Amina Ben Yezza, a French literature PhD student from the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences at the University of Tunis in North Africa, undertook a short-term Erasmus+ ICM doctoral mobility at the UCD School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics in summer 2024. In the interview below, she tells us about her mobility experience at UCD, life in Dublin and integration into Irish culture.
When Amina applied for the Erasmus+ ICM mobility placement at University College Dubliln, she had clear expectations and goals for her time in Ireland. Reflecting on her experience now, she says she has achieved more than she could have imagined. “The benefits of going on an exchange are multiple and unexpected,” she says.
Amina’s main goal was to improve her research and make progress on her thesis, which is centred around the ethical implications of historical violence and the ability of authors to transform fictional writing into ethical reflection. Access to the James Joyce Library catalogue at UCD allowed her to expand and enrich her thesis with the writings of theorists she would not otherwise have been able to access. The opportunity to debate the subject of her thesis with Mary Gallagher, a Professor of French and Francophone Studies and Amina’s thesis supervisor at UCD, gave her valuable references on ethics.
Amina’s mobility was a part of larger Erasmus+ ICM mobility project, centred around French literature, between UCD and the University of Tunis, under the leadership of Prof. Gallagher.
Besides the progress she made on her thesis, the mobility placement was also a chance for Amina to improve her English language skills. She says she approached the challenge enthusiastically and with an open mind, taking the opportunity to read books in English and discover Irish literature, talk to other students and colleagues on UCD campus, and present her work to Prof. Gallagher’s students. “The experience was enriching and the learning culture at UCD was multicultural and stimulating. I carry the sentences of Irish authors I discovered in Dublin in my heart,” Amina says.
During her time in Dublin, Amina opted for a home stay and rented a room in an Irish household. She quickly bonded with her landlady, who helped her immerse in Irish culture by introducing her to friends, accompanying her to museums, galleries and historical sites in Dublin, and inviting her to join the activities of a local ecological association.
“What I remember the most from my stay in Ireland is the presence of coffee shops and their importance in people’s lifestyle. I was surprised to see that there are cafés in every establishment - in museums, in parks, in shops, in bookstores! There is always a space where you can have a coffee and rest while observing locals who always greet you with a smile,” says Amina.
Reflecting on her experience more than two months after returning home, Amina says that her Erasmus+ ICM mobility has made her more tolerant and open minded, and she recognises her ability to easily integrate into a new culture thanks to being a naturally curious person. She is proud of the progress she has made with her English language skills and she hopes it will help advance her future career, through post doctoral studies in Ireland or through an international career.
“Studying in Ireland has broadened my horizons as I plan to translate my work to English or move more towards writing articles in English,” she says.
Hear more from Amina on (opens in a new window)UCD Global Instagram.
Find out more about Erasmus+ ICM:
- Amina undertook a short-term doctoral mobility funded under the International Credit Mobility stream of the Erasmus+ programme.
- Academic leads on this Erasmus+ ICM project are Professor Mary Gallagher, Professor of French and Francophone Studies and Dr Samia Kassab-Charfi, a Professor of French and Francophone Literature at the University of Tunis
- To find out more about student mobility opportunities to Tunisia as part of this project, please contact erasmusicm@ucd.ie. Eligibility is limited to doctoral students from the School of Arts and Humanities and School of Social Sciences and Law with B2 in French.
- Funding for the three-year project was awarded in 2022 by the Higher Education Authority, Ireland's Erasmus+ National Agency, to support the academic mobility of students and staff between the two institutions.
- Erasmus+ ICM is an EU-funded programme that supports the academic mobility of students and staff between Erasmus programme countries (broadly speaking, EU countries) and partners from third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ programme (broadly speaking, non-EU countries).
- Between 2015 to 2024, UCD obtained over €1.8 million in ICM funding to support the academic mobility of 460 students and staff between Ireland and 43 partner countries worldwide.
- Find out more about Erasmus+ ICM projects or contact erasmusicm@ucd.ie.