Page 7 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2015-autumn

Following the mobility period, the ment, students usually do not have the macro level (the European Union
home faculty and foreign affairs access to university housing options and the European Higher Education
department invite students to talk in the host country, which means Area).
about their impressions and give re- less help in finding a place to live
minders about settling credit transfer and reduced access to peer support Information exchange is crucial at
issues and completing mobility par- for cultural adaptation. The Interna- the microsystem level – between
ticipant reports. If, upon return, the tional Research University Network the student and each of the differ-
student has difficulties in reintegrat- IRUN (www.irun.eu) provides a good ent support providers, as well as at
ing in the study environment, psy- practice example in the cooperation the mesosystem level – among the
chological support can be accessed. that takes place among career cen- support providers themselves. If the
A career counselling session can help tres of the networked universities. career counsellor is left out of the
the student become aware of skills Career centres provide the same communication taking place among
acquired, as well as to formulate kind of support for visiting students the other members of the mobility
these skills in terms comprehensible in finding placements as they would microsystem, students have greater
to potential employers, thus improv- to their own university students. difficulty in choosing mobility activ-
ing the quality of one’s CV. ities relevant to their career plans,
Several providers are involved the and they lack information and sup-
Students who participated in the mobility support process: the home port on placement options and on
Erasmus Impact Study, similarly to faculty, the host partner (university identifying and integrating acquired
the students at the University of Lat- or employer), the foreign relations skills into CV and motivation letters
via interviewed during my master’s departments of the sending and following the mobility experience.
research, felt that they need more receiving universities, career services There is a risk that students may not
support for Erasmus placements. The staff (career counsellors, psycholo- be able to fully take advantage of the
labour market of the host country is gists, and administrative staff), peers results of the mobility experience
unknown to students. In order to be and significant others. They can be and to convince potential employers
more certain that the placement will viewed as a sort of ecosystem, where of the value that mobility brings.
meet academic requirements as well each is influenced by the meso-level
as to be confident that the foreign (relationships among the different Ilze Jansone, Euroguidance Latvia
company will be willing to host them, support providers), the exo-level (the
students would like to receive specif- national higher education system
ic recommendations. During a place- and related legislation), as well as

Pictured: Mobility counselling ecosystem

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