VALERA (abgeschlossen 2007)

• EU Commission

• 2004 - 2007

• Oliver Bracht
• Kerstin Janson
• Constanze Obermann
• Harald Schomburg
• Prof. Dr. Ulrich Teichler
• GES (Friedhelm Maiworm/ Albert Over)

ERASMUS is the higher education action of SOCRATES II programme. It seeks to enhance the quality and reinforce the European dimension of higher education. Student mobility is not only considered important for the learning process within the framework of higher education, but it is also expected to have a positive impact on life and career after graduation and on professional integration, as well futher positive effects for the labour market and, consequently, on the performance of the European economy and the objectives of the Lisbon Summit are expected.

The objective of the VALERA project was to evaluate in 30 European countries participating in the ERASMUS program:

• the professional impact of ERASMUS student mobility on students' transition to employment and career development
• the professional impact of teaching in another country in the framework of ERASMUS on teachers' career development.

Two surveys were undertaken in order to collect information from the key persons:

• a questionnaire survey of former ERASMUS students; and
• a questionnaire survey of former ERASMUS teachers.

In order to establish the views and experiences of other actors regarding the professional value and its causes, the evaluation study was complemented by

• a questionnaire survey of university leaders;
• a questionnaire survey of employers; and
• experts and actors'reports on ERASMUS mobility

The project was carried out from January 2005 till May 2006. The 30 countries included were: the 25 member states of the EU, the candidate countries Bulgaria and Romania, and the EEA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.