The fact that international mobility offers a fundamental added value, both for students and teachers, is absolutely clear. A well-framed study / internship or teaching period abroad gives you a privileged view of the educational affairs or field of work in the country in question. It sharpens your international and intercultural skills, including your fluency in foreign languages. The international perspective opens up new doors within your field. Numerous Howest graduates testify that the opportunities on the labor market increase for those who have learning or work experience abroad. Employers appreciate typical qualities of mobility students: flexibility, entrepreneurship, mobility, self-reliance and language skills. Furthermore, such an international period broadens your outlook, creates new friendships, teaches you how to deal with diversity and intercultural dialogue, and promotes independence, assertiveness and maturity. Erasmus+ Via Erasmus you can study at one of Howest's European partner colleges for a period of at least three months to a maximum of one academic year. The credits obtained abroad (ECTS credits) are fully recognised by Howest, so that the courses that you were unable to take at Howest at that time do not have to be “made up”. You will find out which of our 130 Erasmus partners specifically qualify for your study programme through your internationalisation coordinator. The foreign institution may not charge an Erasmus student a registration fee. You will also keep any study grant you may have, and will receive an Erasmus grant on top of that, as a contribution to your travel and accommodation expenses during the mobility period. The Erasmus grant is composed of part European and part Flemish co-funding. The monthly amount is higher for scholarship students. On Leho info site "Go International", you will find the Erasmus grant amounts that apply for the current academic year. The usual school insurance will remain in effect during your stay abroad, even during your private time there. An important part of an Erasmus study period is the so-called "Learning Agreement". This “Learning Agreement” describes the courses that you will take as an Erasmus student abroad and the credits that you will acquire if you pass. The agreement is signed by the home and host institution as well as by the student, at least one and a half month before departure. Erasmus provides for a compulsory online language test, which every student must take before departure. Upon receipt of the fully signed Learning Agreement, the International Office grants the license for the language test to the student. If it turns out that your level is lower than what the partner school expects, you are expected to retrain via a free online Erasmus language course. International Office will also provide you the license for this. Upon your return, you will have to take another online language test, in which Erasmus hopes that your mobility will have improved your language skills. To find out about the specific Erasmus possibilities within your study programme, you can contact the internationalisation coordinator of your study programme or campus. You can find his / her name on the general information page of your study programme on LEHO, under the heading "internationalisation". Short-term mobility programmes Howest offers you the opportunity to also participate in short-term mobility programmes: an International Week covering a specific theme at a foreign or French-speaking partner institution a Student Conference, such as the annual Unité Student Conference in Edinburgh on “Employability Skills and Cultural Awareness”, for students from Business & Entrepreneurship. An Intensive Programme, with students and lecturers from different countries working together in international groups on a specific theme. The IP usually ends with a presentation of the results to a jury of lecturers and specialists from the field, followed by a spectacular farewell party. Under the previous Erasmus programme, we received subsidies towards the travel and accommodation costs for students and lecturers taking part in such IPs. Unfortunately, this funding is no longer provided under Erasmus +. Even without the Erasmus funding, we will continue to build on the expertise gained in this successful mobility concept. Numerous study programmes continue to organise IPs with their partner universities. the China from Within study trip organised annually Howest-wide, with a stay on the campus of our Chinese partner university. a cross-border boot camp an exchange with your class to French-speaking Belgium, via the Prince Philippe Fund Credits associated with most short-term international mobility initiatives. So they count in the context of your study programme. Even without credits, there is recognition: your foreign mobility will be stated on your diploma supplement. Many Howesters take their first steps in the wide (academic) world thanks to such short-term mobility projects where they are able to travel in the company of fellow students and lecturers. For many, however, they are only a first step. There are now countless numbers of students who have an amazing time during an IP or International Week and immediately apply for a full semester of study or internship abroad upon their return. Keep an eye on the Leho info site 'Go International' or that of your study programme. That's where you will see the calls appear for short-term mobility projects. Don't miss out on all the opportunities! Grade conversion If you go on a study exchange with a partner institution abroad (or in the French-speaking community of Belgium), that exchange semester or year will be recognised in your Howest curriculum: the course units you take up abroad will replace course units at Howest. Since your exchange will count towards your Howest diploma, you will not incur any study delay, and, after the exchange, you will continue with your Howest study programme with no interruptions related to having been abroad. Your study exchange will also appear on your Diploma Supplement as a part of your Howest curriculum. Howest fully recognises the results obtained at the partner institution and determines the final scores for the course units done abroad. Your host institution provides us with a Transcript of Records mentioning the (exam) scores you obtained there, and as a part of the recognition procedure, Howest will transfer those results to Howest scores. Read more The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) ESN is the student organisation for and by Erasmus students, active in hundreds of higher education institutions all over Europe. ESN actively supports internationally mobility students. Anyone travelling on Erasmus should inquire about the nearest ESN group. You can also play a role as a stay-at-home or former Erasmusser by joining the brand new ESN section in Kortrijk. By the way, did you know that ESN was founded at Ghent University in 1990, one year after the start of the Erasmus programme? Erasmus Belgica If you are looking for a destination closer to home, there is Erasmus Belgica. This is an initiative to promote the mobility of higher education students between the Flemish and French Communities. Students must be able to complete a part of their training at a university or a college in another Community of Belgium, without jeopardizing the completion of their diploma within the stipulated period. Participating students do not pay any enrollment fee to the host institution and all programmes of study are eligible. This project also wants to give students the opportunity to integrate effectively through their studies into the language and culture of another community in Belgium. Each student receives a fixed sum of € 100 regardless of the distance, to be regarded as a premium or incentive. An additional monthly allowance of € 100 is awarded to students who prove that they are renting accommodation for the duration of their studies in the other community. For the rest, everything runs exactly according to the rules and conditions of the European Erasmus exchanges. An Erasmus Belgica programme lasts at least three months and a maximum of one year. Usual school insurance remains in effect during that period. To find out the specific Erasmus Belgica possibilities within your study programme, it is best to consult the internationalisation coordinator of your campus or study programme. Study worldwide Howest also has partner institutions in the US, Canada, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Our students can go there for a semester study / internship or a summer school programme. You can find them in our partner list and on Leho via Go International. We make maximum use of the grant programmes offered by the Province of West Flanders and those offered through the Flemish government, such as the Priority Country Programme, The Washington Center grants, ASEM Work Placement and the Generic grants. Howest International Office also regularly has Erasmus + grants that can be used for student mobility to and from our intercontinental partners. Don’t miss a single call! Check out the Go International info site on Leho and Howest International on Facebook. Support for language preparation Anyone who invests in language preparation before their mobility period can get a refund of up to €100 from Howest. In concrete terms, this could be the purchase of learning materials such as DVDs or dictionaries, or registering for a language course, both here and at your destination. You will find more information on the Go International Leho site, including the reimbursement documents. In addition, Howest organises a free course: English for Exchange Students, in both Kortrijk and Bruges, for students from study programmes that do not include English. Incoming exchange students can also take these lessons. The Erasmus programme also provides specific language support (see item Erasmus +).