Motivation letter to apply for the Erasmus Mundus Program

I would be greatful if some English-speaking person review my motivation letter for the Erasmus Mundus Program.

Dear Sir or Madam:

The purpose of my letter is to apply for the Erasmus Triple I program for studying XXX at the XXX University as an exchange student.

In June 2011 I graduated from the XXX with a XXX qualification with diploma with honors. I am currently doing my master degree program in XXX. At the same time I am undergoing the joint master degree program in XXX at XXX University (University of Tampere).

For five years of studying at the department of XXX I have had various subjects related to history and politics in the Baltic Sea Region such as, for example, XXX. Now I am concentrating more on XXX, more specifically, on the Russian-XXX relations. As far as I know, the Baltic Sea Region and especially, Russia’s involvement in this geographical, economical, political and cultural community is a rather new and relatively unexplored field for research in Russian political and social science. Thus, I consider that there is a lot of space for my own analysis and I feel that my work may become a little but sound contribution to a better understanding of the Russia in the Baltic Sea Region.

Apart from my studies at the university, I work at the local Resource Center of NGOs as a leading specialist of the project department. The Center is aimed at promoting the development of civil society and harmonizing of inter-ethnic relations in Karelia. I have already been involved in several projects implemented in cooperation with Finland and Sweden with financial assistance of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Our organization also cooperates very actively with Polish NGOs and youth centers. I usually take part in international conferences, seminars and round-tables including those devoted to the cross-border cooperation of the North-West of Russia, experience exchange of NGOs, local community development, promoting and protecting of national minorities and their culture, participation of Russia in the Bologna process etc.

I suppose that the Baltic Sea Region program will give me an opportunity to obtain up-to-date and multidisciplinary knowledge on the development of the Baltic Sea Region which is rapidly gaining a new status in the context of regionalization and globalization. I hope that this program in a prestigious university with highly qualified staff and an international atmosphere will inspire me for generating new interesting and reasonable ideas for my master thesis; will contribute to mastering my research skills and will increase understanding of the political, economic, cultural processes which take place in the region. Although I have already had a profound experience of studying at the Petrozavodsk State University, which is considered to be one of the leading educational institutions in the North-west of Russia, I still lack international experience which is something a specialist in international relations should definitely have.

As for my personal qualities, I am an active and open-minded young girl and I am always in search for some new educational, scientific or cultural experience. I like travelling and making acquaintance with new people, but unfortunately I have had no chance yet to stay and study abroad for more than a month. Thus, I rely on this program as an opportunity of getting high-qualitative education, on the one hand, and acquiring a truly interdisciplinary and international experience, on the other, which I will be able to apply at work at a local public organization and at my university as a well-grounded and competent specialist who keeps up to the expectations of modern constantly changing world.

I consider that my mobility will promote bilateral cooperation between the Host University and the University of XXX through exchange of best practices in education and research. The Host University is recognized as a leading higher education institute in Russia in the sphere of international cooperation development. There have been exchange programs with universities of Helsinki, Oulu, Joensuu, Tampere, Kuopio, Lappeenranta, Evle and so on. My mobility will further enhance and widen its multilateral cooperation. At the same time, it is hard to overestimate the quality of education and research experience at the Faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities of the University of XXX. Since I plan to continue my academic career at the host university, my mobility will contribute to the improvement of educational process and scientific activities at the Department of Political and Social Sciences. My exchange will also develop recognition of studies and qualifications since the system of ECTS is a relatively new for the Petrozavodsk State University.

Thank you for your kind consideration, and I look forward to receiving your favourable reply.

Yours faithfully,

Natalia Zavadskaya