The EU-India Cooperation and Dialogue on Migration and Mobility project has published the "Prepare for your study in Europe check-list". The checklist seeks to empower Indian students to ask the right questions and make decisions based on accurate and up-to-date information on preparation, pre-departure and post-graduation issues.
The development of the checklist is an output of the India – EU Cooperation and Dialogue on Migration and Mobility (CDMM) ,funded by the European Union and implemented by ICMPD and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in conjunction with the India Migration Centre, which strives to support Indian students considering their higher education in Europe. The checklist is currently being promoted via an ongoing social media campaign #GetEUReady through the local partner Youth Ki Awaaz and the ILO office in New Delhi.
The checklist aims to address a number and variety of challenges: traditionally, a wealth of attention is paid to admission requirements and financial means. But, aside from this, the challenges, risks and dangers related to the mobility of students and researchers are often due to the sharing of misinformation, use of unscrupulous agents, common misperceptions on visa procedures, difficulties related to integration in European life, and a lack of facts on post-graduation options. This has often tempered Indian students’ enthusiasm for studying in the European Union.
To offset this, the governments of EU Member States, the European Union, and the Government of India have taken note and collectively put forward a series of efforts through the CDMM project to improve understanding of how to facilitate mutual recognition of foreign qualifications, ensure skills development, and explore means by which student and researchers’ mobility may be enhanced. The "Prepare for your study in Europe checklist" is one output of these efforts and provides the right guidance to all those who wish to continue their academic career in Europe.