ORGANIZES WORKSHOP ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE CALL OF 2017 - ERASMUS+, JEAN MONNET AND MARIE SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE ACTIONS
HYDERABAD, 28th November 2016: The Delegation of the European Union to India, organized a workshop at the Taj Krishna on Monday, 28November 2016 for Vice Chancellors and academic leaders of Indian Universities and Higher Education Institutions to discuss funding opportunities for India-Europemobility and cooperation, through a range of EU-funded programmes, namely Erasmus+, Jean Monnet and Marie Sklodowska - Curie Actions (MSCA’s) for the Call of 2017, which has opened.
Dr. Cesare Onestini, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of the Delegation, European Union Delegation to India with Mr. Sanjeev Roy, Senior Expert, Higher Education, DAI Europe
The workshop was attended by nearly 50 higher education stakeholders, from Vice Chancellors and Head of Institutions to a range of academic and administrative staff from higher education institutions. Its overall aim is to inform the stakeholders about the objectives, content and implementation modalities of Erasmus+, Jean Monnet and MSCAs with a view to increasing the participation and success rate of Indian students, researchers and higher education institutions, including their staff, for the Call of 2017 which is now open.
Dr. Cesare Onestini, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of the Delegation, European Union Delegation to India along with Prof Pramod Nayar from University of Hyderabad inaugurated the Workshop.
“India is the greatest beneficiary of Erasmus Mundus, the predecessor programme to Erasmus+.Between 2004 and 2016 around 5,000 Indian students from all parts of India have received Erasmus scholarships – recently at a rate of over 500 per year. New opportunities are now being offered, primarily for higher education institutions (HEIs), staff and students, meaning the door are open to even more Indian participation,” Dr. Onestini said.
A series of information workshops to promote awareness of Erasmus + programmes has been going on in major Indian cities since last year. After the workshop in 2015, there has been a major increase in the number of Indian institutions who are the beneficiary of Erasmus+ funding under Capacity Building Projects as well as in the number of students who received Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarships.
In-depth sessions were conducted by Dr. Onestini on the following topics: Capacity building in Higher Education, Joint Masters Degrees and Individual Mobility, Jean Monnet & Marie Sklodowski-Curie action.
The workshop was introduced and moderated by Mr. Sanjeev Roy, Senior Expert, Higher Education, DAI Europe who is Erasmus Mundus Alumni too.
BACKGROUND NOTES
Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is the European Union's main programme supporting education, training, youth and sport for the period up to 2020. It has consolidated several existing EU programmes of which India was the largest single beneficiary outside of the EU. Between 2004 and 2016 around 5,000 Indian students from all parts of India have received Erasmus scholarships – recently at a rate of over 500 per year. New opportunities are now being offered, primarily for higher education institutions (HEIs), staff and students, meaning the door are open to even more Indian participation.
Erasmus+ has an overall budget of €14.7 billion with an additional €1.68 billion reserved for third country beneficiaries via the EU’s external action budget, in which Indian higher education institutions is expected to be the biggest beneficiary.
EU will be the partner country in the 12th FICCI HE Summit through which we want to reach out to wider base of higher education institutions in India so that they benefit from the funding opportunity.
Erasmus+ and India
India is a Partner Country of the Erasmus+ Programme, which means that most actions, particularly in the fields of higher education, are open to India, Indian students and Indian higher education Institutions. A central focus of Erasmus+ funding will be cooperation projects to improve the quality of higher education as well as mobility for individuals.
Details about scholarships Programmes and its Criteria
Joint Master Degrees Programmes in cooperation with European HEIs: HEI can be part of a consortium offering a Joint Master Degree Programme in which students study in at least two of the participating HEIs and receive a joint or double/multiple degree. Students apply directly to the consortium, and there is a competitive, worldwide selection for these scholarships. HEIs have a unique opportunity to develop major new courses with top-flight partners, attracting the best talent from around the world.
A. Credit mobility for students and staff mobility: By concluding an inter-institutional agreement with European HEIs, your institution can send its own students or doctoral candidates for short-term mobility (up to 12 months) to your partner institutions. Your HEI must recognise the credits earned by your students while in Europe as counting towards their degree at home. Your staff can receive grants for teaching or training assignments (5 days to 2 months) at the European HEI. Under the same agreement, your HEI can host European doctoral candidates or staff for short-term mobility; there are more limited opportunities to host students. Institutions from Erasmus+ Programme Countries must submit the mobility project application that involves your HEI to the National Agency in their country. HEIs from Partner Countries interested in taking part in credit mobility should therefore begin by contacting a partner university in a Programme Country, which will be able to apply for funding.
B. Capacity building in higher education: your HEI can take part as the ‘Applicant’ in capacity-building projects involving a consortium of HEIs, at least three coming from Erasmus+ Programme Countries. These projects can be joint projects: to help HEIs from Partner Countries to develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, as well as to boost quality assurance and governance of HEIs. Structural projects: to develop and reform HEIs and systems in Partner Countries, to enhance their quality and relevance, promote regional cooperation and increase convergence with international developments in higher education.
C. Jean Monnet Actions: The Jean Monnet activities support academic teaching and research (Chairs, Modules and Centres of Excellence), cooperation projects, conferences and publications in the field of EU studies. Postgraduate level courses on European Union issues or promoting debate and exchanges on EU policy priorities are examples of activities that can be supported in this action. HEIs, organisations and associations from all over the world can apply for Jean Monnet activities.