Ugovori o saradnji – Fakultet za crnogorski jezik i književnost

Erasmus+ Programme

Internationalization has been defined as a crucial dimension in the strategic development plan of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature (FCJK). In this context, the Erasmus+ Programme is considered a fundamental instrument to contribute to the realization of the strategic goals of the FCJK, with particular regard to the international dimension of higher education and support for the smooth flow of academic and scientific research content in an international context.

Participation in the Erasmus + 2021-2027 Programme is a continuation of institutional activities aimed at overcoming existing national and organizational barriers and positioning the cultural and professional growth of all members of the academic community at the center of the whole process. In this path, the academic, personal, cultural and professional growth of all Programme participants is fostered not only by transnational and international mobility paths, but also by the creation of an international environment capable of providing international and intercultural competences relevant for a global labor market and for a responsible and active role in the community. Development and Cooperation dimensions of the Faculty’s strategy have a clear focus on the direct engagement of students and are completely in line with the new Programme framework. Similarly, the participation in the Programme activities will contribute to the modernization of the institution and to comprehensive internationalization in line with the existing institutional strategy of the FCJK.

Cooperation arrangements

The first step in establishing cooperation is the bilateral agreement between partner HEI institutions. This document determines the state of the specifics of individual institutional cooperation and thus creates conditions for the development of cooperation within the Erasmus + Programme.

In order for the activities within the Erasmus + Programme to take place, HEI in a Program Country propose an Inter-institutional Agreement to the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature as HEI in a Partner Country. In the Inter-institutional agreement, the sending and receiving Institutions agree to cooperate on the exchange of students and staff in the framework of Erasmus + Programme, range of courses open to visiting students and on the options for staff mobility. It also determines the principles and obligations of participants in all phases of the Programme implementation (before mobility, during mobility and after mobility).

This Agreement guarantees that the sending Institution will recognize the credits gained by its students for successfully completed activities abroad, which will contribute to the student’s degree once they return. It also determines and highlights the principles of the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education by which partner HEIs mutually commit to respecting the quality requirements in all aspects of the organization and management of mobility, and agree on a series of quantitative and qualitative measures to ensure mobility of high quality and impact. The inter-institutional agreement is a set for signing as soon as an Erasmus + grant is awarded and before the first motilities take place.

The Inter-institutional Agreement details the obligations of each institution. Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature (FCJK) only accepts exchange students nominated by partner institution. The partner institution should nominate its students according to the places and subject areas established in the agreement. The sending institution is responsible for the administrative aspects of the student admission process, selecting participants and providing them with all necessary support including pre-departure preparation, monitoring during mobility, and formally recognizing the mobility period. The receiving institution offers participants a study program, or a program of staff training or teaching activities at their institution.

The selection criteria for participants are defined by their sending higher education institution, in agreement with the receiving institution. The first criterion should be academic merit, but with equivalent academic level, preferences should be assigned to individuals from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Students with low income backgrounds or with special needs will be specially targeted.

Information on the mobility opportunities available and the selection procedure will be made public. The selection of participants, as well as the procedure for awarding them a grant, must be fair, transparent and documented and should be made available to all parties involved in the selection process.

Depending on the language of instruction, students must have a B2 level or above (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR). FCJK does not request official language certificates, as we trust our partners to only nominate students who meet the criteria. Students can choose curricular units from different courses, and courses from different degrees, but some restrictions can apply.

Students are required to attend at least 80% of the classes. Most courses are evaluated through “continuous evaluation” which uses a combination of class attendance and participation, individual and group coursework and final tests. At the undergraduate level, students need to achieve the minimum passing grade in all evaluation elements.

The Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature has adopted the Bologna Process tools for the recognition of study abroad periods, like the ECTS credit system and the ECTS grading scale/tables, the learning agreement (for study and traineeship), the Transcript of Records and the Diploma Supplement.

Learning agreement and Transcript of records (ToR) are required for every type of mobility. Transcript of records are issued automatically. A copy is sent to the student by e-mail and the original to the IRO of home HEI.

The principles reported in the regulation and published in the guidelines for student mobility state that the activities that are approved in the LA, if confirmed by the results of the ToR, are automatically recognized in the student study plan without any integration, so there is a full guarantee about the LA activities. It is also clear the possibility for the student to appeal in case of problems, even if he / she can always choose not to have certain credits recognized in his / her own initiative.

All staff mobility will be recognized as part of regular workload and will be taken into account for staff assessment procedure.

The Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature, in continuity with the past experiences within the Erasmus + 2014 – 2020, will take part in most of the actions of the new Erasmus + 2021-2027 Programme. Within the set framework, FCJK will be focused on Mobility of students and staff, considering mobility as a fundamental part of the academic, professional and personal growth of program participants. KA1 and in particular the mobility of students for study and traineeship will contribute to consolidate the experience of the mobility as a crucial and perfectly embedded experience within their academic career pursuing qualitative more than quantitative goals. The same will be applied to academic and professional staff. Staff mobility (teaching and professional staff) aspects are also a reliable opportunity for the whole institution to modernize through the activities and events created by the transnational collaborations.

Governance and structure to implement Internationalization at FCJK follows the approach defined in the statute of the institution. These activities are led by the Faculty Board, Dean, Vice Dean for Teaching, Vice Dean for Science and International Relations and other appointed actors and the management of internationalization that is mainly under the control of the International Relations Office. In the current governance structure of the current Program is managed by all the units of the International Relations Office, but in particular by the Vice Dean for Science and International Cooperation, who is in charge of direct communication with international partners. As indicated above, this is the current political and management structure which may change with future governance settings.

Impact

FCJK is a relatively young academic and research-based HEI and it has participated in the Erasmus+ Programme since its creation. In the last few years, the participation in the Programme has been increasing and the participation in E + 2021 – 2027 will continue this trend. Therefore, all members of the academic community will be the target of participation in the program. In particular, students of all cycles will be the main beneficiaries of the KA1 actions, including international learning mobility, if confirmed. Teaching staff, in particular young researchers, and professional staff will be the target of the mobility of staff of the other Programme actions.

The objective of promoting student mobility has always been set in the Strategic Plans of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature with a focus not only on the quantity aspects (such as the increasing of the mobility figures) but also on the quality aspects (such as the recognition of credits).

All mobility opportunities will be promoted through the FCJK official website so that all interested candidates can apply. The Erasmus Charter for Higher Education will also be located as a permanent link / banner within the official page of the FCJK.

The opportunities offered by the Programme will also be communicated to the FCJK academic community, including students through meetings and notices on the bulletin board at the Faculty premises. The selection of candidates will be based on qualitative criteria of the training projects such as coherence with professional goals, impact on the job and so on.

All activities within the Erasmus + Programme will also promote and foster multilingualism, European identity and recognition of Europe’s cultural heritage and its diversity. In this way, students, teaching and professional staff of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature as participants in the Erasmus + Programme will gain insight into new and innovative formats of education and be able to develop their academic and professional knowledge and skills.