Opinion: Erasmus Should Be Obligatory For University Of Malta Students
Students at the University of Malta (UM) can get paid to study abroad but most of them don’t tkae up this opportunity. In fact, it is the minority who choose to go on Erasmus programmes.
Although detailed information is scarce, there are numbers that prove this claim. In 2019, 570 students and trainees went on Erasmus. The total number of students at UM during that scholastic year was just under 12,000. This number represents less than 5% of the total number of UM students in 2019.
What’s more is that the number of students who went on Erasmus is not limited to UM students, but also other institutions including adult education centres.
So why should students go on Erasmus?
Source: European Commission, 2020
1. Free and new education
You are not only paid to study but also to live abroad. Most receiving institutions do not require tuition fees, thus Erasmus grants can be left for living expenses.
From an educational perspective, you will also be exposed to areas of study that you will otherwise not explore in Malta. Additionally you also come back with new skills and ideas for the industry you form part of as a student.
These images were taken during the author's Erasmus experience
2. A lesson of independence
As inhabitants of a tiny country, we do not move to cities hours away to further our studies. Therefore, we tend to keep living with our parents. In doing so, we are less prone to developing skills of independence, autonomy and responsibility, in comparison to foreign students (Gozitans are excluded from this one).
One big lesson from Erasmus is budgeting. Buying your own groceries, finding the most affordable prices and comparing quality is something we might not be familiar with when living with our parents.
It's incredibly healthy to change your environment and adapt to it
3. Living in a socialised environment
You thought you were a social butterfly? Erasmus experiences are on another level.
The beauty of living in student residences is that you are constantly surrounded by people but at the same time, you still have your own space. You also live with these people, thus learning to compromise and choose how and when to be open or private.
Residence parties hit different
4. The student life is incomparable
When you study abroad, you realise that in Malta we don’t really have much of a student life affiliated with University. On Erasmus, you are immersed into an experience where being surrounded with people like you is not limited to just lectures and social events, but is a way of life.
You also get to meet so many people with different mentalities and lifestyles that you become a more open minded person than you already thought you were.
The social life abroad offers more opportunities
5. It’s healthy to detach from your comfort zone
Living constantly and indefinitely in one place with the same habits gets frustrating, especially for the young. Erasmus is a gateway to suspending yourself from a repetitive and perhaps unrewarding routine.
Although you would be based in another city, the ability to travel around on land or at sea exposes you to cheap and frequent trips. This is not possible in Malta unless you make your way to the airport.
Travelling is easier when you are close to neighbouring cities and countries.
Is Erasmus all perfect?
Although Maltese students get the highest grants in the EU, you cannot expect to live off those funds alone. However, nothing desirable in life comes without sacrifice and hard work. If you know the opportunity is near, it is a good idea to save up some money. Summer jobs are a good idea, as are part time weekend jobs during the semesters.
Another fear among Maltese students is homesickness. This is a true phenomenon that hits at different times on your experience. The reality is that it is impossible to detach your life at home from your experience abroad.
However, the low points that come natural in a six-month experience should not discourage anyone from embarking on the journey in the first place. After all, the memories you make contribute to you coming back to Malta with a little bit more mental strength than when you left.
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