What is SWIPE?
What were our aims?
What have we achieved?
The history of SWIPE and its progress
Socrates- Erasmus - European funding

Socrates-Erasmus European funding

The Socrates- Erasmus Action supports Higher Education and is designed to encourage cooperation between universities across Europe, to support the mobility of students and staff in higher education, the development of joint programmes, courses and the development of thematic networks.

A feature of the European Union and the constituent States is a growing European identity. This has been actively encouraged by the EU through the promotion of social and cultural activities many of which are realised through collaborative educational activities such as SWIPE, research and supported projects and mobility schemes.

There aims are outlined in several European strategies, such as the Lisbon Strategy which promotes 'a common vision of an enlarged Europe in a global socio-economic context' a 'knowledge driven economy'; a 'new European social agenda'. In this latter sphere it states that the 'European Union's renewal should not only cover all aspects of the knowledge chain from lifelong learning to advanced research but also social inclusion, anti-poverty and environmental pillars for long-term development and sustainability.'

It is envisaged that this should come about through a set of actions including improving..the quality of life in Europe , and a democracy relying on active participation of all citizens and inhabitants (European Commission 2003). The Socrates Action is designed to realise some of these aims and requires curriculum and other project to address:

• the promotion of equal opportunities between men and women and for disabled persons
• the fight against racism and xenophobia
• social and economic cohesion
• lifelong learning
• worker and student exchange

Information about the range of European support can be found at the following web-sites

European Commission, training and education
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/index_en.html

Socrates, Leonardo and Youth TAO
http://www.socleoyouth.be 

For information on all the Actions
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/down load_en.html

Erasmus for HEIs UK (staff and student mobility, intensive visits etc)
http://www.erasmus.ac.uk/

Applying for projects
http://www3.socleoyouth.be/static/en/overview/erasmus_overvie w.htm

Erasmus Mundus - Master's level programmes for international students
http://www.socleoyouth.be/static/en/info/eras_mundus.htm