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May 15th: Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility program for European higher education. The official aim of the program is to enhance the quality of European higher education by fostering co-operation with third countries in order to improve the development of human resources and to promote dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures. The program should promote Europe as a centre of excellence in these third countries and thus enhance the attractiveness. The European Commission promotes Erasmus Mundus in the frame of the Bologna Process and the Lisbon Strategy. Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses are joint programs offered by a consortium of higher education institutions. It involves studies at minimum two higher education institutions of the minimum three of the organising HEI’s (the consortium) in different member states. The programs also offer grants to students to the amount of 21 000 euro.
Proposal for the second phase
The first phase of the program runs from 2004 till 2008. The European Commission made a proposal for a second phase of the program that will run from 2009 till 2013. This proposal was already adopted by the Council of Ministers and is now being discussed in the European Parliament where it should be approved. The national unions of students in Europe call upon the EP-members to amend the proposal to make it more student friendly.
The new proposal includes several changes. In the second phase of the program, students from EU-countries can also apply for the grants. The Erasmus Mundus program will be expanded to doctoral programs. Third countries can participate more equal as partners. However, the basic idea of the program remains the same. The concerns the European student representatives raised in the passed are not addressed properly.
The budget for the second phase the budget is will increase to 950 million euro (compared to 230 million euro for the first phase).
ESU have today sent out a press release to the Members of the European Parliament, coming as a result of a very long discussion between delegates of the national unions of students in Europe at the 54th Board Meeting several days ago.
This press release aimsto prevent the adoption of a very students-unfriendy proposal on the continuation of the Erasmus Mundus programme from 2009-2013. Students' concerns have been raised especially about tution fees and how it is proposed to regulate them with respect to consortias and with respect to national regulations, but also about the 'brain drain' effect and a lack of the concrete mechanisms in the proposal to prevent this effect. Read ESU's Press Release Here |
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 May 11th: At it’s 54th Board Meeting, ESU accepted an external motion calling for the integration of the Republic of Serbia into the European Union. A Serbia within the EU will lead to major improvements for Serbia's students such as stronger mobility, an improved quality of academia and equal treatment of other EU students whilst studying abroad.
Over the past years, the countries of the Western Balkans have moved closer to the EU: certain progress in reforms was made and established criteria and conditions have been met. Important steps were taken in regional cooperation. Public opinion in the Western Balkans is largely favorable to EU integration. All governments have committed themselves to this objective and are, each according to their ability, implementing reforms. However, the Western Balkans are confronted with a number of challenges. It is in the interest of the European Union, and of Europe as a whole, that the region should go ahead as rapidly as possible with political and economic reform and reconciliation among people. It is also in the best interest of the EU that these countries develop strong cooperation among themselves in order to achieve progress towards the EU.
Stability of the region is only possible through a stable and prosperous Serbia fully integrated into the family of European peoples. Though the presidential elections held in February 2008 confirmed Serbia's European aspirations, Serbia is currently facing strategic choices regarding its future, which depend on the results of today’s parliamentary elections. After 8 years of a difficult transition process and a lot of drawbacks along the European path of Serbia, the forces from the nineties are strengthening and endangering the whole region by possibly leading towards an isolation of Serbia.
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May 10th: ESU is currently hosting its' 54th Board Meeting, along with Slovak member SRVS. Gathered in Brusno, Central Slovakia, 140 reprsentatives from ESUs member unions, are discussing the last six months of ESU work and deciding on the future courses of action. Of note, are the numerous elections which have taken place yesterday and today. The current volunteers end their mandate in July and will not be replaced post for post since ESU passed a new set of structures at its' last board meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania. The new volunteers, who will take up position on July 10th are as follows:
Chairperson - Ligia Deca of Romania
Vice-Chairperson - Anita Liice of Latvia
Executive Committee - Alma Joenson of Iceland, Bruno Carapinha of Portugal and Olav Oye of Norway
Administrative Committee - Antigoni Ioannidou of Cyprus and Joram Op Den Kelder of the Netherlands
Student Union Development Committee - Jens Jungblut of Germany, Kate Chachava of Georgia
Social Affairs Committee - Claire Guichet of France, Damien Ramage of France, Inge Gielis of Belgium and Marin Baksa of Croatia
Academic Affairs Committee - Ben Gray of the UK and Alessia Cacciagrano of Italy Esu extends a warm welcome to these new volunteers who will spend the next year carrying ESUs message far and wide. Please check the website for more details on the outcome of the board meeting in the following days. |
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