On 25 March, the European Commission launched its much-awaited Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027. Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, presented the new Erasmus + programme and the Work Programme 2021. This has also marked the publication of the 2021 call for proposals (see here for more details).

In the area of Higher Education, the Work Programme 2021 will encourage deeper inter-disciplinary cooperation between higher education institutions, as well as with their surrounding innovation ecosystems, and the strengthening of links between education, research and innovation. This year’s Work Programme will aim at:

• Promoting inter-connected higher education systems through support for: developing and testing various types of cooperation models, improving mobility by implementing automatic mutual recognition of qualifications and learning outcomes.
• Stimulating innovative learning and teaching practices to tackle societal challenges through support for: the development of learning outcomes oriented and student-centred curricula, promoting the lifelong learning dimension of higher education.
• Rewarding excellence in learning, teaching and skills development, developing and implementing strategies and quality culture to reward and incentivise excellence in teaching.
• Building inclusive higher education systems: increasing access, participation and completion rates of people with fewer opportunities.
• Supporting digital capabilities of higher education through the development of digital skills and competences of students and staff.

The detailed conditions of the 2021 call for proposals, including priorities, can be found in the 2021 Erasmus+ programme guide. This guide provides information on the priorities of the programme, the actions supported, the funding available for different actions, and detailed information on participation.