Sustainability in Erasmus Mundus Action 2

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Sustainability in Erasmus Mundus Action 2

Vicerrectorado de Relaciones Internacionales y Cooperación al Desarrollo

Erasmus Mundus Coordinators’ Conference Brussels, 1 – 2 October 2013

by

Artur Schmitt

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Who I am ...



Artur Schmitt

 Senior Lecturer for Applied Physics (UGR)

 Director for International Networks and Projects, Vice- Rectorate for International Relations and Development Cooperation

 Coordinator and official contact person for Erasmus Mundus Action 2 projects at the Universidad de Granada

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Outline



Erasmus Mundus Action 2 experience at UGR



Sustainability in EMA2

 Definition

 Are EMA2 projects sustainable?

 Actors and activities



Examples

 Sustainability plans in Monesia, Ánimo, ¡Chévere!

and Al Idrisi I

 What’s new in Al Idrisi II?



Final remarks

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Erasmus Mundus Action 2

Experience at Univ. de Granada



As coordinating institution

 Monesia (2009 – 2013)

 Brazil, Praguay, Uruguay

 Ánimo, ¡Chévere! (2009 – 2013)

 Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela

 Al Idrisi I (2011 – 2015)

 Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

 Al Idrisi II (2013 – 2017)

 Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia



As partner institution

 6 new projects in 2013, 10 new projects in 2012, ...

 Participating from the very beginning (2007)

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Sustainability in Erasmus Mundus Action 2



Definition: sustainable

 Oxford Dictionarie

(www.oxforddictionaries.com)

 able to be maintained at a certain rate or level

 able to be upheld or defended

 Cambridge Dictionaries online (dictionary.cambridge.org)

 able to continue over a period of time

 causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time

 here: Sustainability = Ability to endure

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Are Erasmus Mundus Action 2 project sustainable?

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Clear answer: NO



But, why?

 Projects cannot be extended

 No possibility to include external funding

 Label only to be used for project funded activities

 …

 Renewal of the consortia uncertain

 Project proposal might not be selected

 Lot structure might change

 Geographical region might not be included in the next call

 Rules and requirements change

 …

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Was this the wrong question?

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Clear answer: YES

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Hence, what’s the right question?

Are project triggered activities sustainable?

 Yes, they can and should be

 Projects should be designed to promote

sustainable activities with a reasonable impact

 Project must be managed accordingly

 …

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Who must work for sustainability?



Actors

 Partner and associate Institutions of Higher Education (HEIs)

 Other associate partners (associations, ministries, NGOs, networks, ...)

 Erasmus Mundus Action 2 grantees

 European Institutions (DG EAC, DG DEVCO, EACEA, EU Delegations, ...)

 and in general ... the societies in the participating countries

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What can be done?

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Activities aiming at sustainability

 Bilateral Agreements among partners (MoU)

 Sometimes rather a formality

 Additional exchange of students and staff

 Joint teaching activities

 Co-supervision or cotutelle of PhD candidates

 Summer/winter schools

 Joint programmes and modules

 ...

 Joint research activities

 Project proposals

 Publications

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What can be done? (cont.)

 Sharing of data and samples

 Access to infrastructure and facilities

 ...

 Cooperation in management and administration

 Staff training

 Exchange of knowledge and knowhow

 Procedures

 Guidelines

 ....

 Activities at structural level

 Policy seminars, recommendations for legislators, ...

 Promotion of Common Spaces of Higher Education

 ...

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Examples



Sustainability plans in Monesia, Ánimo, ¡Chévere!

and Al Idrisi I

 Promote participation of permanent staff

 Grant preference to leaders and multipliers (managers, group leaders, ...)

 Favour mobility flows involving joint activities (co- supervision, cotutelle, joint programmes, ...)

 Promote work plans for lasting activities, joint projects, and exchange of knowledge and

knowhow

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Examples (cont.)

 Allow for building up of mutual trust and

confidence (face-to-face meetings, exchange, ...)

 Limit the scope and focus to specific needs of the partner countries and institutions

 Strengthen the international dimension of your partners

 Establish procedures, seminars and workshops useful for all partners (guidelines for organization of mobility, support activities, recognition, ...)

 Disseminate and promote existing joint programmes

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Examples (cont.)

 Set up projects addressing detected needs (Tempus, Erasmus Mundus Action 3, ...)

 Disseminate funding opportunities to grantees and institutions

 EU funded: Tempus, FP7, ENPI, ...

 From other institutions: National and regional governments, foundations, networks, ...)

 Promote common areas of Higher Education and interconnection among them

 Find synergies with other projects

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What’s new in Al Idrisi II?



International Cooperation Cells (ICC)

 Involving at least two partner or associated HEIs from an EU and a partner country

 Addressing a relevant topics in research, teaching or administration

 To be proposed by former grantees

 Will receive preference for some short

term mobility flows in the 2^nd and 3^rd cohorts

 Evaluation by participating universities and external experts

 Selection by the Advisory and Selection Committee

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Final comments

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Erasmus Mundus Action 2 projects are intrinsically not sustainable, but their ....

 project structure promotes sustainable

cooperation at institutional and structural level

 mobility flows are a tool that trigger and support sustainable activities in research, teaching,

training, outreach, management, cooperation, ...



Erasmus Mundus Action 2 projects have to be

properly designed and managed to become a

platform for sustainable activities with strong

impact on all actors

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Further information:

University of Granada,

Vice-Rectorate for Intl. Relations and Development Cooperation

Thank you for your attention!

http://www.ugr.es

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