Christabel McCarthy

Christabel is 28 years old and most recently studied a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science (with Honours) at Monash University and the University of Melbourne. For the last two and a half years she has worked at the Victorian Government's Department of Planning and Community Development as a researcher in the Spatial Analysis and Research branch. In Europe she'll be studying a Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies at the Universitat Jaume I in Castellón, Spain, and the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in Münster, Germany.

Christabel says: "Geospatial technology is a growing and quickly advancing discipline, and has applications across many aspects of work and life, across a variety of industries, and across the public and private sector. By studying this course in Europe I will gain access to and learn about the most up-to-date technologies and developments in this field, and I look forward to applying these skills to understanding and managing urban systems when I return to Australia. Of course, I'm also very excited about having the opportunity to live in Spain and Germany for 18 months. I look forward to experiencing a different environment, a different way of life and learning Spanish and German."

Vanessa McGrath

At 26 years old, Vanessa has have completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical and Manufacturing) (Honours) / Bachelor of Science (Applied Mathematics) at the University of Melbourne, Australia in 2006. Since completing the degree Venessa has worked as a Building Services Engineer at Aurecon Group in Melbourne. After 4 years of working in this area and being awarded chartered status by Engineers Australia, she returned to graduate study with Erasmus Mundus in 2010, undertaking a Masters in Management & Engineering of Environment and Energy and will study in Spain, France and Sweden.

Vanessa says of her upcoming experience in Europe "I am looking forward to the challenge of studying at a variety of leading European Universities, learning new languages and experiencing a variety of different cultures. Upon completion of this course, I would like to work in a developing country as a project engineer in the field of sustainable energy production. I would like to gain an understanding of the life cycle cost of projects to ensure that truly sustainable projects are created. Finally I would like my experience in Europe and aboard to assist in advancing the sustainability energy sector in Australia."

Christopher Potter

Christopher is thirty years old and works in Melbourne as a structural engineer.  He completed his engineering studies at the University of Melbourne.

Christopher will be studying the Advanced Masters in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions.  The course is divided into two components, seven months of coursework at the University of Padova, Italy, and a four month research project at the University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.

Christopher says "The Advanced Masters course will enable me to study the world's best practice in the recording, analysis and documentation of works to heritage structures, learning from experts in the field.   Opportunities for such learning are not available in Australia. I also look forward to establishing networks with like-minded professionals from around the world. I will use these networks and the skills I develop to further promote the effective re-use and conservation of monuments and historical constructions, both internationally and within Australia . The Erasmus Mundus scholarship has provided crucial financial support, enabling me to participate in the Advanced Masters course. "

Nikola Pijovic

Nikola is 26 and will be conducting a Master's degree in two places, the first year in Poland (the University of Wroclaw), and the second year in Denmark (Roskilde University). He will be studying Global studies - A European perspective , so his studies will mainly include the study of economics, governance, politics and modern history of predominantly European countries.

Nikola says "Going to Europe to study in two different countries offers a unique opportunity for academic and personal development. From an academic perspective I hope to gain more specialised training in history and politics coupled with a chance to better understand the mechanics of European integration and the ways in which different universities with different educational traditions teach. On a personal note, this study program will enable me to experience first hand life in two completely different European countries, and hopefully build a network of friends and colleagues around Europe and the world. "

Alex Rafalowicz

Alex Rafalowicz is 24 years old and graduated from the Australian National University in June 2009 with an LLB (Hons I) and BA (Pol Science). He will be undertaking the European Masters of Law and Economics (EMLE) programme on an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

Alex says: " I am looking forward to studying economics at the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world, and in a city renowned for its culture, food and life-style. I hope to augment my understanding of policy issues related to climate change and intend to use the EMLE to further develop possible reforms of the global climate change regime with a focus on justice and the needs of peoples in the global South. "

Fernanda Serra de Queiroz

Fernanda is 26 years old, and has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil, and is currently finishing a Mphil in Sport Psychology at the University of Queensland. She's always loved sports, therefore feels very fortunate to be able to work with her passion. Before coming to Australia she worked for two years in a professional soccer team in Brazil as well as in the sports of bodyboarding, surf and indoor soccer.

Fernanda says "Being awarded a scholarship for the European Master of Sport and Exercise Psychology (EMSEP) will certainly have a positive effect on my career. The University of Thessaly in Greece will be my ' home' where I'll spend one year. In the second semester all the students from the program will meet at the University of Leipzig, Germany, for a semester. Additionally, I'll stay at Lund University for one semester as well. The program mobility will allow me to expand my knowledge in Sport and Exercise Psychology according to the strengths of the different universities. For example, the University of Thessaly has a major focus on Sport Exercise, and Leipzig University is strong on Elite Sports. Moreover, the opportunity of sharing and learning with my colleagues about their experiences with Sport Psychology on their countries will be remarkable. I'm sure that after the completion of this Master my knowledge and skills as a Sport Psychology will have improved considerably. Therefore, I will be more prepared for my future career endeavours."

Malinda Wink

At 32, Malinda will depart her role as the Executive Director of The Caledonia Foundation to pursue a two-year Masters in Public Policy at The Institute of Social Studies in The Hague and the Central European University in Budapest. Malinda's professional experience spans the corporate, political and development sectors.