Spotlight: A programme for all

Boris Kuzmanov – 26 – Bulgaria

Higher Education - Erasmus+ Master Loan – Spain, 2016-17

‘The Erasmus+ Master loan had a huge positive impact on my life’ says Boris Kuzmanov from Bulgaria. ‘Without this loan, I would have simply been unable to start my Master studies in nuclear energy’, he explains.

Boris developed an interest in nuclear energy from a young age, growing up in Kozloduy, home to Bulgaria’s only nuclear power plant. After studying nuclear engineering in Sofia at undergraduate level, Boris identified the 2-year European Master in Nuclear Energy as an ideal next step.

The programme entails studying in Spain and France, combined with a 6-month internship in an energy company - a perfect fit. While Boris managed to secure a scholarship to cover his tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses were proving particularly costly. Boris was able to secure a loan from Microbank to pursue his studies, backed by an EU guarantee under the Erasmus+ programme.

So far, Boris' experience has been particularly rewarding: ‘The programme is very intense and I really feel I’m learning a lot. But I’ve also had the chance to meet lots of international students and share experiences. This has definitely broadened my vision of the world and enriched my personality.’

Blair Clark – 21 – United Kingdom

Higher Education - Erasmus+ Master Loan – Denmark, 2016-17

‘Overall the Erasmus+ Master Loan has definitely made my postgraduate studies much more feasible’, says Blair Clark, who followed up on his undergraduate law studies in Edinburgh with a Master’s degree in International Security & Law in Denmark.

In taking the decision to study in Denmark, Blair weighed different options to make ends meet. A loan under the newly established Erasmus+ Master Loan Scheme allowed Blair to focus his energy on his studies without having to stress about the financial side.

Blair has found living abroad a particularly enriching experience. He even joined a local football team, thus meeting locals outside the university: ‘It’s an eye-opener. From meeting different, interesting people and learning new things every day to being part of both a multi-national and also the local national community. I guess you could say I’m making full use of my EU citizenship.’

During his undergraduate studies Blair spent a year in the Netherlands on an Erasmus exchange. ‘This opened my eyes to the possibility of studying, living and working abroad. It made me more internationally-minded’, he notes. In the future, he intends to focus on the field of security and particularly conflict-resolution. He is confident that his international experience will play in his favour.

Mohammed Maher Ibrahimi – 22 – Afghanistan

Mohammed is a mechanical engineer. He arrived in Belgium as a refugee from Afghanistan in October 2015, and started a French course the following year through the Online Linguistic Support (OLS) offered by Erasmus+. For Mohammed the benefits of learning a new language are clear: his French skills have enabled him to meet new people, join a volleyball team and find employment. He now has many Belgian friends and is learning a lot about Belgian culture. The OLS has opened many doors for Mohammed, not only in terms of developing his language skills, but also his self-confidence and interpersonal skills. He demonstrated this by taking part in a play showcased to school and university students about his experience as a refugee. Mohammed is now taking an active role in helping other refugees from Afghanistan access the same opportunities and develop the same skills as him. Erasmus+ will provide 100,000 opportunities to refugees by the end of 2018.

Ilias Agathangelidis – 50 – Sweden

Since 2005, Ilias has been coordinating various eTwinning, and Erasmus+ school education projects, giving his students the opportunity to learn about sport, culture, the environment, democracy, human rights and entrepreneurship. 70 staff, 500 students and 3 school classes have taken part in various international exchanges in several EU countries, including Belgium, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Finland, Germany and Greece. The experience has inspired students to become involved in similar projects, both within and outside school. Some have gone on to high schools where they could continue working on similar projects, while others are active members in youth organisations. Most of these students have vastly improved both their language and social skills due to their continual interaction with different nationalities and cultures. The Swedish teachers have also learned a great deal from these exchanges, such improving Information Communication Technology (ICT) teaching methods. Different languages are now being spoken freely across the school, adding a truly international element.

Bridging Europe and Africa: A Social Initiative - Romania

So far, 24 individuals from both the EU and Africa have taken part in the 'Bridging Europe and Africa: A Social Initiative' project, working on a number of health and education projects, which have reached some 900 beneficiaries, including children, teenagers and parents. Romanian volunteers working in Benin are developing their skills as youth workers, social workers and midwives. Meanwhile, Portuguese volunteers in Cape Verde are learning a great deal about the environment and wildlife protection, while also developing their entrepreneurship skills. Similarly, locals in Cape Verde and Benin have gained valuable insight into how their counterparts in Romania and Portugal plan, prepare, and run youth and health projects. For example, staff working at a health clinic in Benin are now providing better quality patient care, while local schoolteachers in Cape Verde have mastered non-formal education approaches like team building and brainstorming. Crucially, children in both Benin and Cape Verde are taking part in various leisure activities, shielding them from drug and alcohol dependency.

Hubert Skrzyński – 41 – Poland

Hubert is currently Head of a prison school in central Poland where he teaches English and Polish. He has successfully created, managed an implemented a number of Adult Education (formerly Grundtvig) projects, applying learning experiences from other prison education systems in Europe to his home institution in order to better encourage social inclusion through education. Taking part in these projects has permitted Hubert to develop a network of contacts through which innovative exchanges take place and new ideas and techniques are shared. Hubert's experience of adult education through Erasmus+ has reaffirmed his belief in the importance of education, and allows him to feel that he is making a positive and active contribution to his society.

Hubert's experience has opened many doors to him: he founded an association for socially excluded people; he has written several articles on prison education; and he sits on the steering committee of the European Prison Education Association (EPEA).

CARMA Project – Palermo, Italy

The main aim of the CARMA project is to develop new non-formal learning techniques which will transform school practices. The strategies are being developed as part of an overall EU strategy to reduce early school leaving to below 10%. With pilot schemes already launched in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey, positive results already indicate changes in the attitudes of pupils, with many actively looking forward to their next non-formal lessons. Staff have also benefitted from specialised training and open dialogue with experts in the field of non-formal education in an international setting. CARMA will use the findings from the pilot phase of the project to provide recommendations at the national level for how to best combat early school leaving with non-formal education.

Kieran Brosnan – 51 – Ireland

In 2014, St. Paul’s Primary School undertook a year-long Erasmus+ project which fostered mobility amongst school pupils. The theme of the project was Inclusive Education; it aimed to educate staff and pupils, and develop an increased awareness of cultural diversity in the classroom to ensure equal opportunities for all. By working alongside schools in Latvia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey with a similar profile to their own, Kieran Brosnan, the project coordinator, was able to share experiences and ideas with colleagues throughout Europe and introduce new teaching and learning methods to his school. Concepts such as 'team teaching' are now used by Kieran and his colleagues in Ireland, and their pupils are really benefiting from more diverse teaching styles and cooperative learning activities. St. Paul's Primary school now offers a more inclusive learning environment, and staff and pupils have recently received a national award for their participation in the campaign 'Show Racism the Red Card'.

EMMIR – Germany

The European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations (EMMIR) is the first African-European Erasmus Mundus Master Course in Migration Studies. Through an intercultural approach, the course provides theoretical skills in migration studies combined with field work in Europe and Africa. For students, EMMIR offers a diverse teaching and learning environment which introduces innovative contributions to the field. A growing global network of partners provides unique opportunities for both internships and employment. Almost a hundred students from around 70 different countries have graduated from the programme since 2012, and this young, dynamic network of migration experts is now making a difference in the field. Most graduates have found jobs in international organisations such as the Red Cross or with migration-related NGOs, while others have gone into research and education. One graduate, for example, currently provides intercultural training for nurses.

Guillaume Vandeberg – 25 – Belgium

Guillaume is a freelance mason. Through a Vocational and Educational Training programme (formerly Leonardo) he worked as a trainee mason in Florence, Italy, where he worked to renovate old stone buildings. He was a shy and reserved teenager who never felt like he fit in, and had left the traditional school pathway. Masonry was a skill he could pursue and the training in Italy a revelation. He learned to fend for himself, opened up to others and regained self-confidence. The skills and experience that Guillaume gained as a team leader in Florence have enabled him to set up his own company in Belgium, where he is responsible for his own workers. At his company, Guillaume often hosts trainee masons; he encourages these individuals to explore the same techniques that he learned in Italy.

SPIN – Austria

Launched in 2011, the Sport Inclusion Network (SPIN) project brought together seven like-minded organisations to increase the number of people volunteering in sport from minority groups. The partners shared examples of good practice by holding workshops on the social inclusion of migrants in each of the seven countries. The project also published various studies on the role that sport plays in social inclusion. For example, the ‘Good Practices Guide’ compiled 45 examples of positive sport initiatives in 8 European countries. Furthermore, the Football Refugee Day - part of the World Refugee Day - saw several partners mobilising local refugee and asylum-seeking communities to participate in tournaments. The 1,952 participants who took part in the project gained from their involvement. For example, migrant football teams were empowered by the experience, with their skills improving. SPIN has been vital in raising awareness and provoking debate of issues which often go overlooked. By building links between refugees and migrants and civil society, SPIN has been able to build strong networks and engage more vulnerable people in sport.

Carina Autengruber – 26 – Austria

Carina is passionate about social inclusion, and has actively participated in this cause since childhood. However, Carina's European Voluntary Service (EVS) placement in Luxembourg gave her a whole new perspective. During her EVS mobility, Carina worked with young people with disabilities. She became aware of new ways to engage with and contribute to society, and felt she was really making a difference. The experience also broadened Carina's understanding of what it means to be European – 'Europe' transformed from being a concept into a tangible reality. The opportunities offered to Carina by the EVS programme have also helped her develop many key skills; she is more self-confident, better able to face challenges, and has more intercultural awareness. Carina has further built on these skills as a European Youth Delegate of the Austrian National Youth Council, where she has focused on topics such as youth participation, migration, and gender equality, and in her new role as vice president of the European Youth Forum.

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