Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 – an update on ERASMS

work placements from the perspective of the European Commission

Patricia De Smet,

Higher Education – Erasmus

Principal administrator

European Commission, Brussels

Eracon conference LisboaSession – Erasmus Work Placements

8 May 2008

Overview– Placements – their place in the overall policy context and the

promotion of closer cooperation between higher education (HE) and the world of work

– Erasmus placements & other actions in the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) supporting cooperation between HE & enterprises

– Placements – why are they important?

– Erasmus Placements - one year after the launch of the LLP

– Placements – the new challenge for Erasmus institutions

• A strategy for cooperation with enterprises

• Promoting a comprehensive approach to placements

• Delivery models for placements

• Dissemination of results and exchange of good practice

Erasmus Policy context

• Lisbon and Bologna

• Lifelong Learning (LLL) – Delivering LL for knowledge,creativity &

innovation (Nov 2007)

• Higher Education reform (2006)– Curriculum reform– Governance reform– Funding reform

Erasmus Policy context

• An emerging policy to support cooperation between HE and enterprises – themes: curriculum, governance,funding,

mobility– clusters on HE modernisation – High level expert group on mobility (2008)– European University/Business Forum (2008)

• Increased coordination between policy and programmes => Lifelong Learning Pgm

School Education

COMENIUS

Higher Education

ERASMUS

3.1 billion €

Vocational Education

LEONARDO DA VINCI

Adult Education

GRUNDTVIG

Budget: 6.97 billion EUR (Proposal: 13.620 billion EUR)

- Political development - Languages- ICT - Dissemination

The new Lifelong Learning Programme

2007 - 2013

Min. 40 % Min. 25% Min. 4%

Transversal Programmes

Jean Monnet

Min. 13 %

3.1 billion € for 7 years

LLP –Erasmus-specific objectives

– Erasmus: specific programme objectives• Support achievement of a European Area of HE • Reinforce HE and advanced VET contribution to innovation

– Erasmus operational objectives• Student and staff mobility (quality + volume) 3 Mios st 2012• Multilateral cooperation between HEI (quality + volume)• Qualifications: Improve transparency and make HE –

advanced VET qualifications more compatible • HE-enterprise cooperation (quality + volume)• Development and transfer of innovation• Innovative ICT based content, services, pedagogies and

practice for LLL

LLP- Erasmus actions

– Decentralised actions : Mobility• Students ( new : placements at all 3 cycles)

• Staff from HEI ( new: all staff, training)

• Staff from entreprise (new, )

• Intensive programmes ( previously :centralised action)

– Centralised actions• Curriculum development

• Modernisation (new)

• HE-enterprise cooperation (new)

• Virtual campuses (new)

• Networks (new: structural network)

- transversal actions : preparatory visits, accompanying measures

NEW

Students

Obj LLP: Ø 200 €Average per

monthGrants

Students

Old/New

Actions

Duration

Standard Mobility

Target groups

Training in H.E.I. and Enterprises

OLD NEW

1-6 weeks

Teaching staff/ Administrative staff

Zero grant accepted (from 2008)

Ex-LEONARDO ProgrammeEx-LEONARDO Programme

Students

Placements

3-12 months ( *)

Obj: smooth transition from LdV -reasonable

Teaching Assign-ments

OLD

1-6 weeks

Teaching staff

Staff

3-12 months

Teaching in H.E.I.(2008-)

Training (2007)

1-6 weeks

Enterprise staff

NEW

Decentralised Actions of ERASMUS

OLD/New

Actions

Duration

Grants

Target groups

e.g. summer schools

OLD/NEW

10 days to 6 weeks

Teaching staff/Students

Av. 32.000 € per project

IntensiveProgrammes

Staff

n.a.

Organisation of Mobility

Student study periods

OLD

n.a.

H.E.I.s, Consortia etc.

4 categories

Studentplacements

n.a.

4 categories 4 categories

Decentralised Actions of ERASMUS (2)

U-E cooperation, enhancing employability etc.

NEW

H.E.I.s, enterprises

etc.

Max. 150.000 €per year

2 years

Actions

OLD/NEW

Target groups

Grants

Curriculum Develop-

ment

Contract Period

Modernisation of Higher

Education

University-Enterprise

Co-operation

Virtual Campuses

Thematic Networks

Joint curricula (BA,MA, DOC), European Modules (incl. language modules)

OLD

H.E.I.s, enterprises

etc.

Max. 150.000 € per year

2 (+1) years

Updating of curricula, enhancing quality, attractiveness etc.

NEW

H.E.I.s, networks

etc.

Max. 300.000 €per year

2 years

Increasing virtual mobility

NEW

H.E.I.s,enterprises

etc.

Max. 150.000 €

per year

2 years

Large-scale consortia (31 countries)/structural networks (less partners)

OLD/NEW

H.E.I.s, enterprises

etc.

Max. 150.000 € per year

3 years

Centralised ERASMUS Actions

The importance of placements

– For students

– For enterprises

– For higher education institutions and their staff

The importance of placements for students

– Familiarising students with the world of work

– Enhancing employability• Discipline-related skills

• ‘Soft’ skills (problem-solving, teamwork, coping with the unexpected…) , job-seeking competence

• Awareness of the enterprise culture (different objectives and time constraints, need for confidentiality,..)

– Improving foreign language competence

– Promoting inter-cultural understanding and knowledge of other European countries

– Contributing to the stimulation of other forms of HE-enterprise cooperation

The importance of placements for enterprises

– Influx of new ideas at low cost

– Testing phase for potential future collaborators

– Promoting stronger links with higher education institutions and their staff

– Adding an international dimension (especially for smaller locally based enterprises)

– Win/Win situation

The importance of placements for HEI

– Better motivated and competent students

– Input for modernisation ( CD, ..)

– Links with enterprise leading to other forms of collaboration

– Improving awareness and competence of staff (teaching and administrative)

– Strengthening links with the local community,

– Contribution to the local economy

Placements – part of education-enterprise cooperation in the LLP

– Within Erasmus• Placements (and language preparation)• Training for HEI teaching staff in enterprises• Training for HEI non-teaching staff in enterprises• Mobility of staff from enterprises to HEI

(2007:training; 2008:teaching)

• Intensive programmes• HE-Enterprise in Multilateral Projects• HE-Enterprise in Erasmus Networks• Preparatory Visits• Accompanying measures

– Within the LLP

Erasmus Placements - one year after the launch of the LLP – Taking stock of Year 1, Improving through:

• Feedback from National Agencies : Helsinki March/April 2008• Feedback from HEI : Eracon 2008, reporting,..• Feedback from consortia• Feedback from enterprises• Feedback from students

– Transition from LdV to Erasmus• Quantitative trends• Consortia• Challenges and new role for NAs• New rules

• Challenges for HEIs

Erasmus Placements - one year after the launch of the LLP – a

challenge for HEI

- HEI not yet familiar with student mobility for placements

- Promoting a comprehensive approach to placements

- NEW delivery models for placements

- Dissemination of results and exchange of good practice

– Optimising effectiveness and impact, minimising bureaucracy

Key factors: HEI mission, proactive, integrated approach, new culture

Erasmus Placements - one year after the launch of the LLP- from

mobility for study to mobility for placements

New requirements at the different stages of the mobility

- New type of needs ( non academic actors)

- Need for promotion of the action - Selection - planning and criteria of enterprises - Funding levels - possible enterprise contribution,

- minimize loss of traditional facilities - Finding a host partner out of the academic world=>adapting the internal organisation

=> involve new external actors- Preparing the mobility : training agreement

Quality commitment

Erasmus Placements - one year after the launch of the LLP- from mobility for study to mobility for placements

• Quality commitment:– interlinkage with study, – learning outcomes,– recognition within and out the CD– mentor in enterprises– logistical support, specific issue (insurance,..)

• Increased Monitoring: – keep in contact – mentor in enterprise, contact in the home university

• Reporting

Optimising delivery modelsfor placements

– Higher education institutions as stand-alone senders

– Placement consortia

– The need for support and counselling mechanisms

– Learning from Leonardo da Vinci experience

– Recapturing pre-Leonardo experience

– Input from other placement schemes– Listening to students

Dissemination of results,exchange of good practice

– Analysing reports

– Meetings and seminars

– Exchanging information via the net

– Organisational level (HEI, consortia)

– Local and regional level

– National level

– European level– Sharing experience with the rest of the LLP

???Three questions to the audience

• Suggestions to boost placements in their institutions

• Main barriers for HEIs

• Expected support from the NA and the EC