Erasmus+ partnerships for cooperation garnered plenty of interest from organisations in the education and training and youth sectors – number of applications increased again

EDUFI received a total of 283 applications for Erasmus+ partnerships for cooperation (KA2) during the spring 2026 call, which was slightly more than in the 2025 call, when 270 applications were received.

Funding was awarded to 56 projects, which is a few more than in 2025. Competition for funding intensified, as the number of applications increased relative to the number of projects approved. Furthermore, the amount of funding awarded to projects decreased slightly compared to the previous year.

Application acceptance rates varied by sector, and competition for funding was fierce, especially in the higher education and youth sectors. 

Applications focused on digitalisation, inclusion and support for immigrants 

The aim of Erasmus+ partnerships for cooperation is to foster international and cross-sectoral cooperation between organisations that leads to innovative outcomes. Through these projects, organisations can also share ideas and develop new practices and methods.

Applications in the school education sector were heavily focused on STEM and STEAM, meaning science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts. In the VET sector, the most common themes included wellbeing, green skills, immigrants, basic skills and artificial intelligence.

In the higher education sector, the most popular themes in applications were digital content and pedagogical practices, new learning and teaching methods, artificial intelligence and the development of new study units or curricula. In the adult education sector, on the other hand, the most common themes included digital transformations, artificial intelligence, employment, mentoring and support for immigrants. 

In the youth sector, the priorities of Erasmus+ and current issues were clearly reflected in the applications, with projects covering many themes relating to young people’s lives. 

“The projects address issues such as mental health, bullying and harassment, employment, risky behaviour, neurodiversity and various forms of sustainability,” says Lead Adviser Mauri Uusilehto from EDUFI’s Internationalisation Services for Youth, Culture and Sports.

“The target groups include several groups of young people who have fewer opportunities for social inclusion than others. The active citizenship of especially young people living in rural areas and young immigrants and refugees plays a key role in several projects,” says Uusilehto. 

New European Partnerships for School Development action successfully piloted

In this call, funding was also awarded under a completely new action in the general education sector, known as European Partnerships for School Development. The aim of this action is to improve the quality of learning and teaching, strengthen structures to increase mobility opportunities, develop innovative teaching methods and facilitate the wider dissemination of the outcomes and impacts of international projects. 

“This action supports strategic innovation and the exchange of best practices between education providers, early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education and general upper secondary education. The new action is very welcome, as it enables education providers to develop their international activities in a more strategic manner,” says Lead Adviser Juuli Juntura from EDUFI’s Internationalisation Services for General Education and Adult Education. 

Finland was able to fund one European partnership for school development. The grant was awarded to the Stem ahoy! project coordinated by the City of Seinäjoki, which aims to establish a STEM/STEAM education pathway from primary school through to general upper secondary school. The partnership includes a total of 12 members from Finland and Norway.