European Digital UniverCity (EDUC)
The EDUC (European Digital UniverCity) alliance, the members of which include, aside from MU, universities in Potsdam, Rennes, Paris-Nanterre, Pécs and Cagliari, has opened up to MU students new opportunities for international education in a wide variety of formats, from a broad range of foreign placements or short-term summer schools all the way through to virtual mobility at partner universities.
EDUC is part of prestigious network of European universities and its aim is to connect six universities, which have a combined total of more than 150 thousand students and 20 thousand staff, into one combined European university. You can find further information regarding EDUC at the website educalliance.eu.
EDUC offers MU students the following opportunities in international education:
Online inter-university courses
- MU students can enrol in virtual mobility & online courses through the inter-university campus. Students can study online courses from six universities, including MU. The list of EDUC online courses is available in the EDUC Course Catalogue (for easier orientation, choose Starting Semester 2nd in the filters on the left for Spring 2022).
- It is possible to enrol in some of these courses through IS MU. In this case, you will find at the course’s description that the course is taught at MU and partner university, and there is no link for the application. After the successful completing of the course, it will be automatically recognised in the IS.
- Other courses require filling out an application form. After acceptance, and before the start of the course, coordinators or teachers will send you all the necessary information. These courses may be recognised by your home MU faculty. In order for them to be recognized, students must fill out the Learning Agreement in IS OIS (electronically signed by the MU faculty coordinator and partner university). This must be completed before the start of the course. Detailed procedure of filling out the LA and the recognition of the course at MU can be found in the document Recognition of EDUC courses v Documents section.
- More information (about application, pre-requisites, ECTS) can be found in the description of each course.
- Participants must be MU students for the entire duration of the course.
- Visiting students (Erasmus, Exchange, semester long, etc.) are entitled to participate on online courses through the EDUC alliance. If the course is taught by a partner university (i.e. not MU) it will not be part of the student's studies at MU and therefore will not be on the MU transcript of records, nor can it be included in the learning agreement. The student will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course by the hosting university which they can give to their home university and be used for recognition. It is up to the home university if the student will receive credits.
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Online language courses
International students studying at Masaryk University can apply for Italian languages courses offered by the University of Cagliari. Please find more details here.
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EDUC Gap Year in France
The programme EDUC Gap Year is opening up for MU master’s students the unique opportunity to broaden their education and study up to two semesters in a different field at Université Rennes 1 and Université Paris Nanterre. This broadening of studies in France is supported by a grant from the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the EDUC alliance, of which MU is also a member.
The aim of the programme is to make it possible for students to gain knowledge from other scientific disciplines, thus expanding on the education gained at MU, acquiring new skills important for future employment, gaining international and cultural experience and developing their language skills.
The EDUC Gap Year can begin in the autumn or spring semester of the academic year 2022/2023. Should you decide to go for two semesters, you can spend both semesters at one university, or each at a different one (enter this in the application).
Participation Conditions
- Studying on an accredited full-time or combined MU study programme.
- The programme is open to students at the master’s level. At the time of the mobility the student must have completed at least the first semester of follow-up master’s studies. Students of 5 or 6 year-long master’s programmes must have completed at least 6 semesters.
- The students can apply only for semester-long mobility or full-year mobility at one school or as a combination of semesters at both schools (indicate this in the cover letter/s).
- A condition of participation is that the chosen set of courses is substantially different (but possibly complementary to that of the study programme at MU). The completed courses will be recognised as free electives only.
- The student must demonstrate knowledge of the foreign language in which they will study. French language proficiency at the B2 level is strongly recommended.
- The financial grants are provided by the receiving university (universities). Terms and conditions are set in the Gap Year Agreement for student mobility.
- The student must choose courses worth at least 30 ECTS per semester.
- This programme requires MU students that after completion of their placement they submit an application for the recognition of courses/credits from the foreign placement; you can find further information here. After returning from France, students have to meet the conditions for enrolment in the next semester to continue their studies.
- The student must provide all the documents requested before the start of foreign placements and after their completion.
- Gap year will be certified with an EDUC certificate (Certificate of attendance) and a Transcript of Records upon completion, so the student can get the courses recognised at MU. The student has to fill in the Experience Report.
Financial Conditions
- Students may receive a mobility grant of up to 900 EUR/month for a maximum of 10 months.
- The student may also receive financial support of up to 300 EUR (one-semester placement) or up to 600 EUR (two-semesters placement) to cover travel expenses.
- The mobility grant and the financial support will be provided in a month after the beginning of teaching period at host university
- The student will receive the grant and financial support in several repayments (specified in the EDUC Gap Year Agreement).
- The mobility is funded by the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR).
Application
How do I apply?
- Through a dedicated application form together with a cover letter explaining your motivation for the Gap Year mobility and the choice of the partner university and the selection of courses.
- MU online application: Students apply for the MU online application that is accessible in IS OIS system. Choose Freemover programme and EDUC Gap Year at French universities application. Within the application upload the cover letter (max. 1 page) with answers to the following questions for each university:
- Describe what you want to achieve during this mobility experience in relation to your academic career.
- Explain how your mobility experience would allow you to develop new skills, European skills, and open up to Europe.
- Explain how your project will allow you to personalise your academic career and how it represents added value for your socio-professional integration
- You also need to indicate which courses you are interested in taking within the Gap Year. Find the list of available courses on the following web pages: University of Rennes and Université Paris Nanterre
- Students need to upload the following document to the MU online application:
- Cover letter in English (for each school if applicable, max. one page each)
- Language certificate or language confirmation from MU for each language if applicable (English or French)
- Gap year application (find it in the Downloads section), Other Documents section in the MU online application
- Deadline for application: 21 April, 2022
Tips for the MU online application:
- Enter the following details for host university coordinators
- Université Rennes 1: Ms. Chloé Duvivier,
2 rue du Thabor - CS 46510, 35065 Rennes Cedex, France,
e-mail: chloe.duvivier@univ-rennes1.fr
- Université Paris Nanterre: Ms. Laura Zandronis
200 av. de la République - 92001 Nanterre Cedex, France,
e-mail: laura.z@parisnanterre.fr
- The start of the mobility is app. September to January/May or January to May. Students can apply for either the autumn semester or both semesters (indicate it in the cover letter)
Criteria for the selection of candidates
- Validation of the administrative documents: The application form is complete, and the language certificate is attached.
- Quality of the cover letter, mentioning:
- New skills development (6 pts)
- Linguistic and cultural skills development (4 pts)
- European openness (4 pts)
- Asset for social and professional integration (4 pts)
- Coherence of selected courses with the mobility project of the student (4 pts)
The student must validate at least one point in each of the above criteria
Before Departure
- Fill out the EDUC Learning Agreement (provided to students before the start of the mobility) and MU Learning Agreement:
- The guide to completing the MU Learning Agreement in IS OIS you can find in the section here.
- One signature from the foreign university will suffice.
- If you interrupt your studies at MU due to a semester or one-year stay in France, you do not have to fill in a Learning Agreement and sign it by MU, but you will not receive credits for your studies. Contact your coordinator at the department/faculty for more information.
- To document a short-term foreign placement in IS, go to the section “internship and stays” and upload the Learning Agreement. From the foreign party one signature is sufficient. From the “programme” columns select “freemover”. Instructions on how to document the stay are here.
- Provide the partner university with the requested information and sign the Gap Year Agreement (partner university will contact you).
- Organise health insurance for the complete time off the stay abroad including the journey there and back, in EU countries, etc. we recommend additional insurance, further information here.
While Abroad
- If there is any need for changes to your selection of courses, discuss them with local (host university) coordinator first. The formal process of changing your Gap Year Agreement for student mobility will follow.
- At the end of studies at the foreign school you will receive the signed and agree the signed Evaluation Form (incl. the mobility dates) and the Transcript of Records.
After Return
- The recognition of foreign studies is fully within the competence of individual faculties/departments/institutes.
- After completion of studies abroad the student must submit a request for recognition of courses/credits from the foreign placement. Further information can be found here.
- Part of the request for recognition is the following documents, which the student uploads to the IS:
- MU Learning Agreement (in case you made some changes)
- EDUC Certificate of Attendance (with confirmed mobility days)
- Transcript of Records
- Students have to fill out MU Online final report and EDUC Evaluation Form
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Summer schools
Information about EDUC summer schools will be published in the spring semester of 2022.
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