Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași reports 2019 as its best Erasmus+ year, with €1.3 million in funding and the most mobilities to date. We’ve also signed new Erasmus+ agreements, reaching a total of 520 with EU universities (486 in 2018) and 132 with non-EU universities (80 in 2018).
‘Erasmus+ is one of the most dynamic sectors in our university, with increasing collaboration, participation and funding each year. Since 2017 – 2018 these activities have continuously evolved, thanks in no small part to our presence at different international educational events. Actually, during these events we have strengthened ties with our partners, leading to new Erasmus agreements being signed with non-EU countries, a segment that is more important by the year’
said TUIASI Rector, Professor Dan Cașcaval, PhD. Eng.
Vice Rectorate for International Relations staff say that other universities are now actively seeking TUIASI as a partner in these international agreements. The grant for collaborations with non-EU countries is now the fourth largest in value in Romania, out of 52 universities in the programme, and we have increased requests for partnerships from other institutions.
‘This increase in cooperation desire shows a growing interest in our university. Four years ago, when we first started this programme, we were looking for partners, but in the last two years we have increasingly witnessed other universities looking for us. We have seen an increased number of students and professors coming here’
said TUIASI Vice-rector for Internal Affairs, Irina Lungu, PhD. Eng.
TUIASI now has 132 agreements with universities in 31 non-EU countries: South Africa, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Brazil, Chile, China, Canada, Cape Verde, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Israel, Kazakhstan, Japan, Malaysia, Madagascar, Maldives, Morocco, Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic, Moldova, USA, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Both EU and non-EU agreements have an academic and a practical component and students often choose to stay up to a year on a scholarship, half of this at the university and the other half somewhere in the industry, at a business partner. This is also true for TUIASI incoming students.
‘About 60% of students extend their stay from one semester to a whole year, this applies to both incoming and outgoing students, especially on those apprenticeship programmes. We’ve also seen a significant increase in training of professors and administrative personnel, so we’ve asked for – and gotten – increased funding, so we can send more professors to events held within International Staff Week’
said TUIASI Vice-rector for Internal Affairs, Irina Lungu, PhD. Eng.
There’s also a very important social component to this programme, says Vice-rector Irina Lungu. Returning TUIASI student questionnaires show that through their stay abroad they have learned to overcome fears of traveling abroad – especially those who have chosen non-EU countries -, to be more independent and have discovered how their mind works and reacts in different environments and social situations.
