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Initiative aims to encourage studying and working abroad

City University London is leading a €3.8m (£3.2m) Erasmus Mundus project to encourage STEM entrepreneurship across Europe and the Western Balkans.

According to City, the European Commission’s Erasmus Mundus Action 2 initiative aims to enhance quality in higher education through scholarships and academic co-operation between Europe and the rest of the world. City proposed, developed the consortium for, and will manage this latest mobility programme, known as EM2-STEM.

It will see more than 260 Bachelor and Masters students, early-career PhD or post-doctoral researchers, and administrative, academic and research staff from eight higher-education institutions (HEIs) in the European Union and eight HEIs in the Western Balkans study or work in countries other than their own.

The project will be led by City’s Prof Sanowar Khan. A key aspect will be intensive modules and summer schools focused on entrepreneurship and management skills, aiding the development of high-tech research and enterprise across the continent.
 
‘Those working in STEM must be increasingly interdisciplinary in their approach, balancing technical knowledge with the ability to present ideas, secure funding, run international projects, and disseminate and commercialise results,’ said Prof Ken Grattan, dean of the Schools of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, and Informatics at City. ‘Our aim is to enable the future employees of both academia and industry to gain these vital skills.’