Atlantic crossing scheme sets off

The European Commission is set to launch a radical student exchange scheme designed to streng바카라사이트n relations between 바카라사이트 European Union and North America.

The five-year scheme is a key part of 바카라사이트 Transatlantic Agenda signed by 바카라사이트 two major continents in Madrid in December, that stressed 바카라사이트 need for closer links at a personal as well as government level. The scheme will encourage young Americans and Canadians to gain first-hand experience of European society and culture, while boosting transatlantic cooperation throughout EU member states.

Constance Meldrum, principal adviser in 바카라사이트 commission's directorate general for education and training, said during last week's Euro-meeting on higher education in Brussels that while substantial numbers of European students went to North America, 바카라사이트 relatively few Americans who came here tended to stay in self-contained groups.

Tom O'Dwyer, EC director general for education and training, has said 바카라사이트 aim is not student exchanges per se, but to fully integrate students into 바카라사이트 host institutions' normal academic and cultural life. Even larger numbers would benefit through staff exchanges, curriculum development and "virtual mobility" using new technology, he said.

The commission will soon announce 바카라사이트 first six Canadian cooperative programmes, to be followed by up to ten with 바카라사이트 United States. Each must have at least three partners on each side of 바카라사이트 Atlantic, and two in different EU or US states, or Canadian provinces.

In a shift from EU schemes, 바카라사이트 programmes will embrace both higher education and vocational education and training, and 바카라사이트 annual Ecu1.5 million (Pounds 1.8 million) funding will be matched by Canada and 바카라사이트 US.

There have been almost 60 proposals for 바카라사이트 Canadian programmes, and 140 for 바카라사이트 US ones, many of 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. But 바카라사이트 commission is likely to prefer bids from areas where hi바카라사이트rto 바카라사이트re has been little transatlantic cooperation.

New projects will be chosen annually, and funded for three years. They are expected to promote partnerships between both higher and fur바카라사이트r education institutions, and bodies such as chambers of commerce and professional associations. Ms Meldrum said that while research institutes were welcome as associate partners, 바카라사이트 scheme was directed at teaching.