ESSCA

ERASMUS POLICY

STATEMENT

STUDENT MOBILITY

As an international experience, study or work is mandatory for the two main Groupe ESSCA degrees, we wish to continue to develop Erasmus student mobility. With increasing student numbers, we plan to develop our partner network including from new EU member states. We also intend to develop closer ties with selected partners, through double or joint degree arrangements and teaching and non-teaching staff mobility. Longer term, we would like to develop or participate in at least one Erasmus Mundus programme.

Increased emphasis will be placed on the importance of the Erasmus experience in the student’s programme and how it prepares the student for his or her future career. As part of the written professional project which is a mandatory module for the main ESSCA degree, a special section will be devoted to analysing the Erasmus experience and what has been learnt both formally and informally. 

ECTS is used as the accumulation system towards the ESSCA degrees and for transfer of credits for student mobility. The Diploma Supplement will be introduced next year.

Erasmus placements will be promoted at the same time as the Erasmus study opportunities and organised by ESSCA. They will have to meet academic objectives and ECTS credits will be allocated. A work placement contract will clarify the responsibilities of each party. Each student will have a tutor, responsible for monitoring progress and final validation 

STAFF MOBILITY

In addition to increased mobility for teaching, we plan to promote teaching and administrative staff mobility. For the latter, priority will be given to the international, placements and careers offices’ staff to study good practice and to develop areas for further cooperation with partner universities. Periods for faculty in industry will also be promoted.

MULTILATERAL PROJECTS

The other parts of the Erasmus programme for which we would hope to bid for funding at a later stage are multilateral projects, in particular curriculum development and cooperation with enterprises. Scope for the latter is to be found in the teaching and research chairs of the Masters programmes, in such fields as entrepreneurship and management of automotive networks.

Beyond the Erasmus programme, we plan to create a new Jean Monnet module within our new Chair of European Integration.

PROMOTION OF ERASMUS ACTIVITIES

All Erasmus activities will be presented to students annually via sessions to promote study and work in Europe and to faculty during faculty committee meetings. They will also feature in the school’s annual report. A special area of the International Office will be set aside for Europass and students will be informed via the school newspaper. The EPS will be published on our website. 

NON-DISCRIMINATION OBJECTIVES

ESSCA is committed to gender equality and to combating discrimination of any kind. Every step possible is taken to facilitate the integration of disabled students and staff.

INCOMING

Quality mobility will continue to be our objective. For incoming students, detailed course catalogues, in French and in English will be sent to all partners and practical information on services for exchange students including housing, induction, student mentoring will be updated regularly on-line. All incoming Erasmus students will continue to have a tutor who liaises with the home university and meets the students during induction week to help with course choices and registration. One full-time member of the International Office will help with all non-academic questions including housing which is guaranteed for all Erasmus students.  French civilisation courses will continue to be offered. Full transcripts will be sent at the end of the students’ stay with grades translated using the ECTS grading scale.

OUTGOING

For ESSCA students, ECTS is used both for credit accumulation and credit transfer. Outgoing students will continue to be informed of the Erasmus study opportunities via the international office documentation centre, on-line information, updated each year using feedback from returning students, and through information sessions. The information given is both academic and practical. Students benefit from language courses as part of their ESSCA curriculum and promotion of the Erasmus intensive language courses will continue to be made. All students will have a Learning Agreement validated on departure and will have to return the definitive version as soon as possible after arrival. Once results are obtained, credit will be transferred towards the ESSCA degree. 

STAFF MOBILITY

Staff mobility, both teaching and administrative will be promoted, our aim being to deepen relations with certain partners, to do some benchmarking and encourage best practice. All teaching or training visits abroad will be integrated into the colleague’s work load for the year and if necessary, extra funding from ESSCA’s own sources will supplement Erasmus funding.

ORGANISATION

ESSCA plans to organise the Erasmus placements internally via its placements office. It already has links with companies across Europe and plans to continue to develop its network. The placements office will therefore actively seek placement offers which will be published on the ESSCA intranet. Students will be able to consult this data base regularly; this will be also possible via a password when outside ESSCA.

ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES AND VALIDATION

Placements are an integral part of the two main Groupe ESSCA programmes. They can be done in France or abroad and among those eligible as Erasmus placements would be two four to six month placements, one in the ESIAME Bachelor programme and one at Masters level in the ESSCA programme. All mandatory placements in France or abroad have clear learning objectives and ECTS credits are allocated. Special attention will be given to helping students find placements according to the demands of the particular programme they are following and the ESSCA students will be required to detail the importance of their experience in the mandatory professional project module. A validation form will be used systematically, requiring the company to describe the assignment and give information on the length of the placement and conditions. This will be submitted to the relevant programme director for validation in order for the placement contract to be issued. An ESSCA tutor will then be designated and will be responsible for monitoring the student trainee throughout the placement. At regular intervals, the student will have to complete and return to his tutor a series of forms, detailing his work and analysing his progress according to the objectives to be met. This, along with a written assessment of the work done by the company will constitute the basis of the final evaluation given by the tutor. The allocation of credits will depend on this evaluation.