Evaluating Erasmus: learning from the student experience of placement in Europe Clive Warn Senior Lecturer, Erasmus Lead, UWE [email protected].

Evaluating Erasmus: learning from the student experience of placement in Europe

Clive Warn

Senior Lecturer, Erasmus Lead, [email protected]

(what is) Erasmus: context

• Bologna Process• Internationalisation• EU student and staff

mobility• Funding support• Formal agreement

• Organisational culture: investment and mindset

• Nursing exchange low in UK HE

UWE context

• 2 partner Universities (nursing)

• Practice focus: 10 week formative placement, 12-16 week exchange

• Total immersion; ‘active rather than passive experience’

• Selection criteria and process (AN, CN, MH)

• Preparation essential (previous cohort, travel, orientation, support)

• Personal objectives and practice competencies

Student Mobility 2007-2009University of Applied Sciences, Rovaniemi, Finland (commenced 2007)

Bergen University College, Bergen, Norway(commenced 2009)

Totals

Contract places per year

8 (shared between adult and child nursing)

6(shared between adult and mental health nursing)

Places used (to end 2009)

17 5 22

Total applications 30 8 38

Note: 2 cohorts per year

The experience abroad

• Some choice of placement• Challenge with documentation• English language • Mentor, student buddy, family• CRB, insurance, MRSA, hours in practice• EILC

The evaluation: process

• n=22• 4-6 weeks after return• Focus groups, written

reflective accounts, and presentation: ‘what was your experience as a student nurse on erasmus?’

• Themes emerging;– Practice of nursing– Self and professional

development– Cultural learning and

consciousness

The evaluation: Practice of Nursing

• ‘Same but different’: roles, relationships, possibilities, perspective

• Same issues, different solutions: service improvement

• Loss of comfort leading to new realities (change)

• Challenged norms/realities e.g., dignity, infection control

• Communication beyond boundaries, honed assessment

• Competency driven initially leading to sense of liberation

The evaluation: Self and Professional Development• Inseparable• Isolated but motivated

by the experience• Driven by desire to ‘fit

in’, high self expectation• Proving, self-managing,

achievement, overcoming, self-belief

• Assertion and confidence skills

• Realisation, knowing, consolidation of knowledge and skill

• Adapting, flexibility, relaxed outlook (freedom to learn)

The evaluation: Cultural Learning and Consciousness• Fitting in, sense of

belonging• Need for peer support,

making sense, familiarity (hub)

• Being immersed • Living in a different

country/environment

• Understanding difference: practice, people, interactions, climate, leading to lived cultural sensitivity

• Experiencing disjuncture

• Growing a ‘third eye’

Discussion

• Overwhelmingly positive experience

• Selling it • Perceived employability• Capitalises on

motivated individuals (students & staff)

• Enhanced objectivity

• Huge untapped development opportunity

• Finance• Preparation: networks,

language, culture• Organisational

commitment• Embed in curriculum

Recommendations

• UK network of coordinators• Staff mobility and collaborative work• Evaluation post-qualifying• Increase activity• Integrate further into curriculum

Resources • http://ec.europa.eu/education/index_en.htm European Commission,

Education and Training• http://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus.htm • Cowan, R.B. (2007) An appraisal of European exchange programmes for

nursing students. Nursing Standard. 21, 22, 40-47.• Green, B.F., Johansson, I., Rosser, M., Tengnah, C., & Segrott, J. (2008)

Studying abroad: A multiple case study of nursing students’ international experiences. Nurse Education Today. 28, 981-992.