On 25 March 2021 the European Commission adopted the first annual work programme of Erasmus+ 2021-2027, which will fund learning mobility (70% of the allocated budget) and cross-border cooperation projects for 10M European citizens with a budget of €26.2 billion (compared to €14.7 billion for 2014-2020), complemented with about €2.2 billion from EU’s external instrument.
This date, which falls on the 64th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, marks a restarting point for the most emblematic EU programme.
The new Erasmus+ programme will be even more inclusive by supporting the green and digital transitions, as set out in the European Education Area, and will also contribute to the resilience of education and training systems. It will offer new opportunities and hopes for all European citizens to recover from a pandemic that especially damaged their educational and professional development, particularly in the case of the Erasmus Generation.
As stated by the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel:
The fact that the Erasmus+ budget for the next seven years has almost doubled shows the importance given to education, lifelong learning and youth in Europe. Erasmus+ remains a unique programme in terms of its size, scope and global recognition, covering 33 countries, and accessible to the rest of the world through its international activities.
Mariya Gabriel
What will be the features of the new Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme?
Inclusive Erasmus+
It will provide enhanced opportunities to people with fewer opportunities, including those ones with diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds, and people living in rural and remote areas. Novelties include…
– Small-scale partnerships and use of simplified grants: it will be easier for smaller organisations, such as schools, youth associations and sports clubs to apply.
– The programme will also be more international at the time of cooperating with third countries, building on the successes of the previous programme with exchanges and cooperation projects around the world, now also expanding to sport and the vocational education and training sector.
– Individual and class exchanges for school pupils and mobility for adult learners.
Digital Erasmus+
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to accelerate the digital transition of education and training systems.
- The European Student Card will simplify & digitalise the implementation of the programme.
- Erasmus+ will support the development of digital skills, in line with the Digital Education Action Plan, providing high-quality digital training and exchanges via platforms such as eTwinning, School Education Gateway and the European Youth Portal, and it will encourage traineeships in the digital sector.
- New formats, such as blended intensive programmes, will allow short-term physical mobility abroad to be complemented with online learning and teamwork.
Green Erasmus+
The new programme will offer financial incentives to participants using sustainable modes of transport in line with the European Green Deal. Furthermore, it will also invest in projects promoting awareness of environmental issues and facilitate exchanges related to mitigating the climate crisis.
Erasmus+ for young people
Erasmus+ will also support exchange and cooperation opportunities through new youth participation activities, to help young people engage and learn to participate in democratic life, raising awareness about shared European values and fundamental rights; and bringing young people and decision-makers together at local, national and European level. DiscoverEU now becomes an integral part of Erasmus+ and gives 18 year-olds the possibility to get a rail pass to travel across Europe, learn from other cultures and meet fellow Europeans.
Known as Erasmus+ since 2014, when it enlarged its scope of activities, this emblematic programme is ranked by Europeans as the EU’s third most positive result, after free movement and peace. Over the last three decades, more than 10m have participated in the programme in 33 countries (EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey).
First published by garagErasmus Foundation
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