Listen
European student project
29/12/2008
NUS Scotland is to receive a further £63,325 from the Scottish Government to enable it to continue a successful project that encourages more students in Scotland to take up exchange opportunities in Europe.
The funding will enable NUS Scotland to:
- Host a mobile Euro Festival of Scottish universities in collaboration with student associations and the Scottish European Educational Trust at five institutions to give students more information on opportunities for studying and working in other European countries
- Expand its range of information and training materials on student mobility and the creation of a European Higher Education Area, and organise training workshops for student officers and others who are requesting training in this field
- Build on the Homecoming initiative by involving former Erasmus and other exchange students in promoting mobility opportunities to existing students through local societies and networks
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop said:
"We want to build a self-confident, outward looking Scotland, with higher levels of sustainable economic growth for the benefit of all. This programme supports those efforts by helping our students develop a greater awareness of the opportunities in Europe and encouraging greater involvement in European mobility programmes, building on NUS Scotland's' successful development work undertaken this year.
"The additional funding announced today also recognises that the students of today will be our graduates of tomorrow, individuals who will have a key role to play in helping Scotland to emerge strongly from the current economic downturn. By encouraging more of them to take up studying opportunities overseas and develop a European outlook, we will increase their skills and employability for the future.
"I am particularly encouraged by the plans to host a Euro Festival at five Scottish universities and to invite former exchange students to these events to share their experiences with others who might benefit from such opportunities in the future."
Liam Burns, NUS Scotland Depute President, said:
"Studying overseas is often misperceived as a gap year activity but it is an intrinsically academic experience that broadens your professional opportunities. Students who have studied abroad return far more proficient learners, confident individuals and active European citizens. Employers undeniably seek the sort of skills that students develop when they study abroad.
"NUS Scotland has worked over the past year to ensure that all students have the opportunity that only a handful currently enjoy. With only one outgoing student form Scotland to every two incoming students from elsewhere in Europe, we have a long way to go. With the Scottish Government's help, we will work to make sure that these opportunities do not remain the preserve of the typical gap year student, but a reality for all."
Today's announcement follows the provision of £51,000 in funding last year to enable NUS Scotland to appoint a European development officer to promote greater student mobility across Europe.
Since then, significant progress has been made, including the development and dissemination of a range of information leaflets to students and student officers on the Bologna Process, improved links with the European Students Union (ESU) to represent Scottish students internationally and the delivery of a student mobility conference to encourage more students to consider programmes such as Erasmus.
Launched in 1999, the Bologna declaration is a commitment to reform the higher education systems within the countries involved in a common direction, with the aim of creating comparable and increasingly coherent systems of higher education across Europe, to maximise attractiveness, competitiveness, transferability and mobility within a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010. To date, 46 participating countries have signed up to the scheme within Europe.
Students interested in studying in Europe, can access a range of help and advice through a new book produced by NUS Scotland called, 'Wee Book of Studying in Europe'. This is available from students' associations and universities' international offices on request.