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Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degrees (EMJMD) offer a unique opportunity to jointly design and deliver an integrated curriculum of excellence in an international context. This study analyses the case of a Master's Degree specialised in Education: PETaL “Play, Education, Toys and Languagesˮ. This is the first EMJMD obtained by the University of Cordoba (Spain) within the framework of the Erasmus+ Program (2014-2020), in coordination with the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon (Portugal) and Marmara University (Turkey). Through the design, validation and distribution of an online questionnaire, this research aims to examine teachers’ opinions on the place of integration in their teaching, as well as on the level of interdisciplinarity in the programme based on Harden’s model ($). This pioneering course represents a favourable context in which to evaluate the “jointnessˮ in the curriculum and other aspects of the teaching-learning process, little explored so far in this context. The results reveal that, foreseeably, the conditions for greater integration in the successive editions are in place. Thus, it is necessary to continue strengthening teaching coordination and the aspects leading to further curricular integration. The study also serves as a reflection on teaching practice and the possibilities for interdisciplinarity in postgraduate education.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degrees (EMJMD) offer a unique opportunity to jointly design and deliver an integrated curriculum of excellence in an international context. This study analyses the case of a Master's Degree specialised in Education: PETaL "Play, Education, Toys and Languages". This is the first EMJMD obtained by the University of Cordoba (Spain) within the framework of the Erasmus+ Program (2014-2020), in coordination with the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon (Portugal) and Marmara University (Turkey). Through the design, validation and distribution of an online questionnaire, this research aims to examine teachers' opinions on the place of integration in their teaching, as well as on the level of interdisciplinarity in the programme based on Harden's model (2000). This pioneering course represents a favourable context in which to evaluate the "jointness" in the curriculum and other aspects of the teaching-learning process, little explored so far in this context. The results reveal that, foreseeably, the conditions for greater integration in the successive editions are in place. Thus, it is necessary to continue strengthening teaching coordination and the aspects leading to further curricular integration. The study also serves as a reflection on teaching practice and the possibilities for interdisciplinarity in postgraduate education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) faced certain difficulties caused by the so-called "shortage" of qualified personnel and the need to modernize the educational system in these countries, inherited from the USSR. Since education was the dominant factor in the development of the economy for the newly independent new republics. And one of the main conditions for the integration of the educational systems of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan into the international higher education zone was international cooperation with the European Union. The article presents the experience of cooperation between the European Union and the Central Asian countries in the field of education, on the example of the participation of the Central Asian region in the educational programs of the European Union (Tempus, Erasmus Mundus, Erasmus+, Jean Monnet). The relevance of the research topic is determined by the role of higher education in bilateral cooperation between the European Union and the Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan). The purpose of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of the development of educational cooperation between the European Union and Central Asia, in the context of the implementation of EU educational programs in the region. The main conclusions of the study were the presented indicators of participation of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the EU educational programs, which had a significant impact on the reform of educational systems in the countries of the region and contributed to the further development of partnerships between EU universities and Central Asian countries

Taking Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters students as exemplifications of the intensification of mobility in educational trajectories, this article considers their modes of belonging in super-mobility. Their educational experiences take place within a consortium of universities, necessitating intensive and routinized collective movement to multiple locations. This novel way of practising mobility within higher education calls for new frames to describe the distinctiveness of the super-mobility experience and how belonging is enacted and reflected in this transnational space. It aligns itself with the critical approach to hypermobility, especially with regard to its impact on mental well-being. Through an empirical, multi-year qualitative study of student experiences, we propose a new concept of the mobility capsule as both a meso-level structure and a particular way of practicing mobility which implies a transnational group experience, usually organised within an institutional framework of studies. Our results show that the experience of the mobility capsule is characterised by intense speed, routine uprootedness and cosmopolitan social closure. These features weigh heavily on the construction of personal and group belonging and have particular consequences for well-being. We conclude with a critique of such institutional set ups given the persistent glorification of hypermobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the origins of the pan-European movement in the context of modern challenges for the university community using the example of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. An analysis of the ideas of Richard Nicholas Kudenhofe-Kalergi regarding the unification of European states was carried out. The authors analyzed the international activity of Chernivtsi University as a constituent element of pan-Europeanism. In particular, it was noted that ChNU actively participates in various projects of the Pan-European Union and participates in various international programs, which is a real embodiment of the leading ideas of pan-Europeanism, which contribute to the modern processes of successful European integration of Ukraine in the humanitarian and educational spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a handful of programmes in higher education that offer students a joint international study programme and research shows that students have certain levels of anxiety when starting studying in such graduate programmes. This study aimed to explore levels of student anxiety and investigates the prerequisite skills in order to better prepare students for studying in an international Master programme of Marine Biological Resources with 10 European campuses in seven countries. We applied mixed-methods including online questionnaires and interviews capturing student experiences and teachers' perspectives. Results show that especially mature and non-native English-speaking students experience anxiety and that there is a high class-heterogeneity in terms of academic background and life experience. This may simultaneously act as a barrier for and enable learning. The presented results show a need to improve the student acculturation process in international programmes. This could be done by better communicating expectations and by providing resources for social, methodological, and pedagogical skills. More specific strategies are a) prerequisite courses that use quantitative measurements as the most significant causes of anxiety, b) educators to better state what a good practice of learning in their course is, c) mixing local and international students in courses i.e. groupwork or other class interactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education holds promise as a vehicle for sustainable global development and human capacity development, as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. International education has become a prominent feature in contemporary times on the educational landscape as students become increasingly mobile in pursuit of their right to education. This study investigates the key factors that motivate international students to undertake better quality education at higher education (university) level, particularly in Europe, and the underlying gender preferences for study destinations within the framework of push-pull factors. The study collected responses of 288 individuals from 84 countries who had undertaken some form of education in Europe through the European Commission-funded Erasmus Mundus (EM) Scholarship. Responses were collected through an online platform, Survey Monkey. Outcomes of the study revealed that Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden, Netherlands, and Spain are the most popular destinations for pursuing higher education in Europe. The United Kingdom is the most preferred destination for female students while Germany is the most preferred destination for male students, with slight changes for other countries. Key motivating factors for international education were found to be scholarship opportunity, better quality of education, and availability of the relevant study program. The least influencing factors were found to be the commonality of language, suitable environment (eg climate, temperature), geographical proximity, the scope of migration, and social cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to analyze if the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus program has created a positive impact on the bilateral relations between the United Mexican States and the European Union in the time frame that goes from 2009 to 2014. The hypothesis that this research is pursuing is if bilateral relations have created a positive impact by implementing the Erasmus Mundus program. This is a longitudinal quantitative and analytical research. Primary sources such as dictionaries, books and scientific journals and secondary sources such as articles and researches are used in order to obtain all the desired information. The source and data analysis are made by descriptive statistics that allow to create a good description of the particular objects. To represent the results obtained there are presented tables and graphics that shown the quantity of Mexican applications in the period that goes from 2009 to 2014. 11% of Mexican applicants are accepted, this is a considerable percentage but there is still so much more to do in order to improve these programs because without any question academic exchange programs allow the progress of a better quality of life and for those who can expand their horizons it makes a better life, a better present and future.

Editorial EUJAPA Spring 2021

This article focuses on the application of English as the Medium of Instruction (EMI) theory and techniques to a research proposal writing course with a majority of non-native English-speaking students. The course, taught from 2016 to the present, takes place in the second semester of a two-year master's degree program in urban development at a German technical university and requires that students complete a series of scaffolding assignments culminating in a master's thesis proposal and oral summary presentation. The essay uses EMI theory, the course syllabus, descriptions of in-class and out-of-class activities (both graded and ungraded), and student course evaluations to identify the extent to which the course meets student needs. An analysis of the course indicates that its current structure reaches the course goals effectively for most students but needs adjustment to support the students with weaker English skills. This article concludes with recommendations for future versions of the course directed at instructors, the program administration, and central university administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the status of student feedback channels and the role of student representatives in the quality assurance and enhancement of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) programmes. It provides an analysis of 1941 open-ended survey responses, covering 87 EMJMD programmes and involving respondents of 129 nationalities. The findings indicate that students and alumni feel that they should be involved in shaping key aspects of their programmes. The results suggest that organisational culture, national policies and regulations bear little relevance to students, as their needs transcend borders and contexts. The study suggests that further harmonisation in internal quality assurance processes would be welcomed by students as they recognise good practice in eliciting student feedback. The empirical findings can be useful in providing policy makers and researchers with a snapshot of prevailing issues in student engagement in quality assurance in the context of international joint programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores leadership from the standpoint of social constructivism. From this point, leadership is a complex notion that is studied in different ways and requires different definitions depending on the sphere, social circle, and situation where it is needed. It consists of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, which are formed and developed in the zone of proximal development – under assistance and in the process of communication. Four questions guided the investigation: Does the understanding of leadership depend on the cultural background? How is the understanding of leadership formed in a multicultural environment? How is leadership addressed in the Erasmus Mundus programme? As there is no universal definition, the author developed a definition of Leadership of Erasmus Mundus PhD students. For Erasmus Mundus PhD students of AMU, leadership is the interaction between leaders and followers among scholars educated at Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan, that leads to positive changes in development of countries and reaching European standards. As it suggests, there should be three sets of leadership expression: ability to interact, ability to learn, ability to change. The focus group with Erasmus Mundus PhD students and the questionnaire for the alumni address the above mentioned. The findings prove that though cultural background influences some shades of understanding the notion of leadership, “schemas” of leadership of representatives of different social groups have more in common, than differences. The main leadership skill for representatives of all the studied nationalities is dealing with people. The importance of other skills differs depending on the nationality of a person. As to the specifics of forming understanding of leadership in a multicultural environment, it appears to be much more complex than the one in a monocultural environment. The Erasmus Mundus participants are all the time exposed to situations when they require assistance, and receive this assistance from people of various nationalities and positions. All those people become models of leaders that form their multicultural and multileveled understanding of leadership. As leadership consists of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, the authors explain how the Erasmus Mundus programme influences all of them: during the programme, knowledge is formed in the zone of proximal development, which is, from the standpoint of social constructivism, the best way to gain and retain knowledge; during the programme PhD students find positive changes in their personal skills, as well as gain some new ones, which can be proved by the words of the focus group interview participants; the atmosphere of AMU university provides good conditions for interaction and learning, also promotes personal changes of the participants, and motivates them to change their societies, forming their positive attitude to leadership and making them act like leaders after the programme, providing those changes.

In the framework of its Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU opens up certain facets of its education policy for members of the educational systems of the direct neighbour countries. Bearing in mind the important role of education for processes of nation building and the related formation of citizens, I analyse the meanings of this expansion because the reordering of the relations with the new neighbours after the last enlargement of the EU is one of the main aims of the ENP. In the paper I would like to address this issue from two perspectives: Firstly, I want to take a look at the rhetoric employed in EU documents on internal and external education policy. Drawing on the concept of citizenship and its double role for differentiating between insiders and outsiders of a community and relating individuals to a political community, the question arises as to what kind of integration the EU intends for formal non-EU citizens by offering them certain opportunities of participation. The thesis is that the attitude towards participants from non-member states remains without a clear “finalite”, thus reflecting one of the overall problems of the ENP. Secondly, I want to look at the level of individual participants in the programme Erasmus Mundus and the meanings their stays abroad have for them. I will show to what extent their experiences abroad had an impact on their daily practices as citizens of their countries.

Abstract The paper reports on the study focused on the identification of intercultural competence (IC) related learning needs of students enrolled in Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees. International joint master programmes pose multiple intercultural challenges for students (and those working with them). Such programmes, therefore, present a unique opportunity for IC development, given appropriate pedagogical support. Limited research on the students’ learning needs specifically related to IC in this context has been undertaken prior to the current study. 42 semi-structured interviews were conducted with students, graduates, academics and administrative staff from four Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees. Data on the context and nature of intercultural challenges faced by students was analysed and synthesised using thematic analysis. The main findings reported are intercultural challenges faced (their nature and context) and the IC elements. IC elements identified were structured around the IC building blocks (knowledge, awareness, skills and attitudes – KASA elements), and emerging elements of (1) supporting capacities (intercultural critical reflection and intercultural emotional intelligence) and (2) meta-capacity (developing IC). The paper proposes an IC theoretical model for this particular target group. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of IC through confirming the KASA perspective from previous research and further developing the understanding of the complex and multifaceted nature of IC by linking the supporting and meta-capacities as relevant considerations. The findings contribute to the practice of developing IC and related training and support for students, firstly in the joint degrees context but also for other educational programs involving international mobility. The study reported formed a part of the Erasmus Mundus Intercultural Competence (EMIC) project funded by the European Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GreenIT project was awarded within the Erasmus Mundus, Action 2 programme as a mobility scheme for all academic levels (185 mobilities in total) between 6 European and 4 North African countries. A special feature of GreenIT as an educational project is that only a subset of academic fields (sciences and technology) were included. Therefore, this project boosted the engineering studies in a geographical area where other fields, like archeology and humanities, have been historically prioritized. Besides, GreenIT project had faced another extra difficulty: attracting this collective to a traditional male sector. This issue was even harder because the initial concerns of North African women to go abroad alone for long periods of time and for European women to live in North African countries. However, a great success in gender equality was achieved with a 40% of female beneficiaries. Finally, this project was totally supported by a social network site for its management and coordination and, even more important, to provide a social-based platform where applicants and grantees could share their opinions, recommendations and feelings. This platform played an important role to avoid isolation, facilitate integration of grantees and encourage women to participate in the mobilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to analyze if the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus program has created a positive impact on the bilateral relations between the United Mexican States and the European Union in the time frame that goes from 2009 to 2014. The hypothesis that this research is pursuing is if bilateral relations have created a positive impact by implementing the Erasmus Mundus program. This is a longitudinal quantitative and analytical research. Primary sources such as dictionaries, books and scientific journals and secondary sources such as articles and researches are used in order to obtain all the desired information. The source and data analysis are made by descriptive statistics that allow to create a good description of the particular objects. To represent the results obtained there are presented tables and graphics that shown the quantity of Mexican applications in the period that goes from 2009 to 2014. 11% of Mexican applicants are accepted, this is a considerable percentage but there is still so much more to do in order to improve these programs because without any question academic exchange programs allow the progress of a better quality of life and for those who can expand their horizons it makes a better life, a better present and future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the Erasmus Mundus programme run by the European Commission in terms of structured cooperation between the EU and third country universities. Special attention is paid to the implementation of Erasmus Mundus projects aimed at environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, reduction in the use of hazardous substances, and the improvement of the attractiveness of the region.

This article analyses the Erasmus Mundus programme run by the European Commission in terms of structured cooperation between the EU and third country universities. Special attention is paid to the implementation of Erasmus Mundus projects aimed at environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, reduction in the use of hazardous substances, and the improvement of the attractiveness of the region.

There are many ways in which public diplomacy may be used as a tool of promoting cooperation and integration between countries. Among others, student exchanges may be used for that purpose. The Erasmus programme, followed by Erasmus+, have long played an important part in integrating the countries of the European Union, and is thus an example of effective educational diplomacy. In my paper I am going to (1) explain what educational diplomacy is and relate it to the theory of public diplomacy; (2) analyse how educational diplomacy is conducted in the Eastern Partnership countries; and (3) discuss what elements positively and negatively influence its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Erasmus Mundus MA/Mgr in Special Education Needs (EM SEN) was created as a Masters Course funded by the European Commission's Erasmus Mundus Programme (EMP) to challenge and educate students in inclusive policy and practice in education. Yet, it is debatable the extent to which this programme embodies the values of an inclusive approach, particularly in terms of age, gender and geographical distribution of students. This article aims to locate the EM SEN in the wider policy and scholarship situation and provide analysis relating to the programme. This article will first examine the specific legislative framework under which the EMP was conceived and delivered, assessing the extent to which these could be seen as helping or hindering an inclusive programme. Then, the specific case study of the EM SEN and its attempts to reconcile individual institutional, cultural and language differences will be discussed. Finally, the EMP generally and the EM SEN specifically will be compared with other international scholarship programmes, namely Chevening and Fulbright. Statistics on the gender, age, disability and geographical make-up of the programmes will be examined so that the EM SEN is put into a wider context of international scholarship programmes, comparing this ‘European’ project with these schemes from the UK and USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to consider the practical implications of international collaborative partnerships between and within higher education institutions (HEIs) in terms of the development of an international programme in Special Needs Education as well as its implementation. We first look at the heavy institutional demands set within national boundaries and their associated quality assurance procedures. We argue that contextualising these demands within wider international and European demands creates unforeseen challenges for the participants both institutionally and individually. Secondly, the paper focuses on the programme's response to a dilemma – how do we internationalise (working in European Union HEIs)? Thirdly, attention is paid to how fundamental tensions around internationalisation of the curriculum and knowledge-sharing and the extent to which this is being managed at the Consortium of the three universities involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erasmus Mundus is a European educational training program for non-European and European students who want to pursue studies at a Master's level. Students study modules provided by a number of higher educational institutes/universities in various European countries. The MS in Food Innovation and Product Design is a new program which will commence at the end of August 2011. The successful applicants will study in AgroParisTech (France), Dublin Institute of Technology (Ireland) and can choose to study at either Lund University (Sweden) or University of Naples (Italy). Students will gain knowledge and skills to enable them to produce innovative food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of J3eA is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In 2004 the EU began the challenging Erasmus Mundus Programme which consists of selecting high quality professional interuniversity and international master students in Europe. Sixteen of those masters already count with graduated students.Even though this is a well-known and appealing programme for non-European students European youth are not very familiar with it yet. An aim of the University should be the possibility to offer to their students the best option to achieve a successful professional insertion.Just as this moment we can deal with the study in depth of several aspects of these Masters, such as graduated professional insertion degree, quality of that insertion and guidance elements of Masters, and finally, the Universities that offer them.In order to develop a research for analyzing 54 Masters Erasmus Mundus, including 26 involved Universities and the present total amount of 160 graduated students, different sorts of instruments will be used.The research will use a comprehensive, illustrative, exploratory and descriptive methodology.