Report for the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Program (2018 Project) at the Athens University of Economics and Business

The Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Program (2108 Project), which was funded by the European Commission through the Hellenic National Agency, took place successfully at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB.

The Program, which had a duration of 38 months (01/06/2018 - 31/07/2021), contributed significantly to the further development of international collaborations of our University at an academic and research level and enhanced the already existing academic bonds with Partner Universities, located in non-EU countries.

AUEB, as the Project Coordinator, signed Inter-institutional Agreements and carried out the exchange of thirteen (13) students, teaching and administrative staff members with the following non-EU Higher Education Institutions:

1. Stetson University, School of Business Administration, Florida, USA

2. Stevens Institute of Technology, Howe School of Technology Management, New Jersey, USA

3. Université du Québec à Montréal - École des sciences de la Gestion, Canada

4. Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia

More specifically, the following types of mobility were carried out during the 2018 Project:

a) first and second cycle students carried out a student mobility period at a Partner Institution with full academic recognition of their learning outcomes through the implementation of the ECTS system

b) teaching staff members  carried out successfully a teaching mobility period abroad 

c) teaching / administrative staff members carried out successfully a training mobility period

Incoming and outgoing students who spent a study period abroad reported that the Erasmus+ ICM Program proved to be highly beneficial for them, as it offered them the opportunity to gain an insight in the host country’s culture and educational system, interact, exchange ideas with their peers at the Host Institution and further develop their intercultural, communication and academic skills.

According to the participant teaching staff’s testimonials, they had the chance to strengthen their cooperation at academic level with their colleagues at the partner institutions, develop further research projects, share experience and expertise, improve their skills and get acquainted with new teaching methods.

The mobile staff members considered their training period abroad inspiring and fruitful, as they shared best practices, exchanged experiences with their peers regarding their work method and got an insight in the partner institution’s structure and procedures.

The impact of the 2018 Erasmus+ ICM Program to students and staff was significant and it led to an increase in the demand for participation from these groups. AUEB, focused on its internationalization strategy and taking into consideration the increasing interest of students and staff to participate in the Program, aims to enrich its partnerships with more non-EU Universities under the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Program, by adding new Inter-Institutional Agreements to the already existing ones.