Erasmus+ is the program for education, youth, and sport of the European Union.
It is divided into three main areas:
- Learning mobility for individuals
- Cooperation to foster innovation and allow the exchange of proven methods
- Support for political platforms
The funding program is designed to support student mobility within Europe and probably from 2015 with other parts of the world, albeit to a lesser extent. By 2020, around two million students are expected to have benefited from Erasmus+, among them more than a quarter of a million students from Germany. The program is open to students at all stages in their studies (including doctoral students) who would like to do part of their studies or an internship abroad. For the first time, the program enables bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students to be funded for up to twelve months. In order to increase the financial incentive to spend time studying abroad, the monthly mobility supplement for students will rise, especially for host countries with high living costs. In future, postgraduates will also be eligible for internships abroad. Finally Erasmus+ offers students who would like to do their entire master’s degree in another European country the possibility of taking out a low-interest loan.
Erasmus+ is also designed to support the internationalization agenda in higher education by providing funding for temporary lectureships and further education stays for teaching and administrative staff. Universities can continue to invite corporate staff from abroad for teaching stays, but now they can also participate in multilateral Strategic Partnerships with other European partners (including from the non-academic sphere) and jointly develop innovative projects (for example, in the field of curriculum development or on topics embracing multiple areas of education). For cooperation with the private sector Erasmus+ also offers funding for new knowledge alliances. Universities that want to become involved in building capacity in non-European countries can do this in the program of international university partnerships.
Funding for most of the mobility activities and the Strategic Partnerships is allocated by the National Agencies in the 33 countries participating in the program (the 28 members of the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, FYR Macedonia, Norway, and Turkey). In Germany, the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD) continues to be responsible for allocating this funding.
Under the umbrella of the EU educational program Erasmus+ the following mobility measures are supported:
+ Study abroad for students (SMS)
+ Internships abroad for students (SMP)
+ Mobility of teaching staff (STA)
+ Mobility of personnel (STT)
Every higher education institution participating in the EU program for general and vocational education, youth and sport 2014–2020 (hereafter referred to as “the Program”) and/or that would like to apply for it must have a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).
The ECHE is awarded by the European Commission and certifies that a higher education institution fulfills all the preconditions for participating successfully in the Erasmus+ Program.
In line with the stipulations of the European Commission, both the ECHE and the European Policy Statement (EPS) must be published on the website of the higher education institution.
European Policy Statement (EPS)
You can find more information and advice about Erasmus+ mobility activities at the
Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienst
Nationale Agentur für EU-Hochschulzusammenarbeit
Kennedyallee 50
53115 Bonn
Tel.: +49(0)228/882-8877
Fax: +49(0)228/882-555
E-Mail: erasmus(at)daad.de
Homepage: www.eu.daad.de
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