FAQs are divided into three sections. The first section provides general information about Erasmus Mundus and EADIC II; the second section describes the types of mobility forseen by EADIC II; the third section provides explanations about the application procedure.
a 1 - What is Erasmus Mundus 2009-2013?
Erasmus Mundus (2009-2013) is a co-operation and mobility program in the field of higher education that started in 2004 and has been extended until 2013. It aims to the enhancement of the quality of European higher education and promotion of dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation with third countries. In addition the program contributes to the development of human resources and the international cooperation capacity of higher education institutions in third countries by increasing mobility between the EU and these countries. The program presents three main action lines:
Action 1: Joint Programs including scholarships;
Action 2: Partnerships with Third Country higher education institutions and scholarships for mobility;
Action 3: Promotion of European higher education.
a 2 - What is Erasmus Mundus Action 2?
EMA2 is a program complementary to other higher education initiatives, Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Asia Link, Alfa, Alban, Edu-link. It is a co-operation and mobility scheme at 5 levels (undergraduate, Master, PhD, post doc, academic and administrative staff) and it supports students and staff mobility between Europe and "Third Countries" grouped in geographical lots. It is co-financed by the European Commission. Lot 13a is addressed only to Argentinean candidates and it provides scholarships only at PhD, Post Doc and academic/administrative staff levels.
a 3 - What is EADIC II?
EADIC II means Europe-Argentine for Development, Innovation and Change and it is the follow up of last year's edition EADIC. EADIC II is one of the selected projects within the last call for proposals in the framework of Erasmus Mundus Action 2 (EMA2).
b 1 - What does mobility mean?
Mobility means moving physically to another country, in order to undertake studies, work, research, other learning or teaching or research activities or related administrative activity.
b 2 - What is a scholarship?
The scholarship is the grant that successfull candidates receive to fund their mobility to EADIC II host universities. However, the duration of mobility and scholarship do not necessarily correspond. The duration of mobility depends on the type of mobility and, in the case of Full PhD, it corresponds to the actual duration of the PhD program at the host university. The duration of the scholarship depends mainly on the type of mobility, but, in the case of Full PhD, it does not necessarily correspond to the actual duration of the PhD program at the host university. For more details about scholarship lenght please see FAQ b 9.
b 3 - What are the priority study or research areas for scholarship and/or fellowship candidates of lot 13a EADIC II?
Scholarship and fellowship candidates of LOT 13a can choose among the following priority study and research areas:
- Agricultural Sciences (including agriculture, agricultural economics, food science and technology, horticulture, fisheries, forestry, animal husbandry, tropical/subtropical agriculture)
- Engineering, Technology (including mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, electronic and telecommunications, informatics, materials, aeronautical)
- Geography, Geology (including geography, environmental sciences and ecology, geology, soil and water sciences, geodesy, cartography, remore sensing, meteorology)
- Mathematics, Informatics (including mathematics, statistics, informatics and computer sciences, artificial intelligence, actuarial sciences)
- Natural Sciences (including biology, physics, chemistry, microbiology, biotechnology, nuclear and high energy physics, biochemistry, astronomy and astrophysics, oceanography).
b 4 - How many types of individual mobility flows are targeted in lot 13a EADIC II?
EADIC II foresees four types of individual mobility flows:
• Sandwich PhD
• Full PhD
• Post-doctorate fellowships
• Academic/administrative staff
b 5 - What is a Sandwich PhD?
PhD scholars regularly enrolled in a PhD program at an Argentinean university, and willing to spend a period of study/research of 6/10 of months at one of the 10 European partner universities. These scholars are expected to go back to their home country to finish their studies.
b 6 - What is a Full PhD?
Argentinean PhD candidates, who are not enrolled in a PhD programme yet, but willing to start a Full PhD programme at one of the 10 European partner universities.
b 7 - Who belongs to Target Group 1?
Applicants currently enrolled or employed at one of the Argentinean universities member of the consortium.
The following categories of applicants belong to target group 1:
- Sandwich PhD: Argentinean PhD scholars, regularly enrolled in a PhD programme at one of the 10 Argentinean partner universities and willing to spend a period of study/research of 6/10 months at one of the 10 European partner universities. These scholars are expected to go back to their home country to finish their studies.
- Full PhD: Argentinean PhD candidates, not enrolled in a PhD programme yet, currently working at one of the 10 Argentinean partner universities and involved in research, didactic or administrative areas and willing to enroll in a Full PhD programme at one of the 10 European partner universities.
- Post Doc fellowship: Argentinean fellows with a PhD title, currently working at one of the 10 Argentinean universities, involved in research, didactic or administrative areas and willing to apply for a Post Doc Fellowship programme at one of the 10 European partner universities.
- Academic/administrative staff: professors and administrative/technical staff currently working at one of the 10 Argentinean universities and willing to spend a period of mobility for teaching, research and institutional cooperation at one of the 10 European partner universities.
Only for TG1 applicants: please contact and inform your home university International Relations Office before applying. All the contact details are provided on the partners page.
b 8 - Who belongs to Target Group 2?
Applicants affiliated to other Argentinean universities, not members of the consortium, or working in public or private institutes active in the thematic fields of the project.
The following categories of applicants belong to target group 2:
- Sandwich PhD: Argentinean PhD scholars regularly enrolled in a PhD programme at an Argentinean university not member of the consortium, and willing to spend a period of study/research of 6/10 months at one of the 10 European partner universities. These scholars are expected to go back to their home country to finish their studies.
- Full PhD: Argentinean PhD candidates not enrolled in a PhD programme yet and willing to enroll in a Full PhD programme at one of the 10 European partner universities. These citizens should be working at an Argentinean university not member of the consortium or in any Argentinean public or private institution active in the thematic areas of the project.
- Post Doc Fellowship: Argentinean Post Doc fellows with a PhD title willing to apply for a Post Doc Fellowship programme at one of the 10 European partner universities. These citizens should be working at an Argentinean university not member of the consortium or in any Argentinean public or private institutions active in the thematic areas of the project.
b 9 - What time length does the scholarship cover?
The duration of the scholarship depends on the type of mobility:
- Sandwich PhD: from a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 10 months.
- Full PhD: up to a maximum of 34 months. N.B.: Full PhD courses have different starting dates in the European host universities and Full PhD scholarships awarded by EADIC II can finance no more than 34 months mobility. No scholarship can be paid before mobility starts nor after January 15th, 2014. Therefore, depending on the starting dates of the PhD courses, the scholarship duration may be less than 34 months. Please do contact the EADIC II contact person at the host university for details about starting dates.
- Post-Doc: 6 months.
- Academic/administrative staff: from a minimum of 1 month to a maximum of 2 months.
b 10 - What does the scholarship cover?
The scholarship contributes to cover the different activities necessary to reach the objectives of the action. The scholarship covers: travel costs, tuition fees, subsistence and insurance costs of scholars and staff participating to the individual mobility flows.
b 11 - What are the language requirements to participate to an individual mobility flow?
There are no general language requirements requested to incoming scholars and staff. Each host university can decide specific language requirements in order to admit candidates.
b 12 - When does the individual mobility flow start?
It is mandatory for all individual mobility flows to start between March 2011 and December 31st, 2011 with the exception of academic and administrative staff, who can start throughout 2012 and 2013. Full PhD candidates must start mobility according to the academic calendar and requirements of the host university; therefore candidates are strongly invited to contact the EADIC II contact person at the host university before planning the mobility.
b 13 - Are inter-European or inter-Third-countries mobility flows allowed?
No. Individual mobility flows of European citizens between European institutions or Third-Country nationals between Third-Country institutions involved in the partnership are not included in this scheme.
b 14 - Can European and Third-country scholars/ staff receive scholarships from other Community programs for the purpose of following an individual mobility flow?
Only one Community grant can be awarded to implement an action or activity. In this context, a European or Third-country scholar/staff benefitting from a mobility scholarship under the present cooperation scheme is not entitled to be awarded additional grants from other EU initiatives for the same purpose.
b 15 - Can incoming students be charged tuition fees?
The maximum tuition fee rates will be paid directly by the consortium as part of the mobility grant. With the exception of small fees to cover library costs, laboratory consumables, etc. which could be charged on an equal basis as to local students, no tuition fees can be charged by the partnership to the incoming scholars in addition to the fee amount already covered by the corresponding part of the grant.
b 16 - Are scholars and academic/administrative staff covered by an insurance policy?
Yes, they are covered by a complementary sickness and accident insurance offered by the consortium and financed by the Community grant allocated to the project.
b 17 - Does the scholarship cover the entire PhD period for a Full PhD?
The length of the scholarship and the length of the Full PhD program at the host university do not necessarely correspond. Anyhow the scholarship cannot cover more than 34 months even if the PhD course is longer; also no scholarship can be paid before mobility starts nor after January 15th, 2014, despite the length of mobility.
Therefore, depending on the starting dates of the PhD courses, the scholarship duration can be less than 34 months. Please do contact the EADIC II contact person at the host university for details about starting dates.
c 1 - Can I apply to other European universities out of the list of partners?
No, the objective of this project is the enhancement of the international cooperation capacity with European universities in the partnership.
c 2 - Can I apply if I do not have a passport or I have applied for it, but I will not get it before the registration deadline?
Yes, you can apply even if you do not have a passport yet; use the identity card instead until you get the passport. In case you have both, the passport is highly recommended.
c 3 - What language should I use to fill out the application form?
You can use either English or the language of the host university to fill out the application form.
c 4 - Do I have to use the Europass CV model?
The Europass CV model is not required, thou highly recommended (http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/img/dynamic/c1344/type.FileContent.file/CVTemplate_en_GB.doc)
c 5 - Do the letters of reference and the motivation statement have to be written in English?
The letters of reference and the motivation statement must be written in English or in the language of the host university.
c 6 - Do I have to submit a paper application?
No, you do not need to submit a paper application. Only for TG1 applicants: please contact and inform your home university International Relations Office before applying.
c 7 - What is the proof of registration?
The proof of registration is a document showing that you are currently registered for studies, enrolled or employed at one of the Argentinean universities members of the consortium (TG1) or affiliated to other Argentinean universities, not members of the consortium, or working in public or private institutes active in the thematic fields of the project (TG2).
c 8 - What is a certificate/transcript of records/course record?
It is an official document showing the courses and results (grades) of your actual studies. It is relevant only for Sandwich PhD candidates.
c 9 - When will I be informed if I get accepted or not?
The selected candidates are notified by mid January 2011 and the list is also posted on the web site.
c 10 - I am Argentinean, but I live in Europe. Can I apply?
If you are an Argentinean national resident in Europe, in order to apply you must not have resided nor carried out your main activities (study, work, etc.) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in one of the European countries.
c 11 - How can I write a more detailed motivation statement?
When the characters for the motivation statement are not enough for you to write a detailed presentation, please provide a separate document uploaded on your application page.
c 12 - Is it required to apply to another host university as second option ?
No, it is no required. Anyhow feel free to consider the opportunity to apply to two different universities. Please notice that where your first option on the application form is an Italian or Spanish speaking university, it is highly recommended to include also an institution with a different language profile.
c 13 - Can I apply for a scholarship within the EADIC II lot 13a framework if I have already been awarded a grant by EADIC lot 16?
EADIC lot 16 grantees can apply once again, but only for different levels of mobility (e.g.: former PhD grantees can apply for Post Doc positions; former Post Doc fellows can apply for Academic staff staff positions). Only Academic staff can apply again for the same level.
c 14 - Can I apply for a Post Doc fellowship if I am not through with the doctoral studies?
In order to be eligible to apply for a Post Doc fellowship you must finish the doctoral studies and provide a copy of the final certificate of your PhD course to your host university and the coordinating institution by June 30th, 2011.
c 15 - Can I apply for a Full Phd course if I am not through with the university degree yet?
Each host univeristy has different starting dates for PhD courses. Therefore please check with the host university you are interested in, in order to get all the needed details about your eligibility and to plan your mobility.