The Mobility WG came together for its second meeting in Berlin on May 12, 2010. The Group aims at developing a mobility strategy for the Ministerial Conference in Bucharest in 2012 that will tackle all provisions specified in its ToR. This strategy shall contain proposals on how mobility of students and staff can be improved and how the 20 percent target in the Leuven Communiqué can be reached.
With this aim in mind, the group discussed mobility obstacles and possible ways to overcome those obstacles. In particular the following areas were addressed:

• financing of mobility (including portability of grants and loans and improved information on funding possibilities);
• recognition;
• language issues;
• curricular obstacles;
• legal and administrative obstacles;
• motivation and information.

For some of the subjects, members of the WG agreed to produce more in-depth information as well as suggestions for action by the next meeting. The WG was aware of ongoing discussions and work in other WGs and networks, particularly in the WG on Recognition and NESSIE, and concluded that it will be necessary to exchange and cooperate with these groups.

The WG also discussed the draft questionnaire that will be sent to all Bologna countries, once approved by BFUG. The draft questionnaire included questions on mobility obstacles, on national mobility targets, strategies and measures to improve mobility. Furthermore it dealt with the concept of balanced mobility.

During the same meeting in May 2010, the WG also dealt with the subject of balanced mobility. Members of the group agreed that despite the fact that the Leuven Communiqué mentioned balanced mobility, presently there is little clarity on terminology, on background and reasons for imbalances and on aims. With the answers to the questionnaire, the Group decided to try to develop some basic understandings in this area. Only in a next step it will be possible to discuss potential national and international targets as well as measures.

Regarding the mobility target in the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué and its relation to the EU-benchmark on mobility, several consultations between the Mobility WG’s Chair and the European Commission have taken place. So far, an agreement could be reached on almost all dimensions of the mobility target.

As the WG’s main goal is to develop an EHEA mobility strategy for the Ministerial Conference in Bucharest in 2012, as decided with the Reporting WG, the mobility part of the BFUG Reporting questionnaire had been launched earlier than the other parts (few days after the Alden Biesen BFUG meeting), so that to have enough time to finalise the draft EHEA mobility strategy and submit it for the BFUG comments and endorsement. Countries have been asked to check and, if necessary, to update their answers when the questionnaire of the Reporting WG is distributed.

WG Mobility Berlin May 2010 - Draft minutes

Welcome and introduction

WG Mobility Berlin May 2010 - Draft agenda

Mobility obstacles and good practice / suggestions for measures to improve mobility

• Overview of mobility obstacles from existing surveys and papers
• Results of the mini survey in the WG (“problems and solutions”)

Obstacles to mobility - problems and solutions - responses from WG Mobility 30.04.2010

Questionnaire on mobility obstacles

Questionnaire on student and staff mobility - Draft 31.03.2010

Questionnaire on student and staff mobility 2010 - Final version

Balanced mobility: Facts - definition of balanced mobility - measures

Mobility target and data issues – update on developments

WG Mobility - Note from Eurostat on Data issues

Any other business