Through Erasmus+, Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) projects support cooperation between higher education institutions in EU Member States and other countries around the world. The projects bring together higher education organisations from Europe and partner countries to develop teaching and learning approaches, strengthen staff capacities and support the development of higher education institutions. The projects also contribute to strengthening skills and expertise relevant to areas covered by the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and related value chains. 

For the 2026 call, 180 projects have been selected for funding, involving around 1,640 higher education stakeholders from 113 countries as coordinators or full partners. 

The projects will support the modernisation and internationalisation of higher education in partner countries and contribute to enhance cooperation in the field of education and beyond. The special focus of this year’s call was European Studies in Moldova. 

CBHE projects cover a broad range of thematic areas and regions. Examples from the 2026 selection include: 

• nursing resilience in the Western Balkans; 
• research management in the Eastern Neighbourhood; 
• quality of digital education in Palestine; 
• smart and sustainable cities in Asia; 
• university financing models in Central Asia; 
• modernisation of engineering education in the Middle East; 
• private-sector involvement in climate-responsive employability in the Pacific; 
• agri-food and the blue-green economy in sub-Saharan Africa; 
• teaching approaches addressing disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence in sub-Saharan Africa; 
• micro-credentials for employability and career development in Latin America; 
• entrepreneurial learning in the Caribbean; 
• resilience of war-affected higher education institutions in cross-regional projects; and 
• a master’s programme on governance and anti-corruption in cross-regional cooperation. 

The 2026 projects are supported by a budget of EUR 113 million. For the 2021–2027 period, EUR 613 million has been allocated under Erasmus+ to support annual calls for Capacity Building in Higher Education projects.