With the title “From Erasmus to Erasmus+, 30 years of history”, the closing ceremony of the 30^th anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme was held in which UPF played a prominent role in the granting of Quality Awards 2017: on the one hand, at institutional level, for the quality of the University’s project, and on the other, on an individual level, for the use made of the stage by Josep Gayón, a student of Audiovisual Communication and a beneficiary of the programme.

The event, which took place on 18 December 2017 at the Theatre Royal in Madrid, was organized by the Servicio Español para la Internacionalicación de la Educación (Spanish Service for the Internationalization of Education -SEPIE) of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. It enjoyed the presence of Isabel Valverde Zaragoza, vice-rector for projects in the field of international outreach at UPF, who was accompanied by Sara López and Regina Arquimbau, members of the International Relations Service.

The vice-rector received recognition for Quality 2017 from Marcial Marín, Secretary of State for Education, Vocational Training and Universities; Pablo Martín González, director of the SEPIE, and Vanessa Debiais-Santon, deputy head of the Higher Education Unit of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education.

During the awarding of the diploma, it was stressed that “UPF has a long track record of participation in Erasmus+ and in previous mobility programmes. It has a clear international orientation, establishes ties with numerous institutions in academia and in the working world, enriches its campuses with international students and offers the opportunity to its staff and its students to live very enriching educational and practical experiences. UPF is an example of quality for the impact it has on Erasmus+ mobility programmes, on its students, on its staff, and the institution itself, thanks to the involvement of all”.

Recognition of the result of collective work

Isabel Valverde values the distinction received most positively: “This recognition is not just cause for satisfaction, but it also exemplifies the University’s commitment to international outreach. In addition, its success is the result of the good work and dedication, not only of the International Relations Service, but also mobility coordinators and support staff in the faculties, as well as of our lecturers who have been involved in mobility actions and European educational cooperation projects”, she says.

The report presented by the University to take part in the call states that “The participation of UPF in the Erasmus+ programme has been decisive in achieving 40% of graduates with international experience, making it a distinguishing feature of the UPF student”.

She also emphasizes that “the reception of students and lecturers from other countries, not only from Europe but from various regions of the world, enriches our classrooms and syllabuses, and at the same time it allows us to project ourselves globally”. In addition, “these individual mobilities not only transform and open the minds of their beneficiaries, but also open the University to the world and lead to making better use of the opportunities of institutional projects such as the Jean Monnet, strategic associations and the Erasmus Mundus master’s degree programmes”.

A beneficial stay at the University of California

In the individual section of the Recognitions of Quality 2017, within the higher education sector, in which students are selected each year for having taken advantage of their Erasmus+ experience, Josep Gayón Arguimbau, a student of Audiovisual Communication at UPF was distinguished, who did his international mobility studies at the University of California, Berkeley, USA.

This year, from the 118 higher education candidates from all over Spain, four students were selected, among them Joseph Gayón. When collecting his award, the organization reminded that “he deserves this recognition because he got involved most enthusiastically in the social and academic life at the University of California, Berkeley during the six months that of his mobility, and this enriched his critical view of life and of culture in order to apply it to film, which is his profession, his undertaking and his future”.

In the report that Josep Gayón drafted to submit his application, the Audiovisual Communication student stated that “Berkeley marked a before and an after in my academic life, but above all, in my personal life”. “I’ve always believed that no one should miss the chance to do an exchange, but even less if you’re a film student”, he says.

UPF has participated actively in the programme of the commemoration of the 30^th anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme, which has taken place during the course of the year 2017. On 9 March, the University hosted “The Erasmus Generation, 30^th Anniversary of professional success”, organized by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). The aim of the meeting was to reflect, on the basis of a series of talks, round tables and workshops, on the benefits that studying abroad contributes to the professional field.

Video of “The Erasmus Generation, 30^th Anniversary of professional success” held at UPF