Funding from the European Union under the Erasmus+ initiative has helped to build additional links between Taylor’s University and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Dr Yeo at Manchester in UK
Erasmus+ is an initiative of the European Union (EU) to promote global mobility, and to date some 9 million students have benefited from this initiative. Erasmus+ also offers funding to academic staff to engage with academic colleagues overseas and teach at partner institutions. The initial funding under Erasmus+ was for was for 9 students (4 incoming and 5 outgoing) and two staff member, but given the growing range of collaboration between Taylor’s University and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), this has been extended. The latest round of Eramsus+ funding made it possible for Dr Yeo Siok Koon, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biosciences, to spend a week in with both graduate students and academic colleagues at MMU.
As Dr Yeo said, “I benefitted greatly from this experience. I had insightful and interesting discussions that have widened my professional network and also broadened my views in regards to both research and teaching” She went onto add that, “I realised most students in UK are not aware that Taylor’s University is active in scientific research. The visit has been quite fruitful as we have now started to get a few enquiries from interested postgraduate students from MMU who wish to do a short-term attachment with us. I hope that this visit will promote the collaboration between both universities and subsequently encourage more students mobility”.
Several undergraduate students from Taylor’s University have already been able to take advantage of Erasmus+ funding and to go on exchange to MMU - as have other academic staff, such as Dr Goh from the Taylor’s Business School. Ms Jayvien Lau, Head of Student Exchange said, “We now have additional funding from Erasmus+ for both staff and students to go to MMU in 2018/19” adding that, “Thanks to our partners, we now have additional funding under Erasmus+ for our staff to go on exchange to other European countries. Last year we welcomed one of the academic staff from ZIBAT in Denmark to spend time in our School of Biosciences, and this year we have two staff members from the School of Hospitality & Tourism and Taylor’s Business School joining the staff mobility programme at ZIBAT. This is in addition to the 5 tourism students attached at ZIBAT for the student exchange programme for spring 2018 semester” - (Global Matters 2018)
