#ErasmusDays – A successful third edition for Paris-Saclay University!
On 15 October, an information day on the Erasmus+ programme was organised online for academic and administrative staff.
For the third year running, Paris-Saclay University joined in the "#ErasmusDays" Europe-wide celebration of Erasmus+ projects to promote the programme and present available funding opportunities. 125 participants, academic and administrative staff of Paris-Saclay University, its associate institutions and component institutions were thus able to discover the different projects developed throughout the university and the new projects of the Erasmus 2021-2027 programme.
The president of Paris-Saclay University, Sylvie Retailleau, opened the event and underlined the commitment of Paris-Saclay University towards issues of inclusion, European citizenship and sustainable development. Such principles are at the heart of the EUGLOH European alliance coordinated by the university as well as that of the new 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme.
Corinne Drougard, Head of Higher Education Mobility at the Erasmus+ France / Education & Training Agency presented the new actions of the programme such as the development of blended mobility and digitalization processes. She also confirmed that the architecture of the programme would not change. Finally, she insisted on the international openness of the programme.
The first workshop on the advantages of an international experience in one’s career was the opportunity for Eric Cassan, Deputy Vice-President of European Affairs, to insist on the university’s support of staff mobility. Testimonies such as that of Alessia Zambon, Director of the History Department of the Institute for cultural and international studies of Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines on her different teaching experiences within the framework of a mobility programme showcased the extraordinary pedagogical and intercultural contribution of such an experience.
In the course of the second workshop, participants were able to discover initiatives of pedagogical innovation with the presentation of two strategic partnership projects: Comet 4 and FOEBE. Both bring to light the importance of certification and the promotion of skills. The path towards the construction of an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree was illustrated through the presentation of the new LASCALA Master’s programme coordinated by Paris-Saclay University.
During the EUGLOH roundtable, the university presidents of the Alliance underlined its contribution to the shaping of the European Education Area and its role in the reinforcement of the European Research Area. They subsequently presented the programme for the two years to come. José-Lorenzo Valles, Head of the Erasmus+ Higher Education unit at the Executive Education, Audiovisual and Culture Agency reminded participants that the aim of this European initiative is to answer the major challenge linked to employment. Sumathi Subramaniam, policy office at the European Commission, confirmed that the Commission sees this initiative as a priority in the European agenda.
To conclude, Eric Cassan insisted on the structuring role of the Erasmus+ programme for training and encouraged academic staff to contact the Department of Internationales and European Relations of Paris-Saclay University, as well as that of its associate institutions and component institutions to benefit from support towards application for an Erasmus+ project.