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Academic Exchange and Mobility

Working Group

Chair: Chantal Riccardi

Chantal Riccardi works as International Mobility Officer at the University of Pavia and she has over 17 years of experience in the field of international students mobility. She graduated in Political Sciences (master’s degree in African and Asian Studies) at the University of Pavia. She has been recently involved in the Mobility Task Force and a technical Work Package of the European Alliance EC2U. She is taking part actively in the digitization process of the Erasmus Program being a member of the EWP National Working Groups set up by the National Agency.

Vice-Chair: Daniela Sauge

Daniela Sauge is the Head of the Academic Exchange Office of the University of Geneva since 2018. The office actively contributes to the implementation of UNIGE’s international strategy through the setting up of academic exchange, mainly for studying but also for research. It is also responsible for the maintenance and conclusion of collaborations at the European level.

Focus of Working Group 

AEM Working Group is focused on international exchange and mobility of students and staff. With a wealth of challenges to respond to (Ukraine, Brexit, refugees inclusion, more sustainable mobility solutions, virtual exchange and new mobility formats pioneered by European University alliances), the design and implementation of student and staff mobility require a collective, empathic and imaginative approach by participating institutions. The WG on one hand follows the EU and national policies, however its members consider them as a driving force and try to introduce innovative approaches through their activities. Due to the variety of activities, the group, in order to be more effective, implements them in small focus groups.

The main tasks of the AEM are:

  • to increase level of academic exchange (students, scholars and administrative staff) amongst Coimbra Group universities;
  • to empower the CG members’ capacity to keep collective cooperation with British universities and to share good practices in managing relationships with UK;
  • to support refugee students and scholars to continue their studies and work at partner institutions;
  • to exchange information on best practices and criticalities in the daily work of academic institutions dealing with mobility of students and staff;
  • to develop joint projects aimed at improving quality of mobility, assuring safety and security in mobility as well as implementation of new schemes and tools supporting mobility;
  • to advise the Coimbra Group Executive Board on possible actions to be taken to influence the development of European educational programmes with mobility components.

Priorities for 2023-2026

  • Grow the SEN network and the number of exchanges by working on:
    • Student exchange challenges.
    • Mobility, Diversity and Inclusion.
    • New mobility formats, also virtual exchange.
    • collaboration with other WG.
  • Post-Brexit mobility developments and priorities.
  • Sustainable Mobility – Greener Exchanges and BIP.
  • Joint projects of AEM partners with students (ESN) and for Civic Engagement.
  • Involvement of IROs into European Universities Alliances.

Recent highlights:

  • Delivery of a session for the upcoming 32nd Annual EAIE Conference in Barcelona, 15 September 2022, title: Greening mobility: Coimbra Group developments towards sustainability in Europe.
  • Organisation of Siena Seminar in October 2022 on greening mobility and relation city-university with an academic event associated (a lecture on Buongoverno and Sustainability).
  • CG Universities – ESN Sections online meeting, 2nd February 2023: The collaboration between CG and ESN sections and the presentation of Inspiring practices by Coimbra Group Universities and by ESN sections
  • Participation as speakers in 3 sessions in Bucharest in the framework of the Erasmus Generation Meeting:
    • Session on synergies between CG and ESN sections: Coimbra Group is organising this session, with an introduction on how this collaboration ESN-CG started, followed by presentation of good practices from ESN sections and CG Universities and a discussion on future opportunities with the audience;
    • Session on European Universities / student engagement: A session moderated and presented by ESN. Coimbra Group will be presenting the results from a short survey we are running to the 8 alliances where our members are present;
    • Session on implementation of E+ priorities: ESN coordinates this session, to discuss how to improve the implementation of Erasmus+ and its priorities from different perspectives, bringing together Universities, National Agencies, and stakeholders such as ACA and EAIE. Coimbra Group will present what our Universities are doing to make mobility more inclusive, make the programme greener, or boost its international dimension – but also what would have to change to take this improvement to the next level.
  • Monitoring the ongoing exchange of Students within the CG SEN Programme as well as the exchange of students and staff with UK universities.

Ongoing/forthcoming activities:

2023 – 2024

  • Reports on CG SEN Student mobility.
  • Contribution to the mid-term Erasmus+ evaluation.
  • Continuation of series of activities on Greening mobility of CG students and Staff.
  • Inter-working group activities related to diversity and inclusion.
  • Continuation and further initiatives in line with ESN – mobility of students among CG universities.
  • Training the staff of CG universities.
  • Sharing good practices between European Alliances.

2024 – 2025

  • Reports on CG SEN Student mobility.
  • Continuation of series of activities on Greening mobility of CG students and Staff.
  • Inter-working group activities related to short mobility formats: placements, PhD student mobility – depending on the future needs and demands.
  • Continuation and further initiatives in line with ESN – mobility of students among CG universities.
  • Training the staff of CG universities.
  • Sharing good practices between European Alliances.

2025 – 2026

  • Reports on CG SEN Student mobility.
  • Continuation of series of activities on Greening mobility of CG students and Staff.
  • Inter-working group activities related to employability.
  • Continuation and further initiatives in line with ESN – mobility of students among CG universities.
  • Training the staff of CG universities.
  • Sharing good practices between European Alliances.

Contact person at the CG Office: Catarina Moleiro (moleiro@coimbra-group.eu)