Goals

The aim of the EMIC project is to research and develop an integrated learning programme to support the development of intercultural competences of students within the Erasmus Mundus programmes.

Specific objectives of the EMIC project are:

• Objective 1: Identify and explore specific issues and needs of students and alumni with respect to interculturality in EM programmes.
• Objective 2: Develop a flexible learning programme, integrating face-to face and online activities for EM students and alumni, and test it with a test group of EMMCs.
• Objective 3: Develop an EMIC Toolkit with a set of open educational resources, recommendations and learning activities that can enable all EMMCs to run the EMIC learning programme adapted to their cultural needs.
• Objective 4: Disseminate the results of the EMIC project and the EMIC Toolkit to all EMMCs and other stakeholders (i.e. potential study-abroad students and other Erasmus for All Actions).

Within the EM programme, the benefits of intercultural competence for students can be seen from four perspectives:

• Improving the student experience by developing learners intercultural competences so they can learn and work more effectively with peers in their country of residence and beyond.
•  Enhancing the academic success of EM students during their EMMCs.
•  Developing learners intercultural competencies to enable them to work across national and sectorial boundaries.
•  Allowing the host HEI to have cohorts of students that are flexible and able to cope with diverse backgrounds, through lowering the student cultural integration curve.

Indirect benefits will also accrue to the Erasmus Plus Actions based on mobility and learning, which can benefit from the open use of a EMIC Toolkit that can be customised and implemented to support development of intercultural competence within other Actions.