The Bridge INTELLECTUAL RESULT IO 16 (8) | Page 39

his fellow countrymen all the new experiences, ideas, opinions and political
principles that he had acquired in a very distant world. Since then, mobility has
greatly evolved in education. The construction of the European Union has
contributed decisively to the internationalization of secondary and higher
education. There have been a number of excellent European programmes, such
as Erasmus, which have shown excellent results.
These days, student mobility and exchanges have taken an important role
due to the new circumstances and demands from a globalized world. More
resources should be devoted to exchange programmes in order to prepare our
children for a world which they will have to navigate as adults outside the safety
zone of their home town or country. In addition, a global ized society calls for a
global education system. Our students need to be proficient in English, the
current Latin or lingua franca, but speaking other European or Asian languages
would be a very important asset for them. Standardized tests and similar
syllabuses would also make it easier for students to study in a foreign school for
a few months or a whole academic year.
Adopting comprehensive internationalization strategies can be the key to
improving our education systems. Decision makers of educational policy should
enable teachers to prepare students for the global world of this century. We
might need to look back at the European universities of the middle ages and find
inspiration in their international spirit.
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