Lifelong Learning - Guide for applicants

Sectoral programmes : Erasmus

	What are the aims?
	Who can participate?
	What types of activity?
	What are Erasmus actions?

What are the aims?

Specific objectives

• To support the realisation of a European Higher Education Area
• To reinforce the contribution of higher education and advanced vocational education to process of innovation

Operational objectives

• To improve the quality and to increase the volume of students and teaching staff mobility throughout Europe, so as to contribute to the achievement by 2012 of at least 3 million individual participants in student mobility under the Erasmus and its predecessor programmes
• To improve the quality and to increase the volume of multilateral cooperation between higher education institutions in Europe
• To increase the degree of transparency and compatibility between higher education and advanced vocational education qualifications gained in Europe
• To improve the quality and to increase the volume of cooperation between higher education institutions and enterprises
• To facilitate the development of innovative practices in education and training at tertiary level, and their transfer, including from one participating country to others
• To support the development of innovative ICT-based content, services, pedagogies and practice for lifelong learning

Who can participate?

• Students and trainees learning in all forms of tertiary level education and training
• Higher education institutions, as specified by Member States
• Teachers, trainers and other staff within those institutions
• Associations and representatives of those involved in higher education, including relevant student, university, and teacher/trainer associations
• Enterprises, social partners and other representatives of working life
• Public and private organisations, including not-for-profit organisations and NGOs, responsible for the organisation and delivery of education and training at local, regional and national levels
• Research centres and bodies concerned with lifelong learning issues
• Bodies providing guidance, counselling and information services

What types of activity?

The following actions are supported by the Erasmus Programme:

	Mobility of individuals which may include: Mobility of students for the purposes of studying at a higher education institution or carrying out placements in enterprises, training centres, research centres or other organisations in another participating country (‘Erasmus Students’) Mobility of teaching staff from higher education institutions or invited staff from enterprises to carry out teaching assignments at a higher education institution abroad Mobility of teaching or other staff in higher education institutions for purposes of undergoing training abroad Erasmus intensive programmes organised on a multilateral basis a key area of teaching and learning
	Multilateral projects focusing inter alia on innovation, experimentation and the exchange of good practice in the areas mentioned in the specific and operational objectives by developing and implementing study programmes or virtual campuses; promoting cooperation between higher education and enterprises or developing strategies to modernise a specific aspect of higher education.
	Networks ('Erasmus Thematic Networks') involving consortia of higher education institutions and representing either a discipline or a cross-disciplinary field with the aim of developing new learning concepts and competencies ('Academic Networks') or addressing a structural or management aspect of higher education with a view to promoting innovative solutions and approaches ('Structural Networks'). Such networks may also include representatives from other public bodies and from enterprises, associations and other organisations relevant for the network's mission.
	Other initiatives aimed at promoting the objectives of the Erasmus Programme (‘Accompanying Measures’)

What are Erasmus actions?

• Mobility of Individuals - Erasmus University Charter
• Mobility of Individuals - Mobility of Students for the Purposes of Studying
• Mobility of Individuals - Student Placements in Enterprises, Training Centres, Research Centres and Other Organisations
• Mobility of Individuals - Teaching Assignments for Teaching Staff from Higher Education Institutions and invited staff from Enterprises
• Mobility of Individuals - Staff Training for Teaching and Other Staff in Higher Education Institutions
• Mobility of Individuals - Intensive Programmes
• Mobility of Individuals - Intensive Language Courses
• Mobility of Individuals - Organisation of Mobility
• Multilateral Projects - Development of Study Programmes
• Multilateral Projects - Co-operation between Universities and Enterprises
• Multilateral Projects - Modernisation of Higher Education
• Multilateral Projects - Virtual Campuses
• Networks
• Accompanying Measures
• Mobility of Individuals - Preparatory visits