A very successful transnational seminar entitled “ERASMUS+ 2021-2027: Strengthening International Dimension in Higher Education – Opportunities for international mobility and cooperation between MedNet and African countries” was held in Benguerir, Morocco, from 4 to 7 March 2024.
This highly attended significant transnational cooperation activity, organised by IKY, the Greek Erasmus+ National Agency, in cooperation with and with the co-funding of the MedNet countries (Greece, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Serbia, Malta and Cyprus) in the framework of the Erasmus+ Transnational Cooperation Activities (TCA), marks an historical moment.
The main objective of the seminar was to strengthen the international dimension of higher education, an objective fully harmonized with the need for an inclusive, digital, green and participative education amidst rapidly changing conditions.
A total of 128 participants from across 28 countries (12 MedNet countries and 16 African countries) participated in the seminar, held for the first time outside the EU borders.
The seminar was inaugurated with the welcome reception of the participants held on 4/3/2024. On 5/3/2024, the seminar was officially launched at the outstanding facilities of the Campus with welcome speeches given by the President of the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Mr. Hicham El Habti, the Director of Cooperation & Partnership – Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation of Morocco, Ms. Sanaa Zebak, the Deputy Head of the Greek Embassy in Rabbat, Mr. Efthymios Fokas, the Head of the National Erasmus+ Office in Morocco, Ms. Latifa Daadaoui, and IKY representative and member of the Administrative Board, Dr. Laoura Alipranti. The plenary sessions were coordinated by Ms. Vana Sotiropoulou, Head of the Unit of European Union Programmes of IKY.
Mr. Leonidas Papastergiou, Head of the Directorate of Special Programmes and International Scholarships of IKY, delivered the inaugural speech, followed by the keynote speech of the Head for International Mobility – European Commission, Mr. Christos Aivaliotis, and the keynote speech of the representative of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, Mr. Anastasios Tsirakidis, who focused respectively on the opportunities offered for International Credit Mobility in higher education as well as on the Key Action “Capacity Building”.
The programme also centered around highlighting best practices. In her speech, Dr. Christina Kontogoulidou presented the internationalisation experience of the University of Piraeus, while Deputy Professor and Vice Rector of International Relations at the Hellenic Mediterranean University, Mr. Konstantinos Petridis, underlined in his speech the capacity building projects that the Hellenic Mediterranean University delivers in cooperation with Universities in African countries.
For the needs of the seminar two parallel workshops were held with the active participation of Higher Education Institution representatives. The workshops focused on networking, the exchange of ideas and the preparation of ERASMUS+ applications for funding. The first workshop was aimed at strengthening the participation of African Universities in Erasmus+ International Mobility. The workshop was coordinated by EU representative, Mr. Christos Aivaliotis, and the representative of the University of Piraeus, Dr. Christina Kontogoulidou, while Ms. Loreta Paulauskaite, executive of the Erasmus+ National Agency of Spain, was the workshop rapporteur. The second workshop focused on the Action “Capacity-building projects”. The workshop was coordinated by Mr. Anastasios Tsirakidis, EACEA representative, while Mr. Anastasios Mparmpas, executive of IKY/Greek Erasmus+ National Agency, was the workshop rapporteur.
The outcomes of the seminar included the creation of a satisfactory number of new partnerships and significant strengthening of networking between participants further to the social and cultural activities of the programme.
Finally, the seminar was widely broadcasted from the Moroccan media (TV and press).
To watch the works of the seminar, visit the following links:
Part Α (5-3-2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsZq-6nlCUw
Part Β (6-3-2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hteBVB4_Fn8
To watch the works of the seminar as broadcasted through the Moroccan TV, visit the following links:
– TV report at National TV (2M): https://youtu.be/RfLv9WMUL98
– M24: https://youtu.be/7F0I5WyXCMc
