Erasmus+ facilitates the free circulation of skills

Ms Craciun, in 2024 you received the DAAD‘s »Fundamental Academic Values Award«. Originally from Romania, you are now based at the University of Twente in Enschede. You also participated in the Erasmus+ programme during your studies. How did that come about?

Indeed, it was a huge achievement to receive the DAAD Fundamental Values Award for my research. I am very grateful to DAAD for shining a spotlight on this important topic. I have quite a convoluted educational trajectory, which might in many ways be atypical for a first-generation student. The year I finished my secondary studies, Romania joined the European Union, so I applied and completed my B.A. in England. I was interested in the processes of globalization, so when I found an Erasmus Mundus joint degree in Global Studies, I immediately applied. The programme included various mobility windows from which you could select, so I studied one year in Leipzig (Germany), half a year in New Delhi (India), and half a year in Wroclaw (Poland). It was a wonderful educational experience that was made possible by Erasmus. 

How did you continue your studies and career afterwards?

After finishing my M.A. degree, I worked at the Center for Area Studies in Leipzig as a research assistant and applied for a Ph.D. in higher education policy at Central European University, an American university that was at the time located in Hungary (in the meantime, it has been forced to relocate to Austria). I was lucky and received a Yehuda Elkana Fellowship to do my research on higher education internationalization policy at the Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations at CEU. While there, I got various grants and opportunities to do research and teach abroad. For instance, I was a visiting scholar in the US, a Marie Curie junior visiting researcher in Brazil, and a Global teaching fellow in Myanmar. After finishing my Ph.D., I taught at Bard College Berlin for a year where I was also academic advisor for the OLIve Refugee Education Initiatives. I joined the University of Twente in 2020, first as a postdoctoral researcher and then managed to get a permanent position. And here I am now.

You mention the forced relocation of the Central European University to Austria, which made you realise that academic freedom and institutional autonomy cannot be taken for granted. Is this one of the reasons why you developed an academic interest in fundamental values?

Indeed, the ousting of Central European University from Hungary was a wake-up call that made me look more closely at the protection and promotion of fundamental academic values in Europe, specifically regarding the impact of rising authoritarianism, illiberalism, and neo-nationalism on universities in democratic countries. Unfortunately, the current trends look troubling even in well-established democracies. In this context, I find it especially important for the academic community to resist the temptation of anticipatory compliance, e.g., self-censorship or pre-emptive adaptation to political pressures, as this only accelerates the erosion of the values that we stand for and the public value of higher education. 

To what extent do you think participating in the Erasmus+ programme shaped your personal and professional development?

For me, the Erasmus Mundus joint degree was a great experience both professionally and personally. I had the opportunity to study a subject of interest from different disciplinary angles (e.g., area studies, international relations, social sciences) because of the different partners in the consortium and this has helped a great deal in my academic career. I also learned to navigate challenges such as language barriers, visas, different academic expectations, which strengthened my resilience and problem-solving skills. This made many other moves easier. On a personal level, I made many friends from around the world with which I am still in touch, and we meet regularly (a couple of years ago, we even self-organized a 10-year reunion since our graduation and people came from across Europe and beyond). I am also part of the many people who studies have shown to find their long-term partner during Erasmus. :)

Is there a particular place or country where you would like to live and work?

It is a hard question to answer as there are so many places where I could imagine myself living and working. Still, I think if I could choose, I would go for Berlin. As I already lived there, I know it is a good fit. The city has an intellectually stimulating environment, cultural diversity, amazing nature around it, and last but not least it is an important political and policy hub which is relevant for my academic interests. In fact, many of the colleagues I met throughout my studies (from high school to doctoral studies) have settled there. 

With the »Union of Skills«, the European Union has proclaimed a strategy that focuses on lifelong learning to develop the necessary skills for the labour market and economy. In your opinion, is Erasmus+ already making an important contribution to this strategy?

I think Erasmus+ contributes in many ways to the aims of the Union of Skills strategy. Through the formal and informal learning elements, you can build skills for both the labour market and for life that can make you more adaptable to new developments and challenges. Also, Erasmus+ definitely facilitates the free circulation of skills by encouraging mobility across the EU and beyond. A few years ago, we conducted a systematic literature review on the benefits of transnational cooperation in higher education and found consistent evidence that such experiences increase individuals’ employability at home and abroad, foreign language proficiency, and likelihood of future mobility.

Still, I think we should not think of Erasmus+, or education more generally, in this strictly utilitarian manner that frames them as tools primarily intended for serving economic and labour market needs. If we lose sight of more humanistic ideals (e.g., democratic citizenship and individual development), our education will be impoverished. Also, it is important that we do not make lifelong learning an individual responsibility to remain »employable«, as this focus can obscure broader structural issues like job insecurity, wage stagnation, discrimination or unequal access to education. 

An important principle of the Erasmus+ programme is that it is for everyone. What advice would you give to students who are thinking about studying or interning abroad but are still unsure?

I think it is important to disentangle the principle and the advice. On the one hand, it is important that the programme design, implementation and funding of Erasmus+ lives up to the principle that it is for everyone. International student mobility, including in the Erasmus+ programme, continues to be quite an elitist phenomenon with students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds being significantly underrepresented. We have to ensure that the eligibility criteria, selection process, financial support, and credit recognition procedures do not introduce unnecessary hurdles that deter students from backgrounds that are already underrepresented in higher education from taking up a mobility period. 

On the other hand, my advice to students who are thinking about studying or interning abroad would be: Just go for it! That said, I completely understand the hesitation, especially for those who may not have a strong safety net or don’t know anyone who has done something similar. But based on my experience, I can truly say it will be a memorable and enriching journey, both professionally and personally. It will expand your sense of what’s possible and give you confidence in your abilities. If you’re looking for a more structured or shorter-term option before you commit to an Erasmus mobility period, I also recommend checking whether your university is part of a European University Alliance. These alliances often offer flexible and hybrid mobility opportunities (e.g., summer schools, hackathons and joint courses/microcredentials) that can be a great starting point for a future Erasmus+ experience.