“They Just Signed and Stamped Papers”

Understanding the Erasmus Student Experiences

Authors

  • Cosmin Ionut Nada CIIE-FPCEUP https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5780-1763
  • Josef Ploner Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester
  • Laleh Esteki Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLUP), University of Porto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v13i2.4296

Keywords:

student mobility, Erasmus, mobility preparation, institutional support, higher education

Abstract

Erasmus mobility has become an important feature of higher education in Europe and beyond, with the potential to generate significant changes at individual, institutional and systemic levels. More than three decades after the foundation of this successful program, evaluations reveal that, despite notable progress, several aspects of the Erasmus student experience can be further improved. Based on the lived experiences of Erasmus alumni, in this article, we explore recurrent challenges that emerge in educational mobility and how they could be better addressed. Three key dimensions are identified in the qualitative accounts of former Erasmus students and analyzed in light of previous research: mobility preparation, institutional support for integration, and recognition of study abroad.

Author Biographies

  • Cosmin Ionut Nada, CIIE-FPCEUP

    Cosmin is a FCT-funded Research Fellow at the Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (University of Porto). He holds a European PhD in Educational Sciences and has more than eight years of experience in educational research. Cosmin’s research expertise and interests are linked to: migration and education, higher and international education, diversity, social justice, early school leaving, educational policies, and multicultural learning. He has presented findings in numerous academic conferences and has published in leading international scientific journals. Cosmin is currently Administrative Coordinator of NESET and member of the Editorial Board of the European Toolkit for Schools.

  • Josef Ploner, Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester

    Josef Ploner is Lecturer in International and Comparative Education at the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE). His research focuses on higher education mobilities and how they relate to, and intersect, with concurrent forms of global migration, diaspora, and exile. Josef also has a keen interest in tourism, heritage and the cultural industries as meaningful sites of learning, memory formation and cultural contest.

  • Laleh Esteki, Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLUP), University of Porto
    Laleh is an emerging researcher with a Master`s Degree in Communication Sciences: Culture, Heritage and Science. Her research interests include intercultural communication, acculturation, adaptation, international and Erasmus students. Her previous research was focused on mobility students’ expectations, socio-cultural adaptation, and intercultural communication. As a research collaborator, she provided support to the SOLVINC Project (Solving intercultural conflicts with international students), and the EUniverCities Network. Additionally, she supported international doctoral students through an international office.

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Published

2022-08-30

How to Cite

“They Just Signed and Stamped Papers”: Understanding the Erasmus Student Experiences. (2022). Journal of International Students, 13(2), 114-132. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v13i2.4296