Information Note. Date: I-Note Number: Contact: Title. Executive Summary. Audience. Action. The international dimension of Erasmus+ 16/09/2014 IUIN22

Transcription

1 Date: 16/09/2014 I-Note Number: IUIN22 Information Note Title The international dimension of Erasmus+ Contact: Lucy Shackleton, Senior Policy Officer European Higher Education T: Executive Summary Erasmus+ offers a variety of possibilities to collaborate with institutions outside the EU, through funding for credit mobility, degree mobility and capacity building activities. This Information Note provides further information on the opportunities available. Audience Pro-Vice-Chancellors Research, Teaching and International/Europe; Directors of International/Europe; Europe Community of Practice Action Institutions are asked to note these opportunities. It is expected that the calls for international credit mobility and international capacity building activities will be published in October 2014.

2 Introduction 1. The European Commission s new programme for education, training, youth and sport, Erasmus+, was introduced on 1 January With a budget of 14.7 billion for the period , Erasmus+ brings all EU programmes for education, training, youth and sport together under one umbrella. 2. In recognition of the importance of internationalisation, the Erasmus+ programme provides more opportunities than ever before to engage with Partner countries. 1 This comes in the wider context of the European Commission s Supporting Growth and Jobs An Agenda for the Modernisation of Europe s Higher Education Systems 2 and the European Higher Education in the World 3 Communication, which position internationalisation as central to the continued success and competitiveness of Europe s higher education systems. 3. The table below provides an overview of how the international dimension applies to each of the programme strands: Table 1: Overview of international opportunities in each programme strand Erasmus+ Action KA1 HE Student Mobility KA1 HE Staff Mobility KA1 Joint Masters Degrees KA2 Strategic Partnerships KA2 Knowledge Alliances KA2 Sector Skills Alliances KA2 Capacity Building International HE Jean Monnet Actions International dimension (i.e. cooperation with organisations from non-programme countries as set out in footnote) Not in initial call for proposals Not in initial call for proposals Fully open in initial call for proposals Organisations from Partner countries can participate as partners where they bring essential added value Organisations from Partner countries can participate as partners where they bring essential added value Organisations from Partner countries can participate as partners where they bring essential added value Action not open in initial call for proposals Fully open in initial call for proposals International Opportunities under Erasmus+ 4. The international dimension of Erasmus+ will draw from five of the European Commission s budgetary instruments for external cooperation.. The conditions attached to this funding were subject to intense negotiations within the European Commission and with Partner Countries, with a view to ensuring that money spent contributed toward development objectives. However, four out of five of the budgetary instruments have now been approved and will fund credit mobility, degree mobility and capacity building initiatives involving Partner Countries from academic year 2014/15. It is expected that a call will be published in October The European Development Fund (EDF) is still under negotiation and 1 Erasmus+ Programme countries are:- Member States of the EU; former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Norway; Turkey. Please note that Switzerland is no longer a Programme country. Erasmus+ Partner Countries neighbouring the EU are:- Eastern partnership countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine; Southern Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia; Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia; Other: Russian Federation Other Erasmus+ Partner Countries are:- any country in the world 2 See 3 See 1

3 consequently projects involving Sub-Saharan Africa (north of South Africa) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries will not be funded in academic year 2014/15. Table 2: Overview of relevant budgetary instruments and countries covered Budgetary instrument Region Countries covered Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Latin America Asia Central Asia Argentina; Bolivia; Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Ecuador; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Uruguay; Venezuela Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; DPR Korea; India; Indonesia; Laos; Malaysia; Maldives; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Vietnam Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan Middle East Iran, Iraq, Yemen* 4 South Africa European Neighbourhood South (ENP South) European Neighbourhood East (ENP East) Russia Algeria; Egypt; Israel; Jordan; Lebanon; Libya; Morocco; Palestine; Syria; Tunisia Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Georgia; Moldova; Ukraine Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; Serbia Partnership Instrument (PI) Gulf Cooperation Countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Industrialised Americas Industrialised Asia Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates 5 Canada, United States of America Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, 4 There will be no credit mobility funding for Middle East (Iran, Iraq, Yemen). Funding will, however, be available for degree mobility (Erasmus Mundus) scholarships and capacity building projects. 5 There will be no credit mobility funding for Gulf Cooperation Countries. Funding will, however, be available for degree mobility (Erasmus Mundus) scholarships. 2

4 Japan, (Republic of) Korea, Macao, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan 5. The indicative budget breakdown for the period and between credit mobility, degree mobility and capacity building activity is as follows: Table 3: Indicative budget breakdown for the international dimension of Erasmus+ covering the period Development Cooperation ( m) % Instrument (DCI) Credit mobility Degree mobility Capacity building Total European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) Credit mobility Degree mobility Capacity building Total 400 Partnership Instrument (PI) Credit mobility Degree mobility Total Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Credit mobility Degree mobility Total 129 TOTAL

5 Key Action 1: HE Staff and Student Credit Mobility 6. Erasmus+ will, for the first time, support the mobility of learners and staff to and from Partner Countries. Funding for this activity will cover an estimated 135,000 student & staff exchanges over the life of the programme. A call for applications is expected to be published in October 2014, with a deadline in early No international traineeships will be funded before 2016/ The international dimension of Erasmus+ will draw from the five of the European Commission s budgetary instruments for external cooperation. As noted above, the European Development Fund (EDF) is still under negotiation and consequently mobility to and from Sub-Saharan Africa (north of South Africa) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries will not be possible in academic year 2015/16. In addition, no credit mobility funding will be available for Iran, Iraq or Yemen or for the Gulf Cooperation Countries (Bahrain; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates). 8. Please find below the indicative budget for credit mobility between for each instrument and the conditions attached (negotiated with partner countries with a view to assuring funds spent contributed towards development objectives): Table 4: Overview of the available budget for international credit mobility by region, including conditions of funding Instrument Budget Conditions DCI million Asia 61.5 million Of which at least 25% for Least Developed Countries (Afghanistan; Bhutan; Bangladesh; Cambodia; East Timor; Laos; Myanmar; Nepal); max 30% for India and China together; 45% rest of Asia Central Asia 17.3 million Latin America 20 million Of which at least 25% Lower Middle Income Countries: Bolivia, El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Nicaragua; Paraguay; 35% max for Brazil and Mexico together; 40% rest of Latin America South Africa 5.6 million ENI 201 million ENP South 94 million 15% cap on outward mobility (from Europe) ENP East 71 million 15% cap on outward mobility (from Europe) Russia 36 million PI million IPA 77.4 million 4

6 9. The 2015 budget is 121m across the EU, and the UK will receive approximately 9.8m. This is equivalent to 8.1% of the total funding. The UK receives 8.8% of intra-european mobility funds. Within the national allocation, there will be no flexibility for transferring funds between instruments (DCI, ENI etc), but 10% flexibility for transferring funds between budget envelopes (i.e. regions) within an instrument (between Asia and Latin America within DCI for example). 10. In the main, standard regulation will apply to the management and documentation of international mobility. Exchanges will be based on inter-institutional partnerships, learning agreements and adherence to the principles of the Erasmus University Charter. However, there will be a tailored inter-institutional partnership, and the minimum duration for staff mobility will be five days. 11. The Programme Country host will manage the funding for both outgoing and incoming activity. HEIs will apply for sending and/or receiving students to/from Partner Countries via two separate application forms and can apply individually or within a consortium. Precise award criteria are still being developed. However, HEIs will need to demonstrate that engagement with the country in question fits with their internationalisation strategies. They will also need to have an inter-institutional partnership in place with the university in question before the mobility takes place, though this will not have to be signed at the time of application. 12. Further information and advice about inter-institutional agreements required for exchanges can be found HERE 13. Grant rates for incoming students to the UK will be 850 per month. Grant rates for outgoing UK students will be 650 regardless of destination. The grant rates for incoming and outgoing staff will be 160 per day. Travel will be covered by a one off payment calculated on the basis of distance travelled. Table 5: Overview of allowances for international travel, based on distance travelled Travel distances Between 100 and 499 KM: Between 500 and 1999 KM: Between 2000 and 2999 KM: Between 3000 and 3999 KM: Between 4000 and 7999 KM: Amount 180 EUR per participant 275 EUR per participant 360 EUR per participant 530 EUR per participant 820 EUR per participant 8000 KM or more: 1100 EUR per participant 14. Please note that the emphasis for international credit mobility will be on incoming and not outgoing mobility. 5

7 Key Action 1: Joint Masters Degrees 15. As institutions will be aware, Erasmus+ also provides funding for the delivery of Joint Masters programmes, as well as scholarships for excellent students worldwide to study on these programmes. 16. The deadline for applications for the first Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programmes was 27 March The new programme places a greater emphasis than previously on encouraging the participation of institutions in partner countries, as well as students from around the world. 17. Applications must meet the following criteria: - Integrated international study programmes of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS delivered by an international consortium of partners; - All participating HEIs must be degree-awarding institutions - Must lead to the award of a joint degree (i.e. 1 diploma issued on behalf of at least 2 HEIs from 2 different countries & fully recognised in these countries) or multiple degrees (i.e. at least 2 diplomas issued by 2 HEIs from 2 different countries & fully recognised in these countries) - Joint Masters programmes must be fully developed at application stage 18. The technical features of the Joint Masters are as follows: Table 6: Overview of the technical features of Joint Masters degrees under Erasmus+ Duration of project Initial funding for four to five years, covering one preparatory year and three cohorts, (followed by a possible further three cohorts through co-funding) Partnership size Must involve a minimum of three HEIs from three different Programme countries (Partner Countries are encouraged) Duration of period abroad Duration of the Masters course Funding Funding is allocated at EU level A grant for the consortium management fees and the academic staff mobility ( 20,000 for the preparatory year; 50,000 per intake of the joint masters) Scholarships of up to 25,000 per year (indicatively for 13 to 20 scholarships per intake) Overall indicative grant for a Joint Masters Degree would be 2-3million 19. Interested institutions are reminded that Joint Masters programmes must be fully developed at application stage and that the process will be extremely competitive, particularly in the first three years of the programme, when the European Commission will still be funding projects accepted during the previous budgetary period. 20. Institutions interested in applying in the coming years are consequently advised to begin preparations now. 6

8 Key Action 2: International Capacity Building 21. Erasmus+ will support international capacity building initiatives involving programme and partner countries. A call for proposals is expected to be published in October 2014, at the same time as the call for international credit mobility. 22. International capacity building activities under Erasmus+ will support cooperation projects designed to: - Support the development / modernisation/reform of HE in Partner Countries - Promote cooperation between Europe and Partner Countries (as well as among Partner Countries) - Promote voluntary convergence with EU developments in HE - Promote people-to-people contacts, intercultural awareness and understanding 23. Projects will typically focus on one of three main topics: - Curriculum development activities - Reform of university governance and management - Strengthening relations between HE and the wider socio-economic environment And involve: - Training/lecturing - Meetings and conferences - Design of procedures/methodologies etc. - Study visits - Publications/text books 24. These projects will continue and expand on the successes of Alfa in Latin America; Edulink in ACP countries; and Tempus in European Neighbourhood countries, from Funding will be available for: - Short and mid-term projects (2 or 3 years) - Put forward by consortia of institutions from Europe AND the Partner Countries - Selected on the basis of open and highly competitive calls for proposal (success rate: approx. 15%) - Each project is coordinated / represented by a coordinating HEIs from Europe or the Partner Countries (power of attorney) Projects will fall into one of two categories: - Joint Projects: operate at micro level and target higher education institutions in the eligible Partner Countries - Structural Projects: operate at macro level and target national higher education systems and policies in the eligible Partner Countries 26. All projects must involve one or more Partner Countries (from the same or different regions) and at least 3 different Programme Countries (3 HEIs) Key Action 2: Other 27. Institutions are reminded that Strategic Partnerships; Knowledge Alliances; and Sector Skills Alliances are all open to the participation of Partner Countries, where they bring essential added value. 7