Department of International Relations & European Union of Panteion University, Athens Greece

Erasmus+ is the EU Programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport for the period 2021-2027. Education, training, youth and sport are key areas that support citizens in their personal and professional development. High quality, inclusive education and training, as well as informal and non-formal learning, ultimately equip young people and participants of all ages with the qualifications and skills needed for their meaningful participation in democratic society, intercultural understanding and successful transition in the labour market. Building on the success of the programme in the period 2014-2020, Erasmus+ strengthens its efforts to increase the opportunities offered to more participants and to a wider range of organisations, focusing on its qualitative impact and contributing to more inclusive and cohesive, greener and digitally fit societies.

European citizens need to be better equipped with the knowledge, skills and competences needed in a dynamically changing society that is increasingly mobile, multicultural and digital. Spending time in another country to study, to learn and to work should become the standard, and the opportunity to learn two other languages in addition to one’s mother tongue should be offered to everyone. The Programme is a key component supporting the objectives of the European Education Area, the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027, the European Union Youth Strategy and the European Union Work Plan for Sport (2021-24).

As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, access to education is proving, more than ever, to be essential to ensuring a swift recovery, while promoting equal opportunities for all. As part of this recovery process, the Erasmus+ programme takes its inclusive dimension to a new horizon by supporting opportunities for personal, socio-educational and professional development of people in Europe and beyond, with the aim of leaving no-one behind.

To increase the qualitative impact of its actions and ensure equal opportunities, the Programme will reach out more and better to people of different ages and from diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds. It is at the heart of the Programme to come closer to those with fewer opportunities, including people with disabilities and migrants, as well as European Union citizens living in remote areas or facing socio-economic difficulties. In doing so, the Programme will also encourage its participants, in particular young people to engage and learn to participate in civic society, raising awareness about European Union common values. In 2023, the Programme will also continue to mobilise its efforts to mitigate the socio-economic and educational consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, , including by supporting projects that promote educational activities and facilitate the integration of people fleeing the war in Ukraine into their new learning environments, as well as activities supporting organisations, learners and staff in Ukraine..

Furthermore, in line with the objectives of the European Innovation Agenda on supporting talent development for boosting Europe’s innovation capacity, developing digital skills and competences and skills in forward-looking fields, such as combating climate change, clean energy, artificial intelligence, robotics, big data analysis, etc. is essential for Europe's future sustainable growth and cohesion. The Programme can make a meaningful contribution by stimulating innovation and bridging Europe's knowledge, skills and competences gap. EU businesses need to become more competitive through talent and innovation. This investment in knowledge, skills and competences will benefit individuals, institutions, organisations and society as a whole by contributing to sustainable growth and ensuring equity, prosperity and social inclusion in Europe and beyond.

Another challenge relates to the Europe-wide trends of limited participation in democratic life and low levels of knowledge and awareness about European matters and their impact on the lives of all European citizens. Many people are reluctant, or face difficulties, in actively engaging and participating in their communities or in the European Union's political and social life. Strengthening European identity and the participation of young people in democratic processes is of paramount importance for the European Union's future. This issue can also be targeted through non-formal learning activities, which aim at enhancing the skills and competences of young people as well as their active citizenship.

In line with the European Union’s priorities in making sustainable its economy, projects should be designed in an eco-friendly manner and should incorporate green practices in all facets. Organisations and participants involved should have an environmental-friendly approach when designing their projects, which will encourage them to discuss and learn about environmental issues, make them think about what can be done at their level and help them come up with alternative greener ways of implementing their activities.

Supporting and facilitating the transnational and international cooperation between organisations in the fields of education, training, youth and sport is essential to empowering people with more key competences, reducing early school leaving and recognising competences acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning. It facilitates the circulation of ideas and the transmission of best practices and expertise and the development of digital capabilities thus contributing to a high quality education while strengthening social cohesion. The Erasmus+ Programme is one of the European Union’s most visible success stories. It builds on the achievements of more than 30 years of European programmes in the fields of education, training, youth and sport, covering both an intra-European as well as an international partnerships dimension.

The programme aims to help the participants discover the benefits of active citizenship and participation in democratic life. Supported mobility activities should reinforce participatory skills in different spheres of civic society, as well as development of social and intercultural competences, critical thinking and media literacy. Wherever possible, projects should offer opportunities for participation in democratic life, social and civic engagement through formal or non-formal learning activities, as well as fostering practices of co-creation and co-design of learning activities. Participation in mobilities should also improve participants’ understanding of the European Union and the common European values, including respect for democratic principles, human dignity, unity and diversity, intercultural dialogue, as well as European social, cultural and historical heritage.

Student mobility: Student mobility can be carried out in any study field and cycle (short cycle/bachelor/master/doctoral). To ensure high-quality mobility activities with maximum impact on the students, the mobility activity has to be compatible with the student’s degree-related learning and personal development needs.

A study period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The study period abroad must be part of the student's study programme to complete a degree at any study cycle. A study period abroad may include a traineeship period as well. Such a combination creates synergies between the academic and professional experience abroad.

In terms of workload, in countries belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) an academic year of full-time study is normally made up of educational components totalling 60 ECTS credits (or equivalent units in countries outside the EHEA). It is recommended that for mobility periods shorter than a full academic year, the educational components included in the learning agreement should be adjusted proportionally.

A traineeship (work placement, internship) abroad in an enterprise, a research institute, a laboratory, an organisation or any other relevant workplace. Traineeships abroad are supported during studies at any study cycle and for recent graduates. This also includes teaching assistantships for student teachers and research assistantships for students and doctoral candidates in any relevant research facility.

Wherever possible, the traineeships should be an integrated part of the student's study programme. In terms of workload, in principle the participants have to work full time, based on their receiving organisation’s working time.

Staff mobility – Academic and administrative Staff

Staff mobility can be carried out by any type of higher education staff or by invited staff from outside the HEIs. To ensure high-quality mobility activities with maximum impact, the mobility activity has to be related to the staff’s professional development and to address their learning and personal development needs.

Staff may carry out any of the activities described below:

A teaching period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The teaching period abroad enables any teaching staff at a higher education institution or staff from enterprises to teach at a partner higher education institution abroad. Staff mobility for teaching can be in any study field.
A training period abroad at a partner higher education institution, enterprise or any other relevant workplace. The training period abroad enables any staff at a HEI to take part in a training activity abroad that is relevant to their day-to-day work at the HEI. It may take the form of training events (excluding conferences) or job shadowing and observation periods.

Blended intensive programmes (Bips)

These are short, intensive programmes that use innovative ways of learning and teaching, including the use of online cooperation. The programmes may include challenge based learning where transnational and transdisciplinary teams 50 work together to tackle challenges for example those linked to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals or other societal challenges identified by regions, cities or companies. The intensive programme should have added value compared to existing courses or trainings offered by the participating HEIs and can be multiannual. By enabling new and more flexible mobility formats that combine physical mobility with a virtual part, blended intensive programmes aim at reaching all types of students from all backgrounds, study fields and cycles.

Groups of higher education institutions will have the opportunity to organise short blended intensive programmes of learning, teaching and training for students and staff. During these blended intensive programmes, groups of students or staff as learners will undertake a short-term physical mobility abroad combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. The virtual component must bring the learners together online to work collectively and simultaneously on specific assignments that are integrated in the blended intensive programme and count towards the overall learning outcomes.

In addition, blended intensive programmes can be open to student and staff from any HEI. Blended intensive programmes build capacity for developing and implementing innovative teaching and learning practices in the participating HEIs.

International mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme

The primary focus of the higher education mobility action is to support mobility activities among EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme – the European dimension.

In addition, the action supports the international dimension through two strands of mobility activities involving third countries not associated to the Programme across the whole world.

One strand supports mobility to all third countries not associated to the Programme (regions 1-14) and is funded by EU internal policy funds
Another strand supports mobility to and from third countries not associated to the Programme (with the exception of regions 13 and 14) and is funded by EU external action instruments- International Credit Mobility (ICM).

Ref. ERASMUS+ Programme Guide; Version 3 (2023)

Erasmus Programme @ Panteion University

Panteion University has been participating in the Erasmus Program since 1987 with the Key Action 1 – Mobility for Studies and Internships.

Since the academic year 2013-2014, our institution has been the Leader Coordinator of an Internship Consortium, with partners the University of Piraeus and Harokopio University of Athens.

From the academic year 2014-2015 to the present, we have been the coordinator of an Internship Consortium with partners the University of Piraeus, Harokopio University of Athens, the National Technical University of Athens, Democritus University of Thrace, and the Municipalities of Maroussi and Piraeus.

During the programming period 2021-2027, almost all the Erasmus+ Programme actions mentioned above, are being implemented at Panteion University.

The Department of International Relations and the European Union is responsible for managing the Erasmus+ Program at Panteion University. The Department's office is located on the ground floor of the new building, and you can obtain more information by contacting here.