Great take-up for Erasmus Day: 1293 places in 28 European countries and financial aid for Insubria students who choose to leave

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Erasmus day 2024
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There was a large turnout for Erasmus Day 2024, the online information meeting on the numerous international mobility, study and internship opportunities offered by Insubria University organised by Professor Giorgio Zamperetti, the rector's delegate for internationalisation.

Catherine Flumiani, Italy's ambassador to Bratislava originally from Varese, and Michela Prest, the rector's delegate for communication, orientation and fundraising, brought their valuable perspectives to this edition.

"The university is making a great effort to enable students to gain experience abroad -said Professor Zamperetti – with the aim of supporting them as much as possible. In an increasingly competitive society, Erasmus is an opportunity that should never be lacking in a student's curriculum; in this Europe that has so many problems, the Erasmus motto "united in diversity" is even more significant".
As of today, Insubria, which encourages mobility with financial aid that is among the highest in Italy, hosts 190 students from abroad, while 298 students from the university have signed up for the Erasmus+ Study and Traineeship and Double Degree calls”.

This year, the Erasmus+ programme offers 1293 places in 276 universities in 28 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom.

"When you make the leap into the world of work - said Professor Prest – the Erasmus experience will show that you have already accepted the challenge of putting yourself out there. Having a path abroad in your CV tells a story of autonomy, of courage, it says that you are able to face a challenge. Going to Europe allows you to create an international network of relationships right away, allows you to move around and discover talent. Take this chance and use it for the future”.

“The discovery of what I did not know – Ambassador Flumani explained to the students – was the motivation that drove me to choose a career as a diplomat. I invite you to be surprised. Being able to express yourself properly in another language is an opportunity that only becomes quality when you are abroad. It is important to be comfortable speaking another language: to be able to use it, write it, understand it. The ability to acquire soft skills, including social intelligence, understanding people who are not from the same background as us, who have other points of view or other starting points, relating to them, is a crucial aptitude to facilitate one's personal and professional growth. We are geopolitically exposed to conflicting narratives: going outside our knowledge bubble helps us to become aware citizens and develop a critical sense, which are the goals of Europe”.

The testimonies of former Erasmus students were significant, enthusiastically urging them to leave and not to be overwhelmed by the anxiety and fear of leaving their comfort zone.

Matilda Mason, president of the Esn Insubria association (esn_insubria on Instagram), which helps students find their way around the Erasmus programme, also took the floor: her advice is to consider lesser-known and popular destinations that allow students to fully enjoy their experience abroad. 

"It is important to gather all the information on the destination, considering the exams offered by foreign universities, and then indicate them in order of priority – explained Luca Gallo of the university's International Relations Office – I recommend that all those interested apply quickly”.

 

(Pictured, from left: Catherine Flumiani, Giorgio Zamperetti, Luca Gallo and the staff of the International Relations Office, Stefano Bina and Lucia Giorgia Mauriello)