On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus programme, one of the EU’s most successful programmes, the Erasmus Student Network Serbia and the EU Info Centre hosted a meeting of students who have benefitted from the Erasmus programme or are interested in taking part in it.
Nicolas Bizel of the EU Delegation to Serbia greeted the audience and said that he was once an alumnus of the Erasmus+ programme himself who spent a year in Milan, Italy. “It was the best experience of my life. I learned Italian and English there, I had excellent teachers. Thanks to Erasmus, I learned how to behave in different situations, how to be open and understand diversity,“ Bizel said.
Sofija Petrovic of the Tempus Foundation/Erasmus+ Office said that the experience of taking part in Erasmus inspired her to pursue a career working on that European project. She said that Serbia has for 15 years been taking part in Erasmus programmes; Tempus and Erasmus Mundus, predecessors of today’s Erasmus+, adding that as of 28 September everyone who is interested in the programme will be able to learn more about it at the Tempus Info Centre, in the new premises in 39 Terazije in Belgrade.
Bojana Zimonjic, President of the Erasmus Student Network Serbia, said that Erasmus+ doesn’t mean only academic exchange, but socialising, language learning and cultural exchange. “Erasmus students are Serbia’s best ambassadors to the EU and vice-versa: once they are back, they are the best EU ambassadors to Serbia,“ Zimonjic said and added that the Erasmus+ was one of the best means for promotion of diversity and European values.
The EU Info Centre in Belgrade also hosted an exhibit titled My Erasmus Experience allowing the audience to take a look at the programme from the perspective of participants from Serbia. Students have also had a chance to learn more about other projects implemented by the ESN Serbia and EU Info Centre, such as Erasmus+ talks and Erasmus+ in schools, aimed at informing students and pupils about opportunities of studying abroad.
Also, they had an opportunity to watch a short film Erasmus+ Your Chance, Your Story, as well as Erasmus smartphone app. The event ended with the announcement of winners of an Erasmus+-themed quiz organised by the ESN Serbia and EU Info Centre.