Erasmus+ is the European Union programme supporting education, training, youth and sport. On 25 March 2021, the European Commission launched the new programme for the 2021–2027 period.
The purpose of Erasmus+ is to promote the mobility of young people, students and adults, while providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to become more competitive in the labour market and more aware and responsible citizens of the world.
Particular attention is given to people facing economic and social disadvantages, as the programme is founded on the principles of inclusion, diversity and equal opportunities.
What Is New in the Erasmus+ Programme?
A Larger Budget and More Opportunities
The first major innovation is the programme’s budget, which has almost doubled compared with the previous programming period.
Erasmus+ 2021–2027 has a budget of €26.2 billion, compared with €14.7 billion allocated for the 2014–2020 period. Approximately €2.2 billion from the European Union’s external instruments will also be added to this amount.
Seventy per cent of the available funding will be allocated to mobility activities within Europe and beyond its borders, while the remaining thirty per cent will support cooperation projects.
Thanks to this significant budget increase, the new programme offers more opportunities and aims to involve a greater number of participants and organizations.
One of its main priorities is to encourage broader participation through measures designed to remove all types of barriers. Particular attention will be given to young people with fewer opportunities.
National Agencies will develop specific inclusion and diversity strategies to overcome the obstacles that may prevent people from accessing European opportunities and funding.
These barriers may be related to:
- disabilities;
- health problems;
- social circumstances;
- cultural differences;
- economic difficulties;
- geographical disadvantages;
- education and training systems;
- discrimination.
Additional measures will also be introduced to provide greater financial support for mobility activities.
Developing Digital Skills
In a constantly evolving world, European citizens need to be equipped with the digital skills required to participate fully in society and the labour market.
The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to improve digital literacy and make full use of the opportunities offered by technology.
The Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027 identifies several strategic priorities supported by the Erasmus+ Programme, involving young people, youth workers and organizations.
These priorities include:
- promoting basic and advanced digital skills;
- strengthening digital literacy;
- encouraging innovative and open teaching approaches;
- supporting distance learning.
The programme also aims to make a significant contribution to innovation by reducing disparities in knowledge, skills and abilities between different countries.
Specific actions will support EU Member States and non-EU partner countries in modernizing their education and training systems, making them more innovative and encouraging the development and use of information and communication technologies.
Targeted initiatives will also seek to unlock Europe’s potential by stimulating innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship within the digital economy.
A Greener Erasmus+
The new programme gives much greater prominence to sectors connected with the future and to projects focusing on climate change, clean energy, artificial intelligence, robotics, engineering and data analysis.
Protecting the planet and taking action against climate change are considered fundamental priorities.
The programme also seeks to increase people’s knowledge, awareness and skills, enabling them to develop innovative solutions capable of transforming current lifestyles.
To achieve these objectives, the opportunities for green mobility will be expanded.
Greater attention will be given to:
- environmental issues;
- rural development;
- sustainable and environmentally friendly transport;
- responsible individual and organizational behaviour.
Documents and Application Resources
Paidea has extensive experience in the design and development of Erasmus+ projects.
Are you part of a school, educational institution or European organization interested in developing an Erasmus+ project or joining an international training experience?
Contact us: together, we will identify the most suitable opportunity for your organization. At Paidea, we support you throughout the entire process, from project design to the implementation of high-quality educational and mobility activities.