FAQ

OCEANS Network - the Organisation for Cooperation, Exchange and Networking: Student & Alumni network of international exchange programmes - offers a platform for establishing new friendships, cooperation and understanding among all people involved in the exchange projects.

The Network fosters the exchange of international experiences, transfer of knowledge and also professional development by creating long-lasting link and provided access to intercultural and practical information on all participating countries. OCEANS Network is run by the students and alumni themselves with the help of a service provider consortium. The Network is funded by the European Commission.

OCEANS opened its membership to anyone who has participated in an international credit mobility programme between an Erasmus+ Programme country and a university in an Erasmus+ Partner country (or vice-versa).

The Board is the executive decision-making body of the OCEANS Network and has a mandate of one year. It is currently composed by 7 members: The President, the Vice President and the Heads of the 5 Teams (External Relations, Community Development, International Relations, Communication, Digital Development). The leadership of each Team is shared between the Head and the Deputy-Head. The latter is not part of the Board but also perform an important coordinating role and substitutes the former when he/she is not present

The 5 „Teams“ of the OCEANS Network are:

• International Coordinator
• Head of Projects Team
• Head of Community Development
• Head of Communications
• Head of Content Development.

The leadership of each Team is shared between the Head and the Deputy-Head. The latter is not part of the Board but also performs an important coordinating role and substitutes the former when he/she is not present. In addition to the five Teams there is the Head of International Development which consists of the President and the Vice-President of OCEANS.

If you want to reach OCEANS network you can do that via the service provider, which acts as the secretariat of OCEANS

OCEANS Network
c/o GIZ and partners
Rue de la Charité 33
1210 Brussels
Belgium

Email: info@oceans-network.eu
Phone: +49 221 29492400

The abovementioned landline number for communication towards the Service Provider is available Monday – Friday from 9:00 – 18:00 CET. In urgent cases you can also call beside this office hours in order to get a response. But please use also the other available communication channels like E-mail or the contact form.

Every year, OCEANS members can vote on and elect a new President and Vice President of the OCEANS Network. 
For any questions regarding the voting process, send a message to the board.

To become a member you have to apply for membership. If you are eligible your application will be approved and you can regsiter in the online community. Being member of the online communiity consitutes your membership. The membership is free of charge. If you are interested apply here.

In 2016 OCEANS opened up its membership to anyone who has participated in a credit mobility programme that met the following qualification.

• The person must have received university credits from their home university that was in an Erasmus+ Programme country and International Mobility Credits from a university in an Erasmus+ Partner country.
• Or vice-versa, meaning a person is eligible to be an OCEANS member if they attended university in an Erasmus+ Partner country and received International Mobility Credits from a university in an Erasmus+ Programme country.

In simple terms, if you studied at two different universities on two different continents (with one of them in a European Erasmus+ Programme country) then you qualify to join OCEANS.

No, you do not have to pay to become an OCEANS member.

Membership Benefits for Alumni

• Connect with potential business and professional contacts within OCEANS and other Erasmus+ networks
• Develop Professional Skills
• Contribute to the Cause of Global Mobility
• And many more…

Membership Benefits for Students

• Way to get funding for projects that help your community or projects to share your experiences with others
• Join a global network of likeminded people
• Get funding opportunities for your university international students club
• Network while studying in the university exchange country
• And many more…

Check out this link for further details!

While the OCEANS Network does not fund projects, the Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Alliance (ESAA) provides funding via the „Open Call for Projects“ programme that OCEANS members can propose to and take part in.

Maybe! To find out please visit the OCEANS website at the link „Events“. Here the OCEANS Network informes about new local activities in your city/country and region.

We look forward to receiving your exciting project proposals. Please contact the Head of Projects Team kapal.dev(at)oceans-network.eu who will love to help you realise your idea.

No, OCEANS does not have a mentoring programme yet.

The OCEANS Network is a unique pool of some of the smartest and most talented students and graduates. All our members have participated in highly demanding intercontinental study programmes and acquired not only academic skills but also valuable intercultural competencies.

Moreover, the OCEANS Network is continuously organising events, such as the International Presentation Skills Workshop in Vilnius, that aim at the personal and professional development of its members. It is this combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience that places OCEANS members in an ideal position to compete in the increasingly globalised economy of the future.

On top of national scholarship schemes, the EU offers a plethora of opportunities to study, train, gain experience, and volunteer abroad. Through the various components of the Erasmus+ programme, the umbrella programme encompassing a range of educational programmes targeting different categories of students. Have a look at this page to find ideas on scholarships with the Erasmus+ programme. Especially the Erasmus Mundus Programme offers full scholarships for students. For more details have a look here.

1. Visit the official website of the European Commission about the Erasmus+ Programme for education.
2. Choose the Erasmus+ opportunity you are interested in. Then, you will be prompted to the step by step process on how to apply and what scholarship opportunities are offered.

In choosing a programme, you must first know what your goals are, what career path you are trying to make, and what you intend to do with the knowledge that you will gain from the programme. For example, if you are solely interested in gaining practical knowledge, you may not need to pursue a full degree. Instead, you may be more interested in applying for an Erasmus+ internship programme. Have a look at all the possible options through this link! It will help you in your decision-making process.

Deadlines vary according to the individual programmes. To confirm the relevant deadlines, you should check the specific website of the programme you are interested in here.