ERASMUS+ is a EU educational and learning programme for mobility and cooperation between higher educational institutions throughout Europe with the goal to promote higher education. The programme satisfies the wish of students to visit abroad and study abroad, gives opportunities for academics to work abroad in another university, and it gives an opportunity for staff members to share their experience. In European Christian Academy these opportunities are set by the new Bylaws for ERASMUS+ mobility, where the procedure of receiving grants is described.

ERASMUS+ programme is carried out with the support from European Commission.

ERASMUS+ mobility is regulated by the ERASMUS+ Student Charter.

What are ERASMUS+ goals?

• Universities are given an opportunity to develop within the single European context,
• Academics have an opportunity to enrich their knowledge and share their experience,
• Envisages students’ exchange between European countries.

Fundamental principles for ERASMUS+ students

The ERASMUS+ Programme (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) is a European student exchange programme established in 1987. It forms a major part of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013, and is the operational framework for the European Commission’s initiatives in higher education. Some 90% of European universities participate in the programme and several million students have participated since it was launched in 1987. Erasmus, together with several other independent programmes, was incorporated into the Socrates programme established by the European Commission in 1994.

Erasmus Policy Statement (EPS) related to ECA:

• To present and exchange successful cooperation example between European Christian Academy and other European Universities and companies concerning Curriculum development and other activities related to student and staff mobility,
• Discuss the implications of the European educational requirements for teaching staff and students in relation to employers,
• EU Action programme in the field of the life-long learning 2007-2013 and the Programme of the Life-long learning policy in Latvia 2007-2013 provides basis for quality educational activities at the ECA.

Main issues planned by the ECA for ERASMUS+:

Curriculum development and mobility, Institution–employer relations, students field-work and mobility, Employers–student relations and mobility, Teaching staff–lecturing in other partnering universities, exchange of experience in enterprises in the partnering countries, ERASMUS intensive language courses, Intensive programme projects.

Other actions:

• To work out learning aids according to the State issued requirements for the life-long learning education (in both Latvian and English languages),
• To increase the use of the e-learning materials for 20%,
• To sign agreements with small and middle size enterprises for student field-works,
• ECA secures democratic and non-discriminating learning context: students from all Christian denominations are accepted, their denominational convictions are respected, and disabled students are integrated in the study process. According to the Study agreement no racism or xenophobia is permitted at the ECA.

ECA agreed to comply with the following:

• Inter-institutional agreements have been signed with all the institutions for the mobility purposes,
• No University fees for tuitions, registration, examinations, access to library are to be charged to incoming ERASMUS+ students,
• Full recognition is given to students for satisfactorily completed activities during their mobility period,
• Quality is ensured for: (a) the organization of student and staff mobility, (b) the organization of student placements,
• Curriculum information is up to date, transparent,
• Equal academic treatment and services are ensured for home and ERASMUS+ students,
• Transcripts and information are provided in a timely manner to incoming ERASMUS+ students and their institutions,
• ERASMUS+ teaching activities are facilitated and acknowledged,
• LChrA promotes and gives visibility to the ERASMUS+ activities,
• LChrA complies with the non-discrimination objectives set out in the life-long learning programme.

Information on mobility:

• ECA using ECTS credits, learning agreement, transcript of records to facilitate academic recognition of ERASMUS+ study periods abroad,
• Diploma Supplement is awarded to students.

Students and teachers’ mobility at European Christian academy

Academic year	Number of students	Number of teachers
2000/2001	3	1
2001/2002	6	–
2002/2003	5	2
2003/2004	10	–
2004/2005	11	5
2005/2006	15	5
2006/2007	–	4
2007/2008	31	18
2008/2009	28	10
2009/2010	–	6
2010/2011	45	33
2011/2012	48	12
2012/2013	–	10
2013/2014	62	25
2014/2015	–	–
2015/2016	37	12
2016/2017	49	3
2017/2018	55	8
2018/2019	60	11
2019/2020	52	7

SYSTEM FOR ERASMUS+ MOBILITY QUALITY EVALUATION INCLUDES:

FOR STUDENTS: contract with the University or enterprise; credit points transfer in ECTS. Students have ECTS Information package, Learning Agreement and Transcript of the records. The Information package is available on courses in due time to allow students to prepare up-to-date Learning Agreements and a smooth framework for mobility cooperation. Sociological analysis of the quality according to the stated criteria. Regular feedback and communication of results takes place on different levels. ECA in cooperation with the partnering university or the field -work institution provides guarantees in bilateral agreements to make the actual information on courses accessible to each other. ECA introduces online tools regarding the amount of learning courses and transcripts of records. ECA has its internal regulations and integrated sociological procedures regulated by Regulation for ERASMUS+ studies and quality of mobility. The document guarantees full academic recognition for students wishing to take part in the ERASMUS+ mobility. Students efficient in English will be able to cope with academic and social setting at the ECA. Exchange students will be advised to learn Latvian in order to gain better appreciation of the local culture. ECA offers intensive language courses for ERASMUS+ students before the study year begins. ECA provides students with the field-work opportunities in small and medium sized enterprises. Exchanging students are accommodated in private housing. The fee varies from 30 to 50 Ls p/month. Relations between parties are regulated by contract.

 FOR TEACHERS: teaching staff mobility takes place according to the Regulation for teaching and research activities. Results from teaching staff mobility are distributed by sociological analysis and quality evaluation (inside ECA) and by publishing lecture of the outgoing teachers (outside ECA).

Objectives:

• To meet challenges and ways to organize international students placements directed towards acquiring the professional experience as well to discuss added value,
• To promote the quality cooperation between ECA and placement institutions by providing good institutional examples and opportunities.

Main issues:

• Cooperation within the frame-work of ERASMUS+ programme,
• New strategy and arrangements inside ECA: to introduce and agree on clear cooperation policy and methods, to define roles. Rights and responsibilities of parties involved,
• Involvement of the ECA leadership and staff in supervising the working process of a student in placement; agreeing on requirements of placement cooperation and guidelines for the quality assessment, as well the assigning of supervisor for student placement in institution. Regular information exchange between supervisors, staff and placement partners,
• The quality of cooperation between ECA and placement is ensured by measures agreed on and accepted by both parties including the sociological evaluation of cooperation, cooperation in quality evaluation, invitation of the placement representatives to the ECA Senate meetings,
• Involvement of the field-work administrator from the ECA in work relating the international practical placements,
• The important measure to guarantee the quality and success of time spent in placement is signing the Learning Agreement between the students of the ECA and the placement institution,
• ECA takes the main role in organizing, managing and monitoring the placements. Work placements have direct link to the Curriculum. ECA can prolong the placement in order to develop occupational skills of a student,
• To ensure the quality of students placement ECA considers the guidelines of ERASMUS University Charter, the Standards and the Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher education area, European Union Action Programme in the field of Life-long learning.

In order to become a full-fledged ERASMUS+ student, the student at ECA has to meet the following requirements:

• To be a citizen, permanent inhabitant, resident or non-citizen of Republic of Latvia,
• To finish successfully the 1st year of studies in one of the study programmes at ECA,
• Study or placement duration in the partner university is from 3 to 12 months,
• Study period abroad is academically fully recognized by ECA,
• Content of the study period must be set before departure,
• After successful completion of the study period in a foreign university Certificate is awarded where both the study content, ECTS volume and evaluation are stated,
• Full-time students may take part in ERASMUS+ Programme only once.

ERASMUS+ programme guarantees studies in a foreign university free of charge and ERASMUS+ grant covers all accommodation expenses abroad during the study period. ERASMUS+ grants assigned by the Euro Commission to Latvian students vary from 300 to 500 € p/month and depend on the target state. If expenses go beyond the maximum of the assigned grant, they have to be covered by own savings.

When student is studying abroad ECA charges study his or her tuition fee as well as both the payment of the state grant and study credits are active during that period.

What do ERASMUS+ students benefit?

• Study courses mastered abroad are enlisted in the ECA study programme,
• Students receive grant from the ERASMUS+ programme,
• Students find new friends and get acquainted with culture and traditions in other countries,
• Strengthens knowledge of foreign languages.

Diploma of Latvian Christian academy has been awarded the EC Diploma Supplement Quality label!

Diploma issued by European Christian academy has been awarded with the quality hallmark of the European Commision executive agency EACEA (Diploma Supplement Quality Label) in January, 2014. The decision was made following criteria prescribed by the document “ECTS DS Guidelines for applicants”.

European Christian academy – the best in the international ERASMUS+ intensive programmes!

Latvian Christian academy was awarded with prestigious prize “Spārni 2015” (Wings 2015) as the best among Latvian Universities in the international Erasmus, Comenius, Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig projects’ competition organized by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA) in December 9, 2015. Independent experts highlighted an international project managed by the Academy “Social economy, social entrepreneurship and dynamics of European democracy”.