Prof. Raúl Ramos, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation Policy at the University of Barcelona, highlighted:
“The Summit represents a unique opportunity to exchange good practices in the field of digitalisation of processes related to the mobility of students”
– a point also reiterated by Rector Prof. Joan Guàrdia Olmos at the opening of the Summit.
Moreover, Prof. Raúl Ramos noted that “working in the EUF network and with the leading universities in the European Union in this area should allow us to facilitate the work of our international mobility offices, as well as improve the service we provide to our incoming and outgoing students“.
Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, the Head of Unit Higher Education, DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), European Commission also welcomed the participants and shared the latest updates and priorities from the DG EAC policy team. She encouraged the Summit participants to reflect on the current Erasmus+ processes and how to simplify them further. The community and IROs play a critical role in such an exercise since they are the key reasons why the Erasmus+ initiative is a success.
The Summit´s format comprised plenary sessions and panel discussions as well as hands-on hackathons where further improvements to Erasmus+ programme processes were discussed in detail. In addition, a key feature of the event was the inclusion of the first EWP training sessions, offering several “Tracks” tailored to diverse needs of the community. These 6-hour training sessions provided an in-depth exploration of EWP from international mobility management elements like Learning Agreements, Inter-Institutional Agreements, Nominations, and Transcript of Records, to strategy and planning aspects of digital transition, and other key initiatives shaping the digitalisation landscape.
Discover the Future of Student Mobility
To facilitate further discussion about the outcomes of the Summit and the overall betterment of student mobility under Erasmus+, the insightful discussions, exchange of ideas, and analysis of various pathways shared by the Summit participants were presented in a white paper, published in April 2024.
For over a decade, Erasmus Without Paper (EWP) has led the digital transformation of the administration of student mobility in Europe. What began as an ambitious initiative by a group of forward-thinking universities has now evolved into the world’s most advanced digital ecosystem for student mobility, with nearly 100% of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) involved in student mobility across the continent already connected to EWP.
The release of the “EWP Back to the Future” White Paper is packed with ambitious yet realistic recommendations for the years ahead, shaped by extensive consultations with around 500 universities held over several months. These suggestions aim to simplify and advance processes, moving beyond just digitising and instead fully embracing digitalisation.
Participant Voices
The workshops and hackathons were incredibly valuable, offering great information! I truly found this experience to be excellent!
I thoroughly enjoyed the programme, which covered a broad spectrum of topics in a relatively short period. The interactive format of the presentations, along with immediate feedback from participants, was incredibly valuable. The opportunity to discuss matters with representatives from various institutions enhanced the experience significantly.
The networking opportunities were particularly valuable and added to my overall satisfaction. The surroundings for this event—the venue, the catering, the support, and the city—were simply wonderful. Thank you for such a great experience!
It was a well-organised event, and I left feeling satisfied with the wealth of new knowledge I gained. I also had the pleasure of connecting with many wonderful people.
I really appreciated the organisation and the chance to connect with other higher education institutions to share experiences. The insightful explanations provided by the experts were a highlight for me.
[During the training] “specific problems were addressed with the right answers, which greatly assisted in solving long-standing daily challenges. I felt very satisfied with the practical solutions provided.
