BENNELL, Katherine

Having completed her Bachelor of Aeronautical-Space Engineering (Honours) and the Bachelor of Science (Advanced Physics) degrees at the University of Sydney, Katherine at age 23 is looking forward to embarking on a Joint European Master's Program in Space Science and Technology (Erasmus Mundus 'SpaceMaster') at the Julius-Maximilius Universitiat Wurzburg, Germany, the Lulea University of Technology, Kiruna Space Campus, with further studies elsewhere in Europe. Katherine says 'the romance of space and an enjoyment of the challenge of research has drawn me into my passion for astronautics and exploration. My ambition is to contribute to the space program as an Astronaut and have a successful engineering and test-pilot career. I found out about the Erasmus Mundus SpaceMaster programme through experience in ESA Student projects, the European Space Camp and ESA conferences.'

Dr Catriona Bonfiglioli

Catriona is a lecturer in Media Studies in the Communication program at The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), has been a professional journalist since 1985 and a medical journalist since 1993.

Catriona says she is delighted to be contributing to the Public Spheres Module at the Institut für Journalistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft, University of Hamburg . She will present on aspects of journalism and the public sphere including: how diverse communities are reported in the Asia Pacific region, how Australian Aboriginal communities are represented in the media, how health issues are covered in Australia (particularly obesity, immunisation, and smoking) and how humanitarian issues are reported.

She sees this as an important opportunity to share approaches to journalism studies, to see how media studies are taught in Europe and to have a chance to discuss research approaches and findings with other academics. Catriona says " I am particularly interested in how health is covered in the news media in Europe , how the issue of health journalism is discussed in journalism education and how the global changes in journalism funding and practice may be influencing journalism about health issues."

DASEY, Michael

Michael is 23 years old and a graduate from the University of New South Wales, Sydney. He will participate in a Masters of Mechanical Engineering which will take him to Trinity College Dublin in the first instance and secondly to the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain. Michael says "My time in Europe will be an amazing experience, one which will be incredibly challenging, sometimes difficult, but always rewarding. The benefits of the course come not only from studying at world class institutions, but from meeting and studying with highly talented people. Becoming fluent in Spanish is also a highly useful life-skill that the Erasmus Mundus program enables me to acquire."

HARDLEY, Jess

At 24 years of age Jess is off to Utrecht University in the Netherlands to take part in the Erasmus Mundus Masters on Women's and Gender Studies. She will also study at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Jess sees her "upcoming experience in Europe as something which will inspire an engagement within European and International Feminist theory and practice." She is "particularly interested in having the opportunity to study at two different locations in Europe, thus having the possibility to engage with different teaching/learning methods as well as meeting and working with other students and teachers from within the field of Women's and Gender Studies".

Sonia Hegde

At 24, Sonia is about to embark on a two-year MSc programme in Aeronautical engineering at Technische Universitat Munchen (Germany) and Cranfield University (United Kingdom), having already completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace)/ Bachelor of Arts (German Studies) from University of New South Wales in Sydney.

My Bachelors degree has given me a good foundation in the aerospace field, however I want to continue to build on this by participating in the EuMAS programme. The MSc aeronautical programme will provide me with the perfect opportunity to better my language skills and increase my knowledge of aeronautical theory. The world class education provided by two of the best universities in Europe will prepare me better for my future career plans. Studying with people from different backgrounds will help me broaden my cultural awareness and knowledge and expose me to different ideas and lifestyles. Europe has a long history, rich culture and over the years has emerged as a centre for new and leading edge technology. Hence, I believe studying and living in Europe will be an amazing and invaluable experience, one I will never forget.

HINDS, Sam

After his Bachelor of Mathematics at the Queensland University of Technology, Sam (21) is going to undertake an Erasmus Mundus Master of Quantitative Economics. His studies will take place at University of Bielefeld, Germany, and at the University of Paris - at the Sorbonne. He says "Well, I have never been to Europe before, or in fact overseas, but I can definitely say that I am extremely excited about the prospect of studying in Germany and France. I would have never had this opportunity if it were not for the Erasmus Mundus Scheme and the European Commission. I intend to make the most of my time in Europe and embrace the variety of cultures. I am also very excited, and a little nervous, about living and studying in places so foreign to me. I'm counting down the days and can't wait until this new adventure begins".

John-Paul Hougaz

John Paul will be studying for a Master of Applied Ethics degree at Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands and NTNU in Trondheim, Norway. At 24, John-Paul has graduated from the University of Melbourne.

I hope to gain an understanding not only of the specific countries I will be studying in, and their approaches to analysing pressing ethical issues, but also to get a sense of how these fit in to European, and global, perspectives on these matters. This amazing opportunity will allow me to live overseas for the first time, and I'm sure that this will encourage me to broaden my horizons, both personally and professionally, through this engagement with foreign cultures. I have always wanted to live and study in Europe, and now finally have a chance to do so.

HOWIE, Laura

Laura (21) holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide. Soon she will be studying an Erasmus Mundus Masters in Rural Development, spending time at the University of Ghent in Belgium, on the Agrocampus Rennes in France and at the University of Cordoba in Spain. She sees her European experience as "a great opportunity to polish up my language skills and work with people from around the globe." She is "also looking forward to further specialised study in environmentally, economically and socially sustainable agriculture, particularly in developing countries." "In Australia", she says "the focus is predominately on Australian issues and concerns, so it will be great to learn how other countries are tackling land management issues."

KENSY, Julia

During the third year of her BA (Hons) at Macquarie University, Sydney, Julia (24) developed a great interest in world history, inspired by Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington. She had the opportunity to study world history further and says 'I am very excited to have the opportunity to continue this study with the European Masters Program, 'Global Studies'." Julia will undertake her study in Austria and Germany. She is excited to be a part of a program that aims to break down barriers between European countries as well between academic disciplines, and being able to improve her German language skills, but most importantly, is looking forward to contributing to the current debate on globalisation, which she says is a process that has been occurring over the past 400 years, and facilitates improved socio-economic and cultural cohesion amongst European countries.

KLAPDOR, Michael

After graduating from the Australian National University with a BA in 2007, 25 year old Michael is currently a research assistant with the Parliamentary Library in Canberra, and will be undertaking the Masters of Applied Ethics program. He will be studying at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim and the Centre of Applied Ethics at Linkoping University in Sweden.

Michael is excited by the programme and being offered the opportunity to study in Europe and says: " The programme I will be undertaking allows me to bring together my background in philosophy and my professional experience in dealing with current social policy issues. I am particularly excited by the chance to meet students from around the world who share the same interest in ethics and to examine ethical issues within an international context. I am hoping that the experience of studying at these two Scandinavian institutions will broaden my thinking and allow me to examine some key ethical problems from a global perspective ."

Gloria Lai

Gloria, 29, graduated from the Australian National University in 2004, and has taken up the Erasmus Mundus Masters Program in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP) 2009-2011.

"As a student, lawyer and policy advisor, I have for years grappled with the challenges of governance and development in the Asian region.  The Mundus MAPP program attracted my attention because of the great opportunity it presents to learn from the European experience in developing transnational public policy.  I want to learn how Europe's transnational policy successes may be translated into similar successes in Asia.  I want to use my time in the Mundus MAPP program to develop global governance expertise that positions me to make a valuable contribution to international development.  I am looking forward to challenging dialogues with colleagues, and can't wait to immerse myself in European culture, food and history".

LAU, Wilson

Wilson is a 22 year-old graduate from the University of New South Wales. He says that as his Masters Degree in Environment Studies will take him to four different universities and countries (Denmark, Germany, Spain, and Portugal) "it is literally a dive into new and changing surroundings, and amongst people of different nationalities, of an equally keen interest and sharing the same experience. I can't wait!" Although his "expectations of Europe are quite stereotypical - cold winters, great people and cities, towns and rural areas oozing with history", he has been told "the natural environment is surprisingly similar to Australia and he "hopes to be amongst a lot of this during my two years in Europe".

Marcel Maeder

Marcel has been offered a scholarship to participate in the Erasmus Mundus in Master in Quality in Analytical Laboratories course. This involves the delivery of a one week module titled " Process Analysis: modeling and non-linear parameter fitting"; this module will be delivered in Gdansk/Poland early in 2010. The second part of the scholarship involves a 3 month sabbatical visit to the University of Barcelona to collaborate with Professor Anna de Juan on chemometrics research. There is a longstanding scientific collaboration between Profs Anna de Juan and Romà Tauler at the University of Barcelona and Marcel, who will continue their research in the field of chemometrics.

"Having grown up and studied in Switzerland, I have travelled extensively in many parts of Europe. However, Poland is missing on the list of countries and I'm looking forward to visiting this very important part of modern Europe despite the fact that the temperatures in mid-winter will be dramatically different from the ones in my home town Newcastle in the middle of the summer!" laughs Marcel.

Dr Tony Maniaty

Currently Senior Lecturer in International Journalism at the University of Technology Sydney, Tony has spent most of his working life as a broadcast journalist. His career highlights include European Correspondent for SBS and Executive Producer of the ABC's The 7.30 Report. Tony's published works include two novels and a memoir, and most recently 'Shooting Balibo', an account of his experiences in East Timor as a young television journalist in the troubles of 1975.

Under the Erasmus Mundus program, Tony will be running the Erasmus Mundus Master course "Reporting Global Change" in conjunction with Professor Hans-Henrik Holm, Professor of World Politics at the Danish School of Journalism in Aarhus . Having developed strong links between DSJ and UTS over several years, the current experience will strengthen those bonds between two leading journalism schools.

Tony says "One way I hope this will happen is by focusing on the impact of globalisation in our understanding of global change. Events such as terrorism, problems such as humanitarian disasters and wars impact national agendas in such a way that global agendas are created. The Erasmus Mundus course we teach looks at various agendas in this sphere and demonstrates the complexities of the interplay between media reporting and global change."

MARSHMAN, Sarah-Jo

Sarah (22) graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) Hons. She will now participate in the Erasmus Mundus Masters of Coastal and Marine Engineering and Management. She will study in three countries - at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, the University of Technology, Delft in the Netherlands, and the University of Southampton (UK). She says she is "extremely excited and grateful at being given the amazing opportunity to study in Europe for the next two years. I grew up in a small coastal town in south-east Australia and have always been interested in the environment, and particularly in coastal dynamics. The next two years will be challenging but rewarding, and I look forward to expanding my knowledge in an international context while meeting leading researchers and students in my field."

MARTIN, Kirsty

Kirsty is 25 years old and graduated from Wollongong University with a Bachelor of Education majoring in Physical & Health Education. In Europe she will take part in the Erasmus Mundus Masters in Adapted Physical Activity, which will be taught at the Catholic University , Leuven, in Belgium and in Olomouc in the Czech Republic. She says "I am truly looking forward to my experience in Europe. I am looking forward to meeting my international course mates and learning more about their culture. I am very excited about experiencing life in Europe and travelling to new places. This course offers a unique opportunity to do this as well as being able to study at highly regarded Universities. After this course I hope to be able to help further develop Adapted Physical Activity opportunities within Australia, especially within our schools".

MCINTYRE, Alexis

Alexis (24) is a graduate from the University of New South Wales. She will participate in the Erasmus Mundus European Masters of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation for Environmental Modelling and Management. Alexis says "I am really looking forward to studying in such a unique environment. As it is a Erasmus Mundus course the students are drawn from all over the world and I anticipate interacting with both the different cultures of the countries I am studying in, and also those of my fellow students. I think this is a fantastic opportunity to see Europe and to form lasting bonds with the countries I live in. Through this course I will also be exposed to some of the best researchers in my field. I am incredibly grateful to have been granted this opportunity." Alexis will study at the University of Southampton, UK, Lund University in Sweden, the University of Warsaw, Poland, and the ITC in the Netherlands.

OBERHOLLENZER, Yvonne

At 25 Yvonne has had a longstanding interest in European foreign and security policy. Following her undergraduate studies at the University of Queensland she is now going to undertake an Erasmus Mundus Masters in Public Policy at the Stichting International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands and the Institut Barcelona d'Éstudis Internacionales in Spain. Yvonne says she is very much looking forward to her studies in Europe. She adds that "since I was a child I have always wanted to move to Europe. Throughout my travels to Europe I was always struck by the diversity in politics, culture and society. Now I have the chance to discover Europe, while learning more about an area that I am passionate about and to which I hope to make a strong contribution in the near future".

Cuong (Steve) Pham

Steve at 24 is a graduate from RMIT University , with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Science. Steve's Erasmus Scholarship covers the two-year European Master in Informatics (EUMI) at two European Universities: RWTH Aachen, Germany and University of Trento, Italy.

"My next two years will be a significant step in fulfilling my ambition of becoming an expert in Distributed Computing. This special EUMI has excellent research and studying opportunities from world-class research laboratories and leading academics. My long term objective is to work in a R&D environment to create something that can contribute to the benefit of mankind. I hope to make the most of all the resources provided to excel both in theory and practice of Computer Programming. Thus, this will be an important footstep into my research career. Moreover, studying at two European universities is an invaluable opportunity for me to experience European culture, to meet new people and to learn new languages."

Andrew William Mackay Pomeroy

Andrew, 26, undertook a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) at the University of Melbourne and graduated in 2006, and is currently working as a consulting Maritime Engineer in the areas of coastal engineering, ports and maritime structures.

Having been accepted into the course "Master of Coastal and Marine Engineering and Management (COMEM)" Andrew will undertake study at NTNU in Trondheim ( Norway ), TU Delft in Delft (The Netherlands) and UPC in Barcelona ( Spain ). Andrew says " The field of coastal and marine engineering is field of great importance worldwide. With such vast lengths of coastline around the world and so much commercial, industrial and recreational activity along these coastlines, their management is extremely important. What I find so interesting about my field is that very few regions of coastlines can ever be considered the same, not only at a global level but also at a regional and local level. I hope to gain knowledge not only in the theory of coastal and marine engineering, but also skills in the application of management techniques and the development of engineering solutions to problems in this field. I look forward to learning in three different locations (each with their own focus) and with a group of people from around the world, who will bring with them different perspectives, options, understanding and experience. I hope to be able to bring a different perspective to the challenges facing the coastal and marine environment upon my return to Australia ."

SAGALA, Frances

Frances (24) graduated from Monash University, Melbourne, with a Double Degree: Bachelor of Laws with Honours and Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours (French and Hispanic Studies) at Monash University. She will undertake an Erasmus Mundus NOHA Masters in International Humanitarian Action at the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium) and the Universidad de Deusto (Spain). She says "I am delighted to have been selected for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship and look forward to pursuing postgraduate study in Europe. I am particularly eager to experience the cultures of Belgium and to further my understanding of Spain. I am excited to meet the other students in the course from all around the world. I am looking forward to pursuing a Masters in Europe, where there is a strong tradition of academic excellence and multidisciplinary teaching".

Anton Smit

Anton, 23, grew up in Zimbabwe and Zambia and moved to Australia in 2004. He did his undergraduate degree in Botany and Zoology at the University of Western Australia in Perth , graduating at the end of 2006, and since then working as an environmental consultant in Western Australia 's remote mining and exploration areas and as an accountant in a mid-tier firm. Anton also completed a post-graduate in business by correspondence through Deakin University in 2009.

" I will be doing my Masters in Environmental Science, Policy and Management in Hungary , Greece and Sweden over the next two years. Living in and integrating into these three countries will be an enjoyable challenge, and the opportunity for academic and cultural exchanges provided by this programme will be of immense benefit. I hope to become better informed on the socio-political and environmental issues relating to the European community and once the course is finished I would like to pursue a career in sustainable development."

Kurt Sorensen

When I got back to Australia people excitedly asked me 'Kurt! How was Europe ?' I'd always fire back ' awesome! ' Prior to the trip, my knowledge of Europe was very limited. Most of what I knew about Austria was from watching ' The Sound of Music " as a child. It certainly lived up to the scenic beauty of the film. Snowboarding the Austrian Alps, bicycle riding between castles in Lower Austria, milking dairy cows at a friend's farmhouse, trekking in the scenic mountains and swimming beneath a waterfall are some of my fondest memories.

This may sound like a holiday, but it was indeed a university exchange program! Please don't be mistaken and think that it was all fun and games. The studies were very challenging, yet rewarding.

Some units were very theory based, with old Austrian professors talking and writing on blackboards for hours on end. In contrast some units were extremely practical, with lab work or field trips. In one unit we were fortunate enough to spend a week in the mountains learning about forestry. We participated in some research and learnt methods of calculating the carbon storage capacity of differing forest stands.

Living and studying in Europe was an incredible life experience for me. It was like I got to live in someone else's shoes for a semester. My advice to anyone considering studying overseas would be: What are you waiting for? This is your opportunity to experience something extraordinary... just do it!

Read Kurt's full story at http://www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/studyineurope/KurtsStory.htm

TURNBULL, Zaccharia

Zaccharia, a graduate from La Trobe university, is 32 and has been awarded a scholarship to take part in the International Masters in Natural Language Processing and Human Language Technology. He will study at the Université de Franche-Comté, France, and at a university of his choice in Spain, Portugal or the UK. Zaccharia says that he will take advantage of Europe's multilingual setting in particular to enhance his studies in theoretical and computational linguistics.

UMAKANTHAN, Sujatha

Sujatha is currently working as a project planner for Westinghouse Rail Systems. She is 33 and a graduate from the Queensland University of Technology. Sujatha is going to participate in the Masters in Strategic Project Management. Her Erasmus Mundus programme will take her to Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh , Politecnico di Milano and Umea University in Sweden . Sujatha feels that an Erasmus Mundus degree will give her a decisive advantage for her future international career. She believes that gaining an internationally recognized degree in Strategic Project Management will be a significant milestone and an investment of a lifetime. In addition, "socialising and networking with students from all over the world, picking up different cultural insights and language skills will give me the edge I need to succeed in my career and personal life."

Maia Williams

Maia is 26, and has graduated from the University of Western Australia . She will participate in the Erasmus Mundus Masters Program in Geospatial Technologies at the New University of Lisbon, Portugal, and the University of Münster, Germany.

" I am honoured and excited to be a recipient of an Erasmus Mundus scholarship and have no doubt that I will gain tremendously from studying in Europe; both academically and personally. On a professional level I seek to formalise and expand my skills in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data analysis. I hope to take advantage of the international and multidisciplinary aspects of the course to gain new perspectives on working with geospatial data. This opportunity allows me to investigate different GIS applications and gain valuable technical experience." said Maia.

Vanessa Wolz

Vanessa is 22 years old and currently studying a Masters of Speech Pathology at Curtin University in Perth, having completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours at the University of Western Australia in July 2008. As part of the Erasmus Mundus program, she will be undertaking a Masters of Clinical Linguistics at three European institutions; Milano-Bicocca University (Italy), the University of Groningen (the Netherlands) and Potsdam University ( Germany).

"I applied for the Erasmus Mundus course as well as the Speech Pathology Masters at Curtin University due to my strong interest in cognitive neuroscience and human communication, as I wanted to gain qualifications in a more applicable or focussed stream of linguistics. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to live in three different countries and experience these cultures first-hand. I will be able to improve my knowledge whilst surrounded by a variety of languages and others dedicated to studying communication science."

WOTZKO, Rebecca Anne

Rebecca will be studying a Master of Arts in International Performance Research at Warwick University in the UK and the University of Amsterdam. She is 22 years old and recently graduated from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Theatre and Media at First Class Honours level. Apart from being excited to visit Europe for the first time, Rebecca is certain that she will be inspired by Europe's rich theatre history.

Yan Zhen Chua

Having completed a Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering from Monash University, Yan will pursue his passion in astronautics through the European Masters in Aeronautics and Space Technology. The program provides him the opportunity to study at two leading aerospace institutions, the Technische Universität München, Germany and Cranfield University , U.K.

Yan is excited to not only further his academic pursuits but to also broaden his global perspective through embracing a new culture and environment. Having been an exchange student to the United States during his undergraduate degree, he understands the tremendous benefit and extra dimension international experience brings to an education.

Yan says "Studying alongside like-minded individuals from countries around the globe with a shared passion will be a tremendous experience at both the professional and personal levels. The opportunity for a semester long placement with a plethora of European aerospace organization during the program is also invaluable practical experience not found elsewhere in the world. "

Upon completion of the Masters program, Yan aspires to continue with further studies at the PhD level and pursue a career with the European Space Agency in the field of rocket propulsion development. His ultimate vision is to accomplish a successful landing of man on Mars.