Erasmus+ is a program for education that is financed by the EU. The program gives you, as a doctoral student at Umeå University, the possibility to learn new skills and gain knowledge through different forms of exchanges.
Depending on your goals and what experience you are looking for, a period abroad during your doctoral studies can last anywhere between 2 days and a year.
Eligibility
You must be registered as a doctoral student with the intention to graduate from Umeå University
have a supervisor at Umeå University
live in the host country the entire exchange period
Things to think about before going on an exchange
Objectives
What goals will you achieve with the exchange?
How are the objectives relevant to your research projects and thesis?
What activities abroad will help you achieve your goals?
Where can you go?
Where can you achieve the goals?
Are there existing contacts that could be useful (that you or your supervisor have)
Are there exchange agreements with higher education institutions at your department, perhaps one of these may be relevant
Planning
Plan and discuss with your supervisor well in advance, document in your individual study plan (ISP)
When is it appropriate to go
What kind of funding (internal and external) is available, Erasmus+ is an option. Perhaps there are other means at the department or faculty?
Contact
Are you interested in doing an exchange during your doctoral studies, send an e-mail to erasmus.staff@umu.se where you describe what you are planning on doing during your exchange, and you will get guidance how to proceed.
You can go here
The countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme are: the EU member states and Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey.
Exchange opportunities for doctoral students
Doctoral students are regarded as both students and staff and can therefore apply for exchanges that applies to both of these groups. Which mobility you should participate in is based on what is to be done during the mobility.
Exchanges that take place within the framework of Erasmus+ are funded by scholarships.
Erasmus+ exchange studies
As a doctoral student, you can go on mobility for studies between 2–12 months. The study period must take place full-time (30ECTC/semester), at one higher education institution for a continuous period of time. There must be an Erasmus+ Agreement between Umeå University and the host university.
Studies
You can take courses at a partner university. The courses must be credited by the department. The study period abroad must be included in the study program.
Dissertation preparation activity
You can also use the exchange for data-/material collection and thesis preparation activity.
You must have a supervisor at Umeå University, however, there is no requirement for a supervisor at the host university, although it is a strong recommendation.
No ECTS credits are required from the host university, but the mobility must be registered and recognised. The department assess how many points the exchange corresponds to in your doctoral education. This should also be stated in your Individual Study Plan (ISP).
You can read more about exchange studies here.
Erasmus+ traineeship
As a doctoral student, you can go on mobility for an internship between 2–12 months. The content of the internship needs to be relevant to your doctoral education and be carried out on a full-time basis.. The traineeship can take place in a company, organisation, higher education institution or research and training centre in a program country.
It can be implemented in two different forms:
Non-credit-bearing: you can use the internship for field work, research experience, data-/material collection for example.
Recent graduate: non-credit-bearing internship after graduation. You must apply for an Erasmus traineeship during your last semester. The entire traineeship period must be completed within 12 months of the date of the diploma. A student who has applied for and been awarded their degree can no longer apply for an internship.
You can read more about traineeship here.
Erasmus+ staff exchange
Going on exchange as staff means opportunities to develop skills by, for example, job shadowing or making study visits to a company or higher education institution in a Programme country where there is an interesting research group or that has equipment or works with methods that you want to learn more about.
It is important to highlight how mobility is linked to the internationalisation work at Umeå University and especially your own work tasks (not research). The exchange must be at least two days and maximum 2 months. Normally the exchanges approved are 1-2 weeks.
You can read more about staff exchange here.
Teacher exchange
The teacher exchange gives you the opportunity to teach, hold a seminar or supervise at a partner university. It is an opportunity to develop your teaching skills and improve your language skills.
The exchange must be at least two days and have at least eight hours of teaching/week. The exchange can be maximum 2 months. Normally the exchanges approved are 1-2 weeks.
You can read more about teacher exchange here.
Take the opportunity to build an international network, broaden your horizons and create new opportunities in your future career!