Pupil and student mobility
In the programmes of the European Union, the mobility of basic school and upper secondary students is merged with the Erasmus+ programme in education and sports from 2014 to 2020. Its implementation is the responsibility of the Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS).
The Erasmus+ supports both the mobility of individuals and cooperation among organisations and institutions to improve the quality of education, as well as strengthen the social cohesion and competitiveness of the Union’s economy. Students participate in various parts of the programme, in particular in projects of Key Action 1: Learning Mobility of Individuals. They can also participate in projects of the Key Action 2: Cooperation partnerships which include four phases: planning, development, implementation and continuous monitoring. Learners can participate in the activities of implementation if their participation has a positive impact on the realisation of the project goals. The cooperation partnerships are in general for supporting the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices and implementation of common incentives for promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchange of experience at the European level. It is based on priority tasks within the policy of the individual Erasmus+ sector at both European and national levels.
In the scope of learning mobility of individuals, pupils and students of general and technical programmes can participate in:
- Group mobility of pupils and students at a partner school (two to thirty days for two students per group; time of travel excluded)
- Individual short-term mobility of students (10 to 19 days or at least two days if it involves participants with fewer opportunities; time of travel excluded)
- Individual long-term mobility of students (one month to one year; time of travel excluded)
- All forms of activities can be combined with virtual activities. The longest and shortest duration applies to the physical part of activities.
In the projects of learning mobility of individuals in vocational education and training (VET), the candidate organisations apply for a grant for the implementation of learning mobility of students, namely to support practical training of students abroad (both based in a company or other proper organisation or at VET school). It can last no less than 2 weeks and no more than 12 months (time for travel excluded). This activity welcomes students who have recently completed a VET programme or training in organisations that provide VET for students; however, students must undertake and complete the activity one year after the schooling has ended. These projects aim to improve the employability of young people and facilitate their transition to the labour market, develop partnerships between education and employment, as well as match the VET policies to local, regional and national economic development strategies.
Virtual mobility and international cooperation in virtual projects
Slovenian kindergartens and schools participate and team up in the action e-Twinning, which is the action of the Erasmus+ programme aimed at supporting and promoting international cooperation within the system of education and training, namely by using modern ICT. CMEPIUS provides the national counselling service for participants in eTwinning, and helps Slovenian kindergartens and schools develop and implement the virtual partner projects and further cooperation between pre-school and schoolteachers, as well as children and students from various countries.
Mobility of young people for non-formal learning
The Erasmus+: Youth in Action Programme addresses the youth sector and promotes the organisation of learning mobility of all young people aged 13 to 30 years. The programme creates opportunities for non-formal learning and informal learning in the context of youth work. At the same time, it promotes the development of competence of the youth workers and managers of the activities of non-formal learning in youth work, as well as the participation of young people in the dialogue with the creators of youth policies at local, national, European or international level. The youth chapter of the Erasmus+ programme in Slovenia is the responsibility of the MOVIT, Institute for the development of youth mobility.
In the scope of the Erasmus+ Key actions 1 and 2, special measures aim to realise the programme objectives in youth, and they include among others projects of youth mobility. The youth exchanges (of five to 21 days, time of travel excluded) are the opportunity for groups of young people from different countries to meet and discuss various topics and issues they share, within the wider European context). There is also the European volunteer service offering young people the possibility of extended dwelling and working in the host organisation in another country for up to 12 months. The work of a volunteer benefits the host organisation or local community and at the same time, the practical exercise provides a learning opportunity for the volunteer. Alongside projects of youth mobility, one has implemented Cooperation partnerships in the field of youth, as well. They have been a contributing factor in improving competence of actors in the youth sector to further improve the quality of youth work, participation of youth and active citizenship or promotion of (social) entrepreneurship of young people.
National programmes for student mobility
The administrator of the programmes for the mobility of upper secondary students is the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenia (fund).
In the fund’s programme of scholarships for study visits abroad, upper secondary students may apply for scholarships for mobility to the institution abroad for no less than 2 weeks. It may involve an educational institution, company or other organisation. It is only necessary that the school in which the upper secondary student applicant has been enrolled in Slovenia assesses and recognises the obligations fulfilled abroad as part of the education programme.
Furthermore, the fund offers scholarships for one student to participate in the Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute, which is a 3 to 4-week summer school for young people interested in international transatlantic relations; it connects American and European young people and aims to improve awareness of mutual values and cultural relations.
Students who strive to measure and exchange their knowledge internationally may apply for funds to part-cover costs of participation at contests in knowledge or research abroad.
Additionally, the fund promotes the internationalisation of the Slovenian upper secondary realm, namely with the Programme of scholarships for upper secondary education of students from Western Balkan states upper secondary technical, vocational and professional schools in Slovenia,
The Ministry of Education has been by law on organisation and financing of education funding international cooperation.
By national law and intergovernmental bilateral agreements and documents one has pursued several activities for schooling of national minorities and cross-border Slovenian minorities, namely multiday professional learning excursions for students, invitations to cross-border Slovenian schools to participate at school competitions and in other activities in Slovenia. In Slovenia, one has been organising summer schools for children and young people from abroad to learn the Slovenian language. State funds have been allocated to special scholarships for Slovenian upper secondary students, and representatives of the Slovenian minorities in neighbouring countries (Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia).
Alongside the international matura programme in Slovenia, the Ministry of Education cooperates with the international network of upper secondary schools called United World Colleges (UWC). The UWC central office is in London. Every year, Slovenia gets one place appointed in UWC Devine, and on occasion, one place in one of the UWC across the world. After two years of education and training, students take the international matura examinations.
Assessment and recognition of education
The assessment and recognition of education for different purposes may not be avoided when discussing the possibilities of mobility. In the procedure of assessment, the ENIC-NARIC centre issues an opinion on various elements of completed education. The assessment procedure is specified by the law on assessment and recognition of education. The assessment of education for continuing education in the Republic of Slovenia is an administrative procedure by law that must be initiated at the educational institution on which the holder of the document wishes to continue education. Basic schools are exception because the recognition of foreign education to continue education in Slovenian basic schools is no longer required.
In short-term mobility in European programmes, the agreement among the student, sending school and receiving school is the background reference for the recognition of obligations realised abroad. Educational institutions agree in advance on the content of education or training. At all upper secondary vocational schools, students receive school certificate supplements, which is a document of the Europass folder.
In national programmes that allow for so-called study visits by students, the candidates for mobility must submit to the prime school information about activities and content that will be pursued abroad, and then the prime school issues a confirmation of assessment of obligations realised abroad – it may be recognition of credit points or interest activities, partial mark in the subject, and so forth.
Teacher mobility
The mobility of preschool teachers, schoolteachers and other education staff in school education and VET at the level of EU has been pursued primarily in the Erasmus+. Its realms of education have been coordinated and implemented by CMEPIUS. Preschool teachers, school teachers and other education staff can participate in various parts of the programme, in particular in projects (leaders of which are organisations and individuals) of the Key Action 1 – Learning mobility of individuals and Key Action 2 – Cooperation partnerships.
Furthermore, they may partake in continuous professional development abroad (both education and training, as well as contact seminars) supported by the eTwinning funds.
Projects of learning mobility of individuals in school education (basic, vocational and professional education and training from preschool to upper secondary level) may include one or several types of staff mobility:
- Teaching at a partner school or other proper institution abroad (two days to one year; time of travel excluded)
- Participation in structured courses or training (two days to one month; time of travel excluded), and
- Job shadowing at a partner school or other proper institution (two days to two months; time of travel excluded).
All forms of activities can be combined with virtual activities. The longest and shortest durations apply for physical part of activities.
Projects aim to enable the professional and personal development of staff as these impacts greatly the improvement of the quality of teaching and innovation and creativity in education.
Projects of learning mobility of individuals in VET support alongside student mobility further two types of staff mobility (of two days to 12 months, time for travel excluded): programmes of teaching/training at a partner VET school/organisation abroad, and education and training of staff in the form of work practice or workplace study visits abroad in a company or any other VET organisation. These projects aim to improve the employability of young people and facilitate their transition to the labour market, develop partnerships between education and employment, as well as match the VET policies to the local, regional and national economic development strategies. At the same time, the activities represent an opportunity for VET staff to acquire competence to teach and interact with learners with disadvantaged backgrounds.
International activities of learning, teaching and training for individuals may be implemented in the scope of Cooperation partnerships in the field of education, but only if the activities add value to the realisation of aims of the individual project in the field of VET, too. As the main purpose of all strategic partnerships is to support the development, exchange and/or implementation of innovative practices, as well as common initiatives to promote cooperation, peer learning and exchange of experience at the European level.
Under the auspice of the Council of Europe, one organises seminars for teachers and other actors in education, namely within the Pestalozzi Programme. In this programme, the staff may take part in international workshops and European seminars in the Council of Europe member states. The focus of the programmes is on the promotion of the European dimension in education; workshops and seminars address the priority areas of the Council of Europe, such as: education for democratic citizenship, history, languages, and so forth.
National programme for mobility of teachers and education staff
The Slovenian education system aims to promote the development of multilingual competence of individuals and plurilingual competence in the education realm. In previous years, several projects had been developed at the national level in which public and private educational institutions, as well as universities participated. Certain projects have completed already, others continue, some started anew. Based on national laws and interstate bilateral agreements and documents, one has been implementing a spectrum of activities for schooling of national minorities and cross-border Slovenian national minorities. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education administers the network of teachers of Slovenian language for Slovenians across the world, and provides funds to compensate their service.
Financial compensations
Based on the calls for applications, it is possible to obtain financial grants that include support for travel expenses and a grant for individual support to co-fund living expenses. The support for travel expenses depends on the distance between the location of the applicant's home institution and the place of activity. The grant for individual support varies depending on the country where the mobility takes place. Staff who opt for green travel may receive additional individual support to cover the costs of the return journey if necessary.
Recognition of professional development of staff within the Erasmus+ programmes
Activities within the European Erasmus+ programme are recognized as additional professional activities for teachers/education staff for the advancement of employees in educational institutions to higher titles. Certificates of completed activities are issued by CMEPIUS based on the classification of international cooperation in programmes of the European Community in the field of education and training:
- Participation in training and education, and
- Project work (Application for the issue of a certificate for obtaining points for the advancement of employees in educational institutions to higher titles).