PRIME

PRIME: Problem of Recognition In Making Erasmus

Project outline

Students in Europe enjoy great opportunities of mobility through exchange programs such as the Erasmus Programme. However, they still have to face various barriers and obstacles, a continuous problem of course recognition among them.

Erasmus Student Charter states Erasmus students’ right of an obligatory learning agreement prior to departure and full recognition of their study courses abroad by their home higher education institution upon return. In the same time the 2006 and 2007 editions of the annual survey of the ESN reveal that slightly more than half of all Erasmus students receive full recognition of their courses taken abroad. This is supported by Trend V report of the European University Association (EUA) stating that 47% of higher education institutions in Europe admit that some their students have problems with the recognition of their credits gained abroad.

Clearly this situation requires more attention and more effective solutions. For this reason ESN with the financial support of the European Commission is conducting in-depth qualitative research to point out the true causes of the above mentioned obstacles and to provide suggestions for improvements.

Prime in Estonia

ESN PRIME Conference
Tallinn, Estonia
September 29, 2011
Host: Erasmus Student Network Tallinn

PRIME, Problems of Recognition In Making Erasmus is a project by Erasmus Student

Network, one of the biggest students organizations in Europe. It is supported by the European Commission under an Erasmus Accompanying Measures grant within the Lifelong Learning Programme. It is a complex qualitative and quantitative research which aims at pointing out the examples of existing obstacles to student mobility and providing suggestions for improvements in order to facilitate student exchange in Europe. In the 2009 PRIME Report 100 higher education institutions from 24 countries and nearly 2 400 former exchange students were surveyed.

PRIME 2010 foresee a three-level research among National Agencies, Higher Education Institutions and students to obtain a precise overview and to identify problem sources, best practices and success stories. Research period lasted from February until end of April and during that time 9 000 students, 500 Higher Education Institutions and 16 National Agencies were surveyed.

Obtained data will be analyzed and published in the PRIME 2010 report. At the same time, a broad dissemination strategy will be launched. From May until October, local and national conferences will be organized in countries participating in the survey, focusing on regional recognition problems, showing specific examples of both good and bad practices. A final conference summing up the results of PRIME is taking place in Brussels in October 2011.
In order to make the PRIME results more accessible to a wide amount of students, a guidebook and a video guide will be produced. It will be a short, yet comprehensive publication, providing relevant information on the recognition process and students rights in an attractive form.