The global mobility included in Erasmus+ for higher education offers exchange opportunities also outside Europe.
Ryhmä ammatillisen koulutuksen opiskelijoita työskentelee korkean pöydän ääressä
Photo: Satu Haavisto

Global mobility (KA171) under the Erasmus+ Programme supports students’ and staff’s physical and blended mobility abroad outside the EU Member States and third countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme. The funding comes from the EU’s external policy funds. Global mobility funds both outgoing and incoming international mobility.

Erasmus+ covers all fields of study and degree levels in higher education. Mobility between Finnish and foreign higher education institutions (HEIs) is based on bilateral agreements between the institutions. Companies and other public and private organisations and their staff may also participate in some of the actions.

To be able to participate in the actions under the Erasmus+ Programme, the HEI must hold the Erasmus Charter (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education, ECHE), which is awarded by the European Commission. The ECHE lays the foundation for all Erasmus+ cooperation of the HEI and binds the institution to comply with the principles and conditions of the Programme.

In global mobility, only HEIs of the EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme must hold a valid ECHE.  Non-associated third countries in global mobility do not apply for the ECHE, but commit themselves to its principles when concluding the agreement with their European partner.

EDUFI awards the grant to HEIs

The funds available to mobility projects supported from the external policy funds have been divided into 12 geographic budgetary envelopes between different regions of the world. Universities and universities of applied sciences apply to the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) for funding for mobility activities and organising them. Students, teachers and other staff in higher education apply for grants from their own HEI.

It is also possible to apply for inclusion support for those students and staff members going on exchange who have special needs. The purpose of the additional support is to enable accessible participation in the Erasmus+ programme, which would not be possible for the person without the extra support because of the person’s disability, illness, learning difficulty or other special need.

Mobility consortia can also organise exchanges

Erasmus+ mobility can also be organised by a mobility consortium formed by HEIs and other organisations. The mobility consortium applies to EDUFI for consortium accreditation, which is required for the grant. When the consortium has been accredited, it can apply for a mobility grant on the same principles as an individual HEI.

 

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Regardless of their nationality, degree students in higher education can go to countries outside Europe to complete a part of their studies or a work placement related to their studies through Erasmus+ global mobility. Student exchange and traineeship periods of incoming students are also funded through global mobility. Students going/coming on exchange or completing a traineeship through global mobility may also receive an Erasmus+ grant that covers part of the costs of the exchange. Students may complete more than one student exchange or traineeship abroad during their studies. 

In global mobility, outgoing mobility to certain third countries not associated to the Programme is only possible for students completing a doctoral degree and for staff members. Other outgoing mobility to these countries can be funded with support from Erasmus+ European mobility.

Studying abroad

Students and doctoral students in all fields of study in higher education can participate in outgoing and incoming student mobility for studies.

Through Erasmus+ mobility, they can deepen their knowledge in their own field and get new insights to their studies. A foreign HEI may also offer a wider range of courses than the student’s own HEI or special expertise in some field.

Principles of long-term student mobility for studies:

  • The minimum duration of long-term mobility is 2 months (or one term) and the maximum duration 12 months.
  • A physical student mobility period can also be combined with a virtual period.
  • Student mobility for studies may also include a complementary traineeship lasting less than 2 months, in which case the total period is considered mobility for studies.

 Principles of short-term blended mobility:

  • The duration of physical mobility is 5–30 days, and a compulsory virtual period must be combined with it.
  • The minimum extent of the blended period is 3 ETCS credits, including both the physical and the virtual component.

Principles of both short and long-term student mobility for studies:

  • The exchanges are based on cooperation agreements concluded by HEIs.
  • The HEIs select the students for the exchanges.
  • The receiving HEI will not charge exchange students any tuition fees.
  • The studies completed by students during their exchange will be recognised in the degree they are completing.
  • Students can go on exchange as early as in their first year of study.
  • The student and the sending and the receiving HEI sign a digital Learning Agreement for Studies.

Traineeships abroad

Students and doctoral students of all fields can complete a work placement related to their studies. Grants for traineeships are also available to incoming students completing a work placement in Finland. 

Principles of student mobility for traineeships:

  • The uninterrupted duration of a long-term traineeship is a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 12 months. A virtual period may also be combined with it.
  • Short-term mobility for traineeship may be implemented as blended mobility, which includes a physical period lasting 5–30 days and a compulsory virtual component completed as remote work.
  • Suitable places for completing a traineeship are companies and most private and public organisations, including research institutes, higher education institutions, other educational institutions, foundations and NGOs.
  • The traineeships may also be aimed at improving digital skills.
  • Completing study modules at a HEI cannot be considered training.
  • If the traineeship is completed before the student’s graduation, the traineeship will be recognised in the student’s degree.
  • Recent graduates may also undertake student mobility for traineeships within 12 months of their graduation. In this case, they have to apply for the grant before their graduation. The traineeship completed by a recent graduate will be included in the maximum duration of the degree cycle that the student has graduated or will graduate from.
  • The student and the sending and receiving HEIs sign a Learning Agreement for Traineeships.
  • In mobility to third countries not associated to the Programme, traineeships taking place in HEIs always require a bilateral agreement between the HEIs.

Doctoral-level studies and traineeship abroad

Regardless of their nationality, doctoral candidates can complete a part of their studies or a traineeship abroad through the Erasmus+ programme. Doctoral mobility periods may be similar to long-term student mobilities for studies and traineeships, but they may also be short-term mobilities. Doctoral candidates may have either a study or an employment relationship with their own HEI. Traineeships of recent graduates are also possible at the doctoral level ("post-docs"). 

Principles of doctoral mobility:

  • Duration of short-term physical mobility 5–30 days, can be combined with a virtual period
  • Duration of long-term physical mobility 2–12 months, can be combined with a virtual period
  • The study period may also include a complementary traineeship period
  • Mobile doctoral candidates who are employed by their HEI may also take advantage of staff mobility.
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The staff of HEIs may also go on exchange abroad either to teach or obtain training. Individuals with permanent or temporary employment relationships may undertake staff mobility for teaching and training and the HEIs themselves select the persons for the exchanges. An Erasmus+ grant covering a part of the costs of the exchange may also be awarded for the exchange. The grant is awarded by the teacher’s own HEI. To ensure the high quality and effectiveness of the exchanges, the exchanges must be related to the staff’s professional development and their personal development needs.

Periods of incoming staff mobility for teaching and training are also funded through global mobility. 

Teaching abroad

Staff mobilities for teaching are completed in foreign HEIs and they are based on bilateral cooperation agreements concluded by HEIs. In addition, a representative of a foreign company may be invited to teach in a Finnish HEI. In global mobility, a bilateral agreement is also always concluded for collaboration with foreign companies. The grant for the person invited from the company is always paid by the hosting HEI.

Principles of staff mobility for teaching:

  • In global mobility, the minimum duration of staff mobility for teaching is 5 days and the maximum duration 2 months, excluding travel time.
  • The physical mobility period may also be combined with a virtual component.
  • During the mobility, the teacher will teach at least 8 hours. Staff mobility for teaching can also be combined with staff mobility for training, in which case the amount of teaching during the mobility must be at least 4 hours.
  • In mobilities lasting over a week, the minimum number of teaching hours is 8 or 4 hours per week (or for incomplete weeks, a number of hours proportional to the duration of the stay).
  • The minimum duration of mobilities of teachers invited from companies is 1 day, excluding travel time. No minimum number of hours has been determined for mobilities of teachers invited from companies.
  • The teaching provided is part of the destination HEI’s teaching programme or the teacher exchange may also include training aimed at developing the receiving HEI.
  • A work plan/Mobility Agreement is drawn up in advance to agree on the content and objectives of the visit. The plan is signed by the teacher and the sending and the receiving organisation.

Staff training abroad

Erasmus+ offers higher education staff an opportunity for professional development. Any member of the HEI's staff may complete a job-shadowing period or training in a HEI located in a third country not associated to the Programme. For example, the exchange may be a study visit, a workshop or job shadowing. Funding from the Erasmus+ programme is not granted for participation in conferences.

Incoming representatives of HEIs may also come to Finland to train in companies and public organisations in addition to HEIs. 

Principles of staff mobility for training:

  • The minimum duration of staff mobility for training under global mobility is 5 working days and the maximum duration 2 months, excluding travel time.
  • The physical mobility period can also be combined with a virtual period.
  • The mobility includes training, development of one's own organisation and exchange of experiences, and it may also be a training period developing the staff’s digital skills.
  • A work plan/Mobility Agreement is drawn up in advance to agree on the content and objectives of the training. The plan is signed by the staff member going on exchange and the sending and the receiving organisation.
  • In mobility to third countries not associated to the Programme, a bilateral agreement between the HEIs is required for staff exchanges taking place in HEIs.
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Support (OS, Organisational Support) for organising exchanges may be granted to HEIs and mobility consortia.

The support may be used for

  • Updating and translating course catalogues for incoming students.
  • Producing and maintaining websites and other material.
  • Promoting the accessibility of exchanges.
  • Selecting, guiding and tutoring persons participating in mobility.
  • Linguistic and cultural preparation of incoming or outgoing students and teachers
  • Orientation of outgoing and incoming participants and orientation of returning exchange participants.
  • Follow-up and assessment visits to partner institutions or preparatory visits aimed at launching new cooperation between HEIs.
  • Visa and insurance costs of incoming students

Support for organising exchanges may also be used for the salary costs of persons managing the Erasmus+ programme at the HEI. In global mobility, the HEI coordinating the project can share the OS grant with the partner HEIs and the use of the grant is agreed on in the mobility agreement.

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Support for European mobility can also be used to provide limited funding for mobility to third countries not associated to the Programme. Mobility implemented to non-associated third countries with funding for European mobility has two objectives. It offers students and staff better opportunities to gain international experience and competence across the world. On the other hand, it enables HEIs in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme to build lasting and long-term cooperation with HEIs in non-associated third countries.

Principles of global mobility implemented with funding for European mobility:

  • HEIs may allocate a maximum of 20% of the funding for European mobility to international mobility.
  • The funding may be used for outgoing student and staff mobility to any third country not associated to the Programme.
  • The mobility must be implemented in compliance with the conditions for global mobility and the grants for mobile individuals will be calculated on the basis of the grant amounts determined for global mobility. An exception to this are grants awarded to persons completing their mobility in Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City State, which are calculated according to European mobility.
  • Global mobility with funding for European mobility should be implemented with several partners and is expected to cover the widest possible geographic scope.
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In the Erasmus+ Programme, special emphasis is placed on inclusion, digitalisation, environmental responsibility and active citizenship. Among other things, this is done by providing additional funding for participants with fewer opportunities and by supporting environmentally friendly modes of travelling.

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The European Commission offers higher education students participating in Erasmus+ mobility periods and traineeships an opportunity to study the language they will need during the exchange and test the development of their language proficiency before and after the exchange. Online language tests are compulsory to all students undertaking an Erasmus+ mobility. The online language courses, on the other hand, are a voluntary opportunity for students to improve their language proficiency. In the new programme period, the linguistic support offered online will also be extended to global mobility and to new user groups, such as staff. The content of the linguistic support is tailored for different groups of participants.

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Read about the experiences of participants of projects under Erasmus+ global mobility

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