Erasmus, the European Union's flagship education and training programme, emphasises student and staff mobility and European co-operation involving higher education institutions and other key players in the knowledge-based economy. It supports the creation of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) through increased mobility. This allows for more innovation, growth and jobs in the EU. Together with an enriched study experience, Erasmus also provides exposure to different cultures.

In addition to students, Erasmus also targets teachers, trainers, and others involved in higher education. This includes relevant associations, research centres, counselling organisations, etc. It is also open to enterprises, social partners and stakeholders, as well as public and private bodies providing education and training at local, regional and national levels.

Erasmus supports actions in the fields of mobility (period of study or placement abroad), European projects and networks.

In may 2008 the European Commision admitted to the Higher School of Tourism and Hotel Industry in Gdansk extended Erasmus University Charter within Erasmus Programme (extended Erasmus University Charter-249628-IC-1-2008-1PL-ERASMUS-EUCX-1), that enables students to study or have their internships in another country, as well as it facilitates teaching staff mobility.

ERASMUS POLICY STATEMENT (EPS) 2007-2013
THE HIGHER SCHOOL OF TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY IN GDANSK

1. Strategies, aims and priorities of the Higher School of Tourism and Hotel Industry in Gdansk related to activities under the Erasmus Programme and other activities related to the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) in 2007-2013

The Higher School of Tourism and Hotel Industry (HSTHI) in Gdansk was established in 1996. It trains students on Bachelor's and Master's courses in the field of Tourism and Recreation.

The development strategy of the HSTHI takes into account the main aims of the Lifelong Learning Programme and constantly upgrades the quality of training, observes and promotes the European dimension of education, develops multilateral cooperation between educational institutions and enterprises, places emphasis on increasing mobility of students and academic teachers, campaigns for mutual recognition of qualifications obtained in student and teacher exchange programmes. The aim of the Erasmum policy of the HSTHI is to prepare its students to live in a multinational, multicultural information society of the EU.

So far, the School has signed over ten bilateral agreements with schools and enterprises operating in Europe. Moreover, the HSTHI is a member of dynamically acting societies and associations that support the European dimension of education, i.e. the Leading Hotel Schools in Europe EURHODIP, the Association of Private Schools of the Pomerania Province, the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland, the Business Centre Club, the Polish Regional Tourism Organisation.

In 2006, the HSTHI participated as a partner in the Leonardo da Vinci Programme.

The School consistently encourages its students and teachers to participate in international trade and education fairs as well as economic missions (Germany, Spain, China, Canada). The teachers' qualifications are systematically upgraded through their participation in international conferences, trainings and seminars. Since it was established, the HSTHI has organised 10 international conferences.

In its execution of the consolidation policy of the European dimension of higher education, openness and full recognition of studies and qualifications in Europe, the HSTHI:
- has implemented the ECTS system,
- issues supplements to diplomas
- supports and acknowledges mobility of students and teachers
- trains foreigners (21 at present)
- has appointed the Plenipotentiary for International Students
- has a rich offer of language courses (in 7 languages)
- promotes learning of foreign languages through an increased number of hours (as compared with the minimum syllabus, it offers 4 times more foreign language classes on Bachelor's studies)
- uses state-of-the-art IT and multimedia technologies, has its own computer, hotel trade and catering labs
- adapts its educational offer to the trends of European employment markets

The School also declares to continue cooperation with its partner schools and enterprises, to strive to sign new agreements on cooperation and to start classes in English on the most popular faculty.

With the view to guarantee realization of the non-discrimination principles, i.e. equality of genders, integration of disabled students, teachers and administrative staff, moderation of social and economic differences, etc.), the HSTHI declares:
- to continue to accept disabled and foreign students (49 students of various degrees of disability at present)
- to support the disabled (the scholarship system, further adaptations of the building for the disabled)
- to support persons in difficult financial situations (the Schools has for years granted scholarships and financial aids to those in need)
- to organise lectures on national minorities, cultures and customs of different nationalities

The School authorities declare to spare no effort to prevent any signs of discrimination, xenophobia or racism.

The School declares to promote the Erasmus Programme by:
- publishing information about the Erasmus Programme at www.wstih.edu.pl, on notice boards and in display cabinets, in the HSTHI brochures and the School's "Cool- turysta" newsletter
- to spread information about the Programme on meetings organised specifically for that purpose and during lectures
- to deliver information to the media (local press, educational portals)

2. The quality of academic mobility:

The priority of HSTHI is to ensure the highest quality of academic exchange (of students and academic teachers). For that purpose, the School:
- has developed and carries out the syllabus of studies adapted to the newest educational standards and taking into account academic mobility
- applies the ECTS system - issues supplements to diplomas (in 3 languages)
- acknowledges student and teacher exchange
- acknowledges vocational training as an integral part of the syllabus and carries out activities aimed at including it in the ECTS system
- will appoint the Erasmus Coordinator and a group of cooperating personnel

For students and academic teachers coming under the Erasmus Programme, the School declares:
- to organise classes in English at the speciality of Hotel Trade and Catering Management
- to do regular updates of the School's website in English (its educational offer, consultations, class schedules, students' affairs, cultural events)
- to provide assistance of the Plenipotentiary for International Students in all matters connected with living in Gdansk and studying at the HSTHI
- to prepare a Polish language course aimed at helping foreigners deal with everyday situations (in cooperation with the Sopot School of Polish, with which the HSTHI has signed an agreement)
- to assist in finding accommodation and if necessary - medical care
- to organize cultural and sightseeing tours for students

For students and academic teachers leaving on an exchange, the School declares:
- to organise extra language classes to enable them continuation of their education in the receiving country
- to organise introductory meetings to the culture of the receiving country
- to provide financial support
- to assist in organisation of the travel, booking of accommodation
- to grant training leaves to academic staff

3. The quality of student training

The HSTHI implements the policy of constant upgrading of the quality of education in the area of vocational training. The training lasts for 15 weeks and forms an integral part of the syllabus.

In order to guarantee the high level of student training, the School:
- has developed rules of training
- has appointed the Dean's Plenipotentiary for Vocational Training(acquisitioning of training offers, monitoring; execution of the trainee's tasks is also supervised by the training tutor of the receiving institution)
- has signed a number of agreements, which correspond with the specialities of the school
- provides financial support for persons leaving for foreign traineeship

Credits for traineeship, confirmed in the student record book, are given on the grounds of the trainee's cards certified by the employer, which include the scope of activities and an opinion on the trainee's performance.

The HSTHI intends to use the possibility of including student traineeship and internship into the Erasmus Programme and at the same time the School declares to recognize them as bringing the right effects in vocational education.

The Erasmus Programme Coordinator and a group of cooperating personnel will deal with acquisition of offers of traineeship, arrangements of individual traineeship plans, monitoring of their course (inspections reports, e-mail contacts) and evaluation (in cooperation with the receiving institution) of the trainees' performance. Before leaving for language and culture trainings, the trainees can rely on the School's assistance in all organisational matters. The HSTHI will include the training in the ECTS system and in supplement to diploma.

The school has an experience in participating (as a aprtner) in the Leonardo da Vinci Programme.

Before leaving for internship to the UK, the trainees participated in language courses and pedagogic and cultural workshops aimed at helping them adapt in the new environment. Internships were monitored regularly, for instance by means of the trainees' reports and inspections of the supervisors. Form-based evaluation allowed assessing the trainees' new competences and skills, which were documented by: the Europass-Mobility, the Certificate of Achievement.