Dr. Joseph Mifsud Socrates Office University of Malta

SOCRATES II

The Second Phase of the Community action

Programme in the field of education.

SOCRATES II The Policy Context• Knowledge Policy:

– Treaty of Amsterdam– Agenda 2000– Towards a Europe of

Knowledge• Co-ordinated strategy for

employment• Acquired experience of

previous programmes

The Essential Features• Legal Basis based on the

EC Treaty• 7 year time span :

1 Jan 2000 - 31 Dec 2006• Overall Budget

1850 million ECU for 7 years compared to

933 million ECU for 95-99

Key Innovations compared with Socrates I

• Continuity of successful actions• new actions (alternative educational pathways,

innovation projects)• Joint actions with Vocational Training and Youth

Programmes• Rationalisation: fewer objectives, fewer actions,

fewer procedures• More integrated management structures

Which Countries can take part?• 15 Member States

• EFTA- EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)

• Associated Countries (with bilateral participation agreement)

– Central and Eastern European Countries

– Cyprus

– Malta– Turkey

• Cooperation with third countries

Who can take part?• Pupils, students and all

categories of learners• all categories of staff

involved in education• all types of educational

institutions• local, regional and

national authorities and ministries responsible for education

• Other public and private bodies cooperating with educational institutions, in particular:– local and regional

bodies– Companies– Associations– Other non-profit

making organisations– Research centres

The 4 Objectives of SOCRATES II

To contribute to the development of quality education, by:

• strengthening the European dimension in education

• promoting knowledge of EU languages

• promoting cooperation and mobility and removing obstacles

• encouraging educational innovation and exploring matters of common policy interest

The Programme Structure8Actions

• COMENIUS– school education

• ERASMUS– higher education

• GRUNTVIG– adult education and

other educational pathways

• MINERVA

– open and distance learning and new technologies

• LINGUA

– Language Learning

• Observation and innovation

• Joint Actions

• Accompanying measures

Allocation of funds

• COMENIUS: 27% of total budget

• ERASMUS: 51% of total budget

• GRUNTVIG: 7-8% of total budget

• Maximum of 4.5 % of annual budget to be spent on technical assistance and national agencies

Action 2 ERASMUS Higher Education

• Action 2.1 European Inter-university cooperation (Institutional Contracts)– organisation of mobility

– curricula, modules, intensive courses

– ECTS

• Action 2.2 Student and staff mobility• Action 2.3 Thematic Networks

Action 6OBSERVATION AND INNOVATION

• Action 6.1 Observation of education systems, policies and innovation– Eurydice networks and Arion study visits– networking of educational research and quality

assurance bodies– recognition of diplomas and periods of learning

including Naric Network

• Action 6.2 Innovatory initiatives responding to emerging needs– maintaining the flexibility of the programme

Action 7 Action 8 JOINT ACTIONS

• Joint activities with Leonardo and Youth etc.

• regional and local level contacts between Socrates, Leonardo and Youth participants

• Coordinated implementation of key programme components

ACCOMPANYING MEASURES• awareness raising activities

including competitions• support for associations and NGOs• conferences and symposia• training of European cooperation

managers• dissemination and exploitation of

results• cooperation with third countries• support for National Agencies• technical assistance, information

and evaluation

Malta’s Participation in SOCRATES II

Submission of The University of Malta’s ERASMUS Institutional Contract (IC)

Application Form for the academic year 2000/01

The IC application is based on agreements of cooperation between Higher Education Institutions in different member states and partner states. This cooperation can involve student mobility, teacher

mobility, curriculum development, intensive programmes and thematic networks.

The University of Malta has applied to the European Commission at DG

Education and Culture for the following grants:

• Support for Organising the Mobility of Students (OMS)

• Teaching Staff mobility of short duration (TS)

• European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

IC BUDGET APPLICATION

OMS Support for organising theMobility of Students

EUR 22906

TS Teaching staffassignments of shortduration

EUR 41560

ECTS European Credit TransferSystem

EUR 7935

CDA Partner in jointdevelopment of curicula

EUR 3300

EM Partner in EuropeanModule

EUR 2200

IP Coordinator in anIntensive Program

EUR 107609

TOTAL SOCRATES-ERASMUS EUR 185510grant application for 2000/2001

The University of Malta has applied to the European Commission for grant for

the following Partnership ProjectsPartnership Projects: 1 Curriculum Development activity at

Advanced level (CDA) – coordinated by Hochschule Bremen

1 European Module (EM) coordinated by Universite du Havre

1 Intensive Programme (IP) – coordinated by Katholieke Vlaamse Hogeschool – Antwerpen

Partnership Projects

• Germany: Hochschule Bremen: CDA – Master in European Studies in public and private

management

• France: University du Havre: EM– Module europeen : de la monnaie unique a la

fixation des prix en Euro.

• Belgium: Katholieke Vlaamse Hogeschool: IP– Speech and Language therapy; towards an

international dimension in assessment and therapy

Coordination of 1 IP ProjectProject Title: Logistics within a European Context

Project Coordinator: Dr. Saviour Gauci

Department of Marketing, FEMA

No. of participants:

Total number ofteachers

5 of these travelling

abroad

3

Total number ofstudents

40 of these travellingfrom abroad

30

Other specialists fromoutside higher education

4 of these travellingfrom abroad

Total number ofparticipants

49 of these travellingfrom abroad

33

SOME FIGURES• 40 bilateral agreements signed with other

European Union Higher Education Institutions covering mainly student and teaching staff mobility

• projection covering academic year 2000/2001• Outward student mobility 92 students (including

under-graduate, post-graduate and Doctoral)• inward mobility 90 students (levels, same as

above)• outward teaching staff mobility 30 teaching staff• inward teaching staff mobility 24 teaching staff• Outcome and results of IC application expected

by May/June 2000.

Some Universities which signed a bilateral agreement with the Socrates Office and the

University of Malta• University of Exeter

• University Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

• Catholic University of Antwerp

• University of Liege

• University du Havre

• University of Hildesheim

• University of Cantabria

• University of Verona

• University of Innsbruck

• University of Reutlingen

• University of Kent at Canterbury

• University of Plymouth

• University of Wales

• Copenhagen Business College• University of Valladolid• University of Murcia• University of Kuopio• Helsinki Business Polytechnic• University of Nancy• University De Rouen• University De Rennes• University of Messina• University of Macerata• Queen’s University of Belfast• University of Lunds• University of Nijmegen

The Setting-up of the Socrates Committee

The committee for the Socrates Programme was established Under the European Union Programmes Unit

for Malta (EUPU). The committee meets to discuss developments, establish workplans and to plan for future

projects.

Members of the Socrates Committee:

Chairman

Representatives for Erasmus,Gruntvig-Minerva, Lingua, Comenius (state/ private/church schools), MUT and KSU.

…other activities by the Socrates Office - University of Malta

• The Launch of the Erasmus Actions at the University of Malta - 14th April 2000; Guest Speaker Mr.Jose Gutierrez Head of the Erasmus Department at the Socrates & Youth TAO in Brussels.

• Erasmus Mobility Scheme Applications Intake - Around 250 applications were received from students who applied to spend a semester of their course of studies in a foreign university.

• Matching process for outgoing students - Placement of students according to their course and the bilateral agreements, approx.. 120 placed.

•The Launch of the Socrates programme for Malta - 25th May 2000. The European Commission was represented by Dr. Irving Mitchell, Head of Unit and Mr.Willerbrordus Slythers

•The ERASMUS National Agencies Meeting in Malta - 26th -27th May 2000. All European National Agencies participated in this Meeting and contributed with presentations about various topics ranging from the technicalities of the Erasmus Programme to issues about Mobility and the needs for Socrates National Agencies.

•The set-up of the EURYDICE information booths

•The Socrates on the Move Project

Preparatory visits by International /European Coordinators

• Ms. Heide Hechenberger Paedagogische Akademie der Dioezese in Innsbruck - Austria

• Ms. Hilde Chantrain Katholieke Vlaamse Hogeschool in Antwerpen – Belgium

• Ms. Jytte Mansfeld - Mr. Flemming Steen• Neils Brock International, Copenhagen Business College Denmark• Dr. Domenique Creton – Universite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille

– France• Ms. Birgit Gantefohn – Hochschule Bremen, University of Applied Sciences –

Bremen- Germany• Mr.Arturo Delgado Cabrera Erasmus Co-ordinator at the CSFP Centro

Superior de Formacion del Profesorado of the University Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Mrs. Dolores Cabrera the Dean of the same CSF.

• M.Michel Jouve, Director Socrates National Agency of France.• David Bumstead and Ms.Jone Dias Urbieta from the VIF Visiting

International Faculty Program in San Sebastian Spain, visited the University of Malta and gave lectures to education students organised by the Socrates Office. 2nd March 2000

…other Preparatory visits coordinated by the Socrates Office

Mr. Wilto Groenendaal and Ms. Sini Dekker. Erasmus Coordinators form the University of Assen, Netherlands 20th March- 24th March 2000

Mr.Barrie Cooper, regarding the set-up of a thematic network about environmental education with the EU, 20th March 2000

Ms.Patricia de Clopper, Eu co-ordinator for educational programmes at the University of Malta, visit regarding the bilateral agreement between the two universities and student exchanges. 11th April 2000

Mr.Guido Boel, Head of the ARION Unit for the European Commission, visit regarding Malta’s future participation in the Arion actions.

Ms. Birgitta Dahl, Erasmus Co-ordinator from the ARCADIA University Finland, May 19th 2000, preparatory visit in preparation to sign a bilateral agreement with to the University of Malta.

Mr.Randal Teague, Founder for the international institute for political and economic studies.

Seminars/Conferences/Meetings attended by the Socrates Managers & Co-ordinating Staff

Visits to Ljubljana and Budapest Universities and Socrates Office under the EU Impact Committee 22nd March 2000

Meeting at the TAO in Brussels regarding the evaluation of the submitted Institutional contracts. 31st March 2000

National Agencies Meeting in Brussels 10th April 2000

The Socrates Launch in Vilnius Lithuania June 24th-27th 2000.Keynote speech by Dr.Joseph Mifsud.

“The new SocratesII and LeonardoII programmes” Student Mobility Conference in Udine and Trieste, 25th March 2000

Meeting at the European Commission and the Youth Unit, relative to the Implementation of the Youth Programme in Malta, 6th March 2000

The 5th annual Socrates-Erasmus conference, organised by the DAAD , the German exchange Bureau, 26th -27th June. Also conducted a preparatory visit to the University of Mainz regarding future cooperation in bilateral partnership.

The national Agencies training session about the new youth Programme.

The Gruntvig Promoters Meeting held in Brussels regarding the promotion and project planning for adult education and lifelong learning. 30th March 2000.

The European Credit and Transfer system Meeting in Brussels organised for all PECO countries in Brussels 26th-27th June 200.

Dissemination of Information A series of 9 Radio programmes entitled “SOKRATE” with the theme of

education in the European union, on Radju ta’ l-universita’ written and presented by Claudine Dalmas for the Socrates Office.

Participation in PBS radio programme, “L-analizi tal-ahbar” by Claudine Dalmas and Stefania Fabri for the Socrates Office regarding student mobility opportunities through Socrates/Erasmus

Full information campaign including all press and media regarding student mobility applications.

Adverts in conjunction with KSU and MIC about the applications for the ERASMUS Mobility.

A series of press releases about the Erasmus Programme and the student’s applications to study abroad (Net Television/Super one/ Xarabank, Education channel).

1st June 2000, Public Information session about Socrates in cooperation with MIC.

Participation in a half-day seminar at the St.Eloysius sixth form about EU information programmes: 23rd June 2000

Senior Staff Development Seminar, organized by the department of planning and development at the education division for assistant heads and heads of schools: 30th-31st May; speakers – Dr.Joseph Mifsud, Ms.Stefania Fabri, Mr.Frans Borg.

Projections for the coming months

• Preparation of logistics and infrastructure for incoming and outgoing ERASMUS students.

• Necessary preparation for the outgoing students

• Language preparation courses

• Preparation of the ECTS package

• Launch of the various Socrates programmes with the scope of having Maltese Institutions presenting projects to the European Union

Contacts...SOCRATES Office

Administration Building

Room 207

Tel: 3290 2204 Fax:336450

email:socrates@um.edu.mt

http://home.um.edu.mt/socrates/

Dr. Joseph Mifsud Office Manager

Mr. Joseph Giordmaina Deputy Manager

Staff:

Ms. Stefania Fabri Ms. Claudine Dalmas