twin guidelines 2006

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European Pharmaceutical Students Association

TWIN Guidelines1

TWINNING SCHEME GUIDELINES

Items

I. INTRODUCTIONII. CONCEPTIII. AIMSIV. FINANCES & SPONSORSHIPV. OVERVIEW - TWIN STEPSVI. PROMOTION & PRESENTATIONVII. CONTACTS

Introduction

This document is a brief resume about the Twinning Scheme, which is a project of EPSA, the European

Pharmaceutical Students Association. TWIN is EPSAs bilateral exchange program, designed to improve

co-operation between EPSA member countries. Recognising that valuable links develop over years of co-

operation, EPSA encourages Schools of Pharmacy to become twin with their counterparts in other

countries.

Finances for the TWIN have often been a problem. For this reason EPSA wants to draw attention to the

Youth Programme, Action 1. A youth exchange brings together groups of young people from different

backgrounds from two or more countries, providing them with an opportunity to discuss and confront

various themes, whilst learning about each others countries and cultures. According to the European

Commission, young people, by being brought into contact with other cultures and other realities, can learn

a lot from each other and are able to discover and explore similarities and differences between their

cultures. Such an experience can help combat negative prejudices and stereotypes. Moreover, the effect of

a youth exchange on the local population can give rise to more positive awareness of other cultures and

have an impact not only on the young people themselves and their associations activities, but also on the

local communities.

The following EPSA Member countries can apply for the Youth Programme: Austria,Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,

Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia,

Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

Concept

Twinning Scheme

TWIN is EPSAs bilateral exchange program. It is a concept designed to improve co-operation between

EPSA member countries. Recognising that valuable links develop over years of co-operation, EPSA

encourages Schools of Pharmacy to become twin with their counterparts in other countries.

A group of students travels to the country of their TWIN partner. The costs for the travel are for the ones

who travel. Once they arrived the TWIN partner covers all the staying costs for their guest. After having


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TWIN Guidelines2

met, the programme starts. The hosting group organises the whole program. What can vary from several

seminars with a pharmaceutical theme, workshops, healthcare projects, pharmacy awareness projects etc.

When the TWIN has come to an end, all participants should be enriched with new knowledge about the

culture of the country, a pharmacy related topic, the relationship between culture and the pharmacy

profession. In the future a re-TWIN can be organised, where the hosting students of the first TWIN, go thecountry and learn about their culture.

Youth Programme

The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Member States of the European Union

agreed jointly to establish the Youth Community Action Programme, which sets up the legal framework in

support of non-formal educational activities for young people. These are educational activities within

Youth actively involve young people on a voluntary basis and provide them with opportunities to acquire

skills and competencies outside formal education and training systems. Even though they are not part of

any formal educational curriculum, Youth projects are characterised by a carefully planned Programme of

personal and social education for participants and apply methods of intercultural learning. The Programme

will run from 2000 to the end of 2006. In 2007 this programme will be replaced by Youth in Action, andruns till 2013. Youth in Action aims to develop a sense of personal responsibility, initiative, concern for

others, citizenship and active involvement at local, national and European level among young people. The

programme will also help to improve support systems for youth activities. It will include several areas

among which Action 1 Youth for Europe, it will be mainly geared to reinforcing active engagement of

young people through exchanges and projects supporting democracy and initiative..

Implementation of the Youth Programme is decentralised, the aim being to take action as closely aspossible to the beneficiaries and to adapt to the diversity of national systems and situations in the field ofYouth. Each of the 31 countries participating fully in all Youth Actions has appointed a National Agency.These National Agencies manage the bulk of Youth funds, and provide information and advice. They alsoact as the link between the European Commission, project promoters at national, regional and local level,

and the young people themselves. Further in these guidelines are the addresses provided for all thenational agencies of EPSA member countries.

These guidelines provide all the details and criteria needed to apply for the Youth Actions Programme.

More detailed information can be found in the users guide of the Youth Action Programme.

Youth Programme Action 1 strives to achieve and maintain a balance between personal development and

collective activity across all sectors of society. Youth Exchanges and Youth Encounters offer an

opportunity for groups of young people (aged 15-25) from different countries to meet. They have a

pedagogical value and a non-formal learning aim, in that the groups explore common themes and learn

about each others cultures.

The sending group receives:

70% of actual travel costs (young people and group leaders) Contribution to an advance planning visit Fixed amount for the preparation of participants and activities (including insurance) Actual exceptional costs relating to young people with special needs or to the special nature of

activities


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TWIN Guidelines3

The hosting group receives:

Fixed amount for the preparation of activities and participants (including insurance) Fixed amount per project to cover general activity costs Flat rate per participant (young people and group leaders) per day (depending on in which country

the event takes place)

Actual exceptional costs relating to young people with special needs or to the special nature ofactivities

Aims

The Twinning Scheme is designed to improve contact between pharmacy students in Europe. The

meaning and career of a pharmacist differs in every country. As the role a pharmacist has in the healthcare system of his country. Being in contact with students from other countries, gives people an insight in

these differences and together we can learn from each others situation. Making you a better skilled

pharmacy student and in future a better pharmacist.

Having a TWIN with another faculty in other countries means having an opportunity to:

meet pharmacy students from other European countries; become familiar with study and faculty in a hosting country

- (curriculum, faculty equipment and possibilities for research work, first hand

- information about student exchange possibilities, local and national student

- organisation and their projects, sport and casual events etc.);

get in touch with pharmaceutical industry and its management system; get an idea how the system of community pharmacies is operating; become informed about national programs and events connected to pharmaceutical sciences; get to know the history and beauties of the hosting country; get to know the culture and religion of the hosting country; be introduced to social life in hosting country by being part of it for a while;

travel; gain new life experiences; train your management and communication skills; meet new friends; and a lot of other reasons, professional and personal.


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TWIN Guidelines4

Finances & Sponsorship

Sometimes the hardest part of everything seems to be to get some sponsorship. Fortunately the European

Union created the Youth Programme, what stimulates young people to organise exchanges throughout

Europe. There are some demands, like the groups should be round the same size and between 16 and 60participants (15-25 year old) and the duration of the exchange is 6-21 days.

If you do not these demands are not manageable, there is off course always the old fashioned way: you can

try to find sponsors. Make sure you have to offer them something. Think in this way and try to find

answers on following questions:

Do you have any pharmaceutical industry company in your country? Is it a small or a big one? Do they produce medicines just for your country or also for other parts of Europe and world? Do they have a smaller factory of their concern in other countries or do they plan to have it? Which countries are on their list or in their plans, where do they have to improve their marketing?

Invite people from there!

Do they own any hotels, restaurants?The company can provide sponsorship in several ways, ask about the possibilities of visiting their

company, organising a lecture & round table debate on specific theme, having lunch in their cantina/

restaurant for free, sleeping in their hotel during the trip for free or with discount, paying for the travel

costs for the trip, renting you a car, a van etc.

Are there interesting modern or traditional community pharmacies in the neighbourhood? Arrange a visit!

And what about a visit to your faculty. Ask a professor or assistant to help you with a tour around the

faculty, showing them laboratories, equipment, especially the possibilities for research work. Maybe the

professor is interested in giving a short lecture about a specific subject. One good point is also informing

your dean and he can say a few welcoming words to your guests. If you have a canteen at the faculty,

maybe you can arrange a free lunch four your guests?

For more sponsorship you can always try your national pharmaceutical organisation, the centre for the

promotion of your country (promotion material), travel agencies (discount for the trip with a fully booked

bus), stores (get a discount or free drinks/food), pubs (group discount for drinks).

When you are looking for the sponsorship you have to have in mind that you are not the only one who is

asking for financial or any other help, so you have to give many good reasons of what you can offer them.

When making a budget for the TWIN, make sure you save 7,5-10 % for unforeseen costs. When theTWIN goes perfect, you can spend the money for extra things as the TWIN goes along.


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TWIN Guidelines5

Overview - TWIN STEPS

Step 1: Invitation

Invitation means establishing a first contact with the students you want to have a TWIN. Announce in theTeam Mobility Working Committee that you would like to do a TWIN and the date you would like it to

be. If there is a specific country or faculty you want to TWIN with, contact the Working Committee

Member of that country. You can always ask your Liaison Secretary to help you with establishing the

contacts. In some cases you already have contact with someone from that country, in this case, the first

step has been made, but always make sure that your LS is aware of your plans. He can help you.

Step 1a: Invitation, application steps for the Youth Programme

Choose the partner organisation; Define who's the host organisation and the sending organisation, the guest

(at least one country has to be an EU Member State);

Choose where the exchange will take place; Choose the subject and the title of TWIN; Choose the dates of the exchange:

o Beginning of project - 3 months after the deadline*;o End of project - e.g. 1month after the end of activities;o Beginning and end of activities (6 to 21 days excluding travel).For TWINs starting between: Application deadline:May 1 and September 30 February 1

July 1 and November 30 April 1

September 1 and January 31 June 1

December 1 and April 30 September 1

February 1 and June 30 November 1

For Partner Countries, there are three application deadlines a year. The Partner Countries

which are an EPSA Member are: Turkey, Bosnia - Herzegovina, Croatia, Republic of

Macedonia (FYR) and Serbia -Montenegro.

For TWINs starting between: Application deadline

July 1 and December 31 February 1

November 1 and April 30 June 1April 1 and September 30 November 1

* Deadlines refer to the date of posting (i.e. postmark). The applications should be sent to

your national agency.

Define the number of participants 16 to 60 (Youth leaders not included) from 15 to 25 yearsold;

Define the Youth leaders (usually 1 per 10 participants), these should be students from theReception Committee;

Write the programme of activities;


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TWIN Guidelines6

Write the context, motivation, preparation, objectives, etc.... of the exchange (each associationdoes it individually, on it's own language) as mentioned in the application form;

Define the legal representative and contact person of your organisation; Sign the preliminary agreement and send it to the partner organisation by mail; For the grant request:

o Host organisation: fixed amount for preparation of activities + fixed amount for theactivities cost per person per day

o Sending organisation: fixed amount for preparation of activities + 70% of travel costs +advance planing visit (not obligatory; 1 Youth leader + 1 participant to visit the host

organisation for 2 days travel excluded, in order to arrange datails for the project)

NOTE: fixed amounts are not the same for all the countries

You should read the user's guide, fill the application form and contact your national agency. After the end

of the project you have two months to present a final report.

Step 2: Form the Organising Committee

Find people who would like to be part of the organising committee and establish everyones tasks . Start

promoting the TWIN among students of your faculty.

Step 3: Make a provisional plan

Organise a meeting with the organising committee, and collect ideas about program, have some brain

storming about accommodation, food, visits, interesting topics for discussions or lectors, trips, eveningevents, sport events ... Maybe your local or national organisation has a special event which you can attend

with your guests?

Step 4: Find sponsors

Look for financial but also non-financial support. Maybe companies can offer or arrange a lunch or dinner,

pay your travelling costs, offer the accommodation or give you some presents for your guests, arrange

interesting lectures etc. More details are to be seen in the chapter Finances & Sponsorship.

Step 5: Work out social and educational part of the TWIN

Is there anything special in your area, worth to be seen? A local cultural or sports event you can take part

of? Are you investigating anything interesting at your faculty? Would you like to represent your local

projects, is your faculty part of sport competitions? What about your pharmaceutical industry and

community pharmacies? Museums, lunaparks? Make a concrete plan by forming a timetable.

Step 6: Accommodation and food

When you know the number of people that will participate in TWIN, you will be able to arrange the

accommodation. Try to find something nice and cosy for reasonable price. Think also about possibility to

host your guests in your homes. Ask your guests if they need some special dietary.


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TWIN Guidelines7

To save money, and keep the participation fee as low as possible, you can host your guests in your own

home.

Step 7: Regular correspondence with your guests

Make sure that you have fluent contacts with your guests. Provide them with information about your

country, faculty, weather, money, prices etc. All things that could rise their interest before coming to your

country. At least two weeks before guests' arrival send them the program. Of course, you can still change

it till the beginning of TWIN.

Step 8: TWIN starts

Arrange a warm welcome for the guests. Maybe the mayor, or dean of the faculty of pharmacy can give an

introduction speech. Try to stick to the program, but be flexible or open for changes. Try to involve as

much students as possible from your faculty in this event. Having a student party in your program is agood idea and opportunity for this.

Step 9: Arrange a re-TWIN

Now it is your turn to enjoy hospitality of your TWIN colleagues. Try to find the most appropriate date for

both of you for the re-TWIN.

Step 10: Fill in a report form

Fill in the TWIN report form to the Team Mobility Working Committee Director and do not hesitate to

write an article for EPSA Newsletter. It could also be a great article for your local newsletter. Do not

forget to add a few photos and let the students who were not part of the event feel the magic of TWIN

Spirit.

Promotion & Presentation

When countries decide to organise a TWIN, this provides a framework by which they can build a

relationship and a history full of great memories. You should be aware that the TWIN Project will only

work through local initiative. The more countries and students will be involved, the more friendships willgrow and more people will be satisfied and happy, not feeling that they are alone in this project or being

scared of organising TWIN.

You have to know that only if you try, you can succeed and get experience, which can help you to

organise another TWIN and also to succeed in your personal life. Daily, monthly and yearly, connections

will gradually grow and eventually, the TWIN will become also triplets or quads.

You can use following promotional materials:

TWIN Guidelines

TWIN Powerpoint presentation


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TWIN Guidelines8

Contacts

For further explanations please contact:

Team Mobility Working Committee Director 2005-2006:

A. KORT [email protected]

Groningen

The Netherlands

Mobile: + 31 52 30 86 85

EPSA Website: www.epsa-online.org

Latest update: April 2006

LET'SDOITTOGETHER!

twin guidelines 2006

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