“Measuring return on investment from EU VET mobility – ROI-MOB” multiplier event on “Investing in Mobility” took place in Reggio Emilia, Italy on the 18th of October 2018, organized by IFOA. During the event was presented the ROI-MOB surveys with the first results on the impact of mobility in professional training realized for the project.
ROI-MOB survey on the perception of usefulness of EU VET mobility among privileged stakeholders 
The questionnaire was administered to over 1550 subjects among participants in mobility programs, schools and vocational training centers and companies from 4 European countries: Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, all involved in various capacities in international mobility programs or programs, returned a framework on mobility from which we can draw some suggestions on good practices and possible improvements:
Satisfaction
97% of the participants are enthusiastic about their mobility experience and would suggest to a friend to do the same. Even schools that send participants abroad and companies that host foreign trainees significantly appreciate the experience: the former because they believe that the participants return with a much higher level of motivation than those who did not leave. The latter because the presence of foreign students in the company allows us to achieve benefits in terms of linguistic skills of the company staff, an increased cultural exchange and greater availability for international collaboration.
Impact
International mobility has a positive impact on both individual participants and schools and companies. In particular for people, experience abroad has a positive influence on personality traits: it increases awareness of one ‘s own means, openness to challenges and others, extroversion, emotional stability. In general, mobility contributes to increasing the feeling of European citizenship, the willingness to work abroad, the professional prospects and also the desire to start a business of their own.
Benefits
Experience abroad develops an international dimension in people, improves personal trust in work and life strategies, increases interpersonal skills.
Are there any problems?
Overall mobility is organized by schools to other schools or businesses. More limited and difficult to implement the exchange between companies. With regards to companies especially to the ones who are hosting, the support of the mobility is fundamentally based on their budgets while schools, particularly when sending students, rely on EU funding. It is important not to underestimate concrete obstacles such as language, a difficulty for both the party and the host, the lack of technical and interpersonal skills of the candidates and the administrative burden that mobility entails for schools and companies.
This first study, carried out by the team of Prof Lugi Fabbris of the Department of Statistical Sciences of the University of Padua, will bring in one-year overall results for the definition of a ROI index on mobility, the ultimate goal of the ROI-MOB project.
On the occasion of the same event, after the presentation of the research, a round table was held to discuss the challenges and opportunities of international mobility, from the point of view of the many stakeholders involved (host companies, training bodies, public subjects and primary students) mobility experience).
