GUIDE FOR ERASMUS STUDENTS. THE NURSING and PODIATRY SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF VALENCIA

Transcription

1 GUIDE FOR ERASMUS STUDENTS at THE NURSING and PODIATRY SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF VALENCIA This document was created by Amparo Peris, PhD (Erasmus Coordinator )

2 1. Valencia: city of light How to get there The University of Valencia The International Relations Office The Nursing and Podiatry School Maps & Location The Nursing Curricula Academic Calendar Preparing for your stay as an Erasmus student Requirements Documents Deadlines Learning Agreement Language Preparation Clinical Training Grading System (Transcript of Records) International Coordination Things to do on arrival Contacting the Coordinator / Assistant Administrative Registration Student Life Housing Eating Transport Bank Internet Access Phone Libraries Leisure & Culture Sports Public holidays

3 Valencia: city of light 1. Valencia: city of light Valencia is the capital of the Spanish autonomous region known as Comunidad Valenciana, together with Castellon in the North, and Alicante in the South, this region constitutes one of the most popular tourist destinations of the country. Valencia is the third largest city in Spain and the 21st largest in the European Union. The estimated population of the city of Valencia is of inhabitants and it is the centre of an extensive metropolitan area which reaches It is located right on the Mediterranean Sea and is an ideal place to enjoy its climate, its beaches and gastronomy. The city is bestowed with 300 days of sunshine a year and it s a light unlike any other in Spain. The extraordinarily appealing climate (the average annual temperature being 17º C) includes mild winters and warm summers to be enjoyed on the regions sunny white-sanded beaches, which stretch out from the city of Valencia itself along the Valencian coastline. It is also famous for its Paella Valenciana, just one of the many examples of its excellent cuisine. 2

4 Valencia: city of light Founded in 137 BC, Valencia has always been a mixture of different cultures; this is reflected in numerous monuments of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art. The city of Valencia, since its beginnings, has been a Mediterranean backbone, and has played an important part in its history. It has an old town when every stone emanates the noble past of a city that was the Economic and Cultural capital of the Mediterranean during the 14th and 15th centuries. Valencia invites you to discover little by little the hidden secrets of this beautiful Mediterranean historical city, which is always waiting open and ready for those who wish to visit. Light, gunpowder, music and flowers are elements constantly found in Valencian celebrations and its traditions. A must because of its beauty and uniqueness is Fallas (15-19 of March) Festival. During the "Fallera" week, art and humour are mixed to form humorous "ninots" (made from paper mache) and set up in the middle of the city s streets which aim to provoke giggles among the Valencian people, due to their daring criticism of society and current politics. Today, Valencia is an open and cosmopolitan city of cultural and commercial prestige. It is characterised by this dynamism, as much on an economic as on cultural, urban and social levels. An important proportion of active population working in the services sector, even so it maintains a considerable industrial base, energetic business, and dynamism as a financial and trade centre. The transformation process of recent years has made it a reference point in the international panorama. The most visible signs of this radical change can be witnessed in several emblematic projects such as the transformation the old river-bed of Turia river (that flows through Valencia) into a park, the Palace of Music and the Palace of Congresses, the underground, and the City of Arts and Sciences. 3

5 Valencia: city of light A modern communications network makes Valencia easily accessible, and links Valencia to other important Spanish and European cities through its Airport, Railway, Port and Motorway network How to get there By Air The airport is situated eight km. west of the city. There is a frequent busservice from the terminal to the city centre, underground and taxi-service. The underground (Line 5) connects the airport to the city and it is the transport more easy and recommendable. By Train The railway is situated in the city centre. Trains arrive and depart for all national and international destinations. It also caters for local destinations within the Valencian Province. By Sea Although Valencia is principally an industrial port it also operates a frequent ferry service to the Balearic Islands and is the starting point for many Mediterranean Cruises. It is well connected to the city centre by a number of frequent bus routes. By Road The AP-7 motorway runs down the east coast of Spain connecting Valencia to the main European motorway network and to A-23 Sagunto-Somport and the A-3 Madrid-Valencia dual carriageway. Most coach services arrive and depart from Valencia Central Bus Station. If you want to get to know Valencia better we recommend that you visit the following links to web pages that include information about the city, its culture and activities

6 The University of Valencia 2. The University of Valencia courses in almost all areas of knowledge. The Universitat de València ( is one of the oldest and largest universities in Europe. Founded in 1499, offers Valencian society a cultural heritage and within its more of 500 years of history the Universitat de València has widened its fields of study to now offers The University is structured according to legislation and its own statutes within a framework of democratic, participatory bodies. The University Council is the highest representative body, made up of 300 representatives including professors, lecturers and researchers, administration and service personnel and students. It is presided by the Chancellor. The Universitat de València has three campuses: - Blasco Ibáñez, where you can find the School of Nursing and Podiatry, School of Physiotherapy, and the faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology, Geography and History, Philosophy and Educational Science, Sciences of the Physical Activity and the Sport and Philology, Translation and Communication. - Burjassot-Paterna, where the following faculties are located: Biological Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Pharmacy and School of Engineering as well the Science Park. - Tarongers, which includes the faculties of Economics, Law and Social Sciences. Moreover, the University has other premises in Valencia: the School of Teacher Training (8 Alcalde Reig Street), the historical building la Nau (2 Universitat Street), the University headquarters building where the Chancellors office is found (13 Blasco Ibañez Avenue), and the Botanic Garden, among others. 5

7 The University of Valencia The institution enrols the highest number of students among Valencian universities with more than students. The institution include professors and lecturers, which are integrated into 92 departments and 16 research institutes of the Social, Health, Humanities, Education and Sciences, and administration and service personnel. Its resources include a wide range of resources with computers connected to the web; of which are in computer labs. It also has special equipment and connection to the super computation centre, Internet, wi-fi, , and educational tools such as Virtual Classroom. There are numerous bibliographical resources which include monographs on paper and published newspapers, more than in electronic format and more than 100 databases on the university network. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate official degrees, 105 PhD courses of which 37 are accredited by the Spanish quality agency, over 250 postgraduate courses, and La Nau Gran, targeted at older students looking for a second chance ( Postgraduate studies cover possibilities of refresher courses, retraining and specialisation in diverse disciplines within various time periods. Part of the postgraduate studies the Universitat de València offers are in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) through official masters and doctoral programmes in several disciplines: Heatlh Sciences, Technical Edcuation, Social and Legal Sciences, Experimental Sciences and Humanities. You can see full detail and characteristics of these programmes in: and 6

8 The University of Valencia Research at the Universitat de València is ranked third or fourth in the Spanish university system according to different international rankings. Research activity is focused on basic and applied fields and boasts a significant number of researchers and teachers in departments and university institutes. The Office of the Transfer of Research Results (OTRI) is responsible for facilitating and promotion collaboration between of the world university research and companies within their socioeconomic environment. The Universitat de València is also very active in Internalisation and Cooperation. More than 330 academic cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries make numerous academic and teacher exchanges possible. The Universitat de València receives more than students from other institutions per year, placing it 3 rd on the list of European universities with regard to receiving Erasmus students. Over students from our University carry out part of their studies in European countries through the Erasmus-Socrates programme per year. The mission of Universitat de València is to train competent professionals in the European scope and foster prestigious, world renowned research which contributes to the development of our society. Education and research support the tasks that are also carried out in the field of science and culture dissemination and the affirmation of democratic values in favour of society in general and Valencian society, in particular. For further information about our university, please visit: 7

9 The University of Valencia 2.1. The International Relations Office It is located in the headquarters building of Universitat de València (13 Blasco Ibañez Avenue), in front of Nursing School. It manages the different Exchange Programs with foreign and Spanish universities, as well as other programs of International Cooperation and Development Aid. Its main goal is to encourage the participation of the university community in our exchange programs, as well as to facilitate the integration of visiting students and help our students with their proceedings to be accepted as exchange students in other universities. We recommend you to visit its web and the University Guide: 8

10 The Nursing and Podiatry School 3. The Nursing and Podiatry School The Nursing and Podiatry School ( belongs to at Universitat de València. It is in charge of the administrative management and organisation of the Higher Education Studies leading to the obtaining of the Nursing and/or Podiatry Diploma. The Nursing diploma was first established by the Order 31st October 1977 of the Ministry of Education and Science. The Order set out the guidelines for the configuration of the curricula (Official Gazette 26th November 1977). Recently, the Podiatry Studies has been established (Official Gazette 14th August 2002). The number total of Nursing students is approximately of 750 students (240 per year) and Podiatry students are 170 (50 per year). The School has 30 lecturers (civil servant) and 27 teaching assistants. They hold a nursing diploma, a BSc or PhD in Medicine, Surgery, Psychology, Anthropology, Mathematics, Modern Languages, etc. A total of 66 instructors, belong to the Nursing Staff of different public health institutions and coordinated by the School, are responsible to teach, monitor and supervise the practices of students. 9

11 The Nursing and Podiatry School 3.1. Maps & Location The Nursing and Podiatry School is in the Blasco Ibañez Campus, at the following address: Escola Universitària d Infermeria i Podologia de la Universitat de València C/ Jaume Roig s/n Valencia Telf Fax: How to get to School from Valencia: By bus: number 9, 79, 12, 29, 30, 31, 70, 71, 80, 81, 89, 90 By underground: take Linea 3, nearest station: Facultats By bike maps.google.es 10

12 The Nursing and Podiatry School 3.2. The Nursing Curricula Currently, the curricula has a total number of credits of 225, structured in three years. It is divided into common core courses, optional courses and free-choice subjects. For more information and characteristics of these subjects, please visit: centros.uv.es/web/centros/infermeria/valenciano/estudios/listas_asignatu.xml?id=27 A credit represents ten hours of theoretical, practical (or equivalent) tuition. The equivalence for the ECTS the nursing curriculum is: 1 theoretical credit of Universitat de València is equivalent to 1 ECTS credit 1 practical/attendance credit of Universitat de València is equal to 2 ECTS credits To the academic year of 2010, a new curricula will be implemented according to the Bologna Process. The Bachelor Degree of Nursing Studies (First Level) will be structured in four years. In the first three years the student takes the required 180 credits, and in the fourth the remaining 60 credits are dedicated to an internship and the presentation of a final project. According to European declarations, a Level Two will make possible the pursuit of a Master's Degree and/or a PhD - the student will take 60 credits, which, added to the 240 credits of the First Level, allow for a Master's Degree thesis or a Doctoral dissertation. Nursing students in Spain, upon finishing their two cycles, may have access, like the students from other areas, to his/her university's European Title Supplement or accreditation, which informs the studies he/she has undergone and the competences and capacities he/she has acquired. The supplement will make possible for him/her to move about freely within the European market as a Nursing graduate. 11

13 The Nursing and Podiatry School This new structure of the official Graduate studies in Spain is regulated by article 88.2 of the Organic Law of Universities, of December 21, It closes a long process of innovation in higher education which in Spain integrates itself, along with other European countries, in the construction of a European Higher Education Space, within the Program of European Convergence for structuring university Undergraduate and Graduate studies Academic Calendar First semester: from the end of September to the end of December Second semester: from the end of January to the end of May The last 15 days in January and the first 15 days in June are final examination periods. 12

14 Preparing for your stay as an Erasmus student 4. Preparing for your stay as an Erasmus student If you want to come to the Nursing and Podiatry School of University of Valencia with the Erasmus Program, the first step is to ask your International Coordinator if there is a bilateral agreement between your university and the Universitat de València in the field of Nursing. Otherwise, you cannot come as an Erasmus Student Requirements The existence of a bilateral agreement between both your home university and the University of Valencia in the field of Nursing. Your home university must confirm to the our International Relations Office (relaciones.internacionales@uv.es) that you have been granted the status of an Erasmus Student Documents You should send us the following documents: The application form of the University of Valencia. Personalized application forms will be sent to each student by our International Relations Office once they have received their confirmations as Erasmus Students by their universities. 3 Photographs (passport size) Photocopy of your passport Photocopy of the European Health Card for the medical assistance (former E128) 4.3. Deadlines First semester or Full year stays (starting in September): June 15th. Second semester (starting in February): November 15th. 13

15 Preparing for your stay as an Erasmus student 4.4. Learning Agreement Once accepted as an Erasmus student to the Nursing School of Universitat de València, you must complete the LEARNING AGREEMENT and send it to us before your arrival. This Learning Agreement must be completed carefully, especially the section concerning the list of courses (ECTS) that you would like to take at Universitat de València. It should be signed and stamped by your International Coordinator. Any change of Learning Agreement must be approved by both coordinators Language Preparation All theoretical and practical courses are given in Spanish or Valencian language. In addition, it is important you know that Spanish people usually do not speak English. It is therefore vital that you take an intensive Spanish course at your university to bring you up to speed. ( is an organisation working with the Universitat de València specialising in teaching Spanish and other European languages. Exchange students benefit from special prices. It offers Spanish courses for beginners and intermediate level Spanish in Summer (intensive courses) and during academic year (starting in September). The Official School of Languages (Escuela Oficial de Idiomas) offers various level of Spanish courses throughout the year ( Private Academies also exist. You can contact them directly when you arrive in Valencia. 14

16 Preparing for your stay as an Erasmus student 4.6. Clinical Training It is the main subject to Erasmus students. The practical training to be carried out in the different clinical services of our University Hospitals and Health Centres. The Erasmus students accomplish their practices usually at: HOSPITAL CLÍNICO UNIVERSITARIO Avda. Blasco Ibañez, Valencia HOSPITAL UNIVERSITARIO DOCTOR PESET Avda. de Gaspar Aguilar, Valencia HOSPITAL GENERAL UNIVERSITARIO Avda. Tres Cruces, Valencia chguv.san.gva.es CENTRO DE SALUD DE FUENTE SAN LUIS Calle Arabista Ambrosio Huici, Valencia A minimum duration of three months of practices is required. The practices schedule is five days per week (from Monday to Friday) and from 8 a.m to 2 p.m. A professional of the Nursing Staff of the Hospital or Health Centre, is the responsible of teaching and supervising the activities of the students Grading System (Transcript of Records) The evaluation is graded on a scale between zero and ten. The following marks are used in the official transcripts to indicate the student s final evaluation: Alphabetical evaluation Numeric ECTS evaluation Grade MH Matricula de Honor Excellent 10 A SB Sobresaliente Very Good 9 B NT Notable Good 7-8 C AP Aprobado Satisfactory 6 D AP Aprobado Sufficient 5 E SU Suspenso Fail < 5 F NP No presentado Not Present

17 Preparing for your stay as an Erasmus student 4.8. International Coordination To coordinate all of the Exchange Programmes, a Centre Coordinator for International Relations is named, proposed by the Director of the Centre to the Valencia University Chancellor. To manage the Programmes, the International Coordinator receives help from the Administration staff of the Centre, and from one Nursing student, ( a cooperating scholar ). In our Nursing and Podiatry School, you can contact with: Isabel.trapero@uv.es (Erasmus Coordinator) Alicia.garcia-pertegaz@uv.es (Assistant) 4.9. Things to do on arrival Contacting the Coordinator / Assistant Firstly, please inform us (Coordinator and/or Assistant), by , of the date on which you are arriving. We will contact with you to indicate the place, date and hour to meet with you Administrative Registration Although already registered at your home university, you should also register at International Relations Office of the Universitat de València and the Administrative Office of the Nursing School. This registration will allow you to obtain a student card, admissions certificate, and access to the University libraries. All the services of the Universitat de València are offered to the public from 9a.m. to 14p.m. from Monday to Friday. Exchange students pay 1.18 to the Administrative Office of Nursing School to obtain the benefits by this insurance. This student insurance covers school accidents. For further information please visit: in pages

18 Student life 5. Student Life The integration of the University into the city of Valencia is not just a matter of the location of the university buildings but is quite as much the product of a very active student life. The best ways to get a feel of the place is to become involved in student activities. The University Erasmus association ( is made up by students that like you have also spent time on an exchange in other European cities and therefore they know first hand all the problems that come with arriving in a strange city. Their main aim is to first and foremost make you feel at home here in Valencia. It is located in the Campus of Tarongers (Los Naranjos Avenue) Southern Lecture Room Building (Aulario Sur), Office Housing The Universitat de València does not provide housing for Exchange students, but you can obtain a detailed information from: in pages The CADE service of the Universitat de València ( provides a list of shared flats offered by other university students: Avda. Blasco Ibañez, 13, Valencia Telf , Fax cade@uv.es This option to rent a shared flat is generally the cheapest and the most comfortable. In fact, university students normally live in shared flats. You can find also these alternatives of housing in the following address:

19 Student life 5.2. Eating Next to Nursing School there is a Cafeteria and dining area. The price of a three course meal is approximately 6. Each Hospital has also a Cafeteria and, in addition, the city of Valencia offers a wide variety of reasonably priced snack bars and restaurants Transport Travelling on public transport is easy and not as expensive as in many other major European cities. There are many metro stops, buses and trams. If you want to use the public transport in Valencia effectively there are a vast array of cards to use. Bus The city of Valencia has a network of 91 bus routes, three of which are earmarked in the summer for services to the beaches. The network is managed by Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT). Underground-Metro The Valencia metro is very modern, reliable and easy to use and it's also a great way to get around Valencia. The overhead line is also great as it links the north of Valencia to the beach. Line 5 which connects the airport to the Port has recently been completed. Bikes Valencia is a very bike friendly city and it seems that many tourists enjoy using this form of transport. In fact everywhere you go you'll see bicycle lanes. They're in the parks, by the beach and as well as being cheap, it's an excellent way to keep fit and see Valencia. Taxi Taxi fares are a bit expensive. There are many taxi ranks in Plaza del Ayuntamiento and by Estacion de Norte. 18

20 Student life 5.4. Bank You can open an account in any bank by simply presenting one form of ID (passport or national ID). However, it is a good idea to obtain an international credit card before you leave for Spain. Banks are usually open Monday to Friday from 9a.m. to 2p.m Internet Access In ground floor at the Nursing and Podiatry School there is a big Computer Room with many computers where you can access the Internet free of charge. It is open from 9a.m to 8p.m Phone Probably the easiest alternative is to buy a prepaid GSM phone card for your mobile. These cards contain a certain amount of talking time and you can also load more time onto them easily. Movistar (Telefónica), Vodafone, Orange (formerly Amena) are the mobile phone service providers in Spain with their own network Libraries Every campus of Universitat de València has libraries that lend out books that can be accessed by university students free of charge. There is also a library in the historical building la Nau and in other centres and departments. There are also Municipal Libraries in different places of Valencia Leisure & Culture Valencia has numerous theatres and cinemas, and many excellent museums. The Museum of San Pio V is considered second in Spain to the Prado; the Beneficiencia Cultural Centre houses the Prehistoric Museum, the Museum of Ethnology and the Sala Parpallo where touring exhibitions of contemporary art can be seen; the aim of the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) is to exhibit and interpret contemporary art; the City Museum houses archaeological collections from pre-roman times, from the founding of the city and from the Christian era; the Almudin, a Gothic building built over a 19

21 Student life grain warehouse, is now used for itinerant exhibitions; and the Fallero Museum, the only one in the world, gives a broad insight to our most important festival of Fallas. Also there are over 200 art galleries in Valencia. With the student card of Universitat de València you can obtain discounts in many museums, cinema and theatre of Valencia. In addition to the cultural events that you can find in the daily life in Valencia, our Universitat de València organises many cultural activities like Conferences, Seminars and Round Tables on current issues and matters of academic and social interest, and Music Concerts, Cinema, Poetry, among others Sports Valencia offers unique opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. The city itself is relatively flat and has numerous green spaces and trails to walking and/or cycling. The Mediterranean coastline permits to practice water activities like diving, wind-surfing and sailing. Our university also offers sports and Physical Education Services by offering diverse course and sports activities. Sports include: football, indoor, basketball, handball, volleyball, rugby, judo, karate, taekwondo, kendo, tennis, table tennis, badminton, fencing, frontennis, squash, paddle tennis, athletics, triathlon, etc. In addition, recreational activities are scheduled such as: aerobic, contemporary dance, jazz dance, oriental dance, Spanish dance, Sevillanas, yoga, tai chi, martial arts, etc. ( Public holidays Here are the holidays that take place in the Community of Valencia. On public holidays, banks and post offices are closed. January 1 st January 6 th Janury 22 nd March 19 th April 22 nd to May 2 nd New Years Day 3 Kings Day San Vicente Mártir Day San José Day Easter Friday and Monday Day 20

22 Student life May 1 st August 15 th October 9 th October 12 th November 1 st December 6 th December 8 th December 25 th Labour Day Asuncion Virgin Day Day of the Community of Valencia Spain s National Day All Saints Day Constitution Day Inmaculada Concepción Day Christmas Day 21