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Description
“Supporting Student and Staff Mobility 2021/2022“ is a mobility project initiated by the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, in cooperation with four donor state partners: the University of Bergen, the University of Oslo, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, and the University of Iceland. The project builds upon the previous mobility projects and upon partnerships established in the past years within the Erasmus+ and the EEA Grants programmes. The primary goal of the project is to enrich the knowledge of university students through mutual mobility exchange, as well as to support the professional development of university teachers and employees through both active and passive participation in teaching activities in the international context. Furthermore, the project aims to raise awareness about the EEA Grants and consequently foster closer cooperation between the partners, in particular as relates to facing the global pandemic of COVID-19 and its negative impact upon international relations.
The project includes mobilities for 44 participants, of which 30 are outgoing students and teachers from the Faculty of Arts. The project includes semester-long study stays and short-term intensive courses for Bc. and MA students, as well as short-term research stays for PhD candidates in pursuit of their diplomas. Teaching and training mobility of academic workers of the universities are also included.
The immediate benefit of this project will be the improvement of research and didactic capacities of all the participants, resulting from their exposure to a different cultural and academic context, along with the strengthening of ties between the partner institutions. The long-term goal of the project is to achieve academic success and expand the horizons of students, thanks to ongoing cooperation between the partner institutions.
Summary of project results
This project focused on international mobility was carried out by the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, in cooperation with four institutions in the donor states: the University of Iceland, the University of Bergen, the University of Oslo, and NTNU in Trondheim. The main goal of the project was to renew the international exchange of students and teachers between Charles University and partner institutions in the donor states following the notable negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international cooperation. The purpose of the exchange is to expand students´ and employees´ knowledge and understanding of the local academic and cultural milieu and subsequently contribute to positive societal changes in the Czech Republic. The priority was for visits abroad by Czech students, with a particular focus on short-term study stays and intensive courses. Five students successfully completed semester-long study stays at the University of Iceland, the University of Bergen, and Charles University. The project further allowed four PhD students to carry out research stays at partner universities. The largest number of students (27 in total) took part in intensive courses and summer schools. In terms of staff mobility, seven teachers successfully completed teaching stays. An important outcome of the project is the improvement of students´ key competences and knowledge, furthering their motivation to continue with and complete their studies. The project also had a direct impact on the competences of university staff in terms of their professional development, increasing their ability to initiate positive changes in tertiary education. The project resulted in the renewal and strengthening of bilateral relations with partner institutions.
Summary of bilateral results
We based the project on our previous cooperation with exchange partners in the Erasmus+ program and the EEA projects EHP-CZ-MOP-1-006 and EHP-CZ-MOP-2-014. Thanks to the project, we have strengthened bilateral relations with the partners and particularly with NTNU, we are currently negotiating a new Erasmus+ cooperation. The threat of COVID-19 pandemic on the state of international exchange was thus overcome in part thanks to this project. Having partners from donor countries enriched the study abroad educational opportunities to our students, especially because the project reflects the differences between the living costs in participating countries. The donor partners are also viable for FA CUNI in the area of Scandinavian studies and we believe that the project will lead to further enhancement of this area of studies, especially by a restoration of teaching the Icelandic language at FA CUNI. The main results are shared experiences, job shadowing, improved learning processes and working structures on both sides, enhanced knowledge and the establishing of personal contacts.