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The Impact of Erasmus Mobility on Military

Technical Higher Education
Conference Paper March 2015
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2037.4560

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Moldoveanu Cristian-Emil

Ioana Edu

Technical Military Academy of Bucharest

Polytechnic University of Bucharest

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Military Technical Academy of Bucharest
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THE IMPACT OF ERASMUS MOBILITY

ON MILITARY TECHNICAL HIGHER EDUCATION
Moldoveanu Cristian-Emil1, Edu Ioana Raluca1, Rotariu Traian1,
Andruseac Gabriela2
1

Military Technical Academy, Bucharest (ROMANIA)

University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Grigore T. Popa" Iai (ROMANIA)

Abstract
At European level, we witness an increasing emphasis on the internationalization of higher education.
The most important universities have as objective the development of student, teaching staff and
researchers mobility, as well as the compatibility of bachelor, MBA and PhD study programs. In this
context, crossing national borders by universities and their presence on the world market represent an
important step in achieving European quality standards. Although the functioning of the technical
military higher education is subject to further limitations imposed by the rigors of the military system,
its connection to the quality requirements of the European system is a necessity as well as a reality.
Therefore, the implementation of the internationalization concept is a priority target in technical military
higher education institutions. Military higher education acquires greater international dimension as a
larger number of students, teaching staff and specialists get involved in mobility and international
projects. National cooperation in military higher education is an important area that contributes to
improving the quality of teaching, learning and research processes, being beneficial for the generation
of new skills and knowledge. While for the students of civil universities Erasmus represents an
opportunity to increase their employability chances, for military students Erasmus mobility represents
the chance to gain international experience which, along with the new skills and knowledge acquired,
provide them a better adaptation to fit into a new, international and multicultural environment.
Keywords: Erasmus, mobility, technical higher education.

INTRODUCTION

At European level, is visible the phenomenon of higher education internationalization, most of the
important universities aiming at increasing mobility of their students, professors and researchers and
defining compatible study programs for bachelor, master and PhD. In this context, crossing national
borders by universities and reporting to the world market of education is an important step in achieving
European quality standards. Military higher education is linked to the qualitative requirements of
national and European education, implementing the concept of internationalization is a priority goal in
all higher education institutions in Romania, including in military technical higher education. It acquires
a greater international dimension, as an increasing number of students, professors and researchers
are involved in mobility and international projects. International cooperation in military technical higher
education is an important area that contributes in improving the quality of teaching, learning and
research and is beneficial for generating new knowledge and skills.
Military Technical Academy of Bucharest (MTA) represents the military technical higher education
of Romania, being a polytechnic education institution that forms and provides professional
development of logistics officers, engineers, specialist officers and civilian personnel selected for the
needs of the defence, public order and national security structures or for beneficiaries in the country
and abroad. MTA conducts higher education study programs organized in undergraduate, master and
doctoral studies in its accredited fields and specializations, and other forms of training, perfecting and
specialization.
Regarding international relations, MTA conducts mobility of students, by sending its own students
to foreign military and civilian universities and by receiving foreign students. Mobility of students target
undergraduate, master and PhD exchange programs studies, the development of bachelor, master
and PhD projects and theses, the development of strong collaborations and, specific for military
institutions, training sessions including military activities. Professors and research personnel conduct
research and teaching activities in foreign military and civilian partner universities.

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The most important component of international relations of MTA is the Erasmus program,
developed since the years 2000. International mobilities carried out under the Erasmus program are:
- student mobilities for study: internships for participation in courses for an academic year, a
semester or a fraction of a semester or internships for preparing diploma or dissertation
projects. Minimum duration of mobility study was three months and the maximum duration
was twelve months. The period of full mobility is recognized by the home university through
credit points gained during the internship, points of credit with the same significance for the
all the institutions implied in the exchange.
- student mobilities for traineeship: internships of at least two or three months and maximum
twelve months conducted in universities or research institutions abroad.
- staff teaching mobilities: relocation of professors in higher education institutions with Erasmus
Charter for Higher Education.
- staff training mobilities: temporary relocation of professors or non-academic personnel in
higher education institutions or partner institutions, for professional and personal
development.
Generally, students are highly motivated to participate in Erasmus mobilities because they have
the chance to develop learning and cultural activities abroad and their experience will be included in
their resume after graduation and will increase their chances to get a good job. On the other hand,
military students are not looking for a job. Therefore, to choose to participate in Erasmus mobility for
military students is different in relation to civilian student motivation. The main motivation of military
students is the opportunity to develop professional and personal competences based on international
experience.

ERASMUS MOBILITIES PERFORMED BY MTA STUDENTS

In MTA are prepared students for bachelor, master and doctoral studies in the following fields:
Computer and Information Technology, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Automotive
Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering and Armament, Missiles and Ammunition
Engineering. Professional competences ensured by full or partial completion of the three study cycles
in MTA were commonly agreed with the main employers of graduates in order to meet their needs.
In general, Erasmus mobilities of students were conducted in prestigious universities abroad to
develop their bachelor or dissertation final project. Chosen subjects were consistent with the students
professional competence achieved during the study program and with their final projects.
Host institutions for mobilities were both military and civilian universities, and sometimes research
civilian institutions with technical concerns. In Europe there are very few military technical universities
similar with MTA. Among them, the MTA has collaboration agreements with: ENSTA Brest, ENSTA
Paris, Royale Military Academy Bruxelles, ISAE Toulouse and Military University of Technology in
Warsaw. MTA also collaborates with other military universities: Military Academy of Saint Cyr
Coetquidan, Vasil Levski National Military University Veliko Tarnovo and Military Academy of Land
Forces from Wroclaw.
Having regard the small number of military technical educational institutions existing at European
level since the learning process is organized according to their needs and its own specific national
defence systems, it is difficult for students to find an MTA perfect mobility equivalent to the content of
MTA curricula. But this is not necessarily a disadvantage, but rather an advantage in terms of diversity
of international internship opportunities.
MTA has signed more than 30 cooperation agreements with civilian universities in Europe:
Angers University, University Bretagne Occidental Brest, ENI Brest, Institute National Polytechnic
Grenoble, Aix-Marseille University, University Haute Alsace Mulhouse, University Polytechnic Nantes,
Pau University, Poitiers University, IUT Angouleme, INSA Rennes, ENI Tarbes, University Paul
Sabatier Toulouse, INSA Toulouse, Institute National Polytechnic Toulouse, University Polytechnic
Catalonia (UPC) Barcelona, Bilbao University, University Polytechnic Madrid, University Polytechnic
Cartagena, Coimbra University, Leiria University, University NOVA Lisbon, University Cranfield
Shrivenham, College Imperial London, University Hallam Sheffield, Amsterdam University, Delft
University of Tehnology, Pisa University, University Tor Vergata Rome, Limerick University, University
"Velika Gorica" Zagreb, Ostrava University, Jena University etc.

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Fig. 1. Trends regarding the number of Erasmus students

The number of mobilities conducted by MTA students within the Erasmus program in 2007-2013
was increasing (Figure 1). Erasmus mobility impact on the development of professional skills of
students resulted from the technical topics addressed during internships.
Below is presented a study of the impact of the Erasmus mobilities on students' professional
competences development.
Student mobilities in the field of Computers and IT: Information Centric Network; Biometric
authentication systems based on hand pattern vein, digital certificates and smart cards; Client-Server
Signal Processing Framework; Confidentiality in selective transmission of complex images; Distributed
Task Placement in Data Centers under Quality of Service Constraints; Design and implementation of
Medium Access Control Protocols for Wireless Networks; Design and performance evaluation of
opportunistic data dissemination strategy in Vehicular Network; Dynamic gateway selection in hybrid
satellite mobile ad-hoc network; Energy Efficiency in Internet Networks; Energy efficient packet
scheduling for mostly-off wireless sensor network; Evaluation of energy and throughput efficient
transmission strategy with cooperative transmission in wireless ad-hoc network; Design and
implementation of a security solution for cloud computing; Design and implementation of a security
solution and protection of privacy in social networks; FPGA implementation of block digital filtering
using Fermat Number Transform; Geoprivacy risk assessment. Implementation of a middleware
architecture; Implementation of Blockwise Option in CoAP; Implementation and performance
evaluation of a secure one-way authentication protocol in IMS context; Implementation of an
Automatic Interface to Provide Access to Cryptobox Security Platform from Java Applications; Internal
states detection based on human facial expressions; Mobile robotics and more specifically humanrobot interaction; Models of realistic traffic sources and their implementation in a network simulator
discrete event realized in C; Setting up a secure reverse auction site; On-the-fly software decryption of
digital cinema packages; On Digital Predistortion Techniques for the Optimization of Coherent-optical
OFDM waveforms; Open Source Solution for Digital Cinema; Parallelization of reinforcement learning
techniques; Programming Android applications, development of a representative prototype;
Realisation of a simulator Matlab a CUBE 3D LED type display and electronic part "Hardware" CUBE
steering susteme a basic; Realization in the Matlab environment of a simulator display's LED 3D
(CUBE LEDs 3D) ; Roll out of a crowdsourcing mobile application to retrieve content and context
information in the context; Recognition, tracking and summarizing the trajectory of an object in a video
sequence; Online platform system for remote laboratories; Video segmentation and annotation based
on usage analysis; Virtualization of networks: SDN and Openflow; Web application on phone (or
tablet) Mobile to model 3D objects taken by the camera of the mobile.
Student mobilities in the field of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering: Acoustic
Navigation Framework; Acoustic antenna for high-resolution ultrasound images; Analysis of electronic
noise PAMELA SHM System Using Matlab; Analysis of acoustic signals in fluid environment; Analysis
of acoustic signals using multi-element arrays experimental validation of the time-frequency-phase
algorithm; Spectral analysis in cylindrical coordinates; Background File Transfer for Delay Tolerant
Mobile Applications; Biometric measurements using radar Doppler sensors; Comparative study of
Peak-to-Average Power Ratio(PAPR) reduction algorithms for Coherent-optical OFDM transmissions;
Communications between Matlab and accelerometers with 12C protocol; Design and development of
a wireless communication for ECG monitoring; Design and implementation of a wireless control

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system for low-cost robot; Design and development of a mobile application to retrieve content and
context information in the context of 3G network data offloading; Extension of Wireshark dissector
module for LISP; Extension of the LIG Tool; Studies for improving forecasting ENRA a local scale;
Evaluating the impact of network performance on video streaming using MIQE; Acoustic imaging to
dynamic environments; Acoustic imaging sensor matrix; Implementation of signal processing
operations on a multi-architecture heart; Influence of the propagation channel/human body upon the
UWB signals; Location support in IMS based next generation emergency networks; Multidimensional
Very High Resolution SAR Signal Processing for Monitoring Energetic Structures; Monitoring of the
LISP pilot Network; MQTT-S-A Publish/Subscribe Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks; Nonlinear
modelling LDMOSFET transistors for producing microwave power amplifiers; Mobile Robot Navigation
Tracking robots trajectory in a video sequence; Radar FPGA receiver implementation; Radar FPGA
receiver implementation; Exploratory research for the development of new architectures of power
converters for high voltage applications; Remote sensing a distributed network of underwater sensors;
Security of mobile ad-hoc networks; Spectrum Sensitive using Radio Cognitive; Signal processing of
pressure data measurements on Kaplan turbine; Digital communication system with ultrasound; Study
regarding a complete system for data transmission through radio Bluetooth and posttreatment of
signal under DSP and/or FPGA platforms; SDN based Routing and Traffic Engineering in Wireless
Mesh and A-Hoc Networks; Traffic Generator for analyzing LISP router workloads; Testing and
analysing the PAMELA SHM System; UPMT solution extensions with specific attention toreal time
delay, loss and available band width measurements; Wideband ultrasonic sonar signal processing.
Student mobilities in the field of Automotive Engineering: Design of a test bench for exporohydrodynamic lubrication; Study and modelling of exporo-hydrodynamic lubrication; Study of the
tensile strength of finished plates welded to the automotive industry by power lasers: experimental and
numerical approach; Theoretical and numerical study of hydrodynamic lubrication of dynamic seals;
Studies of granular avalanches precursors; Experimental study of a connecting rod bearing;
Experimental modelling of electrostatic and tribological phenomena at solid-fluid interfaces; Vapour
concentration measurement in a two-phase flow by Infrared Absorption; Stirling Engine Project.
Student mobilities in the field of Civil Engineering: Bending of corrugated steel plates and
composite concrete slabs; Characteristics of Steel Fibre Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete;
Characterization of a perforated sheet for use; Computer simulation and non-destructive monitoring of
the orientation of metallic fibres as reinforcement in a self-compacting concrete matrix (Steel
FibreReinforced Self-Compacting Concrete SFRSCC) ; Determination of strains in perforated metal
sheets using finit element methods and experimental tests; Estimation of the distribution of metallic
fibers in SFRSCC and verification of a constitutive equation of the material by means of magnetic
methods.
Student mobilities in the field of Aerospace Engineering: Automation, control and
aerodynamic development of a swarm of indoor UAVs; Behaviour repair staircase obtained by
Abrasive Water Jet; Controlling paramotor aerial vehicle; Designing an UAV capable of both hovering
and efficient horizontal flight; Development and design of a vapour delivery system for gas mixing;
Etude de lusure et de la qualit dusinage des plaques en carbone / poxy; Experimental study of
heat transfer in a pipe has rough walls; Experimental and numerical study of an adhesion test shock
on a composite assembly / adhesive / metal for aerospace; Establishing a mathematical model of a
paramotor and participation to the development of its control design; The experimental and numerical
studies during drilling of an aeronautical composite type material; Experimental setup for Mollecular
Tagging Velocimetry-developement of a vapor delivery system for a gas mixing; Development of an
optical system for measuring elastic deformations of the Hopkinson bar type device and development
of a calibration method based on a finite element simulation of the complete experimental test;
Modelling of acoustic transmission through multilayered anisotropic material; Modelling and control of
a quadrotor robot; Modelling of the static and dynamic behaviour of ferromagnetic shape memory
alloys (FSMA); Modelling of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of shape memory alloys in finite
deformation; Participation in the automation and control of an UAV based on a para-motor concept;
Participating to the development of Micro Aerial Vehicles: the paramotor/swarm elements; Preliminary
design of a heavy attack helicopter; Study of the wear during carbon/epoxy composites; UAV design
to be used in a swarm intelligence.
Student mobilities in the field of Armament, Missiles and Ammunition Engineering:
Characterization of the detonation properties of civil explosives and military energetic materials
mixtures; Development of an optical event based methodology for detonation velocity measurements;
LCA of the ammunition production; Numerical simulation of the detonation of cylindrical charges of

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emulsion in air; Recycling of energetic materials through detonation within civil emulsion explosives;
Synthesis and characterization of explosives and explosive formulations for insensitive ammunitions;
Synthesis and analysis of organic compounds for the production of new conductive and semiconductive materials.
Student mobilities in the interdisciplinary fields: Mapping of wet snow; Parsimonious
characterization of transient air and submarine; Obstacle detection submarines and autonomous
guidance with acoustic techniques; Reconstruction of a 3D velocity field in a pipe; Sparse
representation of underwater turbulent phenomena using acoustic signal processing techniques;
Reconstruction of the temperature distribution in a pipe; Flaw detection, localization and quantification
in water tanks.

ERASMUS MOBILITIES IMPACT ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS'

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES DEVELOPMENT

What is the novelty brought by Erasmus mobility to a military student from a professional point of
view? Although the majority of bachelor, master or PhD projects could be developed in MTA, it
appears that by conducting international mobility, the student will improve considerably his knowledge
and professional skills by having the chance to observe, during his internship, a new approach to the
project content.
In the final year of the study cycle each student has the responsibility to develop a final project
within which to apply the skills and knowledge gained over years of study spent in ATM. International
mobility is a first test for students to see if the knowledge and skills gained while studying in MTA are
effective. It was found that over 95% of MTA students fared in good condition and proved very good
competences and knowledge during international internships; professors responsible for their
evaluation constantly appreciated their work with high and very high grades. International recognition
strengthens the students confidence level and professional skills and validates high MTA education
quality and competitiveness.
MTA has the necessary number of specialized technical laboratories, but is limited in terms of
endowment with specialized modern equipment and devices for civilian and military applications.
Through internships abroad, students have the opportunity to work with similar or more modern
software programs, equipment and devices which sometimes are not found in MTA laboratories. This
is a great advantage for MTA students, because during Erasmus stages they gain access to a large
number of modern laboratory equipment useful in their field of study.
At the same time the student will have the chance to learn the construction and mode of
operation of new or similar equipment, which is a challenge. This is an advantage for students who
carry out activities abroad. Basically, by means of Erasmus mobility, students will have a very large
number of specialized technical equipment and laboratories to perform their projects, improving their
knowledge and skills gained in MTA.
Another aspect that should not be overlooked is the fact that during mobility, the student
accumulates knowledge and skills complementary to those ensured by the educational program of
MTA, which leads to an increase of the professional level of the student.

ERASMUS MOBILITIES IMPACT ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS' TRANSVERSAL

COMPETENCES

Erasmus mobilities have a positive impact on students' transversal skills: language skills,
communication skills, adapting to new international environment s.o.
During most Erasmus mobilities, MTA students conduct their studies in English or French. In
addition, students have the opportunity to learn new languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German,
etc. It was found that after participating in Erasmus mobility the students' language level has improved
considerably.
Erasmus students have proven that they have developed a high level of communication skills,
being permanently in the position to communicate in the selected foreign language with their
professor, coordinator and colleagues from the host institution.
The level of adaptation of Erasmus students to a multicultural environment was improved through
participation in Erasmus mobility.

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CONCLUSIONS

The strategy of internationalization of military higher education in Military Technical Academy

includes the promotion of an international culture through:
- promoting cooperation with prestigious civilian and military institutions of higher education
abroad, including both the research sector and that of businesses, as part of efforts to build a
fully functioning knowledge triangle (education - research - innovation);
- encouraging and supporting outgoing and incoming mobility of students, professors and
researchers;
- perfecting the competencies of students, professors, researchers and of other types of
personnel needed to work in an open international environment;
- ensuring the supply of high quality curricula and teaching methods applied taking into
consideration the international dimension;
- create an institutional environment that encourages the participation of students, professors
and researchers in international programs and international research projects;
- implementing the concept of internationalization at home: this involves the integration of the
international dimension in everything that means life and academic work.
Summarizing the internationalization concept addresses the entire academic community and
might be achieved by promoting curricular design compatible with the present and future needs of
national and international society, by providing continuous renewal of content and teaching, learning
and assessment methods for all disciplines, encouraging the use of foreign languages in the
educational and research process and the development of modern multimedia learning environment.

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[1]

Anatolie Cosciuc, The Impact of International Student Mobility in Romania, Europolis Vol. 7, no.
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[2]

Madlena Nen, The Improvement in the Quality of Learning in Europes Higher Education
Institutions, Management & Marketing, Vol. XII, Issue 1/2014, pag. 75-83;

[3]

Kristine Mitchell, Student mobility and European Identity: Erasmus Study as a Civic Experience,
Journal of Contemporary European Research, Vol. 8, Issue 4, 2012, pag. 490-518;

[4]

www.mta.ro

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