ERASMUS+
Erasmus+ is a European Union program that supports education, training, youth, and sport in Europe. It was established in 2014 and is the successor to the original Erasmus program, which began in 1987. The Erasmus+ program aims to promote the mobility of individuals, cooperation between institutions, and the exchange of good practices in the field of education and training.
Key features of the Erasmus+ program include:
Respect for EU values: Erasmus+ mandates adherence to EU values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, and the rule of law. Grant agreements stipulate that failure to uphold these values may result in termination or reduction of the beneficiary's grant.
Protection, health and safety of participants: Erasmus+ prioritizes the safety, health, and well-being of all participants. Organisations must establish effective procedures to ensure the protection and non-discrimination of participants. Additionally, participants must be insured against risks related to their activities, with recommendations for European Health Insurance Cards for transnational activities and prior parental authorization for participants under 18.
Multilingualism: Erasmus+ promotes multilingualism as a fundamental aspect of the European project. Language learning support is provided through the Erasmus+ Online Language Support platform, with additional support for specific target groups. The European Language Label awards recognize excellence in language learning projects.
International dimension: Erasmus+ fosters international cooperation to address global challenges and strengthen the EU's role as a global actor. It promotes societal links through mobility, exchanges, and capacity building, aiming to enhance human development, employability, and intercultural understanding.
Recognition and validation of skills and qualifications: Erasmus+ supports EU transparency and recognition tools for competences, skills, and qualifications, facilitating their recognition across borders and sectors. These tools aim to enhance comparability and portability of skills, supporting flexible learning pathways and promoting lifelong learning.
Communication of projects and results: Effective communication of project outcomes is essential for maximizing impact. Beneficiaries must develop communication strategies aligned with project objectives and target audiences. Compliance with corporate communication guidelines and acknowledgment of EU support are required.
Open Access Requirement for educational materials and research data: Erasmus+ promotes open access to project outputs, including educational resources and research data, under open licenses. Beneficiaries are encouraged to make materials freely available in editable digital formats, facilitating their use, reuse, adaptation, and sharing. Open access pathways for research outputs and data are also encouraged, contributing to wider knowledge dissemination and collaboration.