Erasmus plus

EU funding programme for education, training, youth and sport

Erasmus plus focuses, among other things, on gaining experience abroad, transnational partnerships, reforms in education and training systems, improving youth work and transnational sports projects, which are to take place under the banner of inclusion and diversity, political education, digitalisation and sustainability.

The programme has a key role to play on the way to a common European education area. Between 2021 and 2027, a total budget of approximately 26 billion euros is available for this purpose.

Erasmus plus in higher education supports students, higher education institutions, higher education staff and partners from the non-academic sector; it also supports cooperation with schools, companies, adult education institutions and youth associations.

Erasmus plus Key Actions in Higher Education

Erasmus plus in higher education comprises three Key Actions:

• Key Action 1: Mobility in Higher Education
• Key Action 2: Cooperation Projects
• Key Action 3: Policy Support

The following aspects are new in Key Action 2:

• Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships will succeed the previous 'Strategic Partnerships' and thus merely be renamed.
• Erasmus Mundus will be expanded to include the funding line "Erasmus Mundus Design Measures" for the development of a joint transnational degree programme.
• There is a new funding line "Erasmus+ Teachers Academies", which is intended to develop a European and international perspective in teacher training.
• The "Capacity Building in Higher Education" as well as the "European Higher Education Institutions" will not be advertised with the current call, but are expected to be advertised in autumn 2021 for the funding period starting in 2022.

Overall, the key actions were oriented towards the horizontal priorities of the new Erasmus plus programme generation 2021-2027:

• Erasmus plus Green
• Erasmus plus DIGITAL
• Erasmus plus Social Participation
• Erasmus plus Participation in democratic life

Erasmus plus: current calls for proposals

Current calls for proposals under Erasmus plus can be found here. All information and documents on the published calls can also be found on the Funding and tender opportunities portal.

National Agencies

Four national agencies implement the Erasmus plus programme in Germany:

EU higher education cooperation: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
EU programmes in the school sector: Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD)
Education for Europe: German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)
Erasmus+ YOUTH IN ACTION: Jugend für Europa (JFE)

Participating countries

Currently, in addition to EU Member States, the following third countries participate fully in Erasmus plus:

• Republic of Northern Macedonia
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Norway
• Turkey
• Serbia

Other third countries can also participate in individual measures on a limited basis, such as the Russian Federation, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina.