Monday December 20, 2010

KAUST has become the first Saudi university to join the prestigious European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) Mundus program.

Participation in the program – established by the KAUST Office of Research (ORS) – is now available to university students, postdoctoral research fellows and staff from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Individuals can apply to study at partner universities in Spain, Austria, Sweden, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The ERASMUS Mundus, funded by the European Union (EU), will pay the fees, stipend, and travel expenses of successful applicants.

In the future, KAUST will welcome ERASMUS Mundus exchange students from science disciplines for a period of study in Saudi Arabia. A robust system of awarding credits to ensure portability will be put in place before this can happen.

Established 23 years ago, the ERASMUS student exchange program has allowed more than two million students the opportunity to study abroad.

The EU has allocated approximately 2M Euros for the ERASMUS Mundus to “foster culture, knowledge and skills for peaceful and sustainable development in a Europe of diversity and to promote awareness of the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity and intercultural education within Europe.”

Middle Eastern universities currently involved in the ERASMUS Mundus program include Sultan Qaboos University, the University of Nizwa in Oman, the University of the United Arab Emirates in Al Ain, Zayed University in Dubai as well as others from Qatar and Bahrain.

Applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis with the final decision being taken by the consortium of all participating universities.

Individuals who are interested in the program should email erasmus@kaust.edu.sa for more information.

Further information

• KAUST Office of Research Services