Preparations for the new Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027 are in their final stages

6th Erasmus+ Annual Conference with focus on mobility in education

Educational mobility was the focal topic of the online Erasmus annual conference organised on 5 October by the OeAD, the national agency for the implementation of the Erasmus+ Education programme, and the Intercultural Centre as the national agency for Youth and the European Solidarity Corps. Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps facilitate stays abroad, promote European cooperation and give international impetus to Austria’s education and youth policy.
In her keynote speech Ute Haller-Block (Erasmus+ Coordinator, European Commission) gave an insight into the new programme generation (2021 to 2027), in which learning mobility is to become a matter of course. Regardless of age, social background, education and other demographic characteristics, all people should be able to take part in the EU programme – whether by going abroad or by taking a learning trip in a virtual way. Ulrike Guérot (Danube University Krems) called for more solidarity in an inspiring keynote speech on Europe, cohesion and networking. In an interactive exchange policy makers from the relevant ministries and the European Commission, representatives of educational institutions, project operators and other Erasmus+ multipliers discussed about opportunities and challenges in educational mobility.
They all agreed that stays abroad provide sustainable benefit for internationalisation and networking of institutions. There was also intensive discussion on how the Covid 19 crisis has posed enormous challenges to international mobility offers and, as a result, has greatly accelerated virtual mobilities and blended learning – topics that will be central in the new programme. In an interactive exchange the approximately 170 participants reflected on the experiences gained in the last few months.
Erasmus+ in Austria
In Austria the OeAD is responsible for the implementation of "Erasmus+ Education" as national agency on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the European Commission.
The new programme generation of the popular EU programme will start in 2021. Another new feature as of next year is that the education and youth agendas for Erasmus+ and for the European Solidarity Corps in Austria will be managed by the OeAD.
The EU programme Erasmus+ and its predecessors have mobilised more than ten million people since 1987. Among them more than a quarter of a million Austrians who have learned, studied, taught, pursued research or completed internships abroad since Austria first participated in the programme in 1992. In 2019 almost 22,000 people from Austria spent educational or training periods abroad, and more than 560 projects were implemented. 45.68 million euros in EU funding went to Austria. The official preparations at European level for the next programme period (2021-2027) are currently in full swing.