Call: European Universities - Intensification of prior deep institutional transnational cooperation (Topic 1)

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 is the EU Programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport, which are key areas that support citizens in their personal and professional development. High quality, inclusive education and training, as well as informal and non-formal learning, ultimately equip young people and participants of all ages with the qualifications and skills needed for their meaningful participation in democratic society, intercultural understanding and successful transition in the labour market. Spending time in another country to study, to learn and to work should become the standard, while speaking two other languages in addition to ones’ mother tongue should be the norm.

Objectives

The general objective of the Programme is to support, through lifelong learning, the educational, professional and personal development of people in education, training, youth and sport, in Europe and beyond, thereby contributing to sustainable growth, quality jobs and social cohesion, to driving innovation, and to strengthening European identity and active citizenship.

The Programme has the following specific objectives:

• promote learning mobility of individuals and groups, as well as cooperation, quality, inclusion and equity, excellence, creativity and innovation at the level of organisations and policies in the field of education and training;
• promote non-formal and informal learning mobility and active participation among young people, as well as cooperation, quality, inclusion, creativity and innovation at the level of organisations and policies in the field of youth;
• promote learning mobility of sport staff, as well as cooperation, quality, inclusion, creativity and innovation at the level of sport organisations and sport policies.

Priorities

Inclusion and Diversity

The programme seeks to increase the qualitative impact of its actions and to ensure equal opportunities. To this end, the programme will reach out to people of different ages and from diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds. It will focus on people with fewer opportunities, including those with disabilities, educational difficulties, or a migrant background, as well as those living in rural and remote areas.

Digital Transformation

In line with the Digital Education Action Plan’s priorities, the programme will develop accessible and high-quality digital learning, foster the capacity of teachers, trainers and youth workers, etc. to use digital tools and content, test and promote distance, as well as blended learning. The mobility actions of the programme will provide an increased number of opportunities to acquire and develop digital skills through initiatives such as the Digital Opportunity Traineeships scheme. The implementation of the programme will be significantly digitalised and simplified for participants, in particular through the European Student Card initiative and a revamped IT architecture for beneficiaries and implementing bodies.

Environment and fight against climate change

In line with the European Green Deal, the programme will lead by example, by encouraging participants to use lower-carbon transport as an alternative to flying. Erasmus funding will also be channelled into building up knowledge and understanding of sustainability and climate action, so that Europeans acquire the world-leading competences needed to create sustainable societies, lifestyles and economies.

Participation in democratic life

The Programme addresses the citizens’ limited participation in its democratic processes and their lack of knowledge about the European Union, and tries to help them overcome the difficulties in actively engaging and participating in their communities or in the Union's political and social life. Strengthening citizens’ understanding of the European Union from an early age is crucial for the Union’s future.

Objectives

The ‘European Universities’ initiative is part of the ‘Partnerships for Excellence’ support provided in the framework of the new Erasmus+ Programme. This initiative has an ambitious mandate aimed to trigger and deepen unprecedented levels of institutional cooperation between higher education institutions, making it systemic, structural and sustainable. It aims to encourage the emergence of bottom-up alliances of universities across Europe, which will enable students to combine studies in several countries.

In line with the priorities of the European Education Area by 2025, these European Universities intend to:

• Promote common European values and a strengthened European identity by bringing together a new generation of Europeans able to cooperate within different cultures, languages, and across borders, sectors and academic disciplines.

• Reach a substantial leap in quality, performance, attractiveness and competitiveness of European higher education institutions, and contribute to the European knowledge economy, employment, creativity, culture and welfare by making the best use of innovative pedagogies and striving to make the knowledge square a reality. ‘European Universities’ will be key drivers to boost the quality of higher education and where possible to strengthen its link to the research and innovation landscape in Europe and its outreach towards the society and economy.

To achieve this, the present call Topic ERASMUS-EDU-2022-EUR-UNIV-1 (Topic 1) will provide support for already existing deep institutional transnational cooperation alliances , including – but not limited to - European Universities alliances selected under the 2019 Erasmus+ call for proposals (EAC/A03/2018). The aim is to build upon the institutional cooperation achieved so far and to further deepen, intensify and expand the effectiveness of this existing cooperation to advance the higher education transformation process towards fully fledged ‘European Universities’.

In order to be eligible, the applicants must be:

• legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
  • Erasmus+ Programm Countiers (EU Member State and non-EU countries)

• Higher Education Institutions holding a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and entities affiliated to them, including:
  • Higher Education Institutions already involved in deep institutional transnational cooperation, such as those being part of European Universities selected under the 2019 Erasmus+ call. They can be joined on a voluntary basis by other higher education institutions - holding a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and entities affiliated to them - wishing to participate in such existing alliances.
  • Higher Education Institutions wishing to establish new deep institutional transnational cooperation in a new alliance.
• Any other organisation consisting of the above referred higher education institutions - specifically set up with the purpose of implementing deep institutional transnational cooperation, including joint educational activities

• Minimum 3 eligible higher education institutions from 3 different eligible countries.
• A higher education institution may only participate as full partner in one single European Universities application; they may participate in other applications only as associated partners.

Proposal page limits and layout:

The application form will have two parts:

• Part A to be filled in directly online  (administrative information, summarised budget, call-specific questions, etc.)
• Part B to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system
• Part C to be filled in directly online containing additional project data
• mandatory annexes and supporting documents (to be uploaded):
  • detailed budget table (template available in the Submission System)
  • list of previous projects (key projects for the last 4 years) (template available in Part B)
  • Other annex: the joint mission statement

Page limit - Part B: 120 pages

European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) - https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/index_en

Since 2006, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency has been a catalyst for projects in education, training, youth, sport, audiovisual, culture, citizenship and humanitarian aid. On behalf of the European Commission, EACEA strives to foster innovation in these areas, always in a spirit of cross-border cooperation and mutual respect.

EACEA are project managers, facilitators of knowledge exchange, and supporters of European projects that connect people and cultures.

National Agencies

To bring Erasmus+ as close as possible to the participants and make sure it works well across different countries, the EU works with National Agencies to manage the programme.

The National Agencies are based in Programme Countries and their role involves

• providing information on Erasmus+
• selecting projects to be funded
• monitoring and evaluating Erasmus+
• supporting applicants and participants
• working with other National Agencies and the EU
• promoting Erasmus+
• sharing success stories and best practices

The list of National Agencies can be found here. Countries not in the list of Programme countries may alternately have a National Erasmus+ Office.

National Erasmus+ Offices

National Erasmus+ Offices (NEOs) assist the European Commission and local authorities in the implementation of Erasmus+ in certain Partner Countries.

These countries are located in the Western Balkans, the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean and Central Asia. Russia also has a National Office.

Providing information on Erasmus+, monitoring and evaluating funded projects, assisting applicants and participants, supporting policy dialogue and maintaining contact with local authorities and EU Delegations are among the responsibilities of the NEOs.

The list of National Erasmus+ Offices is available on the website of the Education, Culture, and Audiovisual Executive Agency.