Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the number of travelling restrictions imposed around Europe, 110 students from the University of Malta and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) will travel to spend their first semester in universities around the EU.
Due to the pandemic, students and educators are facing an extremely different scholastic year.
As students head back to tertiary level educational institutions, a new cycle of Erasmus+ programme exchanges will commence, but COVID-19 has changed the way EU student mobility programmes and Erasmus work in general.
The Erasmus+ programme helps organise student and doctoral candidate exchanges within programme countries and to and from partner countries.
Due to the pandemic, educational institutions around the globe had to close their doors and shift to online education to prevent the spread of the virus. The virus outbreak has had a negative impact on those individuals who were on exchanges, making them plan last minute return flights home, or else remain in the visiting country under quarantine.
The Malta Independent contacted the international offices of the University of Malta and MCAST, to ask about the number of students who will be going abroad through the Erasmus+ programme this semester, and how many international students will be arriving in Malta for their own Erasmus+ programme exchanges.
Back in January 2020, the University of Malta launched the call for applications for the Erasmus+ programme for the academic year 2020/2021. A record number of 635 applications were received from students interested in participating in the Erasmus+ programme between June 2020 and September 2021 (Numbers also include EU and international students studying at the University of Malta, not strictly just Maltese nationals).
A University of Malta spokesperson explained that out of these applications, close to 80 could not proceed on the basis of selection criteria or the cancellation of exchanges in specific areas in view of COVID-19. Due to the virus, approximately 78 partner universities where students were nominated had cancelled incoming and outgoing exchanges.
This semester, 70 University of Malta students will be pursuing their Erasmus mobility, a spokesperson said, and the International Office at the university has begun the process of endorsing and nominating students for Semester 2. “It is very difficult to provide predictions given the volatile nature of the situation locally and abroad,” the spokesperson explained.
During semester 1 of 2019/2020, 260 students went abroad through the Erasmus+ programme. The withdrawal rate for this year is close to double the figure of the previous one. Currently 283 students have withdrawn so far, and the International Office is expecting further withdrawals in due course.
The spokesperson explained that the pandemic has had an extremely negative effect on the number of students going abroad taking place this year, seeing a drastic decrease when compared to the number of students heading abroad which took place just last year. “We processed all applications and went through the rigorous selection and nomination process that is undertaken every year between March and June. We experienced a large number of difficulties in view of the fact that there was a great deal of uncertainty as to what was going to happen and whether we and other universities would be in a position to send and host students.”
Around 150 students enrolled with the University of Malta through Erasmus+
Close to 150 students enrolled at the University of Malta as visiting students for semester 1 of the 2020/21 academic year through the Erasmus+ programme. “Students are required to meet the testing and quarantine regulations in line with those established by the local authorities and in certain cases, specific protocols will apply.” Mitigation measures at the University will apply to all students equally, irrespective of whether they are local or visiting.
The spokesperson explained that COVID-19 has brought about a number of issues and difficulties.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 has had a very negative impact on Erasmus mobilities, not only in Malta but throughout Europe. A substantial number of partner universities cancelled incoming and outgoing mobilities for Semester 1 or the full year; some announced this as late as September. While students nominated to these universities were provided with alternative options where possible, some still withdrew for a number of reasons.”
Students proceeding on traineeships in the medical, clinical and community field have had their placements largely cancelled, and very few are or will be taking place. “Instead, decisions had to be taken locally to ensure that students would not miss out on critical training which is part of their degree and/or is necessary for professional purposes.”
Apart from certain universities cancelling any incoming or outgoing mobilities, a number of partner universities have switched to online delivery of lectures, which makes the concept of Erasmus physical mobility less attractive, the spokesperson explained. “It is undeniable that a virtual mobility can never replace the experience of the ‘traditional’ mobility.” In this case, students are opting to follow online classes with the University of Malta, rather than the partner University.
For those students who do go for the ‘virtual mobility’ option, the European Commission has decided that no grants can be awarded to them, in view of the fact that they will not need to travel. The fluidity of the situation is making students more hesitant to make arrangements to finalise the necessary pre-departure arrangements, in order to see what last minute updates take place in their host country and also locally.
Many MCAST students have postponed their Erasmus+ programme plans to 2021
As the University of Malta noted, a large number of cancellations and postponements were observed and the same could be said for MCAST. An MCAST spokesperson expressed that most have either cancelled or postponed their plans to the summer of 2021.
At MCAST, 18-year-old students from the Vocational Education and Training (VET) level 4 (which is equivalent to Sixth Form Level), as well as Level 6 students (HE, equivalent Bachelor’s Degree programmes) can be sent on Erasmus+ programmes.
According to the MCAST spokesperson, a total of 251 students applied for Erasmus+, 113 from the VET level 4 and 138 from HE Level 6; out of which 105 from VET Level 4 were accepted and 113 from HE Level 6 were accepted.
Despite the numbers being in their hundreds, much smaller groups actually went or are going abroad through the Erasmus+ programme. At VET Level 4, a total of 31 students either went or are planning on going. 15 of these students have already left or are planning on going by the end of 2020. This year in total, 16 students had left for their Erasmus mobility but were interrupted because of the pandemic. Therefore that leaves 74 students who have postponed their Erasmus+ exchange programmes.
When it comes to HE Level 6, 25 students left or will be going by the end of 2020, whilst 13 students had left for their mobility earlier in the year, but their exchange was interrupted due to the pandemic. This means that 75 HE Level 6 students have postponed their Erasmus plans.
When it comes to international students, 13 students have applied for and enrolled to come to MCAST for their Erasmus+ exchange programme. “The students are all adults and will be following the health guidelines issued by the Health authorities for the arrival foreign nationals. At MCAST, they will follow the Health and Guidance Protocols issued for students and staff. The international students will follow the same protocols as their Maltese counterparts at MCAST.”
On Thursday 15 and Friday 16 October, MCAST international office will organize a 2-day webinar. This will include detailed information about Erasmus+; how to apply; testimonials of students and alumni who have been through Erasmus+, and many more.
Feel free to join them in this dynamic Erasmus+ Information Webinar. You can register on: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=tutbJeivRU2sydx93JR5_jkzX33oZg9GvxJiB55aHatUMFM5M0ZQTk9XNDVaR044Sjg2NDRaV05UMC4u&fbclid=IwAR11pidzIVHX8YstUYn9nrA2mpJDkEc4cdsZjxW7epQFlZ4dt9xOmUfkDbM