What is the Erasmus+ programme?
Erasmus+ is a European Union programme whose main objective is to support the educational, professional and personal development of individuals.
The current programme runs from 2021 to 2027 and makes special efforts to increase inclusion, strengthen the digital dimension, promote environmental sustainability and expand access to training for people with fewer opportunities.
The Erasmus + project is structured around three main lines of action known as Key Actions:
Erasmus+ Key Actions
Training4all is based on the education and mobility of adults, so its programmes fall under Key Action 1 (KA1).
Key Action 1 (KA1):
Mobility of individuals
The main objective of this action is to offer different learning and the professional development opportunities in another country, having a positive impact not only on participants, but also on the organisations involved.
Key Action 2 (KA2):
Cooperation among organisations
These projects seek to generate a systematic impact and strengthen the European cooperation beyond individual’s mobility.
Key Action 3 (KA3):
Support to policy
Key Action 3 is aimed at supporting policy reform and political cooperation in the fields of education, training and youth.
Objectives of Erasmus+ programme (KA1)
When it comes to Erasmus+, Key Action 1 (KA1) is not merely a funding method, but rather a tool for promoting institutional internationalization and the strategic development of educational centres.
To achieve this, KA1 has different objectives within the educational field:
- Strengthen the European dimension of teaching
- Improve the quality of the learning
- Support the professional development of teachers
- Encourage the use of innovative methodologies and digital technologies
- Promote recognition of learning outcomes achieved during mobility
Erasmus+ programme in education (KA1)
In the educational and training field, Key Action 1 supports mobility projects for:
- Higher education students and staff
- Vocational education and training students and staff
- School education students and teaching staff
- Adult education students and staff
When it comes to school education, organisations could access mobility through:
- Short-term projects (from 6 to 18 months)
- Acknowledged projects, aimed at organisations with Erasmus accreditation
The mobility should be part of a broader strategic approach to internationalisation and institutional development, tailored to the need of the institution and the participating staff. In other words, Erasmus+ mobility should not be seen as an isolated experience, but as a part of an institution’s plan to improve the quality of teaching and strengthen its European dimension.
Types of KA1 activities
Activities from KA1 have as their main goal to internationalise education and pursue this goal through three activities:
Job shadowing
These last from 2 to 60 days. The participant spends time at a host organisation in another country to observe the work of professionals in the same field.
During this activity, the teacher or member of the educational staff does not replace any worker or perform autonomous functions, but rather learns through structured observation, the exchange of experiences, and the analysis of methodologies, organisational practices, or pedagogical approaches.
Teaching or training assignments
They last from 2 to 365 days. Teaching or training placements allow educational staff to teach or carry out training activities in a host organisation abroad. In this case, the participant does perform an active professional activity, such as teaching classes, providing specific training or participating in training activities aimed at students or staff at the host institution.
Courses and structured training
They last from 2 to 30 days (with a maximum of 10 days of tuition fees eligible for funding). Courses and structured training consist of educational staff participating in training activities organised by specialist providers in another programme country. These are courses designed with defined learning outcomes, structured content and specific training methodology.
How Erasmus+ is managed (KA1)
The Erasmus+ programme is developed by the European Commission, setting its priorities, objectives and general criteria. However, the programme is mainly implemented and managed through the National Agencies designated in each programme country.
Among their duties, National Agencies must provide information about the programme, manage the selection processes transparently, supervise and assess the projects submitted, support applicant organisations and promote the dissemination of results.
At this link you will find a list of National Agencies: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/es/contacts/national-agencies