus+ will make a key contribution to addressing these challenges. More than 4 million young people, students and adults will gain experience and skills by studying, training or volunteering abroad through Erasmus+. The programme, now already one year in, will support over 125,000 institutions and organisations to work with peers in other countries to innovate and modernise teaching practice and youth work. Together they will help ensure that young people and adults get the skills they need to succeed in today's world. Erasmus+ combined all the EU's funding schemes for education, training and youth, including the Lifelong Learning Programme (Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Comenius, Grundtvig), Youth in Action and five international cooperation programmes (Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alfa, Edulink and the programme for cooperation with industrialised countries). It also introduced support for sport for the first time. As Erasmus+ replaces seven programmes with one, it's easier to access. And changes in the rules mean it has never been simpler to apply. Learn more about Erasmus+ here: discover/index_en.htm What does Erasmus+ support? 2

3 Erasmus+ Call for Proposals 2015 and Programme Guide The Erasmus+ Programme Guide is an integral part of the 2015 Erasmus+ Call for Proposals. Organisations and institutions seeking funding in the framework of this call must comply with the conditions for participation and funding expressed in this Guide. Groups of young people who are active in youth work, but not necessarily in the context of a youth organisation, may apply for funding for learning mobility of young people and youth workers as well as for Strategic partnerships in the field of youth. The document provides information on: the priorities of the programme, the actions supported, the funding available for different actions, detailed information on participation. The Online Linguistic Support is a new opportunity for Erasmus+ participants to assess and improve their language skills. It was presented for the first time at the European Day of Languages conference in Florence in September This tool provides participants in Erasmus+ longterm mobility activities with the opportunity to assess their knowledge of the language they will use to study, work or volunteer abroad. In addition, the Online Linguistic Support gives to a number of participants the possibility to follow an online language course to improve their competences. The promotion of language learning and linguistic diversity is one of the specific objectives of the Erasmus+ Programme. The lack of language competences is one of the main barriers to participation in European education, training and youth programmes. In 2014, the Online Linguistic Support is available for: Higher education students going on mobility for studies (3-12 months) or traineeships(2 12 months); Young volunteers undertaking an European Voluntary Service (EVS) (2-12 months) As from 2015, the service will be extended to Vocational Education Training (VET) learners. Consult the Call for Proposals and download the Programme Guide here: discover/guide/index_en.htm Online linguistic support now available! The Online Linguistic Support includes mandatory assessment of language competences and the possibility to follow language courses. A language assessment has to be undertaken both before and at the end of the mobility period in order to monitor progress in language competences. The results of the language assessment carried out by the participants before their departure will not prevent them from taking part in the mobility activity. The Online Linguistic Support is available for the following six languages: German, Engligh, Spanis, French, Italian, and Dutch. These are the languages of instruction or work for about 90% of all students, trainees, youth volunteers and others that study or train abroad. In the future, Online Linguistic Support will be extended to all the EU official languages. Students who are leaving for an Erasmus+ mobility activity, will receive a login and a password to access the Online Linguistic Support platform. Learn more here: 3

4 IMPACT STUDY: Effects of Mobility on the Skills and Employability of Students Young people who study or train abroad not only gain knowledge in specific disciplines, but also strengthen key transversal skills which are highly valued by employers. A new study on the impact of the European Union's Erasmus student exchange programme shows that graduates with international experience fare much better on the job market. They are half as likely to experience long-term unemployment compared with those who have not studied or trained abroad and, five years after graduation, their unemployment rate is 23% lower. The study, c o m p i l e d b y independent experts, is the largest of its kind and received feedback from nearly 80,000 respondents including s t u d e n t s a n d businesses. "The findings of the Erasmus Impact study a r e e x t r e m e l y significant, given the context of unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment in the EU. The message is clear: if you study or train abroad, you are more likely to increase your job prospects. The n e w E r a s m u s + programme will offer EU grants to four million people between 2014 and 2020, allowing them to experience life in another country through s t u d i e s, t r a i n i n g, teaching or volunteering," said Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. The new study shows that 92% of employers are looking for personality traits boosted by the programme such as tolerance, confidence, problem-solving skills, curiosity, knowing one's strengths/weaknesses, and decisiveness when making a recruitment decision. Tests before and after exchange periods abroad reveal that Erasmus students show higher values for these personality traits, even before their exchange starts; by the time they come back, the difference in these values increases by 42% on average, compared with other students. Students benefitting from Erasmus funding can choose to study or take up a traineeship abroad. The report reveals that more than one in three Erasmus trainees is offered a position at the enterprise where they do their traineeship. Erasmus trainees are also more entrepreneurial than their stay-at-home counterparts: 1 in 10 has started their own company and more than 3 out of 4 plan to, or can imagine doing so. They can also expect faster career advancement; staff with international experience are given greater p r o f e s s i o n a l responsibility according to 64% of employers. Pages: 227 ISBN European Commission, 2014 Erasmus not only i m p r o v e s c a r e e r prospects, it also offers s t u d e n t s b r o a d e r horizons and social links. 40% have changed their country of residence or work at least once since graduation, almost double the number of those who were not mobile during studies. While 93% of students w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l experience can imagine living abroad in the future, this is the case for only 73% of those who stay in the same country during their studies. Download the report here: erasmus-impact_en.pdf 4

5 What is the portrait of the typical Erasmus student? In July 2014 the European Commission published statistics from the Erasmus programme during the academic year including data about students who have participated in the programme. What do students say was the best thing they got from studying abroad experience? Erasmus+ conducted a survey asking students about their experiences studying in another country. Of those polled, 30% said they valued most an increased sense of independence, followed by gaining perspective on a new culture (25%), making new friends (22%), acquiring academic or professional skills (12%), learning a new language (8%), and other reasons (3%). Take the survey here: -the-best-thing-you-got-out-of-your-study-abroadexperience 5

6 The Erasmus Mundus Programme The Erasmus Mundus Programme is another opportunity for students to have a mobility experience that will enourage them to gain new knowledge in another cultural environment. The programme aims to enhance the quality of higher education and promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through mobility and academic cooperation. While the Erasmus Mundus Programme ended in 2013, Action 1 master and doctoral consortia and Action 2 partnerships will continue to offer scholarships for the next academic year and beyond. From 2014 onwards, new master consortia that will provide scholarship opportunities are selected within the new Erasmus+ programme ( ) for international higher education cooperation and mobility. The Erasmus Mundus programme cover courses of Agriculture and Veterinary, Engineering, Manufacture and Construction, Health and Welfare, Humanities and Arts, Science, Mathematics and Computing, and Social Sciences, Business and Law. Students, doctoral candidates, teachers, researchers and other academic staff should address their applications directly to the selected Erasmus Mundus masters and doctoral programmes and to the selected Erasmus Mundus partnerships, in accordance with the application conditions defined by the selected consortium/partnership. Scholarship amounts can vary according to the level of studies/ teaching/research, their duration (3 months to 3 years) and the grantee's nationality (scholarships for non-eu individuals are higher than for EU individuals). More information on application for scholarship, please visit here: f u n d i n g / scholarships_students_academics_en.php Prospective applicants are also encouraged to check out the EMA - association for students and alumni of Erasmus Mundus Master and Doctoral programmes for testimonials of those who have participated in the programme. EMA website: 6

7 Scholarships for Advanced Masters in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions Deadline to apply: 20 January 2015 The building industry and tourism represents about 15-20% of the GNP in Europe. As the built environment ages, conservation of existing buildings and infrastructure is receiving more and more attention, reaching an average value of 1/3 of the market in Europe. The SAHC programme will address the issue of existing buildings, but with a focus on buildings with cultural value. Being monuments and historical centres main attractors for tourism, their conservation is not only a societal demand but also an economical one. Europe is a world leader in the generation of knowledge, methodology and technology applicable to the conservation and restoration of the architectural heritage. The large investment made during the last years lead to significant advances in experimental and numerical techniques applied to the conservation of architectural heritage structures. The objective of SAHC is to offer an advanced education programme on the engineering of conservation of structures, with a focus on architectural heritage. The Master combines the diversity of expertise at leading European universities in the field, offering education oriented to a multidisciplinary understanding of structural conservation through the involvement of experts from complementary fields (engineers, architects, materials scientists and others). Students face top level structural analysis knowledge in a research oriented environment, with close cooperation with the industry and a focus on problem solving. Applications for the Advanced Masters in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions, approved and financially sponsored by the European Commission within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, are opened up to January 20, This Master Course is organized by a Consortium of leading European Universities/ Research Institutions in the field, composed by University of Minho (coordinating institution, Portugal), the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain), the Czech Technical University in Prague (Czech Republic), the University of Padua (Italy) and the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Czech Republic). The course combines the most recent advances in research and development with practical applications. The Masters Course has duration of one academic year and is held on a rotating basis among partners, so each student follows coursework in one partner institution and dissertation in another one. The language of instruction and examinations is English. The degree awarded is a Master's degree, provided as a double degree from the institutions involved. A significant number of scholarships, ranging from 4,000 to 25,000 Euro, are available to students of any nationality. The Consortium is also available to provide International Fellowships to outstanding non- European Scholars for teaching and research activities for a period of up to three months. Please find full details on the MSc programme, as well as electronic application procedure, on the website 7

8 The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programme Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a crossborder exchange programme which gives new or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to learn from experienced entrepreneurs running small businesses in other Participating Countries. The exchange of experience takes place during a stay with the experienced entrepreneur, which helps the new entrepreneur acquire the skills needed to run a small firm. The host benefits from fresh perspectives on his/her business and gets the opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners or learn about new markets. Since its beginning in 2009, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs has provided over 4,000 entrepreneurs with the opportunity to meet another entrepreneur from a different country and develop their business. The programme in a nutshell: 2,500 exchanges have taken place, involving new or experienced entrepreneurs. Italy and Spain have registered the highest number of new entrepreneurs, followed by Romania, Greece and Poland. The most popular destinations are Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium. The average duration of the stay abroad is 3,5 months. The majority of new entrepreneurs are below 40 years old (89%), while experienced entrepreneurs are mostly below 50 (74%). A third of the participants are women. The programme is open to all aspiring entrepreneurs, ranging from unemployed or employed people to students and to newly established entrepreneurs. Almost a quarter of the new entrepreneurs already had a company (for 1 to 3 years) when joining the programme. While cooperation happens across all sectors, the three most popular so far are education and training, advertising and promotion, as well as rchitecture and construction services. Who can participate as a start-up entrepreneur? Firmly planning to start a business, based on a viable business plan; Have started your own business within the last 3 years. A permanent resident in one of the Participating Countries; Have a concrete project or business idea, reflected in a business plan; Be motivated and committed to collaborate during your stay with an experienced entrepreneur from another Participating Country; be prepared to contribute to the development of the host entrepreneur's business and make your skills and competences available; Be ready to complement the programme funds as needed to cover the costs of your stay abroad. The (future) company or activity can be in any sector and there is no age limit. For more information about the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs: h t t p : / / w w w. e r a s mus - e n t r e p r e n e u r s. e u / index.php#.vjbpvcmfzvm 8

9 Tell us what you think! What do you think of European mobility programmes? Are you planning to apply? Share you thoughts and reactions with the hashtag: #ENCATCmobility 9

10 WHAT IS ENCATC? ENCATC is an independent membership organization representing approximately 100 higher education institutions and cultural organisations in over 40 countries. It was founded in 1992 to represent, advocate and promote cultural management and cultural policy in higher education and to create platforms of discussion and exchange at the European and international level. We are an international non-profit organisation, an official UNESCO partner NGO, and an Observer to the Steering Committee for Culture of the Council of Europe. We cooperate closely with our partners at UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the European Parliament as well as with the European Cultural in Africa, the Asia Pacific region, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. FOSTERING STUDENT MOBILITY: PRAXIS is a Members Only newsletter offering internship opportunities for students and young graduates from ENCATC programmes in the cultural sector in Europe and beyond. ENCATC does not provide any grant or reimbursement to support the internships promoted in PRAXIS. ENCATC BRUSSELS OFFICE: Avenue Maurice, Brussels, Belgium Tel / Fax: comm-department@encatc.org For more information about our network and our activities, please visit our website: