Introduction

The European Commission is developing initiatives to help work towards a European Education Area. These initiatives reflect the Commission’s ambition to enable all young people to receive the best education and training, and find jobs across the continent.

It is in the shared interest of all Member States to harness the full potential of education and culture as drivers for job creation, economic growth and social fairness as well as a means to experience European identity in all its diversity.

Within the European Commission policy, the Lifelong Learning Programme: education and training opportunities are provided for all young people interested in development, progress and investing in their personalities as well as to correspond to today challenges. The European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme enables people at all stages of their lives to take part in stimulating learning experiences, as well as helping to develop the education and training sector across Europe.

The LLP provides grants for all areas of education, training and learning. It provides opportunities for organisations, staff and learners involved in education and training across Europe to work together, learn from each others' expertise, and widen their experience of other cultures and languages.

Aim and objectives. The aim of this chapter is to make known and easier the process of understanding of how young people can be involved in European Programmes in order to make familiarize the application process. The objectives, which were determined, are the following:

• To provide the meaning of Erasmus+;
• To underline the Erasmus+ opportunities and applying process to these;
• To analyze the impact of Erasmus+ opportunities.

The European Commission is developing initiatives to help work towards a European Education Area. These initiatives reflect the Commission’s ambition to enable all young people to receive the best education and training, and find jobs across the continent. The goal is that, in Europe: spending time abroad to study and learn should be the standard; school and higher education diplomas should be recognised across the EU; knowing two languages in addition to one’s mother tongue should become the norm; everyone should be able to access high quality education, irrespective of their socio-economic background; and people should have a strong sense of their identity as Europeans, of Europe’s cultural heritage and its diversity.

In addition, many of European opportunities are dedicated to Youth Work field with the aim to make it internationally recognized through Training and Education, developing young people and ensuring their well-being.

1. What is Erasmus+?

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Its budget of €14.7 billion will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, and gain experience abroad.

Set to last until 2020, Erasmus+ doesn't just have opportunities for students. Merging seven prior programmes, it has opportunities for a wide variety of individuals and organisations. The aim of Erasmus+ is to contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy for growth, jobs, social equity and inclusion, as well as the aims of ET2020, the EU's strategic framework for education and training. Erasmus+ also aims to promote the sustainable development of its partners in the field of higher education, and contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU Youth Strategy.

Specific issues tackled by the programme include:

• Reducing unemployment, especially among young people
• Promoting adult learning, especially for new skills and skills required by the labour market
• Encouraging young people to take part in European democracy
• Supporting innovation, cooperation and reform
• Reducing early school leaving
• Promoting cooperation and mobility with the EU's partner countries

The outcomes of Erasmus+ are available in reports and compendia of statistics, as well as through the Erasmus+ Projects Platform, which includes most of the initiatives funded by the programme, as well as a selection of good practices and success stories.

2. Erasmus+ opportunities and applying process

• Opportunities for Individuals

For nearly 30 years, the EU has funded the Erasmus programme, which has enabled over three million European students to spend part of their studies at another higher education institution or with an organisation in Europe.

Erasmus+ brings such opportunities to all - students, staff, trainees, teachers, volunteers and more. It's not just about Europe or Europeans either - with Erasmus+, people from all over the world can access opportunities.

Students. Studying abroad is a central part of Erasmus+ and has been shown to have a positive effect on later job prospects. It is also an opportunity to improve language skills, gain self-confidence and independence and immerse yourself in a new culture. Erasmus+ also offers the chance to combine studying abroad with a traineeship. Opportunities are available for students at Bachelor, Master or Doctoral levels.

Opportunities for students (Studying abroad, Traineeship (student), Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans, Students and staff with physical, mental or health-related conditions).

Teaching opportunities for staff. With Erasmus+, opportunities are available to spend time teaching at an education institution abroad. These opportunities are available to both staff working in the education sector and to individuals in businesses invited to share their knowledge of a given sector, subject or issue to students. Opportunities to teach abroad with Erasmus+ are available in education institutions operating at all levels.

Opportunities (Higher Education, Vocational education and training, School Education, Adult Education, Jean Monnet, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, Students and staff with physical, mental or health-related conditions).

Training opportunities for staff. With Erasmus+, training opportunities are available to staff working in education, both in teaching and non-teaching capacities. Training periods abroad can consist of job shadowing, observation periods, professional development courses or specific competence-building events. Erasmus+ supports training both at education institutions and at relevant organisations operating outside the sector. Opportunities to take part in professional development activities are available to staff working at all levels of education.

The difference between Training opportunities for staff and Teaching opportunities for staff is that the last one included two more opportunities such as Jean Monnet and Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, as well as the rest of opportunities are the similar to both of them. 

Trainees. Erasmus+ can help you gain valuable work experience by supporting traineeships (work placements, internships etc.) abroad. The cultural understanding and language skills you learn from working in another country can make it easier to find a job after your studies. Furthermore, working in a relevant organisation opens up perspectives on your studies that seminars and workshops may not provide. These opportunities are open to people currently in education and recent graduates. Traineeships can be carried out in any relevant organisation.

Opportunities (Higher education students and recent graduates, Traineeships for vocational education, apprenticeships, and recent graduates)

Young people. Erasmus+ is open to all young people, not just those involved in education or training. With Erasmus+, participate in a youth exchange abroad.

Opportunities (Erasmus+ Volunteering Activities, Youth exchanges)

Youth workers. Erasmus+ supports the professional development of youth workers through training or networking periods abroad.

Opportunities (Networking and training).

• Organisations. 

Organisations wanting to participate in Erasmus+ may engage in a number of development and networking activities, including strategic improvement of the professional skills of their staff, organisational capacity building, and creating transnational cooperative partnerships with organisations from other countries in order to produce innovative outputs or exchange best practices. In addition, organisations facilitate the learning mobility opportunities for students, education staff, trainees, apprentices, volunteers, youth workers and young people.

The benefits for involved organisations include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved management methods, access to more funding opportunities and projects, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up projects, as well as a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for learners and staff at participating organisations.

Opportunities (Key Action 1: Learning mobility of individuals, Key Action 2: Innovation and good practices, Key Action 3: Support for policy reform, Jean Monnet, Sport).

How to apply. Under the Erasmus+ programme there are different opportunities for organisations and individuals. However, depending on the part of the programme you would like to apply for, the preparation and application procedure might differ. Let us guide you through the process: 

Before you apply: General Call for Proposals

Every year a General Call for Proposals is published, presenting opportunities for organisations and individuals active in the fields of education, training, youth and sport. In the Call you can find the objectives of the programme, an overview of the actions it is divided in, eligibility of potential actors, budget and duration of projects, and submission deadlines for each action. You can consult the latest Call for Proposals in our Calls section. In addition, some Specific Calls for Proposals are published at centralised level, through the website of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

Programme guide

A more detailed overview of the conditions and requirements of the actions you can apply for under the General Call can be found in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. It is the key document for anyone considering applying, and can be accessed online or downloaded as a PDF. 

Who can take part? 

Erasmus+ is open to many individuals and organisations, although eligibility varies from one action to another and from one country to another. Countries that can take part are divided into two main categories: 

Programme countries: can fully take part in all the actions of the Erasmus+ programme. Partner countries: can take part in certain actions of the programme, subject to specific criteria or conditions.

Register 

Before you can apply for funding as an organisation you will first need to obtain an EU login. The EU Login Authentication Service (previously called ECAS) is a point for user authentication to a wide range of Commission information systems. 

Then you will need to log-in to the Participant Portal with your EU Login account details and register your organisation to obtain your unique 9-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC). 

If you are an individual wanting to apply you will need to consult with the organisation you are part of (for example your university). 

How is it managed?

The Erasmus+ programme is managed by the European Commission), the Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), a series of National Agencies in all Programme countries, and a series of National Offices in some Partner countries.

• Centralised activities are managed at a European level by the European Commission and European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual and Cultural Executive Agency in Brussels, also known as the Executive Agency. Centralised projects are larger and more strategic, designed to tackle specific issues throughout Europe. For the centralised activities managed by Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) information about the application forms and selection procedure will be available on the EACEA's website.
• Decentralised activities are directly managed by the National Agencies which are located in each programme country, or National Erasmus+ Offices outside the EU. The majority of these projects will be implemented on a national, regional or local level and focus on an exchange between countries. For the decentralised activities managed by National Agencies, you can apply using Erasmus+ applications.

Opportunities

Individuals. Erasmus+ has opportunities for people of all ages, helping them develop, and share knowledge and experience, at institutions and organisations in different countries. Check out what opportunities there are for individuals like students, staff, trainees, teachers, young people and youth workers, and more. 

Organisations. Erasmus+ has opportunities for a wide range of organisations, including universities, schools, education and training providers, think-tanks, research organisations, and private businesses.

Application process. Depending on what part of the programme you are applying for, you will need to fill out a specific application form.

Detailed information on these opportunities, including eligibility criteria, is available in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. An indicative funding guide for some centralised opportunities is also available. You usually apply for Erasmus through your institution. Contact your university or college’s Erasmus co-ordinator; they will be the person allocating the Erasmus places for each subject area. Applications are usually completed online between October and February. If you get a place, your university will contact your host university to nominate you formally. You’ll then be contacted by the host university and given all the relevant information about the admissions process.

3. Erasmus+ opportunities’ impact

Two new studies have underlined how Erasmus+ continues to enhance students’ quality of life and career prospects – both during their course abroad, and long after it finishes. The research also highlights the programme’s success at driving innovation and social inclusion in higher education. The results of the impact studies show Erasmus+ significantly benefits students’ career prospects and personal development.  The programme can act as a guide for students to discover what they want to do after their studies  – making for a happier career; Erasmus+ has also been shown to drive innovation and social inclusion in higher education. 

Every year, more than 300,000 students study or train under the Erasmus+ umbrella – over five million students have directly benefitted since the launch of the programme in 1987. The Higher Education Impact study found that 80 percent of Erasmus+ graduates are employed within three months of graduation, with 72 percent stating their Erasmus+ experience helped them land their first job.  Nearly half of Erasmus+ trainees were offered a job in the company where they trained.

More than two-thirds of Erasmus+ students and trainees gained new insight about their career choices through studying or training abroad. This added awareness has allowed students to better orient their studies and training to match their career ambitions – leading to both happier careers and expanded professional opportunities. The studies have also highlighted how Erasmus+ builds a sense of European identity and social cohesion. 90 percent of Erasmus+ students feel the programme has improved their ability to collaborate with people from different cultures, and are more positive about the role of the EU in society.

Erasmus+ mobility also supports the growth of innovative learning and teaching practices – as well as the expanded use digital technologies. Nearly 80 percent of academics reported their experience abroad has led to the development of more modern and innovative teaching practices and curricula in their faculties.

The impact study on Erasmus+ Higher Education Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Alliances found that Erasmus+ has spurred equality in education – with nearly two-thirds of universities stating projects under Erasmus+ have increased social inclusion and non-discrimination in higher education. Cooperation projects under Erasmus+ have also allowed students, higher education staff and other stakeholders to develop vital innovation and business skills. Over one in four projects under Erasmus+ contribute to strengthening entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurship – with nearly a third of these projects resulting in start-ups and spin-off enterprises.

Bibliography:

1. Adult Education https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/staff-teaching/adult-education_en
2. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-master-degrees_en
3. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/staff-teaching/erasmus-mundus_en
4. Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-plus-master-degree-loans_en
5. Erasmus+ Projects Platform https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/
6. Erasmus+ Volunteering Activities https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/young-people/european-voluntary-service_en
7. Erasmus+: a turning point in the lives of 5 milion European students https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/news/erasmus-impact-studies_en
8. Higher Education https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/staff-teaching/higher-education_en
9. Higher education students and recent graduates https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/traineeships-students_en
10. How to apply https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/how-to-apply_en
11. https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/staff-training_en
12. Innovation and good practices https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/organisations/innovation-good-practices_en
13. Jean Monnet https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/jean-monnet_en
14. Jean Monnet https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/jean-monnet_en
15. Learning mobility of individuals https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/learning-mobility-individuals_en
16. Networking and training https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/networking-and-training_en
17. Organisations https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/organisations_en
18. School Education https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/school-education_en
19. Sport https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/sport_en
20. Students and staff with physical, mental or health-related conditions https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/physical-mental-conditions_en
21. Students and staff with physical, mental or health-related conditions https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/physical-mental-conditions_en
22. Students https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/students_en
23. Studying abroad https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/students/studying-abroad_en
24. Support for policy reform https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/support-policy-reform_en
25. Teaching opportunities for staff https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/staff-teaching_en
26. Trainees https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/trainees_en
27. Traineeship (student) https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/traineeships-students_en
28. Traineeships for vocational education, apprenticeships, and recent graduates) https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/traineeships-vocational-education-apprenticeships-and-recent-graduates_en
29. Vocational education and training https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/vocational-education-and-training_en
30. What is Erasmus+? https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/about_en
31. Young people https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/young-people_en
32. Youth exchanges https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/young-people/youth-exchanges_en
33. Youth workers https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/youth-workers_en