ESIB Opinion: Socrates 

Background

Socrates is the European programme for education. The programme entered its
second phase in 2000 for seven years (2000-2006). The fifteen Member States of
the European Union, the EFTA/EEA countries, the associated countries of Central and
Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Turkey and Malta are participating.

Socrates consists of eight actions:

• Comenius: school education
• Erasmus: higher education
• Grundtvig: adult education and other education pathways
• Lingua: learning and teaching of European languages
• Minerva: information and communication technologies in education
• Observation and innovation of education systems and policies
• Joint actions with other European programmes
• Accompanying measures.

However, there is a large number of students in Europe who study abroad without
the assistance of Erasmus or any other programme, the so called free-movers.
Some institutions also provide opportunities for students to take industrial
placements abroad as an integrated part of the period of study.

ESIB's opinion on the matter

Internationalization of Higher Education in Europe proposes new challenges for
SOCRATES and its development. Internationalization of Higher Education is at least
so far by and large based on student mobility. The quality and quantity of exchange
programmes and students going abroad is the key to make Higher Education in
Europe international and through this develop universities. More emphasis should be
based on language training. Language courses should be available in elementary
schools, in home HEI and in the HEI where the exchange period is conducted. Under
the SOCRATES programme commission should be able to fund projects and seminars
concerning co-operation in the field of higher education in Europe, as it is now.

Student, teacher and staff mobility, which are conducted under Erasmus should aim
at internationalisation of Higher Education. Other acts under Erasmus should support
the mobility of persons. Socrates should be a general educational programme, but
mobility should be an integral and the most essential part of the programme. Elearning
will be a valuable tool in ensuring greater access to traditional education and
mobility, but should not be seen as a replacement for it.

Economic costs of the exchange are the biggest barrier to mobility. Grants should
cover all costs that studying abroad for a short period brings to students. The
problem of non-mobile groups should be tackled by conducting a research on the
reasons and groups not participating in exchanges and taking concrete action based
on the results. Erasmus Student Charter and French presidency's mobility action plan
should be implemented so that all students going abroad receive housing, tutoring
etc. and become real members of the higher education institution and student
community. Including NGO's in the implementation process would make it more
efficient through improved cooperation and information flow to and from
beneficiaries.

Investment through infrastructural grants for Higher Education Institutions has to
remain. Involvement of students and teachers as equal partners in the programme
has to become a reality in practice. Role of National TEMPUS Agencies has to be
clearly defined and strengthened. Until the countries participating in TEMPUS reach
the level needed to enter the SOCRATES programme, they need to have a separate
programme that covers their specific needs concerning the development of their
Higher Education system.

The Socrates program tackles the issues of education policy through structural
support and support for various policy initiatives but these policy initiatives should
fully include the relevant social partners. The general impression among the possible
beneficiaries, both the organizations and the individuals, is that the procedure is too
complicated and too long.