What is the opportunity?
Erasmus+ offers the opportunity for higher education institutions to send students and staff abroad (in other Programme countries or other Partner countries) to study, teach, or train at participating institutions, as well as to participate in a traineeship.
They can also host incoming students and staff from abroad. Traineeships between Programme and Partner countries may be available as part of new mobility agreements selected from summer 2018 onwards.
How does it work?
Organisations wanting to take part in these opportunities can either apply as an individual higher education institution, or as part of a “national mobility consortium“, a group of organisations managed by a single coordinating organisation.
These organisations fall into one or more of the four main categories:
- Applicant Organisations – responsible for applying for and managing the project, but can also act as a sending organisation
- Sending Organisations – in charge of selecting students/staff to send abroad or to manage incoming students and staff from partner countries, as well as invited staff from enterprises,
- Receiving Organisations – responsible for receiving students/staff from abroad and offering a study/traineeship programme,
- Intermediary Organisations – as a partner in a mobility consortium, intermediaries can be involved in supporting and facilitating the work of a consortium.
Higher education institutions established in a Programme country must hold an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) whether applying individually or as part of a consortium.
Consortia intending to take part must also hold a Mobility Consortium Accreditation.
Other organisations from Programme countries can also participate, but do not need an ECHE.
Although organisations from Partner countries can participate in mobility activities, Partner country higher education institutions are not eligible for an ECHE. Instead, they commit themselves to the principles of the charter and make the support they intend to offer to participants clear in the Inter-Institutional Agreement.
After receiving an ECHE and/or mobility consortium accreditation, the applicant organisations can apply for EU funding.
What else should you know?
The study activities offered to students have to be part of the student’s study programme, while the activities offered to student trainees should also be integrated into the trainee’s study programme. Both sending and receiving organisations, as well as the student, must sign a Learning Agreement before the start of the activities, outlining:
- the educational components to be carried out by the student at the receiving institution,
- the educational components to be replaced in the student’s degree at the Sending Institution upon successful completion of the study programme abroad, and
- the rights and obligations of the various parties.
The activities of staff sent abroad should be agreed on, in advance, by both the individual’s sending organisation and the receiving organisation. As above, all parties to the mobility activity must sign a Mobility Agreement, outlining:
- the target learning outcomes,
- the provisions for formal recognition (for example through ECTS), and
- the rights and obligations of the various parties.
In addition to this, any organisation that has signed the ECHE must also provide the necessary support to participants, including linguistic preparation. For long-term mobility activities beyond two months, the European Commission provides the Online Linguistic Support tool to assess and improve language competences.
How do you apply?
The application process for mobility projects is managed by the relevant National Agency (NA) on an annual basis. For individual organisations this is the NA in the country where the organisation is based, and for a consortium this is the NA where the consortium coordinator is based.
A call for proposals for the ECHE is held on an annual basis, and is managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. The award of an ECHE is valid for the duration of the programme. The call for consortium accreditation is published on an annual basis by the National Agencies. A consortium accreditation is valid for three years. Organisations can request accreditation and grants at the same time.
International Credit Mobility (ICM)
What is ICM and how do I apply?
International Credit Mobility (ICM) supports the mobility of individuals enrolled or employed at a higher education institution (HEI), from a Programme Country to a Partner Country or vice versa, namely:
- Student mobility for studies, open to short cycle, first cycle (Bachelor or equivalent) or second cycle (Master or equivalent) students, as well as third cycle doctoral candidates. The mobility period can last from 3 months (or one academic term) to 12 months.
- Student mobility for traineeships, open from call 2018 to short cycle, first cycle (Bachelor or equivalent) or second cycle (Master or equivalent) students, as well as third cycle doctoral candidates. The mobility period can last from 2 to 12 months.
- Staff mobility for teaching for academic staff and (from call 2018) for invited staff from non- academic organisations to teach at a partner higher education institution (HEI) abroad. The mobility period can last from 5 days to 2 months.
- Staff mobility for training for teaching and non-teaching staff in the form of training events abroad (excluding conferences), job shadowing, observation periods and/or training at a partner HEI. The mobility period can last from 5 days to 2 months. This activity also supports the mobility of staff from Partner Country HEIs to train at a non-academic organisation located in a Programme Country. See dedicated section on ‘Staff mobility to and from non-academic organisations’.
- Student and staff mobility can take place in any subject area or academic discipline. Moreover, HEIs are free to apply for staff mobility or student mobility, or any combination of the two.
- Staff teaching and training activities can be combined. A study period and a traineeship can also be combined, for a minimum of 3 months (or one academic term) and a maximum of 12 months.
International Credit Mobility (ICM) Action of Erasmus+ Programme provides opportunities for STUDENTS as well as STAFF of higher education institutions to undertake a learning and/or professional experience in another country. A Higher Education Institution (HEI) located in Libya, which is a Partner Country, can send its students or staff to a Programme Country HEI, and vice versa. Programme Countries are 28 Member States of the European Union (EU) and 6 Non EU Programme Countries (Republic of Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey).
Teaching Mobility
Erasmus+ KA107 (Non-European Countries) Staff Mobility for Teaching Assignments (STA) is a mobility activity that allows academic staff of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) to teach and carry joint academic/educational activities at a partner HEI in the program countries around the globe. Erasmus+ KA107 Staff Mobility for Teaching Assignments might include a variety of activities such as lecturing, hands-on teaching activities, giving a seminar and organizing a workshop.
Geographical Framework:
Erasmus+ extends beyond Europe, allowing for mobility from and to other parts of the world (between 33 Program and 84 Partner Countries). Program Countries are those countries participating fully in the Erasmus+ program which are 33 Program Countries. Partner Countries cover the rest of the world outside the European Union.
Partner Universities and Application Period:
For each call of Erasmus+ KA107 Staff Mobility for Teaching Assignments, the list of countries/partner universities are updated in accordance with the Program budget. Countries as well as partner lists that can be granted change every year within the framework of the Program budget.
International Cooperation Offices (ICO) announces the application deadlines and procedures at least 20 days prior to applications. Announcements are made through ICO website and e-mails. Teaching staff who would like to make application are advised to check ICO website and e-mails regularly.
Application Requirements:
- Applicants must be a member of the university and they must actively work at the time of application,
- Applicants must be employed for teaching and lecturing at the university (i.e. staff who works as Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor),
- Applicants are expected to get in touch with the preferred HEI (from the list) and receive an acceptance letter (or e-mail) prior to the application deadline. Applications of those candidates who have not received pre-admission will not be evaluated in the selection process. Those applicants who will apply for more than one HEI must receive acceptance letter (or e-mail) for each of their choices. You can find a draft for pre-admission letter for your use attached,
Condition
To study abroad, you must be registered in a higher education institution and enrolled in studies (Bachelor, Master and Doctoral level) leading to a recognised degree. For students in the first cycle (BA), you need to be at least in the second year of your studies. Your period of study abroad must be relevant for your degree-related learning and personal development needs, and be part of the study programme that you are following.
Your home institution and the receiving institution must have an Inter-Institutional Agreement between them for you to study there with Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility.