Staff exchange mobility programme

In 1993, Compostela Holy Year, the University of Santiago de Compostela started contacts with other institutions of higher education located in the secular Way to Santiago.

Its main aim was to establish a university network that would enable co-operation between universities to preserve the historical and cultural heritage which emerged around this pilgrimage way to Compostela that has crossed Europe from the ninth century.

These focused on three basic points: 1. Strengthening the channels of communication between the member universities; 2. Organising events for the study and discussion of different questions related to Europe and 3. Promoting mobility as the basis to enhance the knowledge of European cultures and languages.

The Compostela Group of Universities is a non-profit association, the field of action of which is international, being subject to the internal legislation of the signing countries. Its independence allows it to establish agreements with governments, international institutions and all type of associations which contribute to a better performance of its aims.

Currently the Compostela Group has 82 members in 18 countries, including the University of Malta, and many other high-level educational and research institutions, who were not able to join as founding members, now wish to do so. This tendency is likely to become more marked in the next few years.

The Administrative Staff Exchange and Mobility Programme is one of the programmes offered by the Compostela Group co-ordinated by Eva Garea and Amelia Rodríguez Piña from Vigo University. The aims of the programme are to provide opportunities for administrative staff mobility, to enhance cross cultural experience and work placement experience by means of two weeks work exchanges among university members within the Compostela Group.

Further information could be found at www.grupocompostela.org. One could also contact Anna Callus on tel: 2340-2204 or e-mail anna.callus@um.edu.mt