Mobility for everyone thanks to SIEM!
Exchange programmes such as Erasmus+ have been extremely popular with students for years. Young people get the chance to discover themselves in an exciting new environment where they meet other languages, cultures and students from many different countries. You learn to stand on your own two feet through an experience you will remember for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, there are certain groups that remain underrepresented in these mobility programmes. SIEM finds out how this works.
Social Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility (SIEM) is a cooperation of European universities, including VUB, and exchange programmes in Europe that is supported by the European Commission. SIEM investigates the stumbling blocks in the system of mobility projects whereby underprivileged students or underrepresented groups make up only seven percent of the participants in initiatives such as Erasmus+. The researchers aim to include these groups in the programmes by surveying students and staff from universities across Europe and beyond.
Based on these findings, SIEM formulates policy recommendations to make mobility programmes more accessible to all. In addition, they draw up guidelines for more inclusive communication with the groups in question. After all, it is of great importance that everyone gets the chance to embark on such a foreign adventure. People who have temporarily studied abroad score better on exams, find a job that suits their educational level more quickly and receive
SIEM also wants to hear your opinions, ideas and/or suggestions on social inclusion of underrepresented groups in mobility programmes and the guidelines and advice they have formulated. Are you interested in social inclusion or are you conducting research in this area? Do you sometimes encounter barriers to an exchange programme or do you want to help ensure that everyone has as great a study abroad experience as you? Then visit the SIEM website and share your feedback on their research report!
Vacancy
You
- Work or study at the VUB and conduct research on social inclusion or mobility?
- Like to get involved in social inclusion
- Are also confronted with the shortcomings concerning accessibility of mobility programmes?
What’s in it for me?
- You will contribute to making European universities socially inclusive
- Exchange programmes create world citizens, so by sending SIEM you also contribute to this!
Contact details
Projectleader: Eugenia Marchetti and Eric Valck
E-mail: Eugenia.Marchetti@vub.be and Eric.Valck@vub.be
*As an Urban Engaged University, we call upon our VUB community to help build a better world through social engagement. On the "The World Needs You" platform, the VUB collects socially meaningful projects on which students, staff, alumni and sympathisers can collaborate. These projects do not represent the university. The initiatives and communication are the responsibility of the project organisers and do not represent the university's position.