-
Home
-
European Projects
-
Higher education student and staff mobility projec..
Higher education student and staff mobility project
Start date: Jun 1, 2014,
End date: May 31, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
Jean Condorcet High School provides students with education and training for a two-year post Baccalaureate diplôma (BTEC) in four catégories : Insurance, Accountancy, International Trade and future Personnal Assistants. It is a compulsory part of their curriculum to perform an internship abroad to prepare some of their evaluation in foreign languages and graduate for their final exam, at least for those reading in International Trade and Manager Assistants – both of which require a good command of at least three different languages
Speaking about International Trade, students must perform it in any country but France, while it is advised to do it abroad for future PAs, without making it compulsory. Indeed, students can be hired as interns in France but within International-linked departments . However, nothing can actually prove more suitable and profitable than total linguistic immersion via a placement abroad : all students actually turn much better at ease with expression, but not only ! They indeed acquire such open-mindedness, self-confidence, maturity and awareness of intercultural management that it has forged a reputation and priority for Jean Condorcet High School/ College .
We do indeed promote Erasmus programme within those two sections, future Manager Assistants and International Trade executives going through an inetrnship abroad for a minimum of 2 months abroad at the end of their first academic year , which perfectly meets Erasmus criteria.
Future Manager Assistants are our Erasmus number 1 target as indicated in our School’s Policy displayed on our website . Too many of these students often do not even dare to apply for a foreign destination given humble social background, poor level in foreign languages and lack of financial means. Erasmus programme thus truly appears as triggering international experience for students who then benefit from substantial Financial support as well as an ideal and securing institutional frame. No need to prove how beneficial this Erasmus scheme is linguistically speaking but also in the shaping of their personality, their ability to adapt, to gain confidence and confront themselves to different cultural experiences : this added value is obvious when displayed on their CVs and makes them far more likely to be hired. Out of 28 first year Manager Assistant students, 20 are part of the scheme (71.5%), counting for 64.5% of Erasmus participants in the school.
International Trade students account for the secong group within our undergraduates. Here again there is no denying how profitable such a programme is for those confronted with low social background as well as poor level in foreign languages. Out of 27 students, 11 left via Erasmus schemes to account for 41%, a significant figure. They represent 35.5% of Erasmus participants for whom Erasmus schème also plays a positive rôle.
The priorities established for the students shape those for the staff. The Manager Assistants section and to a lesser extent the International Business teaching staff is the main target for the mobility of adults, as the aim is to offer quality internships and ensure smooth follow-ups.
However, the primary target are students and in case of insufficient student scholarships (provisions made for 19 students only on the initial agreement) adult mobility abroad is transformed by amendment into student mobility and the whole usable OM budget is dedicated to them. A grant supplement was also requested in the transitional report and was obtained.
But as the number of students decreased due to unexpected resignations at the end of the first academic year, these transfers proved hindering and we were not able to reallocate the grants to adult mobility. Hence a relative under consumption of credits and mobility opportunities can be noted, although the final 31 student placements were carried out.
Regarding activities, the training certificates required for exam registration vouch for the completion of the internships. Telephone monitoring by language teachers generally confirm the successful completion of the internship activities. The International Business students’ weekly activity reports and the Manager Assistant students’ action sheets also allow teachers from the professional field to track the progress of students’ work. An internship grade on second year’s first semester report sanctions the activities carried out during the placement and the handling of the Erasmus by students. The average rating is 14.73 out of 20 in CI and 14.85 in AM, reflecting a good level of investment.
The progress in linguistic skills is vouched for by colleagues (fluency and reactivity) including in the professional activities evaluated in a foreign language at the exam. But it’s only partly apparent in the OLS tests or in semester marks.
The vast majority of Erasmus students will validate their degree. Some will leave for 6 months internship in Europe as part of a new partnership of the school