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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 (just to mention Covid-19, 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 policies, however its members consider them as 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 2022-2025

  • Enhancing and strengthening exchange of students and PhD students within CG Student Exchange Network.
  • Promoting more sustainable mobility of CG students and staff through a series of activities that raise their eco-awareness as well as participation at Green Deal – EURail Programme.
  • Monitoring exchange with UK universities after Brexit, and encouraging cooperation between UK and CG universities
  • Contributing to qualitative development of Erasmus + Programme through monitoring and reporting to European Commission.
  • Supporting development of new mobility formats that contribute to the advancement of European Degree Label.

Moreover, the AEM tends to raise visibility of the AEM WG activities all over Europe through participation in various conferences and seminars (e.g. EAIE, What’s new in Brussels?, self-organized seminars and staff weeks).

Recent highlights:

  • Participation in the pilot of the Green Deal – EURail Programme.
  • Discussions on post-Brexit mobility and contribution to conference of UK Universities and Westminster Higher Education Forum on behalf of the CG Brexit Taskforce.
  • Intervention at European Commission on the implementation of Erasmus Without Paper.
  • Sharing good practice on new ways of assuring safe and efficient mobility basing on pandemic situation and number of refugees – UNISAFE project.
  • Organisation of CG Staff Week on Greening mobility of CG students and staff in May 2022.

Ongoing/forthcoming activities:

•     Monitoring the ongoing exchange of Students within the CG SEN Programme as well as the exchange of students and staff with UK universities.

•     Testing and sharing experience on Erasmus Without Paper progresses and adjustments.

•     Planning new projects involving GC members on new mobility formats, including Blended Intensive Programmes.

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