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To maximise the benefits of mobility to both individuals and institutions, it is important that incoming staff and students receive equal treatment in all academic and service matters, and have full access to the same range of services and facilities that are available to local staff and students.

Equal access must also cover provisions to promote mobility and giving appropriate specific support to under-represented groups in mobility (students or staff with special needs, students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, with family responsibilities or with part-time jobs, etc.). Erasmus+ offers additional support for students and staff with special needs (potential participants whose individual physical, mental or health-related situation is such that his/her participation in mobility would not be possible without extra financial support) and for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The universities featured in this case study have demonstrated a high level of commitment through different approaches to equal access for individuals undertaking mobility. The examples, from Austria and Finland, explore how smaller institutions may take hands-on approaches to equal access and integration, while larger institutions might put special measures in place. 

Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule Vorarlberg) in Dornbirn, Austria has around 1,200 students currently enrolled. Vorarlberg receives approximately 100 international students each year from its partner institutions, with a similar number leaving each year for a study period abroad. The university’s strategic aim in the field of student mobility is to make sure that at least 50 % of all fulltime bachelor students are studying abroad for one semester. During the last 10 years the outgoing mobility rate has been in average 58 %. VAMK (Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu) is a University of Applied Sciences in the western Finnish city of Vaasa, with just over 3,000 students. Every year VAMK receives approximately 100 exchange students from its partner universities, with an estimated 600 leaving to study abroad. The University of Turku (Turun yliopisto) is the largest university in this example, with more than 20,000 students enrolled.

Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences is a university that takes a strong interest in integration, with a very hands-on approach to integrating incoming students into the life of the institution and the local community. Each exchange student receives individual support from the staff members of the International Office to help with practical matters, and an active social calendar is maintained to regularly bring together incoming students and locals. The university goes beyond ensuring that mobile students are able to access all the laboratories and specialist machinery available to local students, with special attention given to incoming students at Vorarlberg extending to lectures and lessons too. Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences has received the E-Quality-Label on three consecutive occasions, recognising the university’s performance in student mobility, and has also received the Lifelong Learning Award once. In each fulltime bachelor degree programme one complete semester is offered in English language. 

Many testimonials from international students detail the efforts made by the university’s academic staff to make them comfortable in their classes.  This is achieved due to three factors: i) the University’s

Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences’ hands-on commitment to equal access extends to its role as a sending institution as well. For example, in 2005, staff at Vorarlberg worked with their counterparts at VAMK University of Applied Sciences, to ensure that René Kremser, who is blind and requires the use of a wheelchair, was able to undertake an Erasmus mobility abroad.  René’s mobility period consisted of a combination of studying at the university and practical traineeships around Vaasa.  The two universities collaborated in supporting René, aiding with the

 Due to the joint efforts and , and the use of the additional support for participants with special needs, René’s placement experiences allowed him to further develop his topic of study and experience mobility to its fullest potential. Following the completion of his degree in social work, René was nominated as an Erasmus+ Ambassador.  A film documentary has also been made about René’s experiences by a lecturer from Voralrberg University of Applied Sciences.

A further example is the University of Turku. The university has appointed a specialist Disability Coordinator, who has the responsibility to develop an accessible university. The Disability Coordinator provides counselling services for students and staff members with disabilitiesand assistance to resolve problems, including making recommendations such as extra time for examinations.  The International cooperation and experience in exchanges play an important role in understanding how persons with disabilities can be supported. Through learning from the approaches used by other institutions, the Disability Coordinator helps the university to further develop their own approaches to support services, including adjustments made to the learning and communication materials, as well as to the physical environment.  The University of Turku has guidelines on special arrangements for students with disabilities and special needs. Special arrangements are made on an individual basis in close cooperation with the student and their faculty. The University organises training on accessibility for staff members and students, and the Disability Coordinator undertakes cooperation with different areas of the university, and within a national network called “Accessible Higher Education”.

Universities can take specific measures to ensure that mobile students and staff are fully integrated, comfortable and able to maximise the benefits of their experiences. While universities with a relatively small number of incoming international students, such as Vorarlberg and VAMK, can take hands-on approaches with dedicated attention to the individuals, larger universities, such as Turku, can make use of specialists to ensure that particular groups are fully cared for, and that the university environment is optimised for the access and productive experience of individuals in those groups.