Erasmus+ project

2015-1-PL01-KA107-014834 2015-1-PL01-KA107-014834

This project is financed by the European Union.

Result publication

The Erasmus+ mobility project between Programme Countries and Partner Countries has come to an end. A time has come for a summary...

Lazarski University is one of the most internationalised private universities in Poland. For many years, it has been taking an active part in international exchange programmes for students, graduates and staff. The University has successfully pursued the Socrates, LLP Erasmus, and Leonardo da Vinci programmes and, since 2014, it has been taking part in the new edition of the Erasmus programme, i.e. Erasmus+. Erasmus+. When the opportunity for academic exchanges with non-EU countries arose for the first time in history in 2015, our University did not hesitate to participate in an application contest, aware that its academic potential was shaped by the skilful utilisation of political, economic, geographical and cultural opportunities arising from international diversity. Selecting Georgia and the Grigol Robakidze University as the project partner was a strategic decision resulting from measures aimed at boosting the awareness of Lazarski University on the Georgian educational market that had been instigated several years earlier.

A high grade granted to the submitted project application guaranteed the University's participation in this innovative project financed with EU funds, ensuring the funding to support the mobility of both GRU's and its own students and staff. Project participants were allocated individual grants to cover living and travelling costs in accordance with the rules of the Erasmus+ programme.

In 2015, Lazarski University and Grigol Robakidze University signed an inter-institutional Erasmus+ agreement on the mobility of Faculty of Law and Administration and Faculty of Economics and Management students as well as the teaching and administrative staff of both universities. On its basis, the students can pursue one semester of their studies at the partner university, while university employees have the opportunity to spend a week conducting classes or participating in trainings there. The agreement remains in force until 2021 but, according to the programme's terms, the right to conduct student and staff exchanges on its basis is subject to an annual competition procedure.

The main purpose of the project was to eliminate obstacles impeding studying and training abroad for the students and employees of our partner Georgian university through ensuring them financial and factual support in determining programmes of studies, trainings and lectures. As a result of that approach, in the project Lazarski University accorded priority to incoming mobilities: five GRU students, two lecturers and one administrative employee came to study at the University. Meanwhile, one Lazarski student pursued studies at GRU; it was also visited by two Lazarski lecturers for teaching purposes.

All mobilities were completed between June 2015 and the end of May 2017. Mobilities for studying purposes lasted a semester, while for teaching and administrative purposes took five days.

In total, 11 participants took part in the project.

Here's a handful of general information about them:

• 6 women and 5 men,
• 5 incoming GRU students and 1 outgoing student going to GRU,
• 3 full-cycle students and 3 first-cycle students,
• 3 students of law, 2 of business and 1 of economics,
• 2 incoming first-cycle students and and 3 incoming second-cycle students,
• 1 outgoing first-cycle student going to GRU,
• two incoming faculty members and two outgoing faculty members,
• 1 administrative employee coming to Lazarski.

Improving the soft skills and language skills of the students was yet another significant challenge. That purpose was served by including the participants in the partner institution's educational cycle, enabling them to participate in a Polish language course and in the initiatives of the academic community, including in the cultural and academic events organised at Lazarski and by ESN, as well as by the very fact of being in an international and intercultural academic community of Lazarski University. Guest lecturers at Lazarski stressed the value of learning the Polish educational standards, exchanging knowledge and opinions, communication methods and substantive debates, as well as teaching methods between the participants and the partners. In the participants' opinion, the programme had significantly boosted their soft skills, ensuring them personal growth and teaching them how to easily adapt to new and changing conditions in everyday life and within the academic community. They also thought that their commitment to improve themselves, communication skills, and the ability to work in an intercultural environment had all increased, boosting the potential for their professional success and the sense of impact on their own educational paths on the European and Georgian market. This is a crucial factor at an age when interpersonal skills have become a distinguishing factor. The project contributed to promoting cooperation and regional development through propagating the recognition of study periods abroad by way of the ECTS system and a diploma supplement. Another international aspect of the project also involved the ongoing fostering of the positive relationship between Lazarski University and GRU, exchanging best practices with respect to joint Erasmus+ projects, and creating friendly learning conditions for our regular Georgian students.

Erasmus+ students took an active part in cultural and academic events organised at partner universities.

A Lazarski University student took part in the Students' International Scientific Conference at the host university and won in the Best Foreign Scientist category. More information and her paper can be found at http://gruni.edu.ge/main/news/1464775830 http://gruni.edu.ge/main/news/1464775830 and at https://www.facebook.com/almamateri/?ref=ts & fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/almamateri/?ref=ts & fref=ts .

Grigol Robakidze University students took an active part in cultural events organised at Lazarski, including Easter celebrations, the student performance during the International Week, the Sports Day, and many others. They visited Warsaw and other Polish cities, taking advantage of various opportunities afforded by the Erasmus+ programme to its participants. They shared their experience with us in the film they made before returning to Georgia: https://www.lazarski.pl/pl/aktualnosci/aktualnosc/gruzini-o-erasmus-na-lazarskim/ https://www.lazarski.pl/pl/aktualnosci/aktualnosc/gruzini-o-erasmus-na-lazarskim/ .

The University hosted Georgian lecturers during the annual International Week.

In April 2016, the University was visited by Professor Tamar Gamsakhurdia who held classes for students on Time Value of Money Time Value of Money and and Investment appraisal. Investment appraisal. .

Professor Giorgi Khuroshvili took part in the International Week in the spring semester 2017, holding lectures on New Russian imperialism: challenge to European security and international law New Russian imperialism: challenge to European security and international law and and International law – modern ideas and applications. International law – modern ideas and applications. .

Our guests took an active part in other meetings and events of the International Week, including the meetings with the University faculty members, the Polish Culture Day, and the Clash of Lecturers.

In July 2016, the University hosted the representative of Grigol Robakidze University administrative staff, namely Mr Vasil Kikutadze who is in charge of, among other things, education quality control at the GRU School of Business and Management.

In May 2017, our Georgian partner was visited by Professor Bogna Gawrońska-Nowak, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management, and Jarosław Jura, PhD representing Lazarski University. It was their first visit to GRU, primarily organised as a teaching experience

Professor Bogna Gawrońska-Nowak met with GRU students and held a lecture on Decoding Politicians, what their promises do mean for economy and society, Decoding Politicians, what their promises do mean for economy and society, while Jarosław Jura, PhD interested the students in Data mining and data accessibility Data mining and data accessibility and and Content analysis in media studies. Content analysis in media studies.

All project participants are the best embodiment of the programme slogan Erasmus+: Changing Lives, Opening Minds! ERASMUS+ Changing Lives, Opening Minds

The project was financed by the European Union within the scope of the Erasmus+ programme.