ESAA Magazine Edition 2

ESAA Magazine Edition 2_2017

Dear Reader, In the fourth edition of the ESAA magazine, we will be tackling an issue many of our students and alumni – especially those travelling from out- side Europe to join Erasmus+ programmes – have already experienced in a variety of ways. This issue will focus on how mobility promotes social inclusion. According to the Collins English Dictionary, “social inclusion is the act of making all groups of people within a society feel valued and important”. In other words, social inclusion could be defined as the pro- cess of improving conditions for people, particularly those who are disad- vantaged, to enable them to actively participate in society by enhancing equal opportunities, providing access to resources, by giving them a voice and respecting their rights. Considering the current state of global politics and the largely differing opinions on immigration and especially the refugee situation in Europe, this is currently an issue with great significance. Those who benefit from social inclusion, who due to their stays in foreign countries at some point in their lives, are thus given a platform to air their views on these topics and to provide some possible solutions that can be adapted to ensure that marginalised groups of people around the world are socially included. By sharing the stories and experiences, ESAA is fulfilling a moral obligation to address the issue of social inclusion. These stories speak of the reality ‘on the ground’, the hardships faced trying to fit in, the triumphs and victories as well as the lessons learnt that have hopefully made the stu- dents and alumni better people and champions of social inclusion. Cornelius Okello ESAA Magazine Coordinator

CONTENT m o c . i k c o t s r e t t u h S / a d e m k a e r b e v a w p 8 p 16 ESAA General & Working Group Meeting Making Erasmus+ More Accessible 6 ESAA Events 2017 – A Worldwide Network 8 ESAA General & Working Group Meeting 12 South African Heritage Day 14 Interview with Aida Liha Matejiček 16 Social Inclusion – Making Erasmus+ More Accessible 22 The Associations – New friends and opportunities 24 ESN – Little Warriors, Giant Humans / Leaders' Meeting 26 EMA – Community Action / Future of EMA 28 OCEANS – AGM / and EMA – Erasmus+ & SHARE 30 garagErasmus – Laissez-Passer / Get Started 31 Retrospection 2017 5

A WORLDWIDE NETWORK ESAA Events 2017 A Worldwide Network ESAA brings together all European Union funded exchange students and alumni while offering a dynamic platform for networking, professional development and intercultural learning. At the same time, it promotes higher education in Europe and advocates worldwide cooperation. In 2017, ESAA hosted 136 events in 47 countries. This map shows a selection of the events that took place during the second half of 2017. Events with Focus on Social Activities ESAA Social Project The ESAA Social Project is a joint initiative of ESAA member organisations to support a social cause. In 2017, the Social Project was devoted to refu- gees and their integration in the European edu- cation sector and job market. The aim of the project was to help support the education of refugees in Europe (preferably) or in any other countries where refugee camps are found. Priority was given to those countries which face the most critical situations with re- spect to refugees. This year, in support of the integration of refu- gees into society, the project supported six of Erasmus+ alumni initiatives across the world. The events took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, France, Nigeria, Portugal and Greece. 12 Months 136 Events 47 Countries Pre-Departure Orientation for Erasmus Mundus Candidates 18 August Lima, Peru Little Warriors, Giant Humans 21 July–15 August Fortaleza, Brazil Interzonality as a Mode of Being Erasmus+ Alumni Testimonials 1–6 October Rio de Janeiro, Brazil More information: esaa-eu.org m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / 9 7 6 n n A 6

A WORLDWIDE NETWORK Welcome to Belgium and Erasmus+ 30th Anniversary Closing Event 30 November Brussels, Belgium Erasbus Tour: Meeting Young People with Fewer Opportunities 19 September– 20 October Paris, France Train It! Fall 2017 27–29 October Nekoř, Czech Republic Removing the Blindfold 16 September– 10 October Belgrade, Serbia Wildfire in Portugal 8 July– 30 November Pedrógão Grande, Portugal Quality Youth Work 21–22 October Athens, Greece First Information Event Promoting Erasmus+ 6 September N´Djamena, Chad Pre-Departure Orientation Session for Erasmus+ Students 24 June Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Erasmus+ Seminars 15 August Bagdad, Iraq International Seminar on Erasmus+ Scholarship Opportuni- ties 25 September Karachi, Pakistan Meet Erasmus+ in Beijing 7 July Beijing, China EMA Promo Event 26 August Yangon, Myanmar EMA India at the Final Meeting of the Namaste Project 6 July Goa, India ESAA-ASEAN Alumni Dialogue 30 September–1 October Bangkok, Thailand Recruiting Future Talent: Promoting Erasmus+ across Asia & Europe 9–11 October Singapore South African Heritage Day 23 September Johannesburg, South Africa 7

This year, the Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Association General and Working Group Meeting was held in Tallinn, Estonia on 25–27 August 2017. During the three-day event, a number of active members from Erasmus Student Net- work (ESN), Erasmus Mundus Association (EMA), garagEr- asmus and OCEANS Network gathered and updated each other on their accomplishments and programmes, as well as their strategies and future activities. After listening to the success stories from each member or- ganisation and the collaborations amongst them at the Tal- linn University Conference Centre, Lloyd Huitson from the Directorate General for Education and Culture of the Euro- pean Commission showed his appreciation for ESAA’s de- velopment. The showcased activities included “Training for Erasmus+ Trainers (T4ET)”, the “ESAA Incubator” programme, “ESAA for Refugees”, the “Survey”, and the bi-annual “ESAA Magazine”. Over 70 active members were present for the general meet- ing on the first day where various discussions took place, which included themes such as the benefits of international- isation, how to connect locals with internationals, and the various implications of mobility. A panel discussion, where Safi Sabuni, Leasa Weimer, and Lloyd Huitson were able to actively exchange opinions and ideas on “The Future of Mo- bility”, was also on the agenda. Before the members split up into working groups to evaluate their agendas and plan the activities and strategies ahead, some meetings of the individual associations had also taken place. Each working group presented the outcomes of their discussions to the rest of the participants. The board had also allocated time to meet and discuss various campaigns to keep ESAA growing and going in the right direction. As Erasmus+ always offers a perfect balance between pro- ductivity and fun, there was enough time for an unforgetta- ble gala dinner in a charming medieval restaurant, to present certificates of appreciation to the members who had made significant contributions through their work, as well as for a fun walking tour through the old town of Tallinn.

SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE DAY Integrating culture into development processes is a worthy investment in the world’s future and a catalyst for achiev- ing global objectives with cross cultural global undertones. Consequently, culture is seen as an enabler and a driver of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. As evidenced in the establish- ment of a Heritage Day, this realisation is acknowledged in culturally diverse South Africa. In the spirit of celebrating the South African Heritage Day, which promotes cultural traditions in the wider context of the great diversity of cultures, beliefs and traditions that make up the nation of South Africa, the African Chapter of EMA and OCEANS Network organised an EU-SADC (Southern Af- rican Development Community) Intercultural Dialogue at the University of Witwaterstrand. The event focused on issues affecting the youth in the African and European continents. The event also brought together other youth associations currently involved in different activities related to social chal- lenges facing the youth in the SADC region. Its goal was to disseminate knowledge about Erasmus+ pro- grammes and the various opportunities offered by ESAA and its member organisations in Europe and in Africa, the event showcased the collaboration between CMS and DMS. In order to strengthen the position of Erasmus+ alumni in the SADC region, it also aimed at improving the collaboration be- tween ESAA partners and local youth groups, as well as es- tablishing links with partners in education and EU delegations. opportunities provided by Erasmus+ to study in Europe. This generated a lot of interest from the participants, who had several questions about the programme. Felix Kwabe- na Donkor, President of EMA African Chapter, prepared the stage for the remaining speakers who then presented the challenges and issues facing young people on the African continent. For instance, an Eritrean delegate talked about the importance of education in empowering the youth to engineer and accelerate the continent’s development in the context of the African Union’s Agenda 2060 and the renewed EU-Africa partnership. A young entrepreneur also shared his experiences on how the youth can work togeth- er to facilitate access to decent jobs for young people in fragile situations. The participants, from several African countries, divided themselves into groups and brainstormed solutions for some of the pressing challenges faced by young people, such as education, employment, governance and environmental degradation. This helped to feed into discussions in the up- coming African Union-European Union Youth summit in the autumn of 2017. The sessions were interspersed with light refreshments from across Africa which culminated in an in- tercultural lunch including dishes from West, East, Central and Southern Africa, and completed by some European dish- es. In appreciation of their socio-cultural significance, the unique histories of the respective countries, the participants also shared various dishes. Alin Horj, from the OCEANS Network, presented the back- ground of the Erasmus+ programme to prospective stu- dents and explained how they can benefit from various There was also a feedback session where participants could give input on what they would like to see implemented to enhance future ESAA dialogues. Participants were grateful to ESAA for funding the event and making it a success. 1313

INTERVIEW WITH AIDA LIHA MATEJIČEK Aida Liha Matejiček Head of Unit Education, Health and Culture European Commission, DG DEVCO Aida Liha Matejiček is Head of Unit in the European Commis- sion's Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development, where she deals with policy development, financing and management in the education, health and culture sectors. With over 15 years of experience in policy research, management consulting and programme manage- ment, she currently serves as a member of both the Global Fund Board and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Finance and Risks Committee. Aida holds an MA in European Studies from the College of Europe and a PhD in Political Science (European public policies, institutionalism, policy change, development). 78% of all children in this region now have access to primary education. However, the majority of young Africans still do not have the opportunity to receive secondary education, let alone vocational education, job training and higher educa- tion. The great majority of young Africans therefore do not achieve minimum proficiency in basic knowledge and skills, such as reading and maths. What does the EU do to promote education? The EU is a major global player in education and training and allocates EUR 5.3 billion to education and training at all lev- els (2014-2020). This includes EUR 3.356 billion in bilateral programming in 44 partner countries, of which EUR 540 mil- lion has been invested to date in vocational education and training (VET) in 25 countries. This also includes support- ing teachers' as well as global initiatives, such as the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) where the EU is amongst the largest donors of regional actions like Erasmus+. A total amount of EUR 1.45 billion development funding has been allocated to Erasmus+ for the 2014-2020 period, which has so far allowed the selection of 66,052 short term credit mo- bilities, 1,718 joint master degree mobilities and 430 capacity building projects. “ The EU is a major global player in education and training. ” What role does international education play in the field of development cooperation? Education and vocational training is an essential means to address wider global challenges related to peace, stability and prosperity. They not only strengthen social resilience, pluralism and coexistence, but also prevent and counter vi- olent extremism and radicalisation. They are therefore both strongly reflected in the UN 2030 Agenda and in the EU's Global Strategy to which we are committed. Behind the for- mal language, achieving SDG4 on inclusive and equitable, qualitative education for all and promoting lifelong opportu- nities means that everyone needs to have a good early child- hood with primary and secondary education. This enables young people to acquire the knowledge, skills and values that are essential for adult life (livelihoods, parenting, active citizenship) and also continuing education, which includes vocational education, apprenticeships and higher education. Reality, however, can sometimes be quite challenging. For example, amongst other priorities, in the current financial cycle we have been addressing the challenge of enabling children in Sub-Saharan Africa to have access to education. Substantial progress has been made, meaning that around 14

INTERVIEW WITH AIDA LIHA MATEJIČEK DG DEVCO The Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) has a wide array of responsibilities, which include development cooperation policy in a wider framework of internation- al cooperation and formulating the EU's development and sectoral policies. Its aim is to reduce poverty and to ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental development and to promote democ- racy, the rule of law, good governance and the respect of human rights, notably through external aid. It fosters coordination between the European Union and its Member States in the area of development cooperation and ensures that the EU is externally represented in this field. At DEVCO, we also work on multiannual programming and the implementation of external aid instruments. We are proud of this action’s results. 146 faculty members have been trained on cluster mapping, as well as entrepre- neurial and innovative curriculum delivery methodologies. A master degree programme has been both developed and implemented. So far, 53 students have enrolled onto this programme and 21 agri-enterprises have been launched as part of their training. The enterprises developed through this scheme have provided part-time employment to the students and 33 employees. 3RD CALL FOR APPLICATIONS Full Master Master Mobility Can you give an example of a successfully implemented project? The Erasmus Mundus Action 2 – DREAM Project (Dynamizing Research and Education for All through Mobility in ACP, with a budget of EUR 3.9 million) is one good example of a success- fully implemented project. Started in 2013, this project com- prised 20 partner institutions of higher education from Eu- rope, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). A total of 227 scholarships (masters, doctorates and staff) have been award- ed to nationals of all targeted countries. The project’s success, both on individual and institutional levels, is undeniable. For example, as one outcome, we have seen that the institutions involved in this project now actively participate in other initi- atives, such as Erasmus+ and Intra-Africa mobility, therefore ensuring that the cooperation links which have been created remain sustainable. By participating in the DREAM project, the students and staff in ACP countries have been able to enhance their skills, become more open-minded and international. https://dream.up.pt/ The Edulink II project "Strengthening university capacity to enhance competitiveness of Agribusiness in East and West Africa" is one other good example. Institutions of higher ed- ucation in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Nigeria were involved in the partnership and were able to mainstream entrepreneur- ship into their varying curriculum and thus also the mind-sets of their students, staff and university administrations. 1515

MappED! is a collaborative platform which counts on everyone’s help and support. By using the mobile application, institutions of higher education, groups of friends, and others can organise an Accessibility Day, a mapping activity where participants storm the streets and map their surroundings. This activity not only helps to bring more informa- tion onto the online map, but also to raise awareness about the topic of accessibility to the people in the streets. The platform also features an Info Centre, where students are able to read about the special funding opportunities available, find the con- tact information of all relevant bodies in the application process, and read the many inspirational ‘success stories’ of those who managed to complete their study period abroad despite their disabilities. A part of the Info Center worth highlighting is its best practices in the cooperation between the international relation offices and the disa- bility offices within a Higher Education Institution. These guidelines can be used to encourage the above-mentioned bodies to improve the collaboration between them in order to enhance the exchange experience for disabled students. participated in the Erasmus+ programme in 2012–2013 401 Students with disabilities wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com

MAKING ERASMUS+ MORE ACCESSIBLE This programme was introduced by the ESN – one of Europe’s largest student organisations – from its belief that international student mobility should be ac- cessible for everyone. On the one hand, in aiming at making ESN itself a more accessible and inclusive organisation, the programme serves a significant inter- nal purpose. On the other hand, ExchangeAbility aims at encouraging students with disabilities to take advantage of the opportunities for mobility offered by the Erasmus+ programme, while also advocating for its accessibility. Additionally, the programme also campaigns for better conditions and opportunities for disabled students to actively participate in student life, while also raising awareness about the topic in local communities. The programme was launched as a project in 2009 when, with the support of EDF, Youth Agora and UNICA, ESN decided that it was time to become a more inclusive organisation. In 2010, the project ExchangeAbility was awarded the LLP grant “Erasmus Accompanying Measure”. The next big step came in 2013 when ESN received a grant for the MapAbility project from the European Youth Foundation. The project had a number of important accomplishments. The first was to provide a platform to map the physical accessibility of European university campuses. An- other accomplishment was the first ExchangeAbility Coordinators Meeting. At the end of the project, there was an official conference at European Economic and Social Committee. Funded by the Erasmus+ programme in 2015, the project creates a unique re- pository where students with disabilities can find all relevant information to sup- port their participation in academic mobility programmes. Its interactive map rates universities all over Europe according to several factors, which include the universities’ physical on-site accessibility, their websites’ user-friendliness and the provision of services for disabled students. Today, over 350 institutions of high- er education have been mapped, with the number growing every day. The map is crowdsourced, with content generated through user submissions which allow anyone to both review and submit information on their universities’ accessibility within minutes. “At 0.15 %, the rate of students with disabil- ities going on exchange is abysmal. With MappED!, we hope to encourage more students with disabilities to go abroad, by providing them security in the know- ledge that support services are available to them at their host universities.” Thomas Pappas, Board Member of ESN 2015/2017 19

MAKING ERASMUS+ MORE ACCESSIBLE Alvare Costa – first disabled Erasmus+ student The first disabled Erasmus+ student to go abroad was Alvare Costa. Today, the ExchangeAbility programme helps students with disabilities. Alvare Costa told us: “ I work in Porto at the faculty of Arts and Humanities in the International Relations Office. In 1990, I was the first student with disabilities to go abroad, which proved to be an extraordinary experience. First, as I had known that I would face some difficulties because of my disabilities, it was a challenge using the wheelchair and such things, but when I came back, I really realised how important it had all been. It was magnificent! As the very first disabled mobility student, I believe that nobody had really been prepared for it. My whole life, I had been trained by my parents to face challenges, to look for solutions to my problems, and that is what I did. In the meantime, I think things have improved a lot since then and I believe that every year there is something new to give us hope that things will get much better in the future. One challenge, which I would put at the top of the list, was dealing with my anxie- ties. Dealing with the questions if I can do this, if I will be able to manage, and how will I cope if something unexpected happens. So, it was a very good experience to have to face my own … well, not exactly fears, but doubts. Learning to understand that being disabled is not anything that should be a hindrance in dealing with the world and getting things done, even in a different culture and working with a differ- ent language. Sometimes things do not turn out as you expect, but you try again and they improve. That was probably the best lesson. Considering the number of universities, partner universities and fields of study there are, it is becoming easier and easier for disabled students to really consider taking advantage of this opportunity. Today, they have more means at their disposal and better conditions than in the early 1990s. And, I think, it is basically understood that we can not just stay at home and disregard the possibility of making new experienc- es and contacts, and experiencing new ways of teaching and learning. I always believe that things will get better. We have tools that help us and which should enhance our lives in one or two years’ time. The major thing, I would say, is the mentality. If people are seen regardless of their differences, if we start just focusing on what we can provide and what we can give, instead of concentrating on other things, then we will definitely move forward. But first, we must think about all students, with or without disability issues. One of the things we often experience is the number of students who want to go abroad but lack the financial means to pay the rent or other expenses. Non-disabled students sometimes regard disabled people as being favoured. We are not favoured, but if we are going to consider ourselves simply as Erasmus+ students, to be equals in terms of facilities and accessibility, amongst other aspects, then we also need the right conditions. This is extremely important. Find the right time, leave home, go and see other places, other cultures, other ways of living, other educa- tional systems. Put yourself in challenging situations, not only to face difficulties and obstacles but to also discover that you can overcome them. This will make you more self-confident and may form a basis for your professional career. Do not be shy or afraid to leave the comforts of your home country. Just go and do it! ” 20

ESN – LITTLE WARRIORS, GIANT HUMANS Little Warriors, Giant Humans Text: Lílian Vieira de Carvalho m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / i r o d i l l o P - s e v A a n o S i m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / k c r O n a r o Z i Born from an old and golden dream about two girls who met through a mobility programme, “Little Warriors, Giant Humans” was a project developed in Fortaleza, Brazil, in July 2017. ESAA has frequently funded social projects carried out in Eu- rope, but this time it was possible to support the local com- munity on another continent. Committed to bringing Europe and Brazil closer together, this initiative was aligned with the theme for the 30th anniversary of Erasmus+ “International Co- operation” and showed that it is possible to extend aid across the ocean and to contribute to other people’s lives elsewhere. With the support of CASPAE 10, it was possible to help “Lar Amigos de Jesus” to fulfil its mission of “hosting, supporting, giving social assistance and solidarity to children and ado- lescents with cancer, liver and kidney transplants, tumours, hydrocephalus, cleft lips and congenital diseases”. Extending the European solidarity opportunities to Brazil by providing financial help and personal support to “Lar Ami- gos de Jesus”, this project had three main goals: 1. To improve the lives of children with cancer in Fortaleza using an approach based on local human resources. 2. To ensure quality education to the deprived children with cancer living in slums of Fortaleza using a participatory and responsive community action. 3. To promote the work of the children’s home in the local community. For three weeks, the two organisers had the chance to bring smiles, strength and hope to sick children and their fami- lies by visiting “Lar Amigos de Jesus” where they could play games with the “Little Warriors, Giant Humans”. They also had the chance to discover more about life in Europe and how important education really is in helping them achieve their dreams. 24

ESN – LEADERS' MEETING Social Inclusion Leaders’ Meeting Athens Text & Picture: Josipa Friščić From 25th to 29th September 2017, the project coordina- tors of Erasmus Student Network, both national and lo- cal, came together from across the network to share their knowledge, ideas and their inspiration with one another to increase the social impact of our network in preparation for the year ahead. During the first edition of Social Inclusion Leaders' Meeting held in Athens, the participants from all over Europe had the chance to experience a variety of workshops related to the theme of "Social Inclusion". With presentations and work- shops delivered by the International Project Teams and ESN Eduk8 trainers, participants improved their skills in and un- derstanding of every aspect of international projects: how to motivate their Erasmus students to leave their marks through volunteering, and how to organise and facilitate amazing events and activities that promote social inclusion. During the workshops on the projects, the participants had the chance to brainstorm and discuss the obstacles that disabled people face every day and how they are influenced by soci- ety. There were also sessions which focused on recommen- dations for making ESN events more inclusive. As part of the event, coordinators learned more about Social- Erasmus, a project that is implemented in their ESN countries and sections, which enriches the Erasmus+ programme by involving young citizens in volunteering activities during their mobility periods and taking social action while foster change in society. Additionally, the ExchangeAbility project aims at making ESN a more accessible association for students with disabilities at all levels of activity and increasing the number of disabled students going on exchange trips. The long-term vision of the project is to promote opportunities and offer support to students with disabilities to study abroad. Participants were also given the opportunity to learn about MappED!, a project that aims at providing equal opportuni- ties in the Erasmus+ Programme to students with disabilities and at giving them the tools necessary to inform themselves better on their rights as well as the procedures and support services they are entitled to. "The Social Inclusion Leaders' Meeting was the first of its kind. An event that focused on the impact of ESN's activity and on its place in society. The coordinators of SocialEras- mus and ExchangeAbility are now agents of a change that is starting from within, but whose impact will be much bigger in our students." – João Pinto, President of Erasmus Student Network AISBL The meeting was a safe space where participants worked to- gether to share best-practice ideas with their colleagues and friends, and to prepare for the biggest period in the project calendar: the Social Inclusion Days. At the end of the meeting, the participants collected school supplies, clothes and food for children in need at the "Insti- tute of Child Health" in Kessariani, Athens. A big thank you to ESN International project teams, the International Board and ESN Eduk8 for facilitating the workshops and ESN TEI Athens for hosting this amazing event! 25

EMA – COMMUNITY ACTION Community Action: Volunteering and Social Inclusion Text: Lucia Loposova, Sarah Haider and Oxana Sytnik Pictures: Top EUD Russia and Bottom Jingjing Yang One of the main goals of the Erasmus Mundus and Eras- mus+ programmes is to ensure social inclusion through mobility. To this end, EMA volunteers have worked very hard over the years to promote the programmes in many parts of the world so that students from all over the globe can avail themselves of the chance to acquire quality edu- cation in Europe. This one-of-a-kind opportunity enables students from various cultures, backgrounds and nationali- ties to come together and study in a truly globalised setting that changes their lives forever. This year, around 1,200 students and alumni took part in the orientations organ- ised by EMA in 23 countries across the world. To welcome the newly selected students on board and intro- duce them to the life-changing experience that awaits them in Europe, the Erasmus Mundus Association (EMA) conduct- ed 30+ physical and virtual EMA Pre-Departure Orientation sessions (PDOs) for Erasmus Mundus (EM) and Erasmus+ participants. About one third of these events were organised in close collaboration with the European delegations, EMA country representatives, EMA Regional Chapter representa- tives and other EMA volunteers. This year, the efforts were doubled as EMA volunteers were able to conduct several virtual events for different target re- gions and language groups living in remote areas. For the first time ever, the African, American, South Asian, South- East Asian and Indian Chapters organised online events to reach out to members scattered around the globe. Inspired by the Middle-Eastern and Latin American Chapters, the trend of conducting the events in regional languages also paved the way for the first-ever PDO conducted in the Per- 26 sian language. Working in a virtual space also provided the EMA Regional Chapters space for intra-chapter collabora- tion. Apart from the Erasmus Mundus students, many events also included several Erasmus+ participants with whom the EMA shared useful tips and information prior to their jour- neys to Europe. The greatest number of physical events were organised by the EMA Eurasian Chapter, with a total of six events taking place in Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and two in Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg). Five PDOs were held in Africa, two of which were physical events, whereas three were conducted virtually in different regional languages (Eng- lish, French and Arabic). One of the biggest physical events took place in Bangkok, Thailand which was attended by 150 participants comprising Erasmus Mundus, Erasmus+ and oth- er EU representatives and partners as the event combined the pre-departure orientation together with the celebrations of the 30th Anniversary of Erasmus+ programme. Erasmus MundusAssociation

EMA – FUTURE OF EMA Handing Over the Future of EMA Text: Maryia Kukharava Picture: Amir Kamran On 8th September, two Steering Committees (SCs) of the Erasmus Mundus Association gathered in Antwerp to en- sure a smooth handover of the duties and responsibilities as well as to share their views about the past, the present and the future of the Erasmus Mundus community. The new Steering Committee for the years 2017–2019 began to take shape when Shiella Balbutin, Bailey Harrington, Amir Kamran, Teeroumanee Nadan and Oxana Sytnik were elect- ed as Regional Chapters, Internal Affairs Team, Community Development Team, Professional Development Team, and Communications Team Coordinators respectively. They were joined by EMA’s new President Pavan Sriram and Vice-President Lucia Loposova, who were elected at the as- sociation’s 10th General Assembly (GA) Meeting in Brussels in May 2017. The handover process started well. Right after the GA Meet- ing – the two teams adopted a learning-by-doing approach and started sharing some of the responsibilities. “As I was involved in the draft reviewing process of a fund- ing proposal and was able to make some improvements to the procedure, not only in terms of the technical aspect of the funding proposal, but also the gist of the proposal itself, it was useful in my case,” said Teeroumanee Nadan, EMA’s new Professional Development Team Coordinator. “Most importantly, the three-month transition brought the new Steering Committee members closer together. We had scheduled calls and had time to plan and propose a new strategy. This means, once we take office on 15th Septem- ber, we will be well prepared to handle our responsibilities and will be able to start implementing any new projects promptly.” After more than three months of preparation, the two SCs met in Antwerp to finalise the transition. Amongst other goals, the meeting aimed at creating an efficient and syner- getic team. The new SC went through several teambuilding exercises with an external trainer, who helped the team get to know each other better. One of the activities was a big cook-off where both teams cooked their national dishes and desserts, such as Chicken Biryani, Russian Salad and Rata- touille. The representatives from ESN, EMA’s partner organi- sation in ESAA joined the EMA members for dinner. On 10th September, the new SC went to Brussels to meet with the representatives from the European Commission. “It was a productive meeting. We were able to clearly lay out our objectives and main projects, with a timeline and KPIs. I look forward to more such opportunities with the EC, to foster better communication and closer collaboration,” said Teeroumanee. “There will be a lot of challenges ahead, but we are positive that the new team has everything it needs to make EMA successful and prosperous.” 27

OCEANS – AGM m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / z n e r o L a n i r a h t a K Network Growth at the AGM Text: Jungyoon Guni Han m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / b a L d u a G i On Sunday 27th August in Tallinn Estonia, OCEANS had its annual AGM for the year 2017. The main objective was to clearly define OCEANS worldwide plans and role within ESAA, brainstorm ways to boost membership growth, and encourage grant utilisation and event participation. For this, the members engaged in in-depth discussions about their individual and diverse motives for volunteering and ana- lysed the various touch points where members are informed of the network’s news and opportunities. Outreach efforts were another main point of discussion, especially from the non-EU countries where ESAA community is less present. Members agreed on the idea of fostering further collabora- tion with EMA to engage more synergies in the region. The event concluded with members each pledging differ- ent ways of making personal contributions to the network before the next AGM. Pledges ranged from ‘contacting home university professors to further promoting the net- work’ to ‘planning my own event in my home town’ – all valuable hands-on input that will keep the waves of the OCEANS rolling! 28

OCEANS AND EMA – ERASMUS+ & SHARE Memories From Erasmus+ & SHARE Alumni Dialogue Text & Picture: Melania Lotti and Neringa Tumėnaitė Alumni of the two international credit mobility programs share their respective experiences and learn from each other. Did you know that 2017 is a special year for the relationship between Europe and South-East Asia? This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Na- tions (ASEAN) and 40 years of ASEAN-EU relations. Under the ESAA flag and in collaboration with Erasmus Mundus As- sociation (EMA), the OCEANS Network (OCEANS) organised a special event targeting Erasmus+ alumni based in the ASE- AN region, as well as the alumni from the SHARE project, for the occasion. SHARE, which started in 2015 and is due to end in 2018, stands for “European Union Support to Higher Edu- cation in ASEAN Region” and is a credit mobility programme among ASEAN countries in cooperation with the EU. Similar to Erasmus+, SHARE aims at strengthening regional cooper- ation by enhancing the quality, regional competitiveness and internationalisation of higher education. The event took place on 30th September in Bangkok, Thai- land, and brought together 30 alumni from both SHARE and Erasmus+, including active members of the OCEANS Network, EMA and ESN. The initiative has benefitted from the endorsement of the EU delegation to Thailand; Charge’ d’Affairs a.i. Ms Luisa Ragher gave a vibrant opening speech and Adrian Veale from the European Commission delivered a warm, tailored video-message from Brussels. The morn- ing was dedicated to introducing Erasmus+ and SHARE, with Ms Karina Oratmangun (SHARE Scholarship Officer) pre- senting the latter, and with panel discussions on the role of alumni. During the afternoon, the participants joined three workshops which focussed on supporting the action of both Erasmus+ and SHARE alumni, the challenges and opportuni- ties for alumni empowerment in the ASEAN region, and how to better amplify alumni’s voice in the ASEAN policy dialogue on higher education. 29 Although the dialogue was incredibly helpful to get Erasmus+ and SHARE alumni to know each other, it also offered some important practical recommendations. Firstly, to identify how SHARE can benefit from the experience of Erasmus+ alumni when performing certain activities, such as better addressing the challenges of higher education in their home countries, helping with the promotion of credit mobility programmes, and establishing stronger networks with other stakeholders in the ASEAN region. Secondly, it outlined possible paths for- wards empowering alumni in the policy dialogue. The event was possible thanks to the ESAA funding as well as the OCEANS and EMA organisers (Melania Lotti, Neringa Tumėnaitė and Lucia Loposova, Kate Ramil respectively) who volunteered and made the event a blast. Concluding the di- alogue with some fun activities, participants had a chance to continue networking during the traditional Thai Tie-Dye event and other outdoor offerings on the following day, kind- ly sponsored by EMA.

GARAGERASMUS – LAISSEZ-PASSER More Talents, More Erasmus, More Europe! Text: Joey Goldsmith and Dobrawa Koszelak Laissez-Passer. A French term meaning “Permit to travel” is most famously used by the United Nations as a means of granting its officials entry to all UN member states across the globe; a kind of special passport that allows the bearer to pass from country to country and to experience other cultures in the process with very few barriers. What if we could apply this concept to the Erasmus Generation? The aim of the Laissez-Passer (L-P) of the Erasmus Gener- ation project, carried out by garagErasmus Foundation in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus+ pro- gramme, is to facilitate international experiences for mobile talents by sharing top professional profiles, grants for stu- dents who would not usually be able to afford to experience of international mobility and, most importantly, the Golden Laissez-Passer Contest. Through the project, gE hopes to create links between internationally-minded people, with strong skill-sets, and globally operating companies. The Blue Laissez-Passer is granted to the top ten Erasmus talents every month in recognition of their activities on the platform as well as their experiences. These lucky recipients are chosen according to how gE believes they represent the Erasmus+ Generation so well that they might be viewed as exceptional candidates for international job opportunities. The individual, professional profiles of the Blue Laissez-Pas- ser recipients are sent directly to the holders of the Red Laissez-Passer, so that these entities can have the first look at the top Erasmus+ talents with a view to potentially of- fering them employment at their companies. The Red L-P holders are comprised of various private companies, as well 30 as high-profile individuals who wish to personally support the project. The third and perhaps most exciting layer of the project comes in the form of the Golden Laissez-Passer Contest. The grand prize for this competition is a sum of € 3,000 that the eventual recipient can use to boost his/her professional life. The top six candidates (based on the number of votes on the gE platform) will be invited to the L-P gala night to compete for the top prize by presenting their entrepreneurial ideas to our expert jury. As our main aim as a foundation is to bring internationally-minded people together and enable more and more Erasmus+ mobility opportunities, this pro- ject is of great importance to gE: www.garagerasmus.org/laissez-passer.html Foundation

GARAGERASMUS – GET STARTED How in Love are You with Your Idea? Text: Dobrawa Koszelak and Fabrizio Ippoliti m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / N A H M N K A H I Carlos Granados, a spirit of the Erasmus+ generation, start- ed by studying law in the Netherlands, then moved to China to study Mandarin, before moving again to study business in the US – to name just a few of the interesting places where he has lived. But, there is one more thing that moves him: Drawing. Carlos Granados defines himself as ‘optimistic about mankind and always looking forward to a good chal- lenge, always aiming to solve big problems differently’. Carlos: Everybody understands pictures. By visiting differ- ent countries, I realised that drawing is always the simplest way to make a point. Focusing on the field of education, a different perspective that I have noticed and found very useful is that students learn more by embracing failure. This contrasts with the ‘adult way’ of learning by trying to avoid all possible failure. But, in my opinion, this is not the right way of going about things! Instead, to solve a problem, you should try to embrace it like a child would. In solving prob- lems in a different way, I meant that we sometimes need to just take a step back. Would not it be better if adults could see things like kids? actually been to eventually become a diplomat which would have enabled him to perhaps change the world in a more direct manner. However, upon realising that the world needs fewer diplomats and more creative people, he decided in- stead to dedicate even more of his time to drawing. Carlos was given the chance to study at a very prestigious business school in the US that focused on entrepreneur- ship and which enabled him to meet other people who, like him, were passionate about changing the world and doing everything they could to achieve this. It was there that it hit him: to make changes, you do not have to have either the highest intelligence quotient nor the most money. On the contrary, you only need inspiration. Carlos always asks: “How in love are you with your idea?” In one of his articles, he states: “So, you have been flirting with an idea for a while. You have had many ideas before, but none like this one – this one feels different. It makes your eyes twin- kle and you think about a possible future together. Suddenly, all the inspirational things you have heard make sense.” Carlos has loved drawing since he was a child. Nonetheless, he has also always wanted to change the world and to make it a better place. He thought that this goal would be difficult to achieve if he went to art school, so his original idea had Carlos would like to get this message to the Erasmus+ gen- eration: “Action trumps everything. Go for whatever you have in mind and pursue it to the end, because there has never been a better time for it than now.” 31