Tag: Erasmus in Valencia

One of the main strategic objectives of the EU education and training policy is to facilitate the maximum mobility of students and trainers, as well as reduce the possible obstacles that could hinder it.

Mobility in training has a very positive impact on human capital: it allows students to acquire new knowledge and skills, increases their employability and makes them more prone to an international professional career. 

Erasmus+ is the EU program that seeks to boost job perspectives and personal development, in addition to helping our education, training and youth systems to provide education and learning that provide people with the necessary work market skills of current and future society. This programme has an indicative financial envelope of €14,774 billion. Of this amount, almost €3 billion is assigned to VET over the period 2014-2020. Every year, around 130,000 VET learners and 20,000 VET staff benefit from Erasmus+ mobility opportunities. In addition, almost 500 VET projects each year are financed under the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships. 

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a term used internationally to describe education and training arrangements designed to prepare people for work or to improve the knowledge and skills of people already working. 

Mobility in VET brings obvious value by helping young people to open their minds, expand their social, professional and transferable skills, and develop a taste for innovation and initiative and a sense of European citizenship. 

It is a way to improve the overall results of organizations involved in these practices, creating lasting internationalization strategies and, at the same time, also helping companies find the appropriate skills that they need to increase their competitiveness. Long-term internships abroad provide greater added value to students with regard to the development of specific work skills and even greater knowledge of the language, culture and work environment of the foreign country, which favours their employability. 

European Projects: ESMOVIA and VET

One of the key activities of ESMOVIA is to promote and participate as a partner in different European Projects for the cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices. Our main interest are Strategic Partnership projects in the field of education, training, and youth. Topics we usually deal with are Mobility, Youth, Entrepreneurship, Employability, Soft and Hard Skills development, Information and Communication Technologies and Integration. 

In the recent years, ESMOVIA, as head of Spanish consortia of VET schools, has been the promoter of an Erasmus+ KA1 project for students and 2 Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships:

We have also organized several events that have taken place last month of October: The Erasmus Days and the European Vocational Skills Week.

In occasion of the Erasmus Days, we organized an event to celebrate Europe and its youth: Erasmus+ Nice to Meet YOU(th)! In ESMOVIA we like creating extraordinary life experiences and supporting young people in their process of becoming more skilled, more independent and more European. That is why quality time will be dedicated to discover what the new generations think and expect from Erasmus+ programme, as well as their interests and culture. We presented to the public the opportunities of changing lives and opening minds that this programme continues offering to the youth from all over Europe since 1987. 

Concerning the European Vocational Skills Week, ESMOVIA organized the TECH VET, an activity that aims to narrow the distance between VET students and technology, a priority of the Erasmus+ programme in order to open new possibilities for the future. 

 

Reasons to spend your Erasmus experience in Valencia: Las Fallas

Valencia offers an ideal setting for your Erasmus adventure, boasting the status of Spain’s third-largest city with a pleasant climate and less congestion compared to other major cities like Madrid or Barcelona. The city’s year-round sunny weather and easy access to beaches make it an enticing destination. If you’re considering Valencia for your Erasmus experience, there’s one compelling reason that stands out: Las Fallas.

Las Fallas is a traditional festival in Valencia, renowned worldwide and recognized as a ‘Festival of International Tourist Interest’ and part of the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.’ This celebration is a must-see experience, showcasing elaborate monuments and vibrant festivities.

Monuments of Fallas

Originally stemming from ancient carpenters’ traditions, Las Fallas has evolved into grand structures made of cork and wood frames, reaching heights of up to 30 meters. These monuments feature central figures surrounded by ‘ninots,’ incorporating elements of humor and satire reflecting current events.

What to Expect During Las Fallas

Las Fallas is not just a local event but a global spectacle, with unique aspects often overlooked. The festival’s name originates from medieval torches known as ‘fallas,’ used in the city’s watchtowers. While Valencia is the festival’s epicenter, other places like Argentina also celebrate their version of Las Fallas. The festival’s duration has expanded since 1932, spanning from March 15th to 19th, with activities starting as early as February.

Mascletàs and Other Highlights

The festival’s signature mascletàs offer a daily display of rhythmic firecrackers at Town Hall Square, reaching intensities exceeding 120 decibels. The plantà marks the official placement of monuments for judging, while the ofrenda sees ‘falleras’ presenting flowers to the ‘Virgen de los Desamparados,’ creating a stunning tapestry. The grand finale, cremà, involves burning the monuments to ashes, symbolizing the end of the festival.

Experience Las Fallas

For those embarking on an Erasmus journey in Valencia during Las Fallas, essential experiences include exploring the monuments, indulging in local delicacies like fritters or churros with chocolate, witnessing breathtaking fireworks displays, and strolling through illuminated streets in Ruzafa.

Key Activities During Las Fallas

  • Crida: Last Sunday of February
  • Mascletàs: March 1st to March 19th
  • Plantà: March 16th
  • Ofrenda: March 17th and 18th
  • Nit del foc: March 18th
  • Cremà: March 19th

 

Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and unforgettable experiences of Las Fallas, making your Erasmus adventure in Valencia truly memorable.

On January 24th and 25th 2024, ESMOVIA hosted the fourth Transnational Meeting in Valencia, Spain with our fellow European partners, Universidad Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT), the University of Applied Labor Studies of the Federal Employment Agency HdBA (DE), and the Institute of Research and Information on Volunteering IRIV (FR). This meeting forms a part of our KA2 Erasmus European project EMoCC – European Mobility for Career Counseling.

Our EMoCC project aims at promoting European job mobility by providing adequate training to Career Counselors in the form of 2 different massive open online courses (MOOC). Our prestigious team is multi-disciplinary, and our accumulated knowledge and expertise is resulting in a very high value product being created.

In this transnational meeting, we brought together the results and feedback of the first two project results, and embedded it into the MOOC on European mobility creation, to make it stronger and even more aligned with our future course users. We shared our progress on the dissemination of our project and continued to commit ourselves to further share the message, to reach as many potential users as possible. Through creative processes, shared discussions, and personal debates, partners have decided on the content of this second MOOC and the workflow and strategy, something we are proud to announce as we step into this last phase. We want our product to reach as many eyes as possible!

Want to know more about EMoCC?

The following results are foreseen in the project:

Project Result 1 – AtoM and WoMSA: We started with a qualitative study “AToM, Attitude Toward Moving,” which aimed to understand personal attitude and motivation towards mobility, through the means of individual interviews and focus groups. This information was then used to design a quantitative study, “WoMSA, Work Mobility Skills and Attitude Scale,” a questionnaire dispatched for individuals and counselors to better understand themselves within competences, motivation, and satisfaction inside a mobility experience. This questionnaire is a huge added value of this project, as it is a useful tool to implement in many different professional sectors across counseling and teaching. This phase was led by Universidad Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
To carry out WoMSA questionnaire go to www.emocc.eu/womsa

Project Result 2 – MOCC on Career Counseling: We created the first MOOC, massive open online course, a 30-hour training, composed of many different media elements, to upskill the abilities of counselors. Each partner contributed their expertise within the topics. A continued testing phase is being carried out by users from all countries. This phase was led by the University of Applied Labor Studies of the Federal Employment Agency, HdBA.
To enroll in the “MOOC in Career Counseling” go to https://app.emocc.eu/

Project Result 3 – MOOC on European Mobility: We are excited to announce that we are currently starting the last phase of the project, our second MOOC. A 30-hour training, composed of different media elements, training already qualified counselors, to become European mobility experts, to help inspire increased movement. We are now in the creation stage. This phase is being led by ESMOVIA.