Εrasmus+ Outoing Student/Graduate Mobility for Placements

The Erasmus+ ‘Student Mobility for Placements’ mobility action offers OUC undergraduate and postgraduate (Master and PhD) students and recent graduates the opportunity to undertake internships in universities, companies, research centres and organizations in any country that participates in the Erasmus+ Programme.

  PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

• The Member States of the European Union,
• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, Republic of North Macedonia, United Kingdom (up to the 2020-2021 academic year), and Serbia.

The Erasmus+ mobility actions for Placements offer students and recent graduates the opportunity to:

• gain professional experience related to their area of study,
• get to know, appreciate and understand the economic and cultural conditions in foreign countries,
• live in a country other than the country of their permanent residence, experience different cultures and learn foreign languages,
• acquire international experience and qualifications, and
• enrich their CV and employment prospects.

In addition, participants have the opportunity to enrich their CV with Europass, a document that records knowledge and skills acquired through their mobility internship abroad. Europass accompanies each person's curriculum vitae and enables employers to better understand the skills and qualifications of the person concerned.

If the Academic Coordinator at OUC has mentioned in the Training Agreement that the student will receive ECTS units for his/her traineeship, the University, upon successful completion of the mobility period, will record the ECTS units in the student's Transcript of Records and Diploma Supplement. 

ERASMUS STUDENT CHARTER

  POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES

• Undergraduate students, from the 1st year of their studies at OUC.
• Postgraduate students (Master or PhD), from the 1st year of their studies.
• Students soon to graduate: Interested students that are soon to graduate must submit their Erasmus+ application for internships and secure Erasmus+ funding by OUC, during their last year of studies and definitely before they complete their studies. Their traineeship abroad must be completed within one (1) year of their graduation.

Students with disabilities:

People with disabilities include people whose physical or health status makes it difficult to participate in an Erasmus+ mobility activity without additional support. European Commission and Open University of Cyprus encourage the participation of students with disabilities in all activities of the Erasmus+ programme. Erasmus+ grants may therefore be higher than the regular study or traineeship grants to offset the specific difficulties faced by the participant (such as adapted accommodation, travel assistance, medical attendance, supportive equipment, adaption of learning material, an accompanying person for students and staff with disabilities). This additional support grant is a contribution based on real costs.

  HOST ORGANIZATIONS

OUC students can apply and receive a grant for a traineeship mobility period in universities, research and education centres, companies, organizations, non-profit organizations schools in any country that participates in the Erasmus+ Programme, and is different from their country of residence and the country of their home University (Cyprus in the case of OUC students).

For mobility in universities, an Erasmus+ inter-institutional agreement between OUC and the host university might be required.

Non-eligible host organizations

• European institutions (such as the European Commission). For detailed information, please check: https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/institutions-bodies_en.
• Organizations managing EU programmes (such as National Agencies) in order to avoid possible conflict of interest and/or dual funding.
• National diplomatic representations (embassy/consulate) of the student’s country of origin. Schools and educational institutes are eligible under conditions of transnationality.

  MOBILITY DURATION

The minimum period of mobility is two (2) months and the maximum is twelve (12) months, per cycle of study.

Participants may benefit of an exchange abroad with Erasmus+ multiple times, either as a student or as a trainee, but the total mobility time spent abroad (study abroad periods included) may not exceed 12 months per study cycle. A mobility may combine a period of study and a period of traineeship in a foreign university.

  PROCEDURES

Students may apply to secure Erasmus+ funding for internships during the Calls for Applications announced by the OUC Mobility Office.

Interested OUC students should:

1. Contact the OUC Mobility Office to express their interest to apply for Erasmus+ SMP funding by sending an email at erasmus@ouc.ac.cy
2. Identify potential host organizations:

(a) from the list of contacts with organizations offering traineeship positions  to OUC students,

(b) in cooperation with the OUC Mobility Office

(c) through internet or in cooperation with the Academic Coordinator of their programme of study at OUC.

3. Contact host organizations through email, by sending their CV and a cover letter, expressing their interest to undertake a traineeship.

In case of a positive response, students submit at the OUC Mobility Office (erasmus@ouc.ac.cy), the following documents before the given applications deadline: 

• Application for Erasmus+ Mobility for Traineeship HERE
• A copy of ID card/passport
• A recent copy of Transcript of Records
• Foreign Language Certificate (if requested)
• A letter/email from the host organization confirming its intention to offer the proposed traineeship position
• Recent unemployment certificate issued by the competent Department of Labour of their home country (applies only for unemployed students)
• For PhD candidates: A recent certificate signed by their supervisor

Subsequently, the OUC Mobility Office will contact host University/organization to finalize the student’s Traineeship Programme and check whether the student possesses the appropriate level of knowledge of the working language that is required.

The application is finalised when the host University/organization fills in the Training Mobility Agreement and all interested parties (student, host organization/university and the Academic Coordinator of the OUC student’s programme of study) sign it.

Evaluation of Applications and Selection

The University’s competent body evaluates all applications submitted using the following criteria:

• Priority for students with disabilities.
• Students that are unemployed (proven by relevant official documents)
• Study cycle: Undergraduate students’ applications are examined separately.
• Foreign language proficiency level demanded by the host institution (if this is not Greek).
• Motivation to participate in the Erasmus+ Mobility Programme.
• Transcript of records (weighted average grade). PhD students should submit their supervisor’s most recent report.

Important to note:

• Low priority is given to OUC students wishing to participate in a mobility that will occur in their country of origin (birthplace).
• Depending on each circumstance and available budget, the OUC Mobility Office may offer beneficiaries part of the Erasmus+ grant or invite them to undertake their traineeship as “Erasmus+ zero grant” beneficiaries.

The OUC Mobility Office informs selected students for any further actions required prior to their mobility.

 Comments / Complaints:

The Mobility Office of the Open University of Cyprus, in its effort to continuously improve the services offered and to provide better support to those interested in participating in the European Mobility Programme Erasmus+, provides the possibility of submitting any complaints and comments on issues related to the services provided. Online form: HERE.

  ONLINE LINGUISTIC SUPPORT – OLS

The Online Linguistic Support (OLS) system supports language learning for Erasmus+ mobility participants. The OLS offers participants in Erasmus+ the opportunity to improve their skills in the foreign language(s) they will use to study and work abroad. The programme is available in all EU languages. More information is provided here.

  ERASMUS+ GRANT

Beneficiaries receive funding covering their travel and subsistence expenses. The Erasmus+ grant varies according to the host country and the participants’ mobility duration.

• Travel costs

OUC students participating in Erasmus+ mobility actions may receive travel expenses only if their mobility to the host organization starts from Cyprus or other remote regions, such as Iceland or Malta or other overseas countries and territories. Travel distance is calculated using the EU’s distance calculator tool:

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/distance-calculator_en

• Subsistence

The monthly amount of the Erasmus+ grant for each student is determined based on the host country:

  CONTACT US

OUC MOBILITY OFFICE

International Cooperation, Development and Communication Unit

Tel.: +357 22411717 / 22411659

email: erasmus@ouc.ac.cy