Ghent is this year’s Erasmus destination. This was decided two weeks ago in Bucharest during the Erasmus Generation Meeting, an annual conference where all sections of the Erasmus Student Network meet. Toulouse, Valencia, Vienna and Padua were also nominated for the prize, but the jury – made up of students and representatives from the European Commission, the Association for Academic Cooperation, the European Association for International Education, the European Students Union and the European Youth Forum – chose Ghent anyway.
“Given the quality of the services offered by the various higher education institutions in Ghent, the way the higher education institutions cooperate with the city and student associations, the commitment to integrating Erasmus students through all kinds of activities, and the way the department head of the Department of Internationalization at Ghent University says: “We deal with all kinds of problems, including housing.”
Ghent currently receives around 1,500 Erasmus students annually. Spaniards, Poles, Germans and French in particular find their way to the city. “We have a very good reputation among Spanish students,” says de Dekker. “They like to stay here and vice versa. Spain is an attractive destination for our students to study.” Recognition can ensure that more international students find their way to Ghent.
