Erasmus+

Erasmus+ Program is intended to acquire skills and increase employability, modernization of education, learning and work of young people. The budget of this seven-year program amounts to 14.7 billion euros, which is an increase of 40% compared to previous programs. Erasmus+ includes all European and international programs and initiatives of the European Union in the field of education, training, youth and sports. Erasmus+ will replace seven existing programmes: the Lifelong Learning Program (with its sub-programmes Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Comenius and Grundtvig), Youth in Action and five international cooperation programs (Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alfa, Edulink and the cooperation program with industrialized countries and territories). For the first time, the program also introduces support for the field of sports.

The most common questions and answers related to Erasmus+ in Croatia can be found in the Agency for Mobility and EU Programs.

Erasmus+ study stay

The term student exchange implies the realization of a part of the study program (semester, academic year) at a foreign university, i.e. professional practice at a foreign institution/institution/company. In addition to contributing to the academic and personal development of an individual student, student exchange is considered one of the factors that contributes to the quality of the education system and the construction of a knowledge-based Europe. Student exchange at the University of Zagreb takes place through a series of programs: Erasmus, Bilateral exchange based on inter-university agreements, CEEPUS, Bilateral exchange based on inter-faculty agreements, Scholarships based on bilateral cooperation of the Republic of Croatia in the field of higher education.

TYPES OF EXCHANGE

1. 1. Student exchange for the purpose of an Erasmus+ study stay – short stay (5-30 days) and longer stay (2-12 months) – includes the creation of a final thesis (does not include independent research that is not an integral part of the studies). Coming soon: Erasmus+ short mobility for doctoral students.
2. Erasmus+ internship for students – SMP (2-12 months) – if it is part of the curriculum. If it is not part of the curriculum, the home faculty must approve the internship separately.
3. Combination of Erasmus+ study stay and professional practice (2-12 months per activity) – with the condition that the professional practice is carried out under the supervision of the same higher education institution where the student will complete the study stay, and that the two activities are carried out one after the other without interruption.
4. International summer schools – students are also offered the option of short-term international exchange through summer schools organized by foreign institutions. More information and summer school offers can be found here.

RECOGNITION OF THE MOBILITY PERIOD

In March 2010, the Rule on International Mobility entered into force (expired on April 20, 2017). New Rulebook on International Mobility entered into force on April 20, 2017. The Rulebook on International Mobility regulates, among other things, the basic principles of the mobility of incoming and outgoing students at the University of Zagreb, the rights and obligations of students, the role of the ECTS coordinator at the University and its components, as well as other issues related to the implementation of the mobility program.

Recognition of a study stay, i.e. courses taken and exams passed, is possible based on the Learning Agreement. The study contract at the non-home higher education institution is a document that determines the study program for an individual student, and is signed by the student, the home faculty/academy and the host university. This contract ensures that the host institution will recognize the exchange student’s program that he attended at the host institution.

The contract can be changed with the consent of all signatories, no later than 30 days after arriving at a foreign university.

Recognition of professional practice is defined by the Agreement on the implementation of professional practice (Training Agreement and Quality commitment) which clearly states the professional practice program at the host institution. When the professional practice is not an integral part of the study program of the parent institution, the parent institution will enter the information about the completed professional practice in the Supplemental document on the study.

At the home faculty/academy, the form Learning agreement/Training agreement is signed by the ECTS coordinator and/or vice dean for teaching. Therefore, before going on a student exchange, the student must, in agreement with the ECTS-coordinator at the home faculty/academy, choose the courses or define the professional practice program at the receiving institution.

ECTS COORDINATORS

Each component of the University of Zagreb appointed one ECTS coordinator from among the teachers. The work of the ECTS coordinator of the University components is coordinated by prof. Ph.D. Zdenko Kovač, ECTS coordinator of the University of Zagreb. The tasks of the ECTS coordinator are: coordination of the creation of information packages, coordination of academic cooperation with foreign partners, ensuring the correct application of the ECTS system, mediation between students and teaching staff related to exchange and advising students when choosing study programs at foreign universities, advising and preparing documents for foreign students at the University of Zagreb, advising students when choosing professional practice.

Therefore, students who want to go on a student exchange can contact the ECTS coordinators with questions related to choosing a study program at a foreign university, that is, choosing an institution where they could do an internship, and with their help fill out the Learning agreement/Training agreement.

VISA AND ACCOMMODATION

Students are required to obtain a visa at the embassy of the country they are going to, or to regulate their stay in a foreign country in accordance with the national legislation of the host country. Students are independently responsible for the visa and regulation of their stay in a foreign country!

All questions regarding residence as well as the procedure for issuing visas are part of the internal legislation of each country, and we advise students to contact the embassies of the countries in which they intend to regulate their stay for all questions.

The list of diplomatic missions and consular offices in the Republic of Croatia is available on the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Students are required to take out a health insurance policy for the entire period of mobility. The student can take out an appropriate health insurance policy of his own choice.

Students who go to member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, and exercise the right to a European Health Insurance Card, can, at contracted doctors, and at the expense of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute, use urgent health services necessary for medical reasons, taking into account the nature of the health services and the expected length of stay. However, the insurance covered by the European Health Insurance Card may not be sufficient, especially in the case of repatriation and certain medical interventions. In this case, additional private insurance can be useful.

Students who go to other countries that are not covered by the European health insurance card are required to take out a health insurance policy.

On the websites of foreign universities and in the international cooperation offices of foreign universities, students can find out whether there is insurance for exchange students at a foreign university. In the event that such an option does not exist or is unfavorable, students can purchase insurance from one of the insurance companies in Croatia.

The student is obliged to inform himself in a timely manner about the conditions of health insurance in a foreign country with the competent institutions.

FINANCING

Exchange students usually receive financial support for living expenses. The amount of support depends on the mobility program and is defined by the tender. As a rule, students are responsible for their own travel expenses, unless otherwise stated in the competition (for example, exchanges outside the European continent). Exchange students can also go without financial support (so-called zero-grant students).

AGREEMENT ON STUDY STAY/PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Students who go on an exchange with the University conclude an Agreement on study stay/professional practice. This Agreement defines rights and obligations, as well as the amount of financial support (if they are scholarship holders of the University of Zagreb).

AID FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES

The travel distance is calculated on the basis of the air distance determined by the calculator between the departure point and the destination in one direction, and the contribution to the cost refers to a two-way trip:

http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/tools/distance_en.htm

For journeys shorter than 500 km, the participant should, as a rule, travel by “green” means of transport.

This link https://erasmusgeneration.org/travel-green provides more information on the possibilities of connecting popular Erasmus+ destinations using the “green way” of travel.