Abstract:

The Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM) Programme supports the mobility of individuals enrolled or employed at a higher education institution (HEI) from a program country to a third country not associated with the program or vice versa. This is one of Georgia's most popular HEI mobility programs. Tbilisi State University (TSU) is the largest beneficiary of the given program. The researchers from the Department of Foreign Relations, have initiated a study of the benefits of the Erasmus+ program for students. Displacement, as the change in one’s living place, influences many people's lives, especially students' lives; they have to adapt to a new social-cultural environment, which affects people; to some extent, displacement results in changing one’s values and lifestyle. The central aim of the research has been to demonstrate the influence that cultural factors of the institution and the social environment of the host country have on the development and display of individual human values and behaviors. The carried-out research is based on the study of values, which is used to characterize cultural groups, societies, and individuals as well, in an attempt to trace change over time and explain the motivational bases of attitudes and behavior. Values are defined as principles or standards of behavior—a person's assessment of what is important in life. Values determine the actions individuals resort to, and the actions, in sum, create the culture of a society. Values are considered the main element of culture. The rules and norms in society derive from its values.

The study assumed that the time spent by students at the receiving HEI institutions in the program country universities (as defined by EACEA) has an impact on the personal and professional characteristics of these students, in particular on their attitudes, perceptions, values, and self-efficacy.

The researchers have done the study based on qualitative and quantitative research methods in the following phases: desk research; in-depth interviews with academic staff of the university who were participants in Erasmus+ program; two focus groups with students who were beneficiaries of this program; and surveys with beneficiaries and non-beneficiary students. For the quantitative research, a specially developed self-administered questionnaire was built with measuring instruments for various psychological characteristics. namely the Schwartz Values Questionnaire (PVQ-RR), the Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS), and the Child and Adolescent Self-Efficacy Scale. Based on the Schwartz (PVQ-RR), the study identified that independent or autonomous thinking (openness to change) is more characteristic of the beneficiaries of exchange programs. Non-beneficiaries are more characterized by traditional values. According to the Badnura’s Self-Efficacy Scale, students have the highest rate of performing social activities by engaging in assertive behavior and by using social resources. Research has significant value, both from the point of view of science and practice. Quantitative research provides evidence for the findings of qualitative research, according to which the Erasmus+ program has serious benefits for students' lives and changes collective values and the self-efficacy of students. Also, it provides clues for further longitudinal research and for evaluating and rethinking the theoretical aspects of this issue.

Keywords:

Mobility program, perception, basic value, self-efficacy, lifestyle.