Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps projects can support those who have fled the war in Ukraine
Several actors involved in the programmes, such as kindergartens, primary schools, upper secondary schools, higher education institutions, vocational training providers, adult education organisations, as well as the youth and sports sectors, have already started to help their Ukrainian partners. The potential of EU programmes can now be exploited in this relief effort.
Ongoing application round
The Erasmus+ open call for Partnerships for Cooperation (KA220 Cooperation Partnerships and KA210 Small-Scale Partnerships) offers the possibility to take the refugee situation into account in project plans and activities, if appropriate to the project theme, and it is still possible to modify the project accordingly.
Ongoing projects
In ongoing Learning Mobility (KA1) projects, it is possible, via contractual amendments if needed, to allocate unused funding to support measures under the current programme rules.
Staff exchanges will make it possible to provide expertise to those areas that are currently receiving larger numbers of Ukrainians fleeing the war. In this way, it is possible to support partners in the regions and those who have fled the war, for example through education and youth activities. The Invited Experts action can be used to support the staff of organisations in the integration process of war refugees in their host areas. Invited experts may be sent or received under the existing programme rules. You should contact your own project partners and inquire about the possibilities.
Partnerships for Cooperation projects (KA2) and European Solidarity Corps projects can and do encourage changes to support Ukrainians fleeing and affected by war. These may include, for example, integration measures, training for refugees or work to prevent polarisation.
Under the European Solidarity Corps, it is now possible to receive volunteers from Ukraine without a sending organisation.
Project beneficiaries interested in supporting Ukraine should contact their own contact person at the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps National Agency which in Finland is the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI).
New forms of support are coming
In addition, the European Commission is soon opening new forms of support for Ukrainian students and young people, as well as for staff in organisations. Among other things, there will be more flexibility in the rules on mobility for Ukrainians. For example, the flexibility of the rules may enable the mobility of Ukrainians to Finland also in those education sectors where it is not possible according to the current programme rules. We will inform you further as the instructions become more precise.
The long-term goal of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes has been to promote understanding and solidarity between people from different countries and backgrounds. These principles are more relevant now than perhaps ever before.