A significant part of Poland’s international academic mobility is conducted within multilateral initiatives.
The leading one is the European Union’s Erasmus programme (http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/erasmus_en.htm ). In the academic year 2009/2010 some 14,000 Polish students moved to foreign HEIs to study and some 6000 Erasmus students chose Polish HEIs (the data includes mobility related to both studying and internships).
Another noteworthy example is the CEEPUS programme (Central European Exchange Program for University Studies – http://www.ceepus.info/). Some 600 students from Poland participate in these academic exchange networks every year.
As for bilateral academic exchange programmes, there are partnerships with the USA, Germany and France. Below you will find some data concerning the cooperation with the USA.
The Polish-American partnership is conducted as part of the Fulbright Program (http://www.fulbright.edu.pl/ ). The Polish-US Fulbright Commission administers the largest Fulbright budget in the region (6.1 million in 2011). Since its launch in 1959, almost 2500 Polish nationals and some 1500 US citizens have participated in the program. This long lasting partnership strengthens the ties joining the Polish and American academic communities. Moreover, it facilitates the cooperation of the two nations and offers a solid foundation for bilateral partnerships in other areas (e.g. economics, politics).
Each bilateral partnership may be slightly different as it offers mechanisms adjusted to the needs of the partner countries – for example some may establish a legal framework for joint degree programmes.