Evaluating the ERASMUS experience as a part of university study

Abstract

The year 2000 was a historical year for the Maltese Higher Education as the first Maltese university students started participating in the ERASMUS programme. Since that year, the number of outgoing students has increased graduallywith the average number of students benefitting from this mobility programme rising to a little over 100 every year. The main aim of this study was to find out in what ways tertiary students benefit from an ERASMUS experience on a professional and personal level, while paying particular attention to personal and social development, academic development, linguistic proficiency and chances of employability. A qualitative approach was used to identify the advantages and disadvantages of a study period abroad. Interviews were carried out with 20 university students who have been on an ERASMUS exchange in recent years. Also, additional interviews were carried out with representatives from the International & EU office on campus and the EUPA office in charge of the ERASMUS programme. The analysis of the data clearly outlined that all students have gained significantly from this experience and that the whole ERASMUS experience is considered a lifetime opportunity, as this dissertation will demonstrate.