Abstract

The aim of this study is to find out whether erasmus + exchange program contributes to the students benefiting from the program in terms of personal development, professional development and language skills and to reveal management deficiencies. Between the years 2015-2018, 30 students enrolled (not graduated) in Düzce University and benefited from erasmus + exchange program at undergraduate or graduate level, participated in the study. Qualitative research method was implemented in order to extract in-depth information. Interview technique was used through face-to-face or e-mail environment. This study was configured in the phenomenological context which is one of the qualitative research designs. According to the results, the students who participated in the program attended to the program with the aim of “improving language skills” and “getting to know new people and cultures”, “education and career”, “seeing new places”, “experiencing a different country”, “widen the horizon”. It was determined that language improvement, especially “reading improvement”, “listening improvement”, “speaking improvement”, “writing improvement”, and this language improvement also benefited the students in their social relations. The students stated that by means of their language skills, they could come to the forefront in topics such as “making international friends”,”contributing to social relations”, “contributing to establishing business network connections”, “contributing to the academic field”. The experiences such as “language proficiency” ,”employment”, “professional competence and experience”, “social relations” gained by Erasmus + Program, revealed in the future plans of them as “professional thinking”, “working abroad and settling” and “contribution to the academic field areas”. At the beginning of the difficulties faced by the students towards the program, “inability to speak a foreign language effectively”, “living conditions”, “cultural, social and personal difference” and “education” are the main problems. These difficulties also contributed to personal and professional development of students such as “increasing self-confidence”, “being discreet and patient”, “changing their point of view to a different culture and society”, “discovering their own potential”, “coping with difficulties” and “taking responsibility”. It has been determined that Erasmus + program needs improvement in areas such as “improving the functioning”, “improving the grant support”, “improving the communication”, “providing educational support for adaptation”, “course matching” and “qualifications of the opportunities”.

Çalışmada erasmus+ değişim programının programdan yararlanan öğrenciler üzerinde kişisel gelişim, mesleki gelişim ve dil becerileri açısından katkısı olup olmadığını tespit etmek ve yönetimsel açıdan eksiklikleri ortaya çıkarmak amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmaya 2015-2018 yılları arasında Düzce Üniversitesi’nde kayıtlı (mezun olmamış) ve erasmus+ değişim programından lisans veya yüksek lisans düzeyinde faydalanmış 30 öğrenci katılım sağlamıştır. Araştırmada derinlemesine bilgi edinmek adına nitel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmış ve veriler görüşme tekniği kullanılarak yüz yüze veya mail ortamı üzerinden elde edilmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre programa katılım sağlayan öğrenciler programa daha çok “dil geliştirmek”, “yeni insan ve kültürler tanımak”, “eğitim ve kariyer”, “yeni yerler görmek”, “farklı bir ülkenin deneyimini yaşamak”, “ufku genişletmek” amacıyla katılım sağlamışlardır. Programın bu katkılarından dil gelişiminin özellikle “okuma gelişimi” “dinleme gelişimi” “konuşma gelişimi” “yazma gelişimi” yönünde olduğu ve edinilen bu dil gelişiminin öğrencilerin sosyal ilişkilerinde de fayda sağladığı belirlenmiştir. Öğrenciler edindikleri dil becerileri sayesinde “uluslararası arkadaş edinme sosyal ilişkilere katkı” “iş ağı bağlantıları kurmada katkı” “akademik alana katkı” gibi başlıklarda da ön plana çıkabildiklerini belirtmişlerdir. Erasmus+ programı ile kazanılan “dil yeterliliği”, “iş bulma ”, “mesleki yeterlilik ve tecrübe”, “sosyal ilişkiler” gibi tecrübelerinin gelecek planlarında kendisini “mesleki düşünce”, “yurt dışında çalışma ve yerleşme” ve “akademik alana katkı” gibi alanlarda göstermiştir. Erasmus+ Değişim Programına yönelik öğrencilerin yaşadığı zorlukların başında “yabancı bir dili etkili konuşamama”, “yaşam şartları”, “kültürel, sosyal ve kişisel farklılık” ve “eğitim” gelmektedir. Yaşanılan bu zorluklar öğrencilerin “öz güvende artış”, “sağduyulu ve sabırlı olma”, “farklı bir kültüre ve topluma bakışını değiştirme”, “kendi potansiyelini keşfetme”, “zorluklarla başa çıkma” ve “sorumluluk alabilme” gibi kişisel ve mesleki gelişimlerine de ayrıca katkı sağlamıştır. Erasmus+ programının özellikle “işleyişinin iyileştirilmesi”, “hibe desteğinin iyileştirilmesi”, “iletişimin iyileştirilmesi”, “adaptasyon için eğitim desteğinin verilmesi”, “ders eşleştirebilirliği” ve “olanakların yeterlilikleri” gibi alanlarında iyileştirmeye gerek olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to find out whether erasmus + exchange program contributes to the students benefiting from the program in terms of personal development, professional development and language skills and to reveal management deficiencies. Between the years 2015-2018, 30 students enrolled (not graduated) in Düzce University and benefited from erasmus + exchange program at undergraduate or graduate level, participated in the study. Qualitative research method was implemented in order to extract in-depth information. Interview technique was used through face-to-face or e-mail environment. This study was configured in the phenomenological context which is one of the qualitative research designs. According to the results, the students who participated in the program attended to the program with the aim of “improving language skills” and “getting to know new people and cultures”, “education and career”, “seeing new places”, “experiencing a different country”, “widen the horizon”. It was determined that language improvement, especially “reading improvement”, “listening improvement”, “speaking improvement”, “writing improvement”, and this language improvement also benefited the students in their social relations. The students stated that by means of their language skills, they could come to the forefront in topics such as “making international friends”,”contributing to social relations”, “contributing to establishing business network connections”, “contributing to the academic field”. The experiences such as “language proficiency” ,”employment”, “professional competence and experience”, “social relations” gained by Erasmus + Program, revealed in the future plans of them as “professional thinking”, “working abroad and settling” and “contribution to the academic field areas”. At the beginning of the difficulties faced by the students towards the program, “inability to speak a foreign language effectively”, “living conditions”, “cultural, social and personal difference” and “education” are the main problems. These difficulties also contributed to personal and professional development of students such as “increasing self-confidence”, “being discreet and patient”, “changing their point of view to a different culture and society”, “discovering their own potential”, “coping with difficulties” and “taking responsibility”. It has been determined that Erasmus + program needs improvement in areas such as “improving the functioning”, “improving the grant support”, “improving the communication”, “providing educational support for adaptation”, “course matching” and “qualifications of the opportunities”.