Deliverable D5.2 CHARM-EIGHT – December 2024
The CHARM-EU Mobility Handbook is a comprehensive and practical guide designed for professionals engaged in international mobility at both strategic and operational levels within the CHARM-EU Alliance. Drawing from the CHARM-EU Interactive Mobility Handbook (2022), this new edition expands its scope to inspire stakeholders to build on the innovative initiatives developed under the CHARM-EIGHT project (2023–2024).
The Handbook is structured around key questions to provide clarity and actionable insights:
- Why focus on this topic?
Each chapter highlights the aims, rationales, and unique CHARM-EU interpretations of specific mobility topics, aligning them with the overarching goals of the CHARM-EIGHT project.
- What has CHARM-EU done so far?
Activities implemented by CHARM-EU are detailed, showcasing the Alliance’s efforts to innovate and enhance mobility practices.
- How to replicate these efforts?
Practical recommendations and step-by-step guides are provided to help institutions implement CHARM-EU’s initiatives internally or externally.
- What can we learn from CHARM-EU?
Case studies and best practices from CHARM-EU’s pilot activities are shared to serve as replicable models for others.
- Where to find additional support?
References to internal and external resources are included to guide readers in successfully implementing the outlined actions.
The questions are answered in relation to the key areas covered in the Handbook, including:
- Semester Mobility: CHARM-EU establishes a flexible mobility network, enabling students from all disciplines (with some restrictions) to study for a term or academic year across partner universities.
- Traineeship Mobility: The CHARM-EU traineeship mobility programme fosters international collaboration and professional development by enabling students to undertake work placements or research traineeships at member universities, supported by Erasmus+ grants, through both student-initiated and host-initiated models.
- Blended Intensive Programs (BIPs): The launch of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) under CHARM-EU aims to foster innovation, inclusivity, and transdisciplinary collaboration, while expanding access to international mobility and creating opportunities for underrepresented student groups to benefit from these experiences.
- Mobility and Micro-Credentials: The CHARM-EU Alliance explores the potential of micro-credentials to enhance internationalization by linking them to mobility components, facilitating cross-border recognition, promoting equity of access, and addressing gaps in knowledge through an initial framework that integrates micro-credentials and mobility in innovative ways.
- Doctoral Mobility: CHARM-EU aims to increase doctoral mobility by fostering international collaboration, enhancing research quality, expanding networks, while addressing the challenges of diverse institutional structures and systems to create a more integrated and inclusive academic environment for doctoral candidates and beyond.
- Intercultural Preparation: The intercultural preparation course aims to train students and staff going on mobility periods, raising awareness about interculturality and providing support before exchanges, with the light version of the course launched in November 2024, and the extended version under development.
- Transnational Online Learning: Transnational Online Learning (TOL) courses offered by CHARM-EU partner universities provide students with the opportunity to expand their academic portfolios and gain international experience through hybrid or online courses, with pilots implemented in the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic years.
- Staff Mobility: Staff mobility within the CHARM-EU Alliance supports professional development, international collaboration, and skill enhancement by offering academic and non-academic staff access to teaching, training and other types of peer learning opportunities funded through Erasmus+.
- Credit Recognition: The CHARM-EU Alliance aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in credit recognition processes, simplifying exchange planning for students and helping them identify compatible study programs more easily.
This Handbook consolidates CHARM-EU’s expertise and provides a roadmap for institutions seeking to elevate their international mobility practices. By integrating CHARM-EU’s educational principles, it aims to strengthen collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in the European Higher Education landscape.
