Erasmus+ Programme 2021-2027
As Autumn approaches and as the days get colder, we are reminded that this year is soon coming to an end. Although 2020 has been a challenging year we have learned from our experiences and we can look forward to the future. Here at EProjectConsult we are anticipating the next Erasmus+ Programme of 2021 – 2027, as this year the current Erasmus+ Programme is coming to the end of its multi-year funding cycle. The new Erasmus+ Programme is greatly anticipated because the plan for the next seven years is more ambitious and has more funding than the current Programme.
Funding
The European Commission initially proposed to double the funding for Erasmus to €30 billion. The increased funding is intended to ensure that the programme can be run with even more success, and that more attention and resources can be allocated to important issues such as building a European Education Area by 2025, empowering young people and promoting a European identity through work experience, education and international mobility. The increased budget would mean that the programme can support up to 12 million people, which is three times more than what the current programme can support. However, the budget has been revised since it was first announced, the updated budget had allocated €24.6 billion for the next Erasmus+ programme, which unfortunately will not be able to support 12 million participants, as originally intended, but the funding available is still considerably more than what was allocated to the current Erasmus+ cycle.
The additional funding will enable the programme to reach further than before, including participants from all social backgrounds; the purpose of this is to facilitate the participation of people from less privileged backgrounds. By providing more people with the opportunity to learn, gain experience and partake in cross border mobility the Erasmus+ programme will continue to strengthen Europe’s economy and community while tackling global issues and promoting social equality.
Aims and Ambitions
The next Erasmus+ Programme intends to be more inclusive and accessible with simpler application processes as well as enhanced international mobility and cooperation. The improved programme will invest in innovative fields of study such as renewable energy, environmentalism, sustainability, environmental engineering, and artificial intelligence. As the pandemic has taught us the importance and the necessity of technology in our modern working lives there will be a significant amount of funding allocated to the digital sector as recent experiences have shown us the possibilities offered by virtual learning and cooperation. Mobility will remain essential to the Erasmus+ programme and the new programme will increase international mobility and cooperation by extending international dimension to new sectors, such as vocational education and training.
Call for Accreditations
It is important to begin planning for the next Erasmus+ programme as preparations are already underway; the deadline for submitting applications for Erasmus accreditation is 29 October 2020. Erasmus accreditations are the means by which organisations can participate in cross-border exchange and collaboration. Accredited organisations will gain easier access to the funding opportunities available through the key action 1 projects of the new Erasmus+ programme. The European Commission will publish annual calls for proposals which will define the conditions for access to the funding available to accredited organisations.
The allocation of Erasmus accreditation indicates that the candidate has established a strategy and intends to complete high quality activities that are invested in mobility and which will enable the accredited organisation to improve the education and training that they offer. This is called the “Erasmus plan” and constitutes and essential aspect of the candidacy for the Erasmus accreditation.
Erasmus accreditations make the process of apply for funding to support mobility easier. Although we know that completing application forms can be a bit daunting, if you need any assistance or some guidance, we at EProjectConsult are happy to help, as we have plenty of experience in writing and submitting successful applications.
We look forward to the next chapter of Erasmus+.