ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT of T.E.I. Piraeus ERASMUS CHARTER NO: 31692 Our strategy is to continuously develop TEI Piraeus (TEI) European visibility. All partners all selected within the EHEA geographical area and the collaboration network is broadened with other HEI that have established the ECTS system. Our objectives are a) quality improvement of services offered to incoming and outgoing students, teaching and administrative staff, b) a variety of courses taught in English , c) encouragement of incomers to attend Modern Greek language courses, offered free of charge, d) enhancement of teaching staff mobility and participation in multilateral projects, and e) increase of student placements at the European level. As T.E.I. Piraeus (TEI) has applied quality control and evaluation measures for cooperation activities, the external assessors made positive comments, encouraging all Institution members to continue their efforts for further development. TEI participates and coordinates educational & EU research projects; it is represented in international associations, networks, fora and conferences. The Erasmus University Charter, as well as all Erasmus activities, will be published on TEI's website, in departments’ study guides, welcome information packages, posters and in other promotional material for local and international educational fairs, career days/weeks, congresses etc. The Institution ensures compliance with non-discrimination objectives as follows: a) Students and teachers with special needs participate in Erasmus activities with all necessary support, b) equal opportunities are offered to men and women, c) no signs of xenophobia and racism have ever been identified, and d) social and economic cohesion and integration is promoted through free daily meals. In summary, we declare our commitment as to: 1) increase the number and quality of students as well as administrative and teaching staff mobility(target set at 30% increase per year) 2) enhance people with special needs to participate in Erasmus activities, 3) encourage preparatory visits to new destinations, 4) apply ECTS rules to all study programs for academic recognition purposes. To improve the quality of academic mobility activities, the following take place: Academic recognition is ensured by implementing ECTS for all students. All ECTS documents are used: student application, learning agreement, transcript of records (before departure for outgoing students and incomers). Following ECTS, students returning from their study period abroad receive credits in accordance with the signed learning agreements and their approved modifications (if any). All departments have information packages with updated details on curricula and other practical guidelines. Meetings are organized for information and counseling of outgoing students several times per year. Students are provided with all necessary details in order to prepare their study period abroad. Valuable assistance is offered by members of the Erasmus

student Association - ESA (est. in 2012). The Erasmus Office on a daily basis provides to students detailed information, about their prospective participation in Erasmus. Incomers, upon arrival, are met by members of the ESA at the Airport and escorted to their housing, which has been arranged - after their application - by the ESA at reasonable prices. Prospective incomers can find details related to TEI in our website, as well as in printed material sent to their home institution. To facilitate Erasmus student mobility, courses in Greek language are offered free of charge, that help incoming students to be integrated in TEI and Greek culture. This program has led to the increase of incoming Erasmus students. Support is provided by the Erasmus Office to teaching staff; their contribution is acknowledged by their Departments’ Presidents. To ensure high quality in student placements, TEI has reached placement agreements with a network of companies at local level, which is to be expanded at the European level. Students are informed about placement opportunities which last for six months (obligatory). Students selected must have obtained appropriate language certification. During placement, students are monitored and evaluated by TEI staff, which fills out a report at the end of the placement period, ensuring that students work on their specific subject area. Students receive recognition and credits for their work placement. Students are also requested to submit an evaluation report in order to make necessary adjustments and further improvement to the program. After the end of the placement period, many companies offer full-time jobs to the students, after their graduation. In order to expand the student placement program, taking advantage of the challenging opportunities offered within the context of LLL, we plan to contact international companies, asking them about placement opportunities in their subsidiaries in European countries.