Dear Colleague,

I am writing to you with the aim of proposing a partnership among Universities for the purpose of participating in the next ERASMUS MUNDUS call  - Action 2 (probable deadline April 2013). In this specific context partnerships are the basis for enhancing and financing exchanges of students and academics. In order to participate, networks must comprise no less than 5 EU partners, located in at least 3 different countries, and no less than 6 partners from non-EU (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries. Currently we are searching for countries belonging to the Caribbean and Pacific area (see below) and Central, Southern and Western Africa.

After your reply we will contact directly the appointed institution in order to sign a framework agreement, with the aim of formalizing our inter-university collaboration in the fields of research and teaching. I would like to point out that international calls increasingly tend to give priority to, if not approve exclusively, university networks established prior to publication of the call.  Once this agreement will be approved and signed by the Chancellor, it  will be submitted to our academic bodies and signed by our Rector. Members of the network will then be able to work together on proposals for participation in the ERASMUS MUNDUS programme, as well as other projects of mutual interest.

I thank you very much for your interest.

Yours sincerely

Pier Lorenzo Fantozzi

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra

Università degli Studi di Siena

via laterina 8, 53100 - Siena- (Italy)

fantozzip@unisi.it

office: +39 0577 233834

mob. +39 333 8567570

fax: +39 0577 233938

Skype: pier.lorenzo.fantozzi2