Lifelong Learning Programme/Erasmus
LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAM – ERASMUS
The European Commission has integrated its various educational and training initiatives under a single umbrella, the Lifelong Learning Programme. With a significant budget of nearly EUR 7 billion from 2007 to 2013, the new programme replaces the existing education, vocational training and e-Learning programmes, which ended in 2006.
The new Lifelong Learning Programme enables individuals at all stages of their lives to pursue stimulating learning opportunities across Europe. It consists of four sub-programmes: Comenius (for schools), Erasmus (for higher education and internships), Leonardo da Vinci (for vocational education and training) and Grundtvig (for adult education).
A transversal programme complements these four sub-programmes in order to ensure that they achieve the best results. Four key activities focus on policy co-operation, languages, information and communication technologies, effective dissemination and exploitation of project results.
Finally, the Jean Monnet programme stimulates teaching, reflection and debate on the European integration process at higher education institutions worldwide.
As regards the four sectoral programmes, quantified targets have been set in order to ensure a significant, identifiable and measurable impact for the programme. These targets are as follows:
- For Comenius: to involve at least three million pupils in joint educational activities, over the period of the programme
- For Erasmus: to contribute to the achievement by 2012 of three million individual participants in student mobility under the present programme and its predecessors
- For Leonardo da Vinci: to increase placements in enterprises to 80,000 per year by the end of the programme
- For Grundtvig: to support the mobility of 7,000 individuals involved in adult education per year, by 2013.
THE ERASMUS PROGRAMME
General information on Erasmus
Erasmus, the EU’s flagship education and training programme, emphasises student and staff mobility and European co-operation involving higher education institutions and other key players in the knowledge-based economy. It supports the creation of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) through increased mobility. This allows for more innovation, growth and jobs in the EU. Over 1.5 million students have participated so far with a goal of reaching 3 million by 2013. Together with an enriched study experience, Erasmus also provides exposure to different cultures.
In addition to students, Erasmus also targets teachers, trainers, and others involved in higher education. This includes relevant associations, research centres, counselling organisations, etc. It is also open to enterprises, social partners and stakeholders, as well as public and private bodies providing education and training at local, regional and national levels.
Erasmus supports actions in the fields of mobility (period of study or placement abroad), European projects and networks.
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