Trends of globalization have affected all spheres of social life. Economics, politics, religion ... of course, the educational segment as the most significant one is not an exception and, we can say it is "primary" in this row. One cannot become a citizen of the world overnight, the awareness of own involvement in all important processes of universal scale starts at school, and is finally fixed already on the exit from alma mater. To be more certain, today, a more or less clearly reflecting person perfectly understands that the process of convergence, integration of various mental cultures is a natural and inevitable phenomenon. Internationalization of the industry, economy, and cultural sector has gradually led to the fact that in the modern world the individual is in demand, thinking in large-scale categories, not "tolerating" the presence of narrow national or artificially created, conventional geographical restrictions, and the "global" labor market increasingly demands professionals possessing such knowledge, skills and purely personal qualities that would contribute to a rapid and painless adaptation to any new conditions. The process of adaptation to a foreign cultural environment should be interfered by neither language barriers nor educational standards. The post-industrial stage of homo sapiens development a priori defined a global international specialist, whose value system had spread over the entire globe as a competitive and demanded in the global market specialist, but not a narrow professional guided by narrow personal "parochial" interests.
It is clear that in this "scenario" the international education becomes more urgent than ever. And it is not about a prestigious diploma or records of passage of training abroad, which will display a CV in a favorable light. New times demand a new man, with different guidelines and requests, and universities, which educational programs offer their students an opportunity to obtain international experience, are considered by modern entrants as priority ones. Such approaches to the system of education are often implemented through exchange programs, among them ERSAMUS MUNDUS student exchange program has long been one of the most prestigious ones.
Some history
The history of "Erasmus" began in 1987 when the non-profit program of student exchange started, focusing on EU countries, ERASMUS (then without «mundus»). The new program saw its purpose in encouragement and motivation of young people of Europe to study, to realize all the benefits of higher education, raising the school children’s and entrants’ bar of self-esteem to a higher level, calling for the activation of ambitions and capacities. The program opened broad horizons for teachers, who had the opportunity to carry out teaching activities in foreign universities, contributed to the admission to foreign universities, and organized trips of interns and trainees to partner countries being members of the European Union. The material aspect of this project widely spread over the entire European continent was taken over the European Union and domestic universities. International students had the opportunity to receive scholarships that covered all the additional costs of staying abroad. By the way, the principles of ERASMUS activities well reveal the name of the program, which refers to the period of the Northern Renaissance of the 16th century and to the "ruler of the minds" of that time - a Dutch humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam. He can be called the first globalist in the history of mankind - the philosopher had traveled all over Europe, taught and studied in many European universities of that time, gaining new knowledge and adopting the cultural experience of other countries.
ERASMUS MUNDUS program gained momentum in parallel to ERASMUS program. It was a new international education program, that was not fundamentally different from ERASMUS program in strategic terms, but significantly expanded the geography of its activity («mundus» - "universe", "world" from Latin), seeking to bring the process of globalization of the European education to a reasonable, logical finish. Gradually ERASMUS MUNDUS program had extended its influence over half the globe, including Uzbekistan, in which territory the program had carried out its admittedly very fruitful activities from 2007 to 2014. The EU budget had remained as the cash flow source, which ultimately led to the financial collapse in 2014, and in the international educational area appeared the next, the third of the “Erasmuses” - ERASMUS PLUS.
Why plus?
ERASMUS PLUS is a new integrated educational program brought together all international programs existed at that time under the auspices of the European Union. Its activities were aimed at supporting young people in education and sports. ERASMUS PLUS is a multifunctional program, serving as an integral with respect to seven educational programs:
- three international programs in the field of higher education: Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alfa;
- four professional educational programs for adult: Leonardo, Grundtvig, Comenius and Erasmus program still valid in 2014.
Backed by over 25 years of experience of leading European educational programs, ERASMUS PLUS strives to push their boundaries; considering all the past successes and achievements, it structurally includes the elements of predecessors’ developments into its own system. Therefore, ERASMUS PLUS program activities are so multifaceted and segmented. Under this brand, such educational strategies are implemented, as:
- ERASMUS PLUS: COMENIUS – a segment of general secondary education.
- ERASMUS PLUS: ERASMUS – a segment of higher education.
- ERASMUS PLUS: ERASMUS MUNDUS – a segment of joint Master degrees.
- ERASMUS PLUS: LEONARDO – a segment of vocational education and personnel training.
- ERASMUS PLUS: GRUNDTVIG – an adult education segment.
- ERASMUS PLUS: YOUTH IN ACTION – a segment of non-formal and non-official education of young people;
- ERASMUS PLUS: JEAN MONNET – studies of integration processes in the EU.
- ERASMUS PLUS: SPORTS – a sports segment.
If ERASMUS MUNDUS redrew the map and expanded geographical boundaries of the impact of its educational intentions, ERASMUS PLUS touched the age qualification (adult education), as well as spread social boundaries.
Changes in the social sphere, the economic crisis, the global competition for talents, high unemployment level - all these factors defined a new approach:
- tight links between educational programs and policy,
- a strong focus on practical benefits for the EU,
- rational simple structure,
- the youth,
- sports, etc.
Dennis Abbott, an official representative of the European Education Commission, speaks about the new program with optimism and confidence in the fact that, of course, ERASMUS PLUS new program will show itself at its best, will be bigger and more perfect than the predecessor. The focus of interest of the previous programs both in ERASMUS, and in ERASMUS MUNDUS, first and foremost, is an international academic exchange between universities, PLUS program is wider: it is both volunteer work for students, and all sorts of advanced training courses, professional training of young employees. The "Lifelong learning" project offers various options of completing education for adults who for whatever reason have not finished high school in their youth. Having combined almost all educational programs that existed previously, ERASMUS PLUS program developers also grouped all the achievements and successful solutions of "predecessors", and having sifted out ashes from cinders, created an optimal educational program. And even more - a large-scale educational project.
Main directions
The new program seeks to contribute to the implementation of very different European educational programs, which have been repeatedly submitted for discussion (Europe-2020, ET-2020, EU - a youth strategy, etc.), but there are key areas.
К1: International academic mobility,
implying long-term/occasional trips of students and teachers abroad to study, teaching activities, scientific and research work and advanced training.
К2: Cooperation and professional interchange of best practices.
Networking between higher education institutions and leading stakeholders to promote the development of innovations in the system of higher education; search for new methods to popularize knowledge in the projects that are focused on results, i.e., in industries that have emerged relatively recently.
К3: Support for reforms in the educational sphere.
JEAN MONNET direction
JEAN MONNET (a French businessman and statesman of the 20th century, considered the “father” of the EU) grant program contributes to the expansion of the information space of knowledge about the ongoing European integration process through teaching and research work. Scientific priorities - issues of the EU history, development, prospects, current legislation and the possibility/necessity to edit it in the territory of the EU. The circle of JEAN MONNET’s strategic interests includes, of course, EU relations with countries in other regions. JEAN MONNET’s project is focused exclusively on higher educational insitutions (university level) and covers 68 countries on five continents. In 1989, a grant PROGRAM of the EUROPEAN UNION named after JEAN MONNET was established, which had existed until 2013, and in 2014 it was integrated into ERASMUS PLUS in a modified form. The selection of projects for grants was carried out on a competitive basis among teachers and universities from all over the world.
Some mathematics
- total budget - 14.7 billion euros, which is 40% greater than the RASMUS MUNDUS budget.
- EU grants and training for about 4 million people in 125,000 foreign educational institutions.
- budget allocation:
mobility - 63%
cooperation for innovations and best practice exchange - not less than 28%
support for policy reforms - 4.2%
- 800.000 teachers mastered new teaching methods abroad.
- 600 sporting events held jointly with partners, including non-profit ones
With the support of the JEAN MONNET project:
- 600 short-term courses for teachers worldwide
- More than 100 ADVANCED TRAINING centers
Take a chance
ERASMUS PLUS is a real opportunity to study abroad in the best universities of the world, where authoritative scientific schools have been and continue being created. You get a chance to choose your own individual "educational route", you have a "multi-probable" chance to get a quality education.
Educators and researchers discover for themselves the prospects for cooperation with foreign colleagues, which can not be remained ineffective and will certainly bring results.
Institutions of higher education, through ERASMUS PLUS program, find the way to the international arena of effective and p competition, which will certainly lead them on the path of perfection.
The advantage of international student mobility programs is in its principle difference from ordinary foreign internships: an educational trip of students is though limited, but long-termed - up to one academic year. Living and studying abroad, a student develops not only individual highly specialized disciplines and improves language skills, but also develops the full course of the program (one-year or semester) from A to Z, that will surely be counted upon his return.
Requirements to applicants
- an applicant has to complete at least two bachelor courses;
- a student with academic debts is not allowed to submit documents;
- English proficiency level (or a working language of the chosen university should be not lower than B2.
