What is Erasmus+ for general education?

Your organisation can receive funding for cooperation between European schools and the exchange of students and staff between these:

• Short-term projects for mobility of pupils and staff (KA122) enables you to organise various mobility activities over a period of six to eighteen months. This is the best choice for organisations applying for Erasmus+ for the first time, or for those that wish to organise only a limited number of activities. A wide range of activities are supported, including job shadowing and professional development courses for staff, individual and group mobility for pupils and invited experts.

• Erasmus accreditation for school education (KA120 and KA121) is a tool for organisations that want to open up to cross-border exchange and cooperation. Award of the Erasmus accreditation confirms that the applicant has set up a plan to implement high quality mobility activities as part of a wider effort to develop their organisation. This plan is called an Erasmus Plan and it is a key part of the application for Erasmus accreditation. Applicants can apply for an individual Erasmus accreditation for their organisation, or for an Erasmus accreditation for mobility consortium coordinators. Previous experience in the Programme is not required to apply.

• Partnership for Cooperation (KA210, KA220 and KA240) enables participating organisations to gain experience in international cooperation and to strengthen their capacities, but also to produce high-quality innovative results. Depending on the objectives of the project, the participating organisations involved or the expected impact, among other elements, Partnerships for Cooperation can be of different sizes and scope and adapt their activities accordingly. 

  • Cooperation Partnerships (KA220): The primary goal is to allow organisations to increase the quality and relevance of their activities, to develop and reinforce their networks of partners, to increase their capacity to operate jointly at transnational level, boosting internationalisation of their activities and through exchanging or developing new practices and methods as well as sharing and confronting ideas. They aim to support the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices as well as the implementation of joint initiatives promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchanges of experience at European level. Results should be re-usable, transferable, upscalable and, if possible, have a strong transdisciplinary dimension.

  • Small-scale Partnerships (KA210): This action aims at reaching out to grassroots organisations, less experienced organisations and newcomers to the Programme, reducing entry barriers to the programme for organisations with smaller organisational capacity. This action will also support flexible formats – mixing activities with transnational and national character although with a European dimension – allowing organisations to have more means to reach out to people with fewer opportunities. Small-scale Partnerships can also contribute to the creation and development of transnational networks and to fostering synergies with, and between, local, regional, national and international policies.

  • European Partnerships for School Development (KA240) will support strategic innovation and sharing of practices among key actors in school education systems: school authorities, coordinating bodies, schools at pre-primary, primary and secondary level, as well as other stakeholders such as teacher associations. The action will help school authorities identify and transfer best strategies in key areas such as fostering continuous professional development of teachers, increasing the attractiveness of the teaching profession, and improving the quality of teaching and training in general. Projects will also test and integrate innovative teaching methods and curricula, for example in areas of basic skills, language learning, European values, citizenship education and learning about the EU.

When considering European projects, you should read the Erasmus+ programme guide. You can engage in networking at the European level, search for project partners and brainstorm projects on platforms such as the European School Education Platform and eTwinning. You can also attend an Erasmus+ seminar.