Erasmus+ is the EU's education, training, youth and sport programme.
For the 2021-2027 period, the overall budget is 26.2 billion euros, with 70% allocated to mobility opportunities and 30% to cooperation projects and policy-making activities.
Focusing on social inclusion, ecological and digital transitions, and promoting young people's participation in democratic life, the 2021-2027 programme supports the priorities and activities established in:
_ the European Education Area;
_ the Digital Education Action Plan;
_ the European Skills Agenda;
_ the European Pillar of Social Rights; and
_ implementing the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027;
_ developing the European Dimension in Sport.
Erasmus+ provides opportunities for mobility and cooperation in:
_ vocational education and training
_ school education (including early childhood education and care)
Given the success of the programme in the 2014-2020 period, the new Erasmus+ Programme provides more opportunities and reaches more participants and a wider range of organisations, focusing on its qualitative impact and contributing to greener, more inclusive and cohesive, digitally
enabled societies.
Main features of and new additions to Erasmus+ 2021-2027:
// Inclusive Erasmus+
_ provides better opportunities for people with fewer opportunities, including people from diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds, and people living in rural and remote areas;
_ includes individual and class exchanges for school pupils and mobility for adult learners;
_ easier for smaller organisations such as schools, youth associations and sports clubs to apply, thanks to small-scale partnerships and the use of simplified grants;
_ more international, in cooperation with third countries, extending to sport and to the education and vocational training sectors.
// Digital Erasmus+
_ supports the development of digital skills, in line with the Digital Education Action Plan;
_ provides high-quality digital training and exchanges via platforms such as eTwinning, School Education Gateway and the European Youth Portal and encourages internships in the digital sector;
_ new formats, such as combined intensive programmes, making it possible to complement short-term physical mobility abroad with online learning and teamwork;
_ the implementation of the programme has become simpler and more digital thanks to the full introduction of the European Student Card.
// Green Erasmus+
_ provides financial incentives to participants who use sustainable means of transport, in line with the European Green Deal;
_ invests in projects that raise awareness of environmental issues and facilitate exchanges relating to mitigating the climate crisis.
// Erasmus+ for young people
_ DiscoverEU is now an integral part of Erasmus+ and gives 18-year-olds the chance to obtain a railcard to travel around Europe, learn about other cultures and meet other Europeans;
_ supports opportunities for exchange and cooperation through new youth participation activities, promoting involvement and learning in democratic life and raising awareness of European values and shared fundamental rights;
_ encourages young people and decision-makers to come together on a local, national, and European level;
_ mobilises hundreds of thousands of schools, higher education establishments, vocational training institutes, teachers, young people, youth and sports organisations, civil society and other stakeholders;
_ accelerates new practices that improve the quality and relevance of education, training and youth systems across the whole of Europe, at a national, regional and local level.
