Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window

The Triple I  - Integration, Interaction and Institutions - is a consortium of nine European and ten Russian universities. The Consortium is coordinated by the University of Turku. Triple I mobility scheme awards grants to students and staff of Russian and European Partner Universities, but also to Russian nationals not linked with the Partner Universities. Triple I is funded within the Action 2 – Strand 1 – Erasmus Mundus Partnerships. Erasmus Mundus Action 2 is a co-operation and mobility scheme launched by Europe Aid Cooperation Office and implemented by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

The main objectives of this mobility scheme are:

•     To enhance the international cooperation capacity of universities in Third-countries by facilitating transfer of know-how and good practices in the field of student and academic staff mobility;

•     To promote cooperation between sending and hosting institutions, thus mutually enriching the educational environment of both the hosting and sending institutions in the European and Third-countries;

•     To enable students to benefit linguistically, culturally and educationally from the experience of pursuing academic studies in another country. This will contribute to the mutual enrichment of societies by developing a pool of well-qualified, open-minded and internationally experienced young women/men as future professionals and leaders, capable of responding to the challenges of the new Global Knowledge Society of a globalized world and of improving governance;

•     To improve the transparency and recognition of studies and qualifications, in particular by favoring the practical implementation of Common Areas of Higher education triggered by the interest in the "acquits" of the Bologna process;

•     To contribute to provide good students from vulnerable groups (i.e. refugees, displaced "populations, disabled foreign students, etc) with further education and professional development and empowerment for leadership, thus contributing to disseminate European Union social and democratic values;

•     To enhance the skills and qualifications of foreign higher education staff so that they can contribute actively towards improvement of quality and pertinence, to university research, to changes in system governance and to innovation of higher education through an institution-based visiting teacher exchange system.

•     To build the capacity of the administration and public and private sector by participation of their staff in higher education mobility activities (especially through doctorate and post-doctorate activities);

•     To enhance in the medium term the political, cultural, educational and economical links between the European Union and Third-countries.

The objective of the Integration, Interaction and Institutions Project, or Triple I, is to create an active network of Russian and European universities who cooperate multidisciplinary and multilaterally and promote innovation through joint research, education, and exchange of experience and good practices, in administration and organizing mobility flows. In particular, the Triple I mobility scheme will:

•          form new connections and links between partner universities and increase their capacity for international and interdisciplinary cooperation.

•          contribute to better recognition of studies through ECTS system.

The Triple I mobility scheme will create a group of open minded people who have had the possibility to explore other cultures and language environments. The grant holders will also enjoy increased intellectual capacity and academic skills.

Academic staff and post doctorate mobility will lead to professional development of grant holders, especially through exchange of good practices in pedagogy and research. Host and home universities will receive new ideas on how to broaden the curricula and courses offered for students. These results contribute to the development of both home and host universities: experiences of grant holders lead to higher degree of innovation in teaching and research and increase the international cooperation capacity on personal and institutional level.

Target group 2 and 3 grant holders outside the academic sphere will increase their intellectual capacity and explore European cultures and values. The international experience increases the capacity of their home organizations and further disseminates the experiences of the grant holders.

Host institutions benefit academically from the exchange of experience and good practices in pedagogy and research. Non-mobile students have the possibility to participate in lectures given by visiting experts and increase personal intellectual capital and academic skills, contributing to their institutions and society. Host institutions will also participate in intercultural dialogue contributing to the promotion of European values and better understanding of Russia.