Universitatea Cooperatist Comerciala din Moldova

 EMINENCE PRESENTATION

Erasmus Mundus – Integration of Neighbouring EasterN Regions through Cooperation in Higher Education (EMINENCE)

I.    The EMINENCE project and Erasmus Mundus programme

 The EMINENCE project is funded by the European Commission in the framework of Erasmus Mundus programme. The Erasmus Mundus programme aims to enhance the quality of higher education and promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through mobility and academic cooperation. The EMINENCE project operates within so called Action2: Partnerships with Third Country higher education institutions and scholarships for mobility, which gives  support to:

• higher education institutions that wish to set-up inter-institutional cooperation partnerships between universities from Europe and targeted Third-Countries;
• individual students, researchers and university staff who wish to spend a study / research / teaching period in one of the universities included in  partnerships.

The targeted Third-Countries in EMINENCE project are Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia (these Eastern neighbouring countries belong to the initiative  called Eastern Partnership- EaP, benefiting  also in other actions within and beyond higher education  in the scope of the European ’s external relations).

 II.    Main characteristics of EMINENCE project

 The  objectives of EMINENCE Partnership are :

- to develop abroad the qualifications of most motivated and talented students and staff and give them international experience , increasing this way  their employability  at  labour market;

- to promote mobility of Eastern Partnership  countries’ students from vulnerable groups in order to obtain qualifications and experience in the EU partner universities;

- to contribute towards the development of human resources and the international co-operation capacity of higher education institutions in Eastern neighbouring countries through individual  mobility, which should not bring only individual benefits but also effect home university and society as a whole;

- to enhance visibility of EU higher education  in Eastern neighbouring countries in general and to facilitate integration into the European Higher Education Area and Bologna process of involved HEIs in this region in particular (in accordance with  EU external policy objectives  namely  with the goals of Platform IV people-to-people cooperation of the Eastern Partnership  and  the goals of the European Neighbourhood Policy);

- to create and strengthen  lasting links  and collaborations between participating HEIs from EU and Eastern neighbouring countries’ that will result in actions and activities after the funding period;

- to  contribute to the mutual enrichment of both EU and Eastern neighbouring countries’ societies by exchange of people, culture, knowledge and ideas.

 The idea and the acronym of the EMINENCE partnership brings a message that this project  targets at  “eminence”, understood as  distinction, renown, reputation and importance of future project beneficiaries– students and scholars educated abroad who on their return  home will contribute to the development of  Eastern Partnership countries and societies aspiring to reach  European standards.

III.    Scholarship programme and applicants’ eligibility criteria

Duration of project and number of scholarships offered

The project is granted for 4 years and will   offer  175 scholarships for students (undergraduate, master, doctoral and post-doctoral) and for staff (academic and administrative) to be awarded for both sides’ candidates.   The region of Eastern Partnership is included in EU Neighbourhood Policy and  therefore the mobility of grantees in the EMINENCE project is foreseen in both directions (from  EaP countries  and from EU eligible countries ).

 Applicants’ eligibility criteria

The project will accept applications from representatives of three target groups. A target group (TG) is a group of students/scholars having the same characteristics regarding the institution/country of origin and/or personal situation:

 1) Nationals of one of the eligible EU or Third Countries who  are registered/enrolled in one of the partner universities at the time of submitting their application to the partnership: TG1;

 2) Nationals of one of the eligible Third Countries  who  are  not  from universities included in EMINENCE consortium- students need either to be registered in a HEI (not included in the partnership) of the targeted third-country or to have obtained a university degree or equivalent from a HEI of these third-countries : TG2;

 3) Nationals of one of the eligible Third Countries who are in particularly vulnerable situations,  for social and political reasons: TG3. For example refugees or asylum beneficiaries  with a certified refugee status (usually certified by relevant card or certificate, e.g. by UNHCR, ministry  or other  authority): TG 3. A proof of the Target Group 3 status must be submitted together with  the application.

 Eligibility criteria for different  types/levels  of mobility are identified as follows:

A. Levels of students’ mobility and entry criteria:

Bachelor/ Undergraduate (BA) -  a first cycle higher education programme, for which applications will be accepted as an exchange student (TG1) or for a full degree (TG 3). Applicants must:

- have obtained a secondary school diploma according to the regulations of the host university (TG3), or

- be currently registered in a BA course in a HEI within the partnership (TG1). TG 1 BA students must have successfully completed at least one year of studies in their home.

 Master (MA) - a second cycle higher education programme that follows a first degree or equivalent level of learning and that leads to a Masters degree offered by a higher education institution and recognised as such by the relevant authorities of the country where the master degree is delivered.  For studies at Master level  applications will be accepted as an exchange student (TG1) or for a full degree (TG 2 and 3). Applicants must:

-          be currently registered in a Masters course in a HEI within the partnership (TG1) or

-          have obtained a Bachelor or other undergraduate university degree (TG2, TG3).

 Doctoral programme (PhD)– a third cycle  research-related programme of higher education study and research that follows a higher education degree and leads to a fully recognised doctorate degree, offered by higher education institutions.  For studies at doctoral  level applications will be accepted as an exchange PhD student (TG1/TG2) or for a full PhD degree (TG 3). Applicants must:

-          be currently registered in a doctoral course in a HEI within the partnership (TG1), or

-          have obtained a Master or other graduate university degree or equivalent (TG3),

 Post-doctoral Programme (Post-doc) – higher education study or research that follows a doctoral degree and is offered by a higher education institution or a research organisation established in accordance with national legislation and practice. Applicants for post-doc scholarship must have obtained a doctorate degree.

 B.Staff mobility

Staff applications are posible only within TG1. Applicants will be accepted on the basis of trilateral agreements. Staff will perform a specific work programme agreed among the home and host universities and the individual. Activity can include teaching, research, training or following specialized courses. Applicants must work  as academic or administrative staff at a university  within the partnership.

Among other criteria of eligibility of candidates the following 2 are of great importance:

-          candidates must have sufficient knowledge of the language of the courses they intend to study abroad or of one of the languages currently spoken in the hosting countries,

-          candidates must have not resided nor have carried out their main activity (studies, work, etc) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in any of the European countries at the time of submitting  their application to the partnership (this rule does not apply to TG3 candidates),

-          candidates must not have already benefited from a scholarship for the same type of mobility under any other Erasmus Mundus Action 2 project.

Distribution of scholarships and calls for applications

The following table shows the intended distribution of scholarships as per   type of mobility/level of study, nationality and target group:

The scholarships will be  granted within 3 cohorts and 3 call for applications to be opened on annual basis. The first call for applications will be opened in November 2012 for at least of 45 days at project main website:

http://www.mundus.amu.edu.pl/EMINENCE

Applications must be submitted online through the application tool provided on the website.

Scholarships amounts

The scholarships includes:

• A monthly allowance - subsistence
• Insurance costs:  up to 75€ per month
• Travel costs: up to amount resulting from the distance between home and host country universities (between 250 and 1 500 €)
• Tuition fees for students of up to 3000€ per year

Scholarship subsistence  amount  depends on level of mobility:

Scholarship allowance  will be  paid to grantees on the monthly basis and on the ground of  assessment of their academic performance and fulfilment of formal requirements.  Travel cost (including visa fees), insurance  and participation costs will be covered  by coordinating institution from the EU grant, funded by the European Commission. The partnership will provide grantees with a high quality individual insurance coverage on health, travel, accident for the duration of the mobility period. Host universities will waive all tuition fees and  grantees at any level will not be requested to pay any fees to the host universities.

 IV.             Scholarships for Target Group 3

 The EMINENCE project pays special attention to opening education opportunities for candidates in  vulnerable situation, emerging from social and/or  political reasons.  The input  of associates and measures to identify such candidates and make them familiar  with EMINENCE offer are targeted  to give possibility to individuals from vulnerable groups to obtain qualifications and experience in the EU partner universities. There are 25 scholarships for  individuals within TG 3 for whom the partnership will offer full BA, MA and Phd degrees,  to be awarded after completion of  studies in one of EU partners. TG 3 scholarships will be offered  to students who  are nationals of   Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, if they present relevant documents justifying  their qualification  to Target Group 3 and if they fulfil entry criteria for each study level.  The following specific conditions are identified  as belonging to vulnerable groups:

1. Candidates having a refugee status (international or according to the national legislation of one of the European recipient countries);
2. Candidates being  asylum beneficiaries (international or according to the national legislation of one of the European recipient countries);
3. Candidates who can prove that they have been the object of unjustified expulsion from university on racial, ethnic, religious, political, gender or sexual inclination;
4. Candidates belonging to an indigenous population targeted by a specific national policy or IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons).

 Important: Disadvantaged conditions such as economic status or physical disabilities are not conditions

for belonging to TG3. They are taken into consideration as cross-cutting issues under all target groups.

Opportunities for TG 3 grantees: 

Candidates for Bachelor/ Undergraduate  programmes,  classified  as TG 3, can receive a grant consisting of 36 000 Euro + travel cost and insurance, for the purpose of 3 years full BA studies at one of EU partner universities of EMINENCE consortium. They must present secondary school certificate entitling them to start university studies.

Candidates for Master studies,  classified  as TG 3, can receive a grant consisting of 24 000 Euro + travel cost and insurance, covering 2 years full MA studies at one of EU partner universities of EMINENCE consortium. They must present BA or equivalent diploma/ study records entitling them to start university studies at Master level.

Candidates for PhD studies, classified  as TG 3, can receive a grant consisting of 36 000 Euro + travel cost and insurance. They must present MA diploma, other graduate university degree or equivalent diploma entitling them to studies at doctoral level  at one of EU partner universities of EMINENCE consortium.

Useful links:

Erasmus Mundus Action 2 program web site: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/programme/action2_en.php

 EMINENCE Frequently Asked Questions Section: http://www.mundus.amu.edu.pl/EMINENCE/index.php?faq,13

Contacts:

PhD Victoria Trofimov, Project coordinator
Vice-rector Trade Co-operative University of Moldova
8 Gagarin bld, room 204
MD-2001 Chisinau
Republic of Moldova
tel. (+ 373 22) 815-602, mob.(+373 22) 794 87 107

e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.