Faculty of Arts
EUROPEAN EXCHANGE SCHEME
For Stage 2 Students
2009/2010 HANDBOOK
Introduction

The European exchange programme offered by the Faculty of Arts provides the opportunity to study at an international institution for a minimum period of three months. Most placements are scheduled during the spring term from January to March. All stage two students are eligible to apply but the final selection is subject to approval by subject staff. It is very likely that the experience of undertaking a period of study abroad will be one of the highlights of your University career. The skills gained, such as an increased knowledge of another language and the ability to live and work effectively in a foreign environment undoubtedly will enhance your future development.

These notes have been prepared to guide the organisation of the exchange placements and give pointers to help make your time overseas both rewarding and worthwhile. You will need to be proactive with advance planning of the exchange and throughout your study period. Certainly staff in the partner institutions are not always able to assist students to the same level of the home University because they do not have equivalent support services at their disposal. So be ready to fully participate in making arrangements before you leave and take effective action during the period of your exchange.

The Exchange Schemes

The European exchange scheme is based on the bilateral agreements established with partner institutions participating in the Socrates Erasmus mobility scheme. Some of these links were set up more than twenty years ago whilst others, notably in Eastern Europe, are relatively new.

It is only possible to undertake a European placement at one of our partner institutions and a list is included at the end of this document. Subject staff will advise which is the most appropriate to your discipline and although numbers are limited as defined in the original agreement there is flexibility to negotiate an increase where required.

The University is a member of ISEP offering the opportunity for exchanges with institutions in North America. Applications for these placements are dealt with through a different clearing process administered by the International Office. The Faculty also has a number of direct exchange links in the US and Australia.

Andy Blount, Senior Programme Administrator oversees the management of the Socrates Erasmus and direct exchange placements and is the first point of contact for ISEP. Any general queries can be directed to him in the first instance.

The Aim of the Exchange Programme

A principal aim of the programme is to extend experience and understanding of your subject through working with staff and students in another country and so gain a better perspective of your own position and objectives. It is hoped you will establish friends and contacts and take the opportunity to develop a basic understanding of another language where appropriate. The library holds language-learning facilities in French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Adopting an outgoing approach to the period abroad will develop the very valuable ability to live and work effectively in a different environment. It is hoped you will seek to cultivate sensitivity towards the foreign culture and make individual effort to break through ethnic barriers.

Contacts

It will be necessary to agree a placement and negotiate a programme of study either with the member of academic staff holding a special responsibility for international programmes in your subject area or with your subject leader(s). Meetings will be organised to assist the organisation of the exchange programme and it is important that you attend sessions and keep yourself fully informed on developments.

Subject staff with a specific responsibility for International activities are:

Programme / Exchange Co-ordinator / Contact Number
Fine Art / Steve Berry / +44 (0) 1752 585229
Design: Illustration / Ashley Potter / +44 (0) 1752 585233
Design: Comm. with Typography / Peter Jones / +44 (0) 1752 585238
Design: Photography / Simon Standing / +44 (0) 1752 585213
3D Design / Peter Davis / +44 (0) 1752 585169
Media Arts / Phil Ellis / +44 (0) 1752 585209
Theatre Performance / Victor Ramirez Ladron De Guevara / +44 (0) 1752 585239
English / Robin Peel / +44 (0) 1752 585104
Humanities / History / Sandra Barkhof / +44 (0) 1752 585121
American Studies / Popular Culture / Simon Topping / +44 (0) 1752 585122
Architecture / Adam Cowley / +44 (0) 1752 585156

Some useful administrative staff contacts are:

Faculty Exchange Administrator / Andy Blount / +44 (0) 1752 585019
European Administrator / Alana Hunter / +44 (0)1752 588049
European Officer / Anna Wuttke / +44 (0) 1752 588041
Accommodation (Plymouth) / Mark Turner / +44 (0)1752 588631
Modules

The international exchange placement is undertaken as part of your modular programme and is assessed under normal criteria.

Art and Design students select the appropriate module option from within their discipline.

Fine Art / FIAR253 / 30 credits
Graphic Design / GDEX250 exchange / 40 credits
Three Dimensional Design / TDEX208 / 40 credits

Combined Artsand Architecture students must consult with subject staff to agree a programme of study and for both options if registered on the Major Minor award route.

Funding

Subject to status Socrates Erasmus students are eligible to receive a student mobility grant.

The amount of the payment varies depending on the host country and the length of time of the exchange. A small contribution to help towards the cost of language preparation is also available. The level of funding provided depends on the allocation received by the University from the EU. The International Office will issue a breakdown of actual amounts but it is usually sufficient to cover the return travel and allow for differences in the cost of living.

Where possible you will exchange accommodation with a student from a host institution, although not necessarily on a direct room for room basis, so should incur the cost of one rent only. The Accommodation Office will help place an incoming student in your room.

ISEP works on tuition, room and board package basis. Outgoing students pay for the costs of incoming students, and in return receive the equivalent in benefits at the host institution. Please note financial support is not available.

Selection Procedure

Selection of a placement must be agreed with subject staff and is made on the basis of your overall academic record for your studio and lecture based work. Students who are considered to be struggling with their study will generally not be supported with their application. An application form is included at the end of this document and should be completed as soon as possible and submitted to the Student Counter. You will note that you are asked to give a first and second choice of your preferred exchange institution. The form will be sent to the host institution for them to make a decision on whether they can accept you. Some institutions will ask for examples of your work but you will be notified of this and any individual requirements.

Travel & Insurance

You will be responsible for arranging your own travel and we would suggest you take advantage of the student offers to enable you keep within the budget of the Socrates Erasmus grant. The University has an insurance policy which gives students limited protection three months. Details of this provision will be available. You may need to extend cover if you choose to take expensive items or if you wish to stay longer in the host country for more than a ninety-day period. You should ensure that you have adequate medical cover.

For students visiting Europe, it is also important to ensure that you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling. Please look through the following internet link for more details:

Accommodation

To meet the needs of individual students and create greater flexibility of choice, the Socrates Erasmus programme is not restricted to a reciprocal exchange with each of our partner institutions. This is worth noting in relation to accommodation. You can apply to the Accommodation Office for an incoming student to be placed in your vacated room. Staff will match the number of incoming exchanges with the outgoing and if your accommodation is considered suitable offer your room to a student from one of our partner institutions. However, if for whatever reason this is not possible you should bear in mind that you may have to pay rent in the UK, to comply with the terms of your lease, and also for housing you take in the host country. Although, there is usually a relatively even flow of incoming and outgoing students, you should be prepared for this when making your decision to participate.

Where possible, students will exchange accommodation for the full duration of the exchange and each student will be responsible for their own rent. You must inform your landlord or landlady and fellow students in your accommodation of your intentions to be away and give warning that they may receive a guest student for that period.

Please note the Accommodation Office cannot assist in finding housing for you in the host country, however. Clearly, past experience has shown that the allocation of suitable housing overseas can be the issue, which causes the greatest conflict, and our partner institutions vary enormously in the help they can give. When negotiating your exchange we do try to ensure arrangements for accommodation are satisfactory but depending on your destination you may have to do some of the groundwork. Those institutions which seem not to assist do not do so because of indolence but because they simply do not have the resources.

Students undertaking an ISEP exchange can if they wish make their vacated room available to an incoming exchange student and will receive information from the International Office about housing in the host country.

Culture, Shock and Homesickness

Be aware that you may suffer culture shock and homesickness. It is a common phenomenon. Such feelings are normal and have been felt by many before you. It would be remarkable if the change from your familiar home and work surroundings did not provoke some strong emotions and that you do not at times feel overwhelmed and disorientated. This should not last long and previous students invariably report that even when there were seemingly insurmountable problems and difficulties, and in some instances acute feelings of isolation, they had an exceptional exchange and consider it the most valuable element of their whole programme.

Assessment

When you return from exchange you must return with evidence of the work you have produced. You will be required to make a seminar presentation to stage two staff in your area on your experience and the work produced. This will form the basis of the evaluation for the exchange module and you should be clear on the specified assessment criteria. This is as detailed on the appropriate module descriptor but if you have any doubts make sure you seek clarification from the module leader. You are expected to maintain continuous contact by email with your subject staff.

You will be given an assessment profile, which you must ask the staff you have worked with in the host institution to complete.

All participating students must complete a report about the exchange giving a constructive, informative account of the experience, and the strengths and weaknesses of the institutions and programme.

Some Practical Considerations

A checklist of items you should take with you:

valid passport

insurance and medical cover

birth certificate (in the case of France you will need to have this translated)

bank cards and currency

international student card

passport-sized photographs

examples of your work

an assessment profile for completion by staff of the host institution

a contact sheet

The host institution does have an obligation to provide each visiting student with studio workspace and some basic materials but obviously this will be within the limits of their normal provision to the home students.

You should have met with the following staff, either at the timetabled sessions or individually, to ensure you are fully briefed on the exchange placement:

international programme co-ordinators

subject staff and module leaders

accommodation office staff

international office staff

administrative staff

In your preparation and research do try to talk to students who have already studied abroad and with the visiting exchange students currently with us, for tips on what to do before departure and when you arrive in your host country.

Once you have reached your host institution make contact with the appropriate personnel, especially the Socrates Erasmus programme co-ordinator. When you have made your decision on where you wish to go you will be provided with a contact list. You must also let us know that you have arrived safely and email us your residential address. If you have a personal email address please ensure you include this on the application form.

Keep in touch with your home subject staff to maintain tutorial guidance and if you have any problems with your programme of study contact your module leader immediately.

Reporting Back

All participating institutions and students must comply with the conditions and terms of the Socrates Erasmus programme. One of these conditions requires that all students undertaking a Socrates Erasmus exchange complete an on-line questionnaire to be returned to the International Office at the end of the placement. You should be aware that the second instalment of the Socrates Erasmus grant might be withheld until the questionnaire has been submitted.

It would help if you could gather information for students who will follow you in future years. No doubt these notes will have missed a number of useful indicators and it would be helpful if we could begin to build an archive of information.

Contacting Your Host Institution

Once your application has been accepted you should begin to make preparations for the exchange placement. You will be aware, if you have attended briefing sessions, that whilst academic and administrative staff can give direction on the organisation of your exchange, a major element of the experience must be that you are proactive and independent. The partner colleges do not always have the infrastructure in place to allocate housing, for example. It may be necessary for you to find your own accommodation. It is possible that the timing of your placement means you arrive at the host institution during an assessment period and that taught sessions begin later.

You should contact the host institution by email and check out web sites to:

introduce yourself and give notification of your date of arrival

gather information about the location, facilities, language provision

find out who you should report to when you arrive at the host institution

check term dates and programme schedules

clarify the situation regarding allocation of housing

A Final Note

Before you leave to undertake your exchange placement you should have:

negotiated a schedule and programme of study with subject staff

collected a copy of the appropriate module descriptor and briefing notes

met deadlines for submission of work required for other modules

signed and returned the Student Declaration form enclosed with this pack

During the exchange placement you should:

keep in touch by email with subject staff to report on work progress

return with evidence of the work you have produced

be aware of the assessment criteria for the exchange period

request an assessment profile from staff you have worked with in the host institution

Partner Institutions Participating in the Socrates Erasmus Scheme

Country / Institution / Contact Point / Email / Website / Postal Address
Austria / FH Joanneum
Graz / Michaela Bernreiter / / / Alte Poststrasse 152, A - 802
Belgium / Karel de Grote Hogeschool, Katholieke Hogeschool Antwerpen / Luc Verhaegen / / / B-2018 Antwerpen
Belgium
Belgium / Hogeschool, Gent / Jan de Jonckeere / / / B-900, Gent
Belgium
Brussels / Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles / Yole Devaux / / / B-100- Bruxelles, Belgium
Finland / Joensuun Yliopisto - University of Joensuu / Outi Savonlahti / / / PO Box 48, FIN-80101
Germany / Fachhochschule, Dortmund / Gerald Koeniger / / / Postfach 10 50 18, D044047, Dortmund
Germany / Universitaet Halle / Golo Foellmer / / / University Platz 11
06099 Halle (Saale) 06099 Halle (Saale)
Germany / Fachhochschule, Mainz / Erich Weiler / / / Seppel-Gluckert Passage 10, D55116, Mainz
Germany / Potsdam, Nr Berlin / Marita Böhning / / / Am Neuen Palais 10, Haus 08, 14469
Italy / ISIA Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche - Roma / Angela Ferrera / / Please contact the programmes team for further information. / Artistiche (Diesegno Industriale), 1-00186, Roma
Italy / Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti-Milano / Evelina Scrivani / /
Italy / Politecnico di Milano / Simona Rodella / / / Campus Bovisa, Via Durando 10, 1-20158, Milano
Lithuania / Klaipeda University / Tomas Kniuksta / / / Maironio g.6, LT-2600
Netherlands / Hanzehogeschool - Hogeschool van Groningen / Herman Loning / / / Postbus 1329, 99701 BH Groningen
Netherlands / Hogeschool, Holland, Haarlam / Tineke van Luipen / / / PO Box 558, 2003 RN Haarlem
Poland / University of Silesia Katowice, Faculty of Television & Radio / Jarosław Gąsior / ,
/ / Bureau of International Programmes
Bankowa 14, Room 507
40-007
Portugal / Universidade Catolica Portuguesa / Luis Teixeira / / / Palma de Cima, 1649-023, Lisboa, Portugal
Portugal / Universidade Do Porto / Prof. Doutora Fátima Loureiro de Matos / / / Reitoria da Universidade do Porto
Praça Gomes Teixeira
4099-002
Romania / Universitatea "Transilvania" din Brasov / Anva Barsan / / / B-dul Eroilor 29, RO-500036, Brasov
Spain / Malaga University, Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicacion / Prof. Maria Rosario Cabello Porras / / / Campus de El Ejido, 29071, Malaga
Spain / Universidad de Barcelona / Isamara / / / Pau Gargallo 4, E-08028, Barcelona
Sweden / Goteborgs Universitet / Johan Ahlgren / / / PO Box 100, SE40530

Faculty of Arts