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ERASMUS Intensive programmes
An Intensive Programme (IP) is a short programme of study which brings together students and teaching staff from higher education institutions of at least three participating countries. It can last from 10 continuous full days to 6 weeks of subject related work.
An IP aims at:
- Encouraging efficient and multinational teaching of specialist topics which might otherwise not be taught at all, or only in a very restricted number of higher education institutions;
- Enabling students and teachers to work together in multinational groups and so benefit from special learning and teaching conditions not available in a single institution, and to gain new perspectives on the topic being studied;
- Allowing members of the teaching staff to exchange views on teaching content and new curricula approaches and to test teaching methods in an international classroom environment.
An Intensive Programme can be a one-off activity or repeated over a limited number of years (maximum duration of funding three consecutive years with an annual application round) with 2013 as the final year for annual applications. IP applications selected in 2012 and 2013 will not have the opportunity to apply for a renewal after 2013.
What are the desirable features of an Intensive Programme?
- It may not consist of research activities or conferences, but should provide something significantly new in terms of learning opportunities, skills development, access to information, etc. for the participating teachers and students and promote an element of curricular development.
- Effort should be made that the workload of participating students is recognised through ECTS (or otherwise equivalent) credits.
- Intensive Programmes are expected to use ICT tools and services to support the preparation and follow-up of the IP, thereby contributing to the creation of a sustainable learning community in the subject area concerned.
- The ratio of staff to students should guarantee active classroom participation.
- The Intensive Programme should present a strong multi-disciplinary approach, fostering the interaction of students from different academic disciplines.
- In addition to the learning outcomes on subject-related competences, IPs should favour the transmission of transversal competences.
What criteria must an Intensive Programme respect?
- The consortium involves at least 3 participating institutions from 3 different countries participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme. At least one participating institution must be from a Member State of the European Union.
- The planned location of the Intensive Programme is in a country which is eligible to participate in the Lifelong Learning Programme.
- The number of eligible students travelling from countries other than the country hosting the Intensive Programme must be minimum 10.
- The activity plan should include at least 10 continuous working days of subject-related work (virtual cooperation activities like e-learning or weekend / days without subject related work or days with only cultural activities as part of the IP will not be taken into account).
- The Intensive Programme must take place without interruption and subject-related work days can only be separated by weekends and national public holidays.
- Proposals for IPs that would be an integral part of an Erasmus Mundus Master or Doctoral Course are not eligible.
- The proposal or an IP with the same or a very similar partnership and the same or a very similar topic has not yet received funding for 3 consecutive years from any of the National Agencies.
- The applicant has not applied to more than one National Agency with the same or a very similar topic and the same or a very similar partnership under the LLP General Call for proposals 2012-2013.
Who can apply?
Higher education institutions
The co-ordinating higher education institution of the Intensive Programme (which must hold an Erasmus University Charter), on behalf of the IP participating institutions (all holding an Erasmus university charter)..
Participating students or teachers should be either
A national of a country participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme or a national of other countries enrolled in regular courses in institutions of higher education or employed or living in a participating country, under the conditions fixed by each of the participating countries, taking into account the nature of the programme (please refer to the relevant National Agency website).
How to apply?
- Applications must be submitted to the National Agency of the institution that coordinates the Intensive Programme on behalf of all the partners.
- An IP with the same or a very similar partnership and the same or a very similar topic may apply to only one national agency under the LLP General Call for Proposals 2012-2013.
- Selection is carried out by the national agency of the institution that coordinates the IP. If the coordination of an IP (selected under the previous call for proposals) is moving to a different higher education institution in another country (or in case of Belgium to a different National Agency) the application will be assessed on the same basis as a new application. However, also in this case, the total duration of funding for the same or very similar IP may not exceed 3 years.
- The selection of Intensive Programme participants (teaching staff and first, second and third cycle students) is carried out by the Intensive Programme consortium.
- Students and teaching staff with special needs may apply for a specific grant after they have been selected for an IP.
ERASMUS success stories in the field of Intensive Programmes 2010
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European Success Stories in education and training for social inclusion – Intensive Programme on educational contributions to building cohesion within European social and institutional life Szent István University, Békéscsaba, Hungary  [84 KB]    - The project provides professional programmes for trainees in teacher education, social work and business studies concerned with the well-being of communities, promoting new understandings of indicators of social cohesion. |
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European Success Stories in education and training for social inclusion – Intensive Programme on migration, diversity and identities University College Dublin, Ireland [79 KB] - This intensive programme involved partners from the European Doctorate in Migration, Diversity and Identities network (EDMIDI). It included an interdisciplinary series of lectures and fieldtrips to examine the politics and production of 'official' and 'unofficial' discourses of national and migrant identities in economic, civic and cultural arenas, and the changes and transformations in life "on the street". |
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European Success Stories in education and training for social inclusion – Intensive Programme building civil society and fighting social exclusion - contemporary challenges for social work John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland [79 KB] - The courses underlined the European dimension in the search for creative ways to build civil society and innovative methods to provide social inclusion. |
ERASMUS success stories in the field of Intensive Programmes 2008
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Lifelong Learning Erasmus Award in Gold 2008 –Intensive Programmes Politechnical Institute of Tomar (Instituto Politécnico de Tomar), Portugal [87 KB]  - Given its location in the historical city of Tomar, the Instituto Politécnico de Tomar has concentrated its activities on Intensive Programmes in archaeology. With its blend of Art, Prehistory, Cultural Heritage and Management, the Intensive Programmes have proven to be a mobilising factor for the Institute and its partners, functioning as a catalyst for specialists and learners. The institute's strategy has been to launch Intensive Programmes that will become key components for regular courses and test modules for innovation and development in the field of archaeology as well as in European prehistoric art from which an Erasmus Mundus Master programme has evolved. More than 4,000 students and 100 lecturers from 15 European countries have studied and taught in Tomar since the first programme was launched in the mid-nineties. The programme's success is further illustrated by the number of leading positions in prehistoric art currently occupied by former students. |
 | Lifelong Learning ERASMUS Award in Bronze 2008 – Student Mobility
University of Southern Denmark (Syddansk Universitet), Denmark [84 KB] - The pressing need for a common European higher education strategy on health-enhancing physical activity has inspired the University of Southern Denmark to conduct several Intensive Programmes. Based on positive experiences in international collaboration, a group of European sports scientists established the MA programme European Master in Physical Activity and Health (EMPAH). |
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