Conference talked about the Erasmus 2021-2027 programme’s innovation
The expert speakers at the recent virtual EAIE Conference talked about the Erasmus 2021-2027 programme’s innovation, and these included flexible mobility formats and the new Erasmus+ app. The next Erasmus program should offer new opportunities for students and staff in higher education through a combination of short-term physical mobility with a virtual component.
In a panel session chaired by Douglas Proctor of University College Dublin, speakers from the European University Foundation, the European Commission and the Romanian National Agency for Erasmus+ (ANPCDEFP) discussed the opportunities for student mobility this year and how the new Erasmus programme will support new types of mobility if traditional physical mobility is not feasible for example
In spring 2020, EC had to come up with crisis management responses to help students and staff members that were already on mobility when the Covid-19 situation erupted.
The European Commission decided to allow universities to implement blended mobility so students and staff members can start mobility online and then go abroad if and when it becomes possible. Certainly, they want as many people as possible to carry out their mobility and have it take place as close as possible to their original plans. However, when it is not possible, this sort of blended implementation will be permitted.
“We have to keep in mind that we are thinking long term here; it’s not just about digitalising Erasmus.
Nevertheless, Arnarsdottir added: “Let’s not confuse the blended mobility that’s happening today with the blended mobility of the new Erasmus program where you are participating in a mobility that has been designed to be blended and not a crisis response.”
A speaker of the Romanian National Agency for Erasmus+ ANPCDEFP said the support from the EC – such as flexibility to ensure that mobilities can continue and that mobility projects have more time to reach the results that are expected – was welcome, but that it has been “a tough ride” to understand all the rules and find ways to implement them and explain them.
Naturally, there has been a decrease in the number of mobilities, but there is still interest in the traditional physical mobility that the Erasmus+ program offers to students.
The physical mobility will remain at the core of the programme, with blended mobility introduced to support it.
The solutions that are envisaged for the future programme are intended to help to introduce flexible ways to implement mobility without replacing it, rather offering blended mobility with the opportunity of short term mobility to attract more participants to the Erasmus programme and students that come from backgrounds with fewer opportunities or students with families.
A compulsory virtual component will be added to this ‘new’ type of mobility. To make mobility a realistic and inclusive option for all students, Erasmus digitalisation projects such as the Inter-Institutional Agreement manager will come into play.
Due to the current trend of the population having and actively using smartphones, students will be able to use the Erasmus app to get all of their information from one place and perhaps even do most of their administrative tasks on their smartphone.
Arnarsdottir at the EC told delegates they could “rest assured” that physical mobility is the Erasmus programme’s heart and soul.” Traditional student mobility is what we want to emphasise and increase. The other aspects that we’re discussing are there to reach a broader range of students and try to get more to go abroad.
