The European Commission allocates EUR 100 million for Ukrainians under the Erasmus+ programme

The European Commission adopted a revision of the Erasmus+ annual work programme for 2023, up to a total of €4.43 billion.

“The overall programme budget for this year has been revised upwards to a new total of €4.43 billion, the highest annual financial envelope ever achieved by the Erasmus+ programme,” stated the European Commission in a press release, as reported by Interfax Ukraine.

The European Commission informed that the revised work programme included €100 million from the 2027 Erasmus+ budget to support projects that promote educational activities and facilitate the integration of people fleeing the war in Ukraine, 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,” explained the European Commission.

In addition, 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.

Support will also be provided to 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,” the press release reads.

The European Commission informed that 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 with the programme.

“There are several rounds for applications under the Erasmus+ general call for proposals. The next one, focussing on cooperation partnerships with an additional priority on learners, educators and staff from Ukraine, will open on 22 March 2023,” informed the European Commission.

Created more than 35 years ago, Erasmus+ is one of the most emblematic EU programmes and over 13 million people have participated in the programme so far. With a total budget available for Erasmus+ from 2021 to 2027 amounting to €26.2 billion, complemented with about €2.2 billion from EU’s external instruments, the programme is set to support even more participants and ideas in Europe and beyond.

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