I have worked in policy and practice in international higher education for more than two decades. Throughout this time, I have regularly met students in different part of the world who could not get their qualifications recognised, despite having graduated from good institutions. And vice-versa, I have also repeatedly seen how a...

The Institute for Higher Education, IP and the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) organised a two-day conference in Tróia, Portugal, dedicated to exploring the multi-level socioeconomic impact of Erasmus+ mobility. The conference brought together more than 70 participants from National Agencies, higher education institutions, university networks and student unions.  The event was opened by...

On 25 – 26 June 2026, the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), on behalf of the European Commission, hosted a Study in Europe training event, Converting Interest into Enrolment: Optimising International Student Recruitment, in Brussels. The event targeted participants from across Europe with roles...

Around 30 experts from Africa and Europe gathered in Bled, Slovenia, for the conference Co-creating Knowledge with Africa: Towards a New Strategic Framework for Higher Education Cooperation, jointly organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and CMEPIUS Slovenia. The event...

On 4 June 2026, higher education professionals from Norway gathered online for the final session of the Inclusion ACAdemy to explore practical strategies for strengthening inclusion and diversity in advancing inclusive internationalisation. The workshop focused on developing institutional roadmaps that ensure international opportunities are accessible to all students, particularly those facing barriers...

On 11 June 2026, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the Europan Union released a so-called “negotiating box” for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034. This first version of the Council's negotiating text includes concrete figures for each heading of the EU budget, issued after five months of consultations with member states. The text reduces the Erasmus+ budget proposal to EUR 39.1 billion, i.e. below...

In mid-June 2026, the European Commission published the Operational Guide for the Joint European Degree Label, providing the operational detail needed to move the label from policy design towards implementation.  The guide sets out, in detail, the requirements for the award of...

On 3 June, MEP Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (EPP), Rapporteur, presented in a CULT Committee meeting the draft report on the Erasmus+ programme (2028-2034). The presentation was followed by the reactions of the shadow rapporteurs and other members of the European Parliament’s CULT Committee.  Based on the extensive consultations with stakeholders, the rapporteur’s report puts forward minimum earmarks for...

On 1 July 2026, Ireland will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time, leading its work through 31 December 2026. Ireland opens a new presidency trio together with Lithuania and Greece, who will follow...

On 29 May 2026 the Council adopted a recommendation on a European Union framework for science diplomacy. The proposal had been adopted by the European Commission on 27 February 2026, alongside a package of other measures to support research and innovation (see ACA Newsletter — Education...

On 15 June, the European Commission’s Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) and the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) co-chaired the second meeting of the Talent for Innovation Attraction...

Following the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe and as part of the design of the tenth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10), the European Commission conducted a series of stakeholder consultations to elaborate possible changes to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) earlier this spring.   The proposed...

The Icelandic Parliament Althingi has adopted several legislative changes affecting higher education, research, and internationalisation in the country. The Act on Public Support for Science and Innovation has been adopted, establishing a simplified framework for competitive public funding in research and innovation. The reform consolidates six funds...

Blended short-term student mobility is consolidating its role as an important instrument to make international learning more accessible for higher education students, according to a new study commissioned by the Finnish National Agency for Education.   Within the Finnish context, long-term student mobility has declined in relative terms over the...

Following last year’s slowest growth rate in the decade (see more in ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, August 2025), the number of international students enrolled in Dutch higher education has fallen for the first time since 2006. In the 2025–26 academic year, 129,764 international...

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students are rising sharply at several Flemish universities, a consequence of the Program Decree the Flemish Government approved in October 2025 alongside its 2026 budget, which strictly enforces a 2% cap on publicly funded non-EEA students and forms part...

Summer Program: Cross-Cultural Pathways for Young Leaders 20 – 31 July 2026 More information Investing in What Makes Europe Strong: Research and Innovation in the Next EU Budget 9 September 2026 More information Inclusion+ App Launch - Navigating Host Cities:...