Erasmus Mundus programme implementation in the context of Covid-19 (Academic year 2020 – 2021)
During the outbreak of Covid-19 and the consequative lockdown restrictions, the European Commission and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency came up with measures to ensure safety and consistent work of Erasmus Consortia.
To provide extensive information, two survey have been conducted. The initial one explored the experiences, challenges and solutions related to education amidst Pandemic. According to the paper, students suffered from difficulties in obtaining visa, dealing with enrollment procedures including finding accomodation or opening a bank account. Additionally, a lot of scholars pointed out to the increasing anxiety, depression and heightened stress level. When it comes to the administration and academic staff, there were issues related to changes in teaching methodology and the program nature, the mobility of the staff and course logistics. The survey also presented possible actions plans to combat the issues and ensure high quality education.
The follow-up survey in October explored the future scenerios of Erasmus Consortia. According to the statistics, more than 60% of respondents decided to follow flexible solutions and make adjustments to the initial plan. Less that 10% proceeded with no changes, while around 16% opted for postponing the academic year. The numbers show that digital means of education is obtaining more popularity as a safe and accessible way to commence the studies.
