Implementation of most of the mobilities within this project, staff mobilities mainly, was planned for the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020. Implementation of these plans was not possible both in the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020 and throughout the academic year 2020/2021, due to the covid-19 pandemic. The project implemented 31 out of 109 planned mobilities, which constitutes 28%. In previous projects, the level of implementation of plans was as follows: 2017 - 86%, 2016 - 93%, 2015 - 72%. In the 2018 project, 14 student mobilities and 17 staff mobilities were implemented, which represents 61% and 20% of plans, respectively.Philology remains the dominant academic field, both in terms of student and staff mobility, but the University of Silesia is constantly promoting exchange with partner countries also for all other fields. The project was implemented on the basis of inter-institutional agreements and individual mobility programs concluded in advance. The implementation of the educational exchange was planned as a continuation of the cooperation initiated under the projects 2015, 2016 and 2017 or based on the existing international scientific and educational contacts of the university. The University of Silesia also remained open to new cooperation proposals, including those from foreign universities.Main directions of mobilities implemented under the 2018 project:- incoming student mibilities: Russia (28% student mobilities to University of Silesia within the project), Ukraine (21% student mobilities) Georgia (14% student mobilities), Morocco (14% student mobilities)- incoming staff mobilities: Kazakhstan (12% of staff mobilities to University of Silesia within the project).Outgoing student mobilities constituted 14% of all student mobilities within the project (Serbia). Outgoing staff mobilities accounted for 47% of the total staff mobilities, including staff mobilities to Russia - 30% of the total number of staff mobilities.The mobilities carried out under the 2018 project were of very high academic quality and had a significant impact primarily on individual participants and host universities. However, the impact of the project was not limited to the impact of the individual mobilities of students and staff. The implementation of the project contributed, despite the problems caused by the covid-19 pandemic and a very significant reduction in the number of completed mobilities, to a further increase in the activity of University of Silesia units less involved in educational exchange under KA103 projects.The University of Silesia decided to reserve some of the funds allocated to support the organization of cooperation for financing additional mobilities, mainly incoming mobilities. Outgoing mobilities accounted for 33% of the mobilities carried out in the 2018 project (according to plans - 21%). Student mobilities implemented under the 2018 project accounted for 45% of the total completed mobilities (according to plans, they should amount to 21%). Accomplished staff mobilities - 55% of the total number of mobilities completed within the project (according to plans they should constitute 79%). The very low level of implementation of the plans was mainly due to the small number of completed staff mobilities. In the case of some partner universities, the changes at these universities probably caused problems with the implementation of cooperation. For the successful conduct of international educational exchange, especially in the case of cooperation with partner countries, it is necessary not only to involve universities at the central level and proper cooperation of administrative units, but also a well-developing cooperation between teaching units on both sides, without for which it is not possible to obtain a guarantee of full recognition of the academic exchange, completed mobility, obtained credits and conducted classes, and proper recognition of the training received.The key partners in the implementation of the 2018 project were primarily:IMMANUEL KANT BALTIC FEDERAL UNIVERSITY (Russia),UDMURT STATE UNIVERSITY (Russia),ILIA STATE UNIVERSITY (Georgia),KAZAKH STATE WOMEN'S TEACHER TRAINING UNIVERSITY (Kazakhstan),IBNOU ZOHR A AGADIR UNIVERSITY (Morocco),UNIVERZITY OF KRAGUJEVAC (Serbia),UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE (Serbia),ZHYTOMYR IVAN FRANKO STATE UNIVERSITY (Ukraine),BELARUSIAN STATE UNIVERSITY (Belarus),NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF OSTROH ACADEMY (Ukraine),ATMA JAYA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA (YAYASAN ATMA JAYA / ATMA JAYA FOUNDATION), (Indonesia)FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF PARANA (Brazil),ARMENIAN NATIONAL AGRARIAN UIVERSITY (Armenia),HANKUK UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES (Korea).

This is a higher education student and staff mobility project, please consult the website of the organisation to obtain additional details.

This action supports physical and blended mobility of higher education students and staff from EU Member States and third countries associated to Erasmus+ to any country in the world. Students in all study fields and cycles can take part in a study period or traineeship abroad. Higher education teaching and administrative staff can take part in professional development activities abroad, as well as staff from the field of work in order to teach and train students or staff at higher education institutions.

The development strategy of the University of Silesia includes the active participation of the university in international academic exchange programs for students and staff, especially Erasmus+ programme key action 1. Academic exchange cannot be limited to cooperation only among the countries participating in the Erasmus+ program as a programme country. The commitment of the university into educational exchange in the framework of the Erasmus + program must include both cooperation with Erasmus+ program countries and cooperation with Erasmus+ partner countries. The purpose of participation in the program and implementation of this project was to increase the educational and research potential of the university and the constant improvement of the way the university mission is implemented in all aspects, including the social ones, as well as active and responsible participation in the creation of European higher education.Proper implementation of academic mobility projects is based on ensuring its sustainable character while diversifying and maintaining the highest academic quality. It concerns both the reciprocal relations and proportion of the outgoing and incoming mobilities, as well as the profile of participants of the exchange Appropriate use of the potential of academic mobility should include both students and employees in a way that ensures the complementary nature of the mobility of both types.Within the project, a total of 77 mobilities were accomplished (in the 2016 project - 51 mobilities), including 24 student mobilities (in the 2016 project - 19 mobilities) and 53 employee mobilities (in the 2016 project - 32 mobilities). The level of implementation of plans was respectively: 86% for the entire project, 83% for student exchanges and 88% for employee exchanges. Philology remains the dominant academic field, both in terms of student and staff mobility, but the University of Silesia constantly promotes exchange with partner countries also for all other academic fields. The project was implemented on the basis of interinstitutional agreements and individual mobility programs concluded in advance. The implementation of educational exchange has been planned as a continuation of cooperation initiated under the 2015 and 2016 projects or based on existing international scientific and educational contacts of the university. The University of Silesia has also remained open to new cooperation proposals, including those from foreign universities. In the case of regions where interest in participation in the academic exchange, especially students mobilities, was lower than expected, special actions were taken to promote the above-mentioned directions during the implementation of next projects.The impact of the project, however, was not limited to the impact of individual student and staff mobilities. By promoting the idea of inter-university cooperation, with particular emphasis on cooperation with universities from partner countries, and also because of the University of Silesia's desire to facilitate the establishment of contacts and cooperation, the university organized for the second time an intensive International Week, with the participation of participants from both programme countries and partner countries. This event was highly rated by participants from foreign universities, and at the same time played an important role in both the University of Silesia and its surroundings. It should be emphasized that the two-years project implementation period, and in particular the inclusion, in contrast to the KA103HE projects, of the entire second semester of the second academic year of project implementation, greatly facilitates the prevention of administrative difficulties.During the 2015 project, the University of Silesia obtained 72% of the plans, in the 2016 project - 93%, however, with a significantly lower number of granted and implemented mobilities, in the 2017 project - 87%, with the largest number of implemented mobilities so far. Mobilities done as part of the KA107HE project in subsequent years: 2015 - 64 mobility, 2016 - 51 mobility (decrease of 20% in the number of mobilities, but with a significantly higher level of implementation of plans (93% compared to 72%), 2017 - 77 mobility (increase by 20% compared to the 2015 project, an increase of 51% compared to the 2016 project).

The aim of the project was to support internationalization of the University of Silesia in Katowice, its comprehensive development and modernization, to improve the quality of teaching offer, to increase the potential of education and research , as well as to fulfill the Mission of University, including its social aspect .Proper implementation of the academic mobility project needs to ensure its sustainable character, both in terms of balance between outgoing and incoming mobilities, as well as the profile of participants. An adequate use of the potential of academic mobility requires participation of both, students and staff.The full benefits can only be achieved through the implementation of all the available types of activities in the project: outgoing and incoming mobilities to conduct study period abroad, student traineeships, outgoing and incoming mobilities of academic staff to conduct teaching or outgoing and incoming training mobilities. Exchanges realized in the latter category should be the most widely available and cover all categories of University employees. A very important issue is to ensure general access of the program for all students, including all study programmes and specializations. Taking into consideration the need to ensure sustainable character of mobilities, this concerns students interested to go abroad or to come to Poland. For successful implementation of the project itself as well as its parts designated for student mobility, it is necessary to ensure the broad exchange of staff. This allows - on the one hand to support proper preparation of students exchange, on the other hand to provide the opportunity to participate in the internationalization of higher education for non-mobile students. Thanks to mobility of staff they have the opportunity to participate in classes conducted by academics from other universities and countries.Relevance of the mobility project and full use of the opportunities offered by the project and its potential benefits, requires the implementation of training mobilities. Furthermore, the implementation of international student internships and the possibility of contact with trainees from foreign universities also positively affect the situation of students in the labor market.The University of Silesia succeeded in achieving the objectives of the project that have been described above. Positive and very significant impact of educational exchanges implemented throughout last twenty years clearly indicate the need to continue these activities.The priority of the University of Silesia is striving to provide opportunities to participate in the programme of greatest possible number of students and staff, outgoing and incoming, while maintaining the highest quality and the highest possible standards for the exchange and implementation of the project.Thus, the objective remains the mutual support of the internationalization of studies and research in Europe, Poland and the University of Silesia, as a prerequisite for further, accelerated and sustainable development.