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The Thoughts of Kirikkale University Students in The Context of Cultural Interaction Under The European Union Education and Youth Programs
JOURNAL OF YOUTH RESEARCHES
been done to implement Erasmus program. The mobility of individuals in transnational-
ization was an important situation in the 1980s. In the following years, this situation has
been made it possible to coordinate with a head of office in higher education institutions.
As a result, it has gained an institutional identity in universities. In this way, international
mobilities have been achieved in an academic context (Wachter, 2003:5-11).
Short study programs have been established to ensure mobility in higher education in-
stitutions. By establishing the Erasmus Program in 1987, the European States made it
possible for students from higher education institutions to participate in short-term ex-
changes for educational activities between EU member states. It can be stated that the
Erasmus Program enabled the exchange of students effectively between higher educa-
tion institutions since 1987. It has been observed that the interest in the Erasmus Pro-
gram has diminished in EU member states where English has not been used effectively in
education and training activities. In order to overcome this problem, new curriculums and
new graduate degrees have been established in the higher education institutions. Thus, it
is aimed to correct students’ views on the Erasmus Program (Witte, 2006:19).
Internationalization and Erasmus+ Program
The concept of internationalization first appeared in social and pedagogical issues for
nation states. After the cold war, the influence of internationalization in the free market
was felt with the multinational companies coming to the agenda between the countries.
Along with the increase in international activities and the feeling of the influence of multi-
national corporations more and more, it has caused a loss of influence in the dominance
of nation states. This can be seen from national politics in nation states to international
media organizations, from communication materials to cultural components, even from
education to educational activities. It can be claimed that these developments affected
the nation states in a significant way, and it was necessary to deal with the change and
development activities to the intellectuals (Habermas, 2002: 26; 28).
The European Commission is also in agreement with the signatories of the Bologna Dec-
laration in the work of establishing the European Higher Education Area. According to
the year 2015 of the Erasmus Program, whose first steps were started in 1987, a total of
3 million students benefited from the program. It can be said that about 150 thousand
students are included in the program every year on average in the course of 30 years. It
is stated that Erasmus Exchange Program is the biggest exchange program in Europe in
the direction of statistics. It is predicted that Europe will continue to grow in line with its
2020 targets (European Comission, 2014-2015).
