Press release: Erasmus Mundus: 10 Years of successful global partnership
No. 162 - 19.07.2018
International mobility at the University of Göttingen – delegates from 33 countries in Göttingen
(pug) Study and research around the world: Over the past 10 years, the University of Göttingen successfully joined global partnerships within the Erasmus Mundus Action 2 (EMA2) programme funded by the European Union. Since the first participation of the University of Göttingen in a project coordinated by the University of Turku in 2008, participation in 47 EMA2 projects followed. Out of these the University of Göttingen coordinated 9 projects. “With this, we became the leading university in Germany and Europe with the highest number of EMA2 projects”, says Professor Hiltraud Casper-Hehne, Vice-President for International Affairs at the University of Göttingen. More than 60 delegates from 48 partners and 33 countries from South Africa, Latin America, South Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia, and Asia Pacific as well as from Europe came to Göttingen end of June 2018 to join the Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Concluding Workshop.
The EMA2 global partnership included in total 439 partners from 95 EU and Non-EU countries. Within the programme over the past 10 years the International Office at the University of Göttingen managed a budget of 29.5 Million Euro and the mobility of 1732 outgoing and incoming students, researchers and staff. The European Commission has officially praised the International Office for its professionalism and commitment to this programme. “I like to thank the Head of the department Dr. Uwe Muuss and his team as well as everybody involved in the faculties for their great service”, says Prof Casper-Hehne.
With the help of EMA2 funding, numerous research stays have been realised, with which methods and theories have been expanded and research results validated through international discourse. Most of the researchers, who come from strategic partner universities of the University of Göttingen, are working on projects that are highly relevant for their regions. Syarifah Iis Aisyah Rukmana, Director of Career Development and Alumni Affairs (CDA) at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB Bogor), Indonesia, stayed at the University of Göttingen within the EXPERTS project to exchange ideas and experiences on her topic. Dr. Nicolette Verhoog from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, conducted his research at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, University Medical Center. Prof. Beiei Liu from the Nanjing University, China, came to Göttingen for a month to study on the topics energy efficiency and economic performance of bio-energy at the Department of Production and Logistics, Faculty of Business and Economics.
“Internationalisation has long been an important aspect of our university’s strategy. One of our core aims is to prepare our students for their future tasks and careers in a globalised world”, says Casper-Hehne. “As well, we would like to enable researchers to find solutions for global challenges together with international peers. For this, the support and funding of mobility is essential, for both outgoing as well as international students and researches coming to Göttingen.” She thanks the European Commission for the funding that helped to achieve these aims.
The EMA2 programme promoted another important aspect: the “internationalisation at home” – the further development of a cultural diverse campus where german students meet grantees from India and China, Indonesia, Russia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Iran, South Africa and from Europe. “I am convinced that, in this way, Göttingen students, researchers and staff as well as their partners abroad had a huge benefit. The international exchange and discourse creates new perspectives which fosters innovation and creates important new insights”, says Prof Casper-Hehne. “The Erasmus Mundus programme was a great asset for the university and all involved. I am sure that both the bilateral and multilateral international academic collaborations will be continued in the future, even beyond the lifecycle of Erasmus Mundus.”
For further information visit www.uni-goettingen.de/en/311785.html.
Contact:
Dr. Uwe Muuss
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen – Göttingen International
Von-Siebold-Straße 2, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)551 39-21030