EU raises Erasmus education budget to help Ukraine
Education - teaching - Image by Stefan Meller on Pixabay
(BRUSSELS) - The Commission adopted a revised Erasmus+ annual work programme for 2023 Thursday, with the overall budget for the year rising to a record annual total for the programme of EUR 4.43 billion.
The increased budget will overall reinforce the Erasmus+ priorities on inclusion, active citizenship and democratic participation, and on green and digital transitions in the EU and internationally.
The revised work programme includes a €100 million frontload from the 2027 Erasmus+ budget, to support 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. The anticipated funds will reinforce activities put in place for Ukrainians fleeing the war through additional support for beneficiary organisations of the Erasmus+. Funded activities may range from linguistic and cultural integration courses, language learning tools, addressed to educators or learners, to scholarships or general financial support in all Erasmus+ sectors for learners and educators.
The international dimension of Erasmus+ was notably strengthened with a budget increase of €31 million, which will be used to reinforce mobility projects and capacity building in higher education in support of international cooperation projects. In 2023, this action will also support a structural reform project aimed at the creation of an open education digital environment, which would offer quality education and training to students enrolled in Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions, for those fleeing from Ukraine or internally displaced students. It would also provide educational opportunities for the wider Ukrainian community abroad, based on cooperation between Ukrainian and other European universities.
Based on open calls for project applications, any public or private body active in the fields of education, training, youth and sport can apply for funding, with the help of Erasmus+ National Agencies based in all EU Member States and third countries associated to the programme, and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.
The Erasmus+ programme focuses on four key priorities: inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, environment and fight against climate change, and participation in democratic life.