MOBILITY REGULATION

The Senate of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), at its meeting no. 2980/20 & 21-2-2019, decided to approve the adoption of best practices for the correct implementation of the ERASMUS+ programme. These practices apply proportionally to all cycles of studies at AUTh, in accordance with current legislation and the Internal Regulation of each Postgraduate Programme (MSc).

Since then, procedures are continuously updated and specified according to the guidelines of the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) and are published by the Department of European Educational Programmes on the official website:
https://eurep.auth.gr/en/students/studies

The aforementioned Decision of the AUTh Senate is as follows:

A) Outgoing Students

The following provisions aim to safeguard the right of mobile students to automatic and full recognition of their period of study at a partner institution, provided they successfully complete their academic requirements.

1. During the completion of the Learning Agreement for Studies, which takes place before the start of the mobility, the respective **ECTS Coordinator** (as the designated representative of the Department) must ensure that the workload at the Host Institution amounts to 30 ECTS credits for one academic semester.

   For reasons of flexibility and given the diversity of curricula, a deviation from this rule is allowed (either positive or negative) by the number of credits of only one (1) course in the case of a quarter or semester, and two (2) courses in the case of full-year mobility.

2. At the same stage, the ECTS Coordinator must ensure the full recognition of the aforementioned workload by recording in the Learning Agreement the credits and courses/academic requirements from which the student will be exempted upon successful completion of the agreed programme. This process must have the approval of the Department Assembly or the competent administrative body. This decision is officially recorded in the Application-Declaration form submitted by the students to the Department of European Programmes.
3. The aforementioned recognition is divided into three categories:

Courses successfully completed abroad may be recognized either by the title they hold at the Host Institution or by the title of a corresponding course at the home Department, provided there is content overlap. It is noted that the Secretariat’s electronic management system supports the recognition and integration of PAN courses (Exchange Programme Courses) into the curriculum. These may be listed in the Learning Agreement either by their specific title or simply as an “Elective Course” (Major-related or general).

Recommendation: Departments are encouraged to include a sufficient number of elective courses in their curricula. This offers flexibility in recognition and enriches the programme with subjects that may not be taught locally (e.g., due to lack of specialized faculty) but are relevant to the field of study.

III. Free Elective Courses: These are courses where neither content overlap nor direct alignment with the Department’s core scientific field is required.

Recognition: Successfully completed courses in this category are recognized by the title they hold at the Host Institution. The maximum number of ECTS for free electives in the Learning Agreement must match the limit allowed by the home Department’s curriculum.

4. In the case of courses within the Department’s scientific field (compulsory or elective), detailed recognition examples are provided in Annex I. For courses outside the scientific field, these are recognized as free electives as mentioned above. During the drafting of the Learning Agreement, students are guided by the ECTS Coordinator to ensure full recognition (60 ECTS for a full year, 30 for a semester, 20 for a quarter).
5. In case of ECTS discrepancies between AUTh and the Host Institution, maximum flexibility should be applied. The principle of “Fair Recognition” (as provided by the ECTS Guide) allows for a deviation of 1 or 2 credits, always in favor of the student.
6. MANDATORY Recognition: Upon return, all credits agreed upon in the Learning Agreement (initial or amended) must be recognized. According to Article 60 of the AUTh Regulation, students may also request that two additional elective courses they completed abroad not be included in their final degree grade calculation, provided they have met the required ECTS for graduation.
7. If a Host Institution does not offer suitable course options, ECTS Coordinators may re-evaluate the bilateral agreement. Potential actions include: (a) limiting the agreement to postgraduate/doctoral levels, (b) limiting it to staff mobility, or (c) terminating the bilateral agreement.
8. ECTS Coordinators should inform students about Erasmus+ opportunities from their first year of study to ensure proper planning of course categories and ECTS requirements.
9. The role of the ECTS Coordinator is vital for the correct implementation of Erasmus+. To ensure continuity and effective management, it is recommended that the Coordinator remains in the position for an extended period and serves as a member of the Department’s Curriculum Committee and General Assembly.

B) Incoming Students

1. Language Proficiency: Incoming students must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction. A recognized language certificate must be submitted where required by the bilateral agreement.
2. Transcript of Records: The Host Department must send the incoming students’ grades to their Home Institutions no later than five weeks after the end of the mobility period. Failure to comply may lead to the termination of the cooperation between the two institutions.

*Note: The terms “student,” “students,” “professor,” and “professors” refer to all genders.