
Dipti Pandya – Erasmus, Maynooth and the “Glenroe” Theme Tune
Gerry O'Sullivan
Posted: 15 September, 2021
UK native and UCD Research and Innovation executive Dipti Pandya is in the process of taking out Irish citizenship. The former Erasmus alumnus says “I have spent more of my life in Ireland than I ever did in the place of my birth, the UK. Brexit has brought me great sadness most especially the UK’s exit from Erasmus+, as it means that my successors will not be able to avail of the transformative Erasmus experience that has enriched my life.”
Dipti first heard of the Erasmus programme whilst at the University of Essex when pursuing an undergraduate programme (BA hons) in Government. She explains “I had decided to study for a Masters as I was enjoying the education experience and the job market in 1993 for primary degree graduates were somewhat limited.
I researched potential Masters options and came across the MSc in European Social Policy Analysis (with its acronym: MESPA) at the University of Bath. One of the most attractive features of the study was the opportunities offered to travel through the Erasmus exchange programme.
I had limited experience of travel through study and had not undertaken interrailing as many of my friends had. In fact, I had worked my summers in jobs including one at the UK Home Office. One of my key ambitions was to work in the European Commission. This was driven by my many stays in Brussels with my Uncle (he was an EC Director) and family and through studying EU institutions and politics at Essex. I viewed the MESPA as the next step on the ladder to achieve this aim and to experience Europe through living there. Erasmus was the only way to do this for me. It provided a safe environment due to the accommodation provided and the financial ability to do so. I could not have considered EU travel and residency without Erasmus.
The MESPA programme provided an opportunity to tailor the Masters according to my preferred areas of study due to the ability to select programmes at the partner universities. This was long before the modularisation we have today. The MESPA programme in 1993 was a joint EU partnership between the University of Bath, Maynooth University (then St Patrick’s College, Maynooth), Tilburg University, and Roskilde University. The most attractive feature for me was the ability to study in three different universities during the single 12-month course of study.
In addition to the Erasmus support, I was also awarded a scholarship from the UK government Department of Employment with a topic for my thesis on unfair dismissal rights and labour law. For my first term, presented with a choice of Roskilde University in Denmark or Maynooth University, I decided to select Maynooth. The main reason for this was because I was more interested in the programme modules offered at Maynooth. Most especially, Ireland, offered proximity to my parents in London. Looking back now I consider how quickly I made this choice which ultimately changed my life!
Upon taking the ferry by car with my parents, my first impressions of Ireland, were that it was very different to London. I think in my mind I imagined it would be quite similar to London. In fact, I was to study in Maynooth, which at that time, was a small university town, quite a distance (or so it felt) from the capital Dublin. Whilst it was English speaking (another consideration) it did not feel “English”. This of course, I now understand was because it was another country but explains my ignorance of the time. When I arrived the weather was not kind, and Maynooth felt cold and damp. Looking back I probably questioned my choice. My parents still remind me of this, commenting how I ended up moving to Ireland and setting up home here, only a few miles from Maynooth as it happens. One of the first things we did was to buy another duvet as I was unsure if I could take the cold university apartment! My parents encouraged me to try it out and see. They reassured me that I could return anytime if I was unhappy!
Quickly, my experience changed from rather negative first impressions to more positive. As soon as I met my fellow students and got to know the university town, everything was transformed for me. I found the study programme itself very interesting. As a group, the University looked after our Erasmus group really well and made us feel special. Not being the only Erasmus student also helped, as our experience was shared. Whilst many of the Irish students went home for the weekend, we regularly travelled into Dublin City Centre on the bus and got out to see Ireland. We even engaged in local Maynooth social activities, with the cinema in the Aula Maxima on campus a regular Sunday outing.
Coming from London, I found myself liking living in a small town, with its friendly and welcoming nature. I met and made lots of friends and started to see the similarities between my background and the Irish upbringing. In particular, family values, warmth and friendliness. I was lucky that the diversity on the programme itself gave me a wonderful opportunity to engage with both locally based students and fellow international students from the Netherlands and Slovenia. I really started to feel at home in Ireland. So much so, that I still remember the Glenroe theme music on a Sunday night! The richness of experience offered to me was brilliant.
I stayed for the full length of my ten-week first term in Ireland. Whilst it would seem rather strange now, I did not travel home for any of that time. This was due to the prohibitive flight prices at the time. At that point (Covid travel restrictions have since passed this by) this was the longest time I had been away from my parents, family and home in my lifetime. My second term was at my host university, University of Bath, followed by Erasmus travel to Tilburg University, and then a return to Bath for the completion of my thesis.
In a professional context, spurred by my own positive experience working with Erasmus, I have continued working in a European context. After graduating from the MESPA programme, I returned to Ireland to take up a stagaire at the European Foundation for the Improvement for Living and Working Conditions, in Loughlinstown, Co.Dublin. Following the stagiaire, I went on to work as a Researcher at UCD on a European Commission funded project. Later, as Director of the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences, I was able to meet and work with some of my MESPA lecturers from Maynooth, as well as from the University of Bath. In my current role at UCD Research, a key part of my job is to support UCD researchers to engage in European research funding programmes such as Horizon Europe. To complete the circle, in 2020 I was appointed to the Board of Léargas, a fantastic organisation that uses Erasmus to provide transformative opportunities for young Irish people. I view this appointment as my opportunity to return the favour.”
Almost three decades later Dipti has not lost her connections with Maynooth and its environs. “In a personal context, my life totally changed by my move to Ireland. In 1996, I met my now husband at UCD whilst both working as researchers. We married in 2003 and have been blessed by four children. We live in Kilcloon, County Meath, with our nearest town being Maynooth where we regularly take walks around the old campus.”
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6 December, 2021
Access and inclusion for persons with disability
-
-
-
8 November, 2021
Three institutions successful in ECHE 2021 Call
-
1 November, 2021
Increased Financial Support for Inclusion in Erasmus+ Programme
-
26 October, 2021
€9.2m allocated for Year 1 of new Erasmus+ Programme
-
-
-
28 September, 2021
TU Dublin Student Kevin McGrath explores “space” on his Erasmus+ Traineeship
-
27 September, 2021
Commission President commits EU to tackling global challenges
-
21 September, 2021
The future “is digital” as European Commission launches Erasmus+ App
-
15 September, 2021
UCD’s Dipti Pandya – Erasmus, Maynooth and the “Glenroe” Theme Tune
-
-
7 September, 2021
Irish HEIs well represented in 2021 Erasmus Mundus Call
-
6 September, 2021
New report confirms positive momentum for EU open science
-
2 September, 2021
European Year of Rail: Connecting Europe Express – All Aboard!
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
28 June, 2021
Pandemic and Research – Survey
-
-
-
-
-
-
14 June, 2021
European Group Statement on ethics and governance
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19 May, 2021
Co-operation Partnerships Deadline Extended
-
-
-
-
-
-
4 April, 2021
European Innovation Council will have a €10bn Budget
-
25 March, 2021
New Erasmus+ Programme aims to support 10m learners
-
22 March, 2021
Ireland to receive over €27m in Erasmus+ Funding in 2021
-
-
17 March, 2021
Want to know more about the Erasmus+ Programme?
-
12 March, 2021
Carnaval goes virtual at Athlone IT
-
-
-
1 March, 2021
Ireland in 3rd spot in new EU Performance Index
-
-
-
22 February, 2021
EU to invest €150m in Coronavirus Research
-
-
18 February, 2021
UCD, Teagasc and Welsh Universities in Oats Research
-
15 February, 2021
EC Launches New European Bauhaus Initiative
-
3 February, 2021
UCD – Timely Report on Virtual Teaching Approaches
-
2 February, 2021
Almost 4400 HEIs in Europe awarded Erasmus Charter
-
1 February, 2021
Funding Call for Cross-Border Teacher Collaborations Announced
-
21 January, 2021
UCD and TCD to benefit from EU Horizon 2020 funding
-
-
16 December, 2020
Over 5000 events celebrate the Erasmus Programme in 2020
-
12 December, 2020
Next Erasmus+ Programme clears political hurdle
-
6 December, 2020
Erasmus Barometer Survey 2019-2020 Open
-
6 October, 2020
Four Irish HEIs in share of €5m EU Knowledge Alliance Funding
-
-
28 September, 2020
€239,696 in Jean Monnet funding awarded to two Universities
-
27 August, 2020
EU launches COVID Response Project Call
-
20 August, 2020
EC to launch Digital Education Strategic Partnerships Call
-
23 July, 2020
6 Irish HEIs to share in €36m Erasmus Mundus Programme
-
-
-
-
2 July, 2020
Europass: take the next step! New platform launched
-
22 June, 2020
Ulysses Call 2020 – Results
-
-
17 March, 2020
New Deadlines for Erasmus+ Sport Actions
-
12 March, 2020
Coronavirus – Statement from An Taoiseach
-
-
-
27 February, 2020
Erasmus+ Project opens door to Algerian partnership for UL
-
24 February, 2020
Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme fourth Call
-
14 February, 2020
European Policy Experimentations – Call 2020
-
13 February, 2020
Secular cultures more welcoming according to new study
-
-
3 February, 2020
Coronavirus Research Call
-
-
8 January, 2020
Brazilian Universities develop new performance metrics
-
-
20 December, 2019
Photo Competition to celebrate 10 million Erasmus Students
-
16 December, 2019
Erasmus Days 2019 a huge success
-
12 December, 2019
Cork IT Erasmus Student wins prestigious music award
-
11 December, 2019
International Scholarship Call to issue in January 2020
-
8 November, 2019
Erasmus+ 2020 Call and Programme Guide 2020
-
4 November, 2019
Three HEIs in latest Erasmus Mundus awards
-
-
9 September, 2019
The future of European research must be inclusive
-
30 August, 2019
Government Investment to benefit internationalisation
-
28 August, 2019
Almost 100 Mobilities to Palestine in 2018 from Europe
-
26 August, 2019
Latest Edition of the Armenian E+ Office Newsletter
-
12 August, 2019
Irish Universities win nearly €2m of EU support
-
-
-
5 June, 2019
DCU – World Leader in addressing bullying
-
29 May, 2019
Brexit – Continuation of Erasmus+
-
-
-
-
-
11 March, 2019
Old Dominion University on a visit to Ireland
-
10 March, 2019
Carnaval at MIC
-
-
-
27 February, 2019
500 participants attend Palestinian National Erasmus+ Office INFO Day
-
26 February, 2019
Seed funding call for Teacher Education North and South launched
-
22 February, 2019
Universities UK calls on UK government to fund study abroad
-
-
19 February, 2019
U-Multirank Call 2019 – Deadline 1 May 2019
-
7 February, 2019
Erasmus+ and a “No Deal” Brexit – EC Statement
-
1 February, 2019
Erasmus+ Application Deadline extended to 12 February
-
-
20 December, 2018
Unusual Stats for Christmas
-
16 November, 2018
Erasmus+ Languages Survey
-
-
-
24 October, 2018
European Commission publishes Erasmus+ Call 2019
-
8 October, 2018
Mobility under Erasmus+: European Court of Auditors Report
-
17 September, 2018
RCSI to deliver joint pharmacy programme with Chinese University
-
10 September, 2018
World Suicide Prevention Day 10 September 2018
-
-
-
-
28 August, 2018
Finland aims to be at the forefront of the Arctic bioeconomy
-
-
-
14 August, 2018
EU agrees a number of joint initiatives with Japan
-
-
-
-
22 June, 2018
Ireland an EU leader in Innovation
-
21 June, 2018
EU’s External Budget – €123 billion proposed for 2021-27
-
-
-
-
15 June, 2018
Palestine Erasmus+ Office launches newsletter
-
3 June, 2018
Irish SMEs among winners in Commission Programme
-
-
11 May, 2018
RTÉ Brainstorm
-
3 May, 2018
Career Guidance – Public Consultation
-
-
-
27 April, 2018
Global Survey on Internationalisation
-
-
-
17 January, 2023
International Programmes Evaluators – Call 2023
-
13 December, 2022
All About Youth – EU opportunities for young people in Ireland