Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 19th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview Internationalization and Networking of PA Studies Author(s) Mihaela Victorita Carausan National School of Political Studies and Public Administration Bucharest Romania Title The ERA(smus) of world-wide public administration studies File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract The European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students is a European Union student exchange program which has proved its utility in the last two decade. So, the year 1987 represents for us, scholars, the turning point for the Europeanization of high degree studies. The public administration studies are one of the fields of studies which have benefited from the Erasmus Programme. Erasmus is the EU’s flagship education and training programme enabling 200,000 students to study and work abroad each year. In addition, it funds co-operation between higher education institutions across Europe. In this respect we are going to learn from the European contact through Erasmus programme and to prepare the internationalization process. The ‘win win’ for students is not just in the increase of knowledge in the area of administrative sciences but also in the share of cultures. The Erasmus gives students a better sense of what it means to be a European citizen. In addition, many employers highly value such a period abroad, which increases the students’ employability and job prospects. One of the question to which we will try to find an answer will be: How much the Erasmus mobility counts in the CV of a young graduate? In our investigation we will use a complex research strategy that combined both quantitative and qualitative research methods. For a better view over the role played by the Erasmus programme in the internationalization process of public administration studies, we will use documentary and content analyses and as tools of investigation – an written/web questioner and interviews (with employers and Erasmus students/alumni). Now we can speak about the internationalization of PA studies thanks to this ‘open gate’ programme. In our study we will try to emphasize the growth of the programme from students to staff and teaching activities and its influence in the internationalization process. Under the umbrella of the Lifelong Learning Programme the Erasmus has become a driver in the modernisation of higher education institutions and systems in Europe and, in particular, it has inspired the establishment of the Bologna Process. For all this we consider it important to have research in this area without which we cannot speak about the internationalization of public administration studies. The Erasmus programme is one of those which have opens the system of western public administration studies to the eastern world; it helped us (from Eastern Europe) to improve the future public servants qualification and teaching activities. In our research we intend to reach and to formulate how public administration studies should look in the future, in a globalized world, issue that decision makers in higher education system should consider in developing strategies for potential students in administrative sciences, for future ‘world students’.
