News
29.6.2026

Record-breaking competition in Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships for higher education

Internationalisation Higher education Erasmus+ Erasmus+ for higher education Internationalisation Education development
In the 2026 call for Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships, competition for the funding for higher education was even more intense than in previous years. The available funding can be granted to only five projects. The acceptance rate fell to the lowest level during the entire programming period, while the quality of the project applications was again extremely high.
Two women are looking at a computer screen in a classroom.
Photo: Negin Aladdin Photography

The call for Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships for the year 2026 closed on 5 March 2026. In Finland, 57 applications were submitted for the higher education sector, which is a few less than in the previous year. Of the projects that applied for funding, 49 projects amounted to EUR 400,000 and eight projects to EUR 250,000. A total of EUR 21.6 million in funding was applied for.

Competition for funding intensified

The competition for funding in the higher education sector has intensified over the past four years as the number of applications has increased in proportion to the amount of funding that can be granted. In this call for proposals, EUR 1.7 million in funding will be granted, making it possible to fund a total of five projects.  The acceptance rate is thus 8.8, which is the lowest during the entire programming period 2021–2027. 

At the same time, the quality of this year’s applications was again extremely high: the lowest score for a project to be funded was 92/100 (score in the criterion ‘relevance’ 24). Three of the projects to be funded amount to EUR 400 000 and two amount to EUR 250 000. 

Both universities of applied sciences and universities applied actively

Applications were received from 26 higher education institutions. There was not a big difference between universities of applied sciences and universities in the number of applications: universities of applied sciences submitted 32 project applications and universities 25 project applications. However, universities of applied sciences were more successful in this call: four of the five projects to be funded are coordinated by a university of applied sciences. 

 

Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships for Higher education in Finland 2026
Erasmus+ kumppanuushankkeiden vuoden 2026 hakukierros

 

Digitalisation, development of teaching and inclusion were emphasised in the applications

Cooperation partnerships select between one and three priorities for their projects. In this year’s applications, the emphasis was especially on responding to the digital transformation (38 applications), developing high-quality learning, teaching and competence (35 applications), and inclusion and diversity (24 applications).

The most popular themes in project applications were digital contents and pedagogical practices, new learning and teaching methods, artificial intelligence and new study units or curricula. 

Funded projects develop learning, teaching and competence

All five projects to be funded focus on developing learning, teaching and competence and on improving their quality. In addition to this, three projects emphasise inclusion and diversity, and two participation in democratic life. 

The projects to be funded develop higher education from different perspectives: they improve the accessibility and quality of teaching of digital cultural heritage, increase the pedagogical capacities of teachers in higher education to promote wellbeing, and strengthen the ability of prison and social service professionals to support digital inclusion, rehabilitation and engagement in society. In addition, the projects increase sustainability competence in the textile and fashion sectors and develop the crisis preparedness and resilience of higher education institutions in the border regions with the help of open learning materials and new operating models.

In addition to the higher education institutions, the project partners include organisations, foundations and SMEs. 

The projects receiving funding will be launched in autumn 2026. In addition to the projects that have been granted funding from Finland, Finnish higher education institutions are involved as partners in Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships funded both from other countries and from other sectors.   

Projects to be funded

  • HÄME UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES LTD: Empowering European higher education teachers/educators through innovative pedagogics and Well-being (RUN WELL)
  • KAJAANI UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES LTD: ECO-SEW
  • LAUREA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES LTD: Digital Transformation in Correctional Services (DigiCorre)
  • OULU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES LTD: Advancing Teaching Excellence in Universal Design for Digital Cultural Heritage through Micro-credentials (MUDEX)
  • UNIVERSITY OF TURKU: Intergenerational resilience stories strengthen EU preparedness at European borderland HEIs (LINNAEA)

 

Next call  

The next call for Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships is expected to open in late 2026 and end in spring 2027. In the next call, the acceptance rate of applications is also likely to remain very low. More detailed information about schedules and guidance for applicants will be published on the website of cooperation partnerships for higher education and through the mailing lists of the International Higher Education Cooperation unit of the Finnish National Agency for Education.

Further information:

Outi Tomperi and Roosa Veijola 
firstname.lastname [at] oph.fi (firstname[dot]lastname[at]oph[dot]fi)