At ‘Open up your world with Erasmus+’ event on 8 September, West Lothian College (Daniel Evans, Centre Head Commercial & Marketing and Angela Bell, Sales & International Officer) spoke about their award winning ISTILE Project – Improving Skills Through International Learning Exchanges. Their presentation was much talked about, workshop participants were particularly interested in the 87% retention of students that had participated in the programme compared to the College’s average of 64%. While abroad student’s gained SQA’s Work Experience Unit at SCQF level 4, 5 or 6 which was cross certificated to a Europass Mobility Certificate.
Daniel and Angela also spoke about how the College’s Erasmus+ activity was strategically driven from the College’s Regional Outcome Agreement ‘…funding [EU] will be deployed to generate opportunities for learners with a focus on young people from the more deprived areas of West Lothian who are least likely to have experience of international travel’ (WLC ROA AY 2016 – 17). In addition the project delivers on widening access at a time when all colleges are developing an Access and Inclusion Strategy and it also engages with the Europe 2020 strategy – the EU’s agenda for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for the current decade.
For much more information about the project
• View Daniel and Angela’s PowerPoint presentation here.
• Have a look at what Greg, Scott, Laura and Matt, staff from West Lothian College say about their own and student Erasmus+ experiences at http://www.collegedevelopmentnetwork.ac.uk/why-get-involved-with-erasmus
• Find out more about the project from the Close attainment by PowerPoint opening doors overseas blog, view online here.
