14. October 2020

Monika Köstinger

For many years now, numerous students at FH Burgenland have taken advantage of the opportunity to complete a semester or internship abroad through various study programmes such as Erasmus+. They venture into the unknown in order to gain special experiences and get to know new countries and their cultures. They make international friends, improve their language skills and benefit in many ways. We spoke to a few students on the occasion of #ErasmusDays.

What is Erasmus+

Erasmus+ is an educational programme of the European Union to promote international academic exchange. It enables students to go abroad to complete part of their studies or an internship at a partner institution. The work done there (as long as it corresponds to the curriculum, of course) is then recognised at the home university. Depending on the exact destination, a monthly grant of between 360 and 460 euros is available to financially support the stay. You can find detailed information on all funding programmes, the possible duration and exact funding rates for stays abroad with Erasmus+ right here.

Up, up and away!

But first of all, where should and can I actually go? UAS Burgenland offers a wide range of over 90 partner institutions in various countries within and outside the EU. And this wide network is constantly growing. What is a huge advantage of these partnerships is that the entire process of applying, applying for, transferring credits and filling out all the forms is much easier. As the partners already know each other and the International Offices are in regular contact, any issues have usually already been clarified.

You can get help here ;)

Not a talent for organisation or a fan of bureaucracy and paperwork? Our staff at the International Office are your contacts for all stays abroad, mobilities and programmes and will be happy to support you with your plans. So if you are interested in studying or doing an internship abroad, you will receive a friendly welcome and all the necessary applications and information. You can also contact the International Office during your adventure abroad to clarify any questions you may have.

Tips & insights on the ErasmusDays

Over the past few years, we have already collected great testimonials from our students for you, in which they report on their various experiences abroad. You are sure to find them on our website and our social media channels. To mark #ErasmusDay, we have planned an extensive programme for you from 15-17 October 2020. So be sure to check us out on Instagram, Facebook and more!

Corona - don't stop me now ...

Covid-19 has unfortunately put a damper on things for all of us this year. Even when it comes to studying abroad, we have had and still have to put things on hold. Many students who were abroad this year or wanted to go have returned home early or had to cancel their travel plans. At the beginning of the year, a total of 24 outgoing students were travelling to Cyprus, the USA, Mexico, Bali, Jamaica, Croatia, Finland, Lithuania, Belgium, France and Germany, but in the end they followed the recommendations of the federal government and sooner or later decided to cancel their trip and return to Austria. The majority of the 18 incoming students from Georgia, Croatia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic who travelled to Burgenland for their studies or internships also returned home during the lockdown. An exceptional situation, characterised by uncertainty and ambiguity. Our International Office was constantly on hand to support and advise our students.

There were many questions to answer: How can I make up for missing courses or exams if I drop out? Will I lose a semester? What happens to my Erasmus grant? Do I have to pay back the amount? ...

However, all issues were resolved and all courses and examinations could be completed online from home. Despite the cancelled study visits and internships, it was possible for everyone to continue and complete the semester via e-learning or working from home.

'Cause I'm having a good time...

What experiences have our outgoings and incomings had in times like these? - Here are some brief insights:

Thomas, a student on the Bachelor's degree programme in Energy and Environmental Management, spent his semester abroad at our partner university Karelia University of Applied Sciences in Joensuu, Finland. Familiarising himself with new learning methods, the group work with a realistic focus, the high standard of education and the landscape are just some of the many advantages that won him over.

I had the opportunity to make friends and exchange ideas with people from all over the world, from Canada, America and Brazil to France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Hungary, Zambia and Pakistan.

Thomas, Outgoing Student

Sabrina and Tamara, students on the Master's programme in Digital Media and Communication (formerly Information Media Communication), also started their semester abroad at the Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City in January. The plan was to stay until June. However, as the coronavirus pandemic became more prevalent, the university closed soon afterwards and all courses were held online, their flight home left on 24 March via the Federal Ministry's return flight.

The FH Burgenland was a great support. We received the information by email in good time that the government was asking all Austrians to come home.

We would like to emphasise once again what great support both teaching institutions have given us. The situation was new and difficult for everyone involved. Nevertheless, the efforts were great and we always felt that we were in good hands. Of course, we are very sad that we had to cancel halfway through. We felt very much at home in Mexico City and had a few more trips planned. In the end, however, we were happy to be back home.

Sabrina and Tamara, outgoing students

Monika, a student on the European Studies Master's programme, also took the opportunity to go abroad. She had taken educational leave for her final semester and planned to spend it at the École supérieure du commerce extérieur ESCE Paris.

I flew there in mid-January and had to return to the FH Burgenland for an exam at the end of February. The plan was to stay until the end of May, but after the Austrian Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning, it was clear to me that I would rather spend this time in Austria than in Paris and I left before any measures were taken in France.

Monika, outgoing student

Manuela, a student on the Master's programme in E-Learning and Knowledge Management (formerly Applied Knowledge Management), also had a special experience during her stay abroad at the University of SVEUČILIŠTE U ZADRU in Zadar, Croatia. Her semester had barely started at the end of February when restrictions and closures due to coronavirus soon followed. You can now read their report to find out how the students there dealt with the situation.

I don't want to stop at all!

Despite the more difficult travel conditions and the measures still in place worldwide, we are all the more delighted to welcome twelve incoming students this winter semester. Despite all this, they have taken the plunge and travelled from Italy, Croatia, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic to study with us. We would like to welcome you to FH Burgenland! At the same time, some of our students are currently studying or doing an internship abroad in Portugal, Georgia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia. There are already more applications for the summer semester 2021. What will they tell us? We are curious and will stay tuned for you.

What brought Andrea to us and what else does she have to say? Just listen in ;)

The two incoming students Riccarda Julia Anna Elisabeth and Kawshalya have switched from their regular studies in Germany to the Bachelor's degree programme in Health Management and Health Promotion at the Pinkafeld campus. Despite COVID-19, they are optimistic and will not be deterred from their goal of studying abroad.

With travel restrictions being lifted, it was obvious for me to take the opportunity and do a semester abroad, even though we are still facing COVID-19. With all the precautions and following the rules, I am finally here in Austria and doing my exchange semester.

Kawshalya, incoming student

Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, I didn't want to miss out on the incredible experiences, the many new contacts and people in my life and the wide range of courses at the partner university.

Riccarda Julia Anna Elisabeth, Incoming student

In principle, the following requirements currently apply to a stay abroad:

It is the student's responsibility to make the decision to go abroad. When assessing the situation and planning further steps, all travel warnings and entry regulations in the respective destination country from the Federal Ministry regarding the coronavirus must be observed. If there is a travel warning level 5 or 6 in the respective country at the start of the trip, FH Burgenland recommends cancelling the stay abroad.

So far, we have mastered the corona-related situation well together with distance learning and hybrid teaching and sophisticated preventive measures and will continue to work on our mobilities.

We remain optimistic about the future, dare to take a step into the unknown for special experiences and do the same for Queen, because ...