1. Adaptation of mobility actions to the Degree objectives.

All mobility actions are developed within the framework of previous agreements on study programs to be completed abroad. These agreements are based on the acquisition of the Degree in English Studies competences.

These mobility actions make it possible to acquire a national and international cultural knowledge that is in high demand in the labor market. Among the mobility program objectives, it is important that students benefit from the social and cultural experience that life implies in other countries, improve their curricular training focused on labor incorporation, strengthen their communication skills, cooperation, adaptation and understanding of other cultures. All of these are basic competences of a graduate in English Studies.

The promotion of internationalization in the Degree is extremely important, since it is necessary to improve and encourage students to perform mobilities under the Erasmus program, and break the student’s tendency to complete their undergraduate training without having had the opportunity to anticipate their future practices and needs in other countries in which the implementation of new Degrees adapted to the European Education Area is already a reality.

2. Cooperation agreements

The Degree in English Studies has the following bilateral agreements::

3. Possible scolarship to finance mobility

Erasmus mobility is financed with funds from the European Commission, the State Secretariat, the Junta de Andalucía and the University of Cádiz. In the criteria for the economic allocation of the scolarship, the resources available to the applicants are taken into account. There are also special Erasmus grants for students with disabilities.

Outgoing Erasmus students receive specific language training through courses offered by the Higher Center for Modern Languages (Centro Superio de Lenguas Modernas CSLM). The Bancaja Program is financed by this entity (€ 50,000 in total). Averroes mobility is funded under the “Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window” Program of the European Commission. SICUE mobility is financed through SENECA grants from the Ministry of Science and Innovation and other types granted by Autonomous Communities and public or private institutions.

4. Student mobility organization

The Degree has procedures, within the Quality Assurance System, for the management of outgoing students (“PC04 – Management process for outgoing students and incoming students”, “PC05 – Management process for received students mobility”). These processes allow normalising the definition of the mobility objectives of the Degree, the programs planning in relation to these objectives, systematizing the monitoring and evaluation procedures, as well as regularizing the mechanisms of support and orientation to students once enrolled in mobility.

Planning, monitoring, mechanisms, evaluation, adequate assignment of credits and curricular recognition.

Within the planning, evaluation and monitoring of Erasmus mobility:

• At the request of the different Degrees, bilateral agreements or interuniversity agreements are established with another European University that affect that Degree. It is assumed that the Degree X considers that it would be beneficial for the academic contents of the same Degree in the University Y, that their students may study in that destination. If the foreign University agrees to exchange students for that Degree, a Bilateral Contract is signed, being responsible International Relations and the Degree Teacher who has requested the exchange.
• Before November 1 of each year, International Relations must send to the European Commission the list of all the bilateral agreements established in the University and the student mobility flows contemplated in each agreement. This is what is called the Institutional Contract with Brussels, which will have to be approved (or not) by the European Commission (based on a series of requirements and questions corresponding to each university). This Institutional Contract refers to the next course mobility. That is, the C.I that was sent on November 1, 2008 will refer to the student mobility of the 2009-2010 academic year.
• Although the approval (or rejection) of this Institutional Contract does not usually occur until May-June, it is necessary for each University to start up its mechanisms for awarding places prior to that approval. In this way: In January or February, International Relations publishes the places on offer and destinations for the next course, along with the bases and the requirements established by the Program, opening in each Degree a period of application.
• The candidates selection (which is always academic) is made in each Degree (according to these bilateral agreements), based on the call requirements. The Academic Coordinator of this specific Exchange is responsible for that selection with the X Degree of the University Y). After a claim period, International Relations publishes the definitive places allocation.
• Next, the Curriculum that the student will study abroad and the subjects that will be recognized in the UCA upon the student return (if he has passed the studies abroad) must be established. This is known as the “Prior Commitment of Academic Recognition”.

Credits Assignment

To carry out this Prior Commitment of Academic Recognition:

Each University and for its different Degrees must have a catalog in which they detail their own study plans, their subjects, the credits and duration as well as their contents. The UCA has the catalogs of its different Degrees on the International Relations website, and sends a copy (of the corresponding Degree) to the foreign university with which there is a bilateral agreement, so that foreign students have information about our subjects. In turn, the foreign Universities either introduce the catalogs of their Degrees in their web pages or send them directly to the UCA.

With this information the Academic Coordinator of the exchange with the Degree X of the University Y, can establish the “Previous Commitment” for his/her mobility students. This Prior Commitment (personal for each student) indicates the subjects that the student will study abroad and the UCA subjects that will be recognized when the student returns. Several copies of this “Prior Commitment” must be made, completed and signed before the student leaves.

Before going abroad, the student must formalize his/her registration at the University of Cádiz. The student must necessarily enroll in the UCA subjects that will be recognized when he returns.

Curriculum recognition

Before leaving, the student must formalize in the Vice-Rectorate of International Relations his / her Contract as an Erasmus Student that will accredit him / her as such in Brussels. There may be special circumstances that could modify this system on the “Prior Commitment”. In these cases, exceptional procedures will be arbitrated to resolve these circumstances in the foreseen terms. Upon return from abroad, the student must submit to the ECTS Coordinator of his/her Degree the application for their academic recognition along with the Certificate of the University of destination stating the qualifications obtained and together with their prior commitment to recognition within the deadlines set. The request resolution corresponds to the Faculty Commission (Dean and ECTS Coordinators of the Degree advised by the academic coordinator of the exchange). This Resolution with the qualifications translation has the value of Acta Socrates. In the case of planning, evaluation and monitoring of Seneca mobility (SICUE) there are the following processes and schedule:

Bilateral agreements are established between the different universities to determine the centers, Degrees, places on offer and the exchanges duration. These agreements are indefinite provided there is no cancellation by one of the parties, which will not prevent the formalization of new bilateral agreements or extend the existing ones that will have to be carried out during October, November and December so that they are valid in the following academic course. However, agreements may be signed throughout the year, but to begin its operation in a later academic year.

Each university appoints a person responsible for the program execution and coordination in their institution. It is considered essential requirement to participate in the SICUE exchange system to have previously signed the corresponding bilateral agreement with the different universities.

5. Mechanisms of support and orientation to students once enrolled.

The Degree has procedures, within the Quality Assurance System, for the management of outgoing and incoming students called “P06 – Procedure for the student mobility management”. These processes allow normalising the definition of the mobility objectives of the Degree, the programs planning in relation to these objectives, systematizing the monitoring and evaluation procedures, as well as regularizing the mechanisms of support and orientation to students once enrolled in mobility.