European Higher Education Fair - 2014

EU Public Diplomacy and Outreach in India and in the SAARC European Higher Education Fair - 2014 New Delhi - 30 November to 01 December Bengaluru - 03 December Kolkata - 05 December Students FAQs Answered Implemented by

EHEF India 2014 Student FAQs Answered 1. Which European countries are participating in the EHEF 2014? The following countries, all members of the European Union, are participating in the EHEF India 2014: AUSTRIA BELGIUM BULGARIA CYPRUS CZECH REPUBLIC DENMARK ESTONIA FINLAND FRANCE GERMANY HUNGARY IRELAND ITALY LATVIA LITHUANIA MALTA NETHERLANDS POLAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA SPAIN SWEDEN UNITED KINGDOM 2. Which European universities and higher education institutions (HEIs) are participating in the EHEF 2014? The list of participants will be announced on our website couple of weeks before the exhibition. Only approved education providers in Europe can participate in the EHEF India 2014 so that the visitors do not have to worry about the authenticity of the participating institutions. 3. Who can attend EHEF? This exhibition is for students and professionals who want to study in Europe. We also encourage parents, teachers, educationists and everyone else interested in knowing about opportunities to study in Europe. 4. Do I have to prepare for the Fair and is there anything I need to bring? You don't have to make any particular preparations. However, we would recommend that you bring details of info@ehef-india2014.org www.ehef-india2014.org 2

your education (transcripts) and or professional history (CV) and your IELTS or TOEFL score (if you have one), this will help the institution representatives to give you more accurate advice. 5. Do I need to register to attend the EHEF India 2014? It s not compulsory but registration will facilitate your entry to the exhibition on priority. You can register online here: www.ehef-india2014.org 6. Is there an entrance fee? No, there are no entrance fees but we would suggest doing online registration in order to avoid the queue. 8. Can I get prospectuses and application forms at the Fair? Yes, each institution will bring a supply of prospectuses, application forms and other materials to the exhibitions, which are also free. 9. Can I make an appointment with or email an academic member of staff to discuss my research proposal? We cannot offer formal arrangements for helping students with applications, but it may be possible for individual members of staff to offer some feedback to you. The institution s webpage will provide links to the research interests of faculty members, which you may use to decide whom to approach. 7. I don't know very much about studying in European HEIs, is this ok? You do not need to have any background information about studying in European Universities. As long as you know the course or subject you would like to study, the representatives will explain about the available options. 10. I want to talk to some of the participating EU HEIs before I visit the EHEF. How can I do so? It would not be possible to contact representatives from the participating institutions in advance but in case you have some specific questions please send it to us press@ehef-india2014.org and we will try our best to send it to the relevant institution 3 Implemented by

EHEF India 2014 Student FAQs Answered 11. What is the higher education system in Europe like? The education system in Europe is based on Three Degree Cycle. Two basic degrees, Bachelor and Master, have been adopted now by every participating country. Typically, a Bachelor degree requires 180-240 ECTS credits and a Master programme between 90-120 ECTS credits, however with a minimum of 60 ECTS (corresponding to one typical full-time academic year of learning within a formal learning programme) at Master level. This allows for a flexible approach in defining the length of both Bachelor and Master programmes. The participating countries have made substantial changes to their systems in response to the Bologna Process. In the third cycle, there is European PhD programmes. 12. What is European Higher Education Area? In 1999, the Ministers of Education from 29 countries in Europe met in the Italian city of Bologna to propose the creation of a European Higher Education Area through a resolution called the Bologna Declaration. The aim of the Bologna Declaration was to create a cohesive European Higher Education Area by 2010 in order to facilitate academic mobility, increase the comparability of studies across all the educational systems of the participating countries as well as promote Europe as a world education destination. 13. What is the structure of the higher education system in the European Higher Education Area? First cycle (Bachelor s Degree) 180-240 ECTS (3-4 years) Second cycle (Master s program) 90-120 ECTS (1,5-2 years) Third cycle (Doctoral studies) No ECTS range 14. What is the ECTS System? The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), is a credit system that was first introduced in Europe in 1989 within the educational exchange program Erasmus. However, the ECTS is now widely used throughout higher education institutions as it facilitates student mobility within Europe and the comparison of study programs and courses. info@ehef-india2014.org www.ehef-india2014.org 4

15. How does the ECTS benefit students? The ECTS is a learner-centered system based on the student workload required to achieve certain course outcomes. The workload refers to the amount of time a student needs to complete the learning activities, such as self-study, seminars, projects or exams, to achieve the course outcomes. The credits can be attached to study programs, courses or even modules within a course. Furthermore, students can accumulate credits and pass them over to other institutions to continue with their studies. Therefore, the ECTS is also referred to as European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. The use of the ECTS by institutions is not compulsory. However, if you plan to study in Europe, you will notice the majority of institutions provide students with the number of ECTS each course and module is worth. 16. How many ECTS is an academic year worth? A full-time student would need to complete 60 ECTS per academic year, which represents about 1,500 to 1,800 hours of study. According to the ECTS, study programs in Europe are worth the following number of credits: Bachelor's degrees (first cycle) are worth 180-240 ECTS (3 to 4 years) Master's programs (second cycle) are worth 60-120 ECTS (1 to 2 years) PhD studies (third cycle) have no ECTS range 17. How can I find more information about ECTS? More information about the ECTS System can be accessed on the European Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/education/tools/ ects_en.htm You can also download the ECTS User s Guide here: http://ec.europa.eu/education/tools/ docs/ects-guide_en.pdf 18. What is Erasmus+? The Erasmus+ programme aims to boost skills and employability, as well as modernising Education, Training, and Youth work. The seven year programme will have a budget of 14.7 billion; a 40% increase compared to current spending levels, reflecting the EU's commitment to investing in these areas. Erasmus+ will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, 5 Implemented by

EHEF India 2014 Student FAQs Answered gain work experience and volunteer abroad. Erasmus+ will support transnational partnerships among Education, Training, and Youth institutions and organisations to foster cooperation and bridge the worlds of Education and work in order to tackle the skill gaps that we are facing in Europe. Erasmus+ brings together seven existing EU programmes in the field of Education, Training, and Youth; it will for the first time provide support for Sports. As an integrated programme, Erasmus+ offers more opportunities for cooperation across the Education, Training, Youth and Sports sectors and is easier to access than its predecessors, with simplified funding rules. For further information: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/ erasmus-plus/index_en.htm 19. What is Erasmus Mundus? Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation with Third-Countries. Among other things, Erasmus Mundus, offers support for high-quality joint masters courses offered by a consortium of European higher education institutions. Erasmus Mundus programme enables students from all over the world to get Scholarships to get a Masters Degree in Europe. Erasmus Mundus Master Courses (EMMCs): Are joint Master level study programmes carried out by consortia of European universities Provides scholarships for students from the whole world to study in Europe Give the students a chance to study in at least two European countries Offer double or joint Master degrees at the end of successful completion of the programme There are more than 130 Master programmes in a variety of fields of study: Agriculture and Veterinary Engineering, Manufacture and Construction Health and Welfare Humanities and Arts Science, Mathematics and Computing Social Sciences, Business and Law The European Commission is responsible for the running of info@ehef-india2014.org www.ehef-india2014.org 6

the Erasmus Mundus Programme. It manages the budget and sets priorities, targets and criteria for the Programme. Furthermore, it guides and monitors the general implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the Programme at European level. The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus Programme. 20. How can I find about Erasmus Mundus Scholars to know about their experience? To learn more about the benefits of Erasmus Mundus during and after your studies on the Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association website: http://www.em-a.eu/en/home.html & check out the http://www.em-ace.eu website for information about EM explained by fellow European EM students and alumni. 21. Where can I learn about research and innovation opportunities in the EU? You can visit the following website to learn more about research and innovation Opportunities in Europe: http://ec.europa.eu/research/index. cfm?pg=home&lg=en EURAXESS - Researchers in Motion is a unique pan-european initiative providing access to a complete range of information and support services to researchers wishing to pursue their research careers in Europe or stay connected to it. For further information: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/ 22. Are there any EU HEIs which offer online education courses which Indian students can enrol in without having to travel to the EU? For online courses offered by EU HEIs you will have to check with the respective institutions on the qualification and requirements. 23. Where do EU HEIs stand in the global ranking of higher education institutions? The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2013-2014 powered by Thomson Reuters are the only global university performance tables to judge world class universities across all of their core missions - teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The top rankings universities employ 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons available, which are trusted by students, academics, 7 Implemented by

EHEF India 2014 Student FAQs Answered university leaders, industry and governments. There are 181 European universities featuring within the Top 400 of the world. Source: http://www.timeshighereducation. co.uk/world-universityrankings/2013-14/world-ranking/ region/europe 24. Is there mobility within the EU system for higher education? For example, can we divide a masters course duration between two universities/heis? Yes, you can but you will have to check with the individual institutions on the mutual agreements. 25. How do I know if the course I am considering is good or not? How does the EU assure quality standards in the HEIs in EUMS? The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) is an umbrella organisation which represents quality assurance organisations from the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) member states. ENQA promotes European co-operation in the field of quality assurance in higher education and disseminates information and expertise among its members and towards stakeholders in order to develop and share good practice and to foster the European dimension of quality assurance. The Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) provides the general quality framework for European and international cooperation activities a higher education institution (HEI) may carry out within the Erasmus + Programme. The award of an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education is a pre-requisite for all HEIs located in an eligible country and willing to participate in learning mobility of individuals and/or cooperation for innovation and good practices under the Programme. For HEIs located in other countries, the ECHE is not required, and the quality framework will be established through inter-institutional agreements between HEIs. 26. Is the Indian graduate degree recognised for admission to a post-graduate course in any EU HEI? Yes Indian graduate degrees are recognised for admission to a post graduate course in EU HEI but admission criteria could differ from one institution to another. info@ehef-india2014.org www.ehef-india2014.org 8

27. Is there a common admission test for European HEIs like there is GMAT and GRE for US universities? No. EU higher education institutes have no common admission tests. 28. Is it mandatory for Indian students to have passed TOEFL or IELTS in order to enroll on a study program that is taught entirely in English? Yes, as a general rule, you need TOEFL or IELTS in order to apply for programs that are taught in English at the European universities. If, however, you re applying for a postgraduate program and already hold a Bachelors degree with English as the language of instruction, you should contact the respective institution and check. scholarship and funding opportunities by consulting the "Study in Europe" website, which provides a range of useful information for students and links to courses, universities and national agencies. http://ec.europa.eu/education/studyin-europe 30. I am an Indian post-graduate student and wish to do a Ph.D. in one of the EU HEIs. How do I proceed? You should register at the website and check the list of institutions which are participating in the fair. Once you have selected the institution check the eligibility criteria for enrolling for a PhD Programme. Then on the day of exhibition come with your papers and testimonials and meet the representatives. 29. Are there any scholarship opportunities available for Indian students wishing to take admission in EU HEIs? Yes, there are several scholarships available for Indian students who want to pursue Higher Education in EU. Europe offers a vast range of higher education courses, and scholarships from national, regional or other funds may also be available. You may be interested in exploring these other 31. Does the EU system allow Indian students to work in the EU after their college/ university education is completed? Yes, but you will have to check in the country from where you have completed your education to know about the specific working rules and regulations for international students/ requirement of work or resident permit. 9 Implemented by

EHEF India 2014 Student FAQs Answered 32. What is the value of a European higher educational degree in the Indian job market? Do Indian employers recognise European degrees or qualifications? A good quality programme from European HEIs provides a great platform for job prospects not only in India but also prepares you for international job market. It all depends on which kind of course you choose and which subject you specialise in. You will be able to learn more about job and career prospects at the fair. 33. What are the visa requirements for the Indian students admitted to one of the EU HEIs? You would need to apply for a Schengen Visa, if you plan to study in Europe. This enables people from outside Europe the right to move freely within the signatory countries of the Schengen Agreement as internal borders checks no longer exist within Europe. 34. What documents do I need when I apply for a student visa? You have to inquire at the Embassy or consulate general in order to be certain, usually the following documents need to be submitted: Proof of your previous studies (and a higher education entrance qualification recognized in EU), Proof of admission from your university (or confirmation that you are soon to receive a letter of admission), Proof of your health insurance coverage, Proof of possessing sufficient financial resources and Proof of your language skills. info@ehef-india2014.org www.ehef-india2014.org 10