ERASMUS for universities – co-operation, modernisation and exchange
ERASMUS ‘mobility’ actions for staff and students have greatly helped in internationalising and modernising Europe's higher education institutions. The programme also supports a number of different types of co-operation activities between higher education institutions and businesses from different countries, to further drive innovation in the sector:
- Intensive programmes: short study programmes on a specific topic involving institutions from at least three countries. Grants are provided for course organisation and to students and staff;
- Multilateral projects: there are five different types of co-operation projects, which run for up to three years with at least three countries: cooperation between higher education institutions and enterprises; social dimension of higher education; mobility strategies and removal of barriers to mobility in higher education; support to the modernisation agenda of higher education and fostering the excellence and innovation in higher education;
- Academic Networks: forums for the exchange of best practice, focused on specific academic disciplines or organisational aspects; there must be at least twenty-five partners;
- Accompanying measures: promote the objectives and results of ERASMUS projects, in areas such as information and communication activities, thematic monitoring and dissemination and exploitation;
- Preparatory visits: enable institutions to plan mobility actions, agreements for ERASMUS student and staff exchanges, and co-operation programmes.
The ERASMUS programme is open to all types of higher education institutions, all academic disciplines and all levels of higher education study, up to and including doctorates. Post-secondary level vocational education institutions can also take part.
However, higher education institutions must hold the ERASMUS University Charter to participate in the various ERASMUS activities. They can apply for this each year – more than 4 000 institutions currently hold the charter in 34 participating countries.
Institutions can find information on how to get involved in individual mobility actions by contacting the national agency for ERASMUS in their country. For information on participation in larger-scale co-operation activities, institutions should contact the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels.
