The INS Baix Montseny is committed to the modernisation and internationalisation of its educational offer (course catalogue), by participating in the mobility activities of the Erasmus Programme, thus enhancing the quality of its vocational training, the linguistic and transcultural competences of its students and academic staff, as a means to support mobility, and to increase employability, inasmuch as this favours social coherence. Bearing this triple objective in mind, the school board of directors will promote to the greatest possible extent:
- The mobility of its vocational training students, offering them the possibility to complete a vocational traineeships abroad in European countries enterprises.
- The participation of its academic staff in innovation, exchange and cooperation programmes with other higher education institutions or European enterprises aimed at improving curricular, organizational, pedagogical and methodological aspects of teaching.
SELECTION OF PARTNERS
The INS Baix Montseny selects their partners in different manners:
- Through contacts made by the teachers of the team of international programs:
- The school receives a petition for a visit from a foreign school. The offer is taken into consideration and if it is in the school’s best interest, the school will be notified in order to prepare the visit.
- The school contacts other schools of similar characteristics and asks if they are interested in exchange programmes.
- Consulting the partners and businesses with which the school has already participated in previous Erasmus exchanges made by students from compulsory secondary education from our school.
- We will use E-twinning projects in order to make more partnerships possible.
- Through the agreements established by the Catalan Government, Departament d’Ensenyament de Catalunya.
- Likewise, international companies which operate in our region, and also have subsidiary installations in other countries, are an open door to start placements in internships both local and abroad. In this way, students can practice in the same company but in two different countries.
- Last, but not least, seminars organized by the Catalan Ministry of Education are a good platform to meet new possible partners, either foreign ones who participate in the seminar or via other Catalan colleges which introduce them.
GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS
We want to have Erasmus exchanges with the regions below:
- France: there are institutional agreements with the Catalan government which favour the agreements with French partners: Languedoc-Roussillon, Lyon y Rhône-Alpes.
- Germany: which has a great necessity of technicians. This country is also a very interesting destination for all fields of technical specialities.
- Denmark: we want to establish contacts in order to promote exchanges. The great majority of the population speaks English as a second language, which will facilitate the movement of our students.
- Wales: In this region we have contacts with ECTARC (European Center for Training and Regional Cooperation) that will facilitate contacts with companies so that our students can carry out their exchange successfully.
- Eastern Europe: one of our intentions is to look for new partnerships in Eastern Europe. In this way, we attempt to improve the level of English language of our students.
OBJECTIVES AND TARGET GROUPS
Our school is aware of the importance of mobility programmes. The main aim is to offer both professional and personal experience to the students, as placement in foreign countries helps them to adapt to the requirements of the labour market in the framework of the European Union. Specific skills, attitudes and competences are acquired along with an understanding of the economic and social environment of the host countries. Thus their professional mobility is widened, not to mention their personal curriculum and capacity for adjustment to changes, the key to future learning. Our target group is mainly the students. Therefore, in the following years our priority is to consolidate and increase the number of students who have the possibility to go abroad through placements and academic activities. Furthermore, thanks to the mobility of teachers, it will be possible for our staff to teach abroad and also attend specific training. The exchange of teachers will also allow contact with foreign experts with whom activities such as short seminars and conferences can be organized.
OVERALL STRATEGY
- Increase the number of traineeships mobility students, by submitting projects to the National Agency, and also by taking part in the programs of the Department of Education of Catalonia and the “Xarxa FP” Foundation.
- Increase the number of groups.
- Full recognition for satisfactorily completed activities of mobility, and inclusion in the final record of student achievements, in terms of credits awarded (ECTS), as equivalent to the Spanish traineeship (work placement) “módulo de Formación en Centros de Trabajo (ECTS)”. International Diploma Supplement or equivalent, signed by the home institution, the intermediary, and the enterprise.
- Online, external, diffusion of the experiences and results. Institutional recognition of students and teachers involved in the Erasmus programme.
- Full respect for the principles of non-discrimination set out in the Programme and equal access and opportunities to mobile participants (students and teachers) from all backgrounds.
- Selection of partners and businesses from other European countries that contribute with different and innovative aspects in comparison to local businesses.
- Fulfilment of innovative projects and transference of technology with transnational partners.
- Implementation of visits to educational centres of international relevance, to study their management and governance system.
