PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION AMENDING DECISION 87/327/EEC ADOPTING THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY ACTION SCHEME FOR THE MOBILITY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ( ERASMUS )
Date: 1989-05-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, action programme, educational exchange, higher education, student mobility

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(89) 235 final 

Brussels, 29 May 1989 

COMMUNICATION  FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 

ERASMUS  PROGRAMME 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

amending  Decision 87/327/EEC  adopting the European  Community 

Action Scheme for the Mobility of University  Students 

(ERASMUS) 

COMMUNICATION  FROM THE COMMISSION  TO THE COUNCIL 

ERASMUS  PROGRAMME 

PROPOSAL FOR ADAPTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL DECISION OF 15.6.1987 

I. 

Introduction 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

The  ERASMUS  Programme  was  adopted  by  Council  on  15 June  1987 
with  a  view  to  increasing  significantly  the  mobility  of 
university  students  and  promoting  greater  cooperation  between 
universities,  thereby  improving  the  quality  and  European 
dimension  of  the  training  provided  and  creating  the  qualified 
manpower  on  which  the  Community  will  depend  for  its  economic 
and social development. It has since  then proved to be a highly 
successful  means  of  attaining  these  goals  and  of  creating  a 
stronger  sense  of  belonging  and  partnership  between  European 
universities. 

During  the  first  two  years  of  ERASMUS  (1987-9)  an  estimated 
16,000 students have spent periods of study varying  from three 
months to one year in another Member State within the framework 
of well over*1000 inter-university  cooperation programmes. This 
already  represents  a  substantial  increase  in  the mobility  and 
exchange  of  students  within  the  Community  since  the 
introduction  of  ERASMUS  in  1987.  However,  in  quantitative 
terms,  a  considerable  effort  is  still  necessary  to  attain  the 
declared objective of the Commission  - and one supported by the 
European Parliament  and by  the Economic  and Social Committee -
for  the  ERASMUS  Programme  of  boosting  the  proportion  of 
students who spend a period of study  in another Member State at 
some stage during their university  studies to around 10Z of the 
student  population by  1992. Given  that  the average  duration of 
university  studies  can be  taken  to be  around  four years, this 
implies  that from 1992 a minimum of 150,000 students would need 
each year  to spend a period of studies  in another Member State 
of the Community. 

The  results  of  the  first  two  years  of  operation  have 
demonstrated  the  increasing  interest  of  the  academic  world  in 
broader  inter-university  cooperation  and  greater  mobility  for 
both  staff and students within  the Community. At the same time 
the  inability  of  the  Programme  to  satisfy  the  demand  it  has 
generated,  given  the  budgetary  sums  presently  available,  has 
been  clearly  demonstrated.  The  total  amount  of  financial 
support  requested  in  1987/88  and  1988/89  (ECU 137 mi 11ion) 
represented  more  than  three  times  the  budget  available  (ECU 
41.2  million). 

The  present  proposals  thus  aim  at  introducing  improvements  in 
the  implementation  of  the  ERASMUS  Programme  with  a  view  to 
increasing  substantially  the  number  of  students  participating 
from  all  Member  States, while  at  the  same  time  enhancing  the 
quality  of  the  ERASMUS  Programme  as  a  whole. They  are based 
both  on  experience  in the application  of the  Programme  in its 
first  two  years  of  operation,  as  explained  in  the  annual 
reports  on  the functioning  of the  Programme  in 1987 and 1988, 

a u t h o r i t i es 

In  c l o se  c o n s u l t a t i on  w i th 

l e a r n ed  from  a  number  of  e v a l u a t i on  measures 
and  on  the  l e s s o ns 
carried  out  by  the  Commission. 
the 
ERASMUS  Advisory  Committee  and  a f t er  d e t a i l ed  d i s c u s s i on  with 
the  appropriate 
every 
from 
the  Programme 
e f f o rt  has  been  made  to  a s c e r t a in 
is  achieving 
the  main 
i d e n t i fy 
f a r.  To  t h is  end  a  number  of 
problems  which  have  a r i s en 
s y s t e m a t ic 
independent 
and 
d i s c u s s i o ns  have  been  h e ld  w i th  a  c r o ss  s e c t i on  of 
t h o se  most 
involved  in  ERASMUS,  n o t a b ly  programme  d i r e c t o rs  and  s t u d e n t s. 

i ts  p o l i cy  o b j e c t i v es  and  to 

each  Member  S t a t e, 

to  what  e x t e nt 

are  b e i ng 

c a r r i ed 

s t u d i es 

out 

so 

The  main  i s s u es  examined  i n c l u de  the  f o l l o w i ng  : 

the  development 
the  European  U n i v e r s i ty  Network, 
p a r t i c u l a r ly  w i th  r e g a rd  to  the  balanced  p a r t i c i p a t i on  of 
a ll  academic  d i s c i p l i n es  and  Member  S t a t e s; 

of 

t i m e - s c a le 

the 
cooperation  programmes; 

f or 

support 

for 

i n t e r - u n i v e r s i ty 

arrangements  f or  academic  r e c o g n i t i on  of  p e r i o ds  of  study 
spent  abroad; 

the  a d m i n i s t r a t i on  of  the  s t u d e nt  grants  scheme; 

the  c u l t u r al  and  l i n g u i s t ic  preparation  of  s t u d e n t s. 

s u p p o rt  at  Community 

f or  ERASMUS.  If 

i n c r e a s i ng  mobility 

i n to 

take 

account 

the  Commission  of 

The  proposals 
complementarity  between 
provided  w i t h in  Member  S t a t es 
of 
achieved  by  1992  a  c o n s i d e r a b le  e f f o rt 
but 
Community 
s u b s i d i a r i ty 
s u c c e s s f ul 
continued  c o o p e r a t i on  w i th 
Member  S t a t es 
administered  at  n a t i o n al 
ERASMUS  Programme. 

is  p a r t i c u l a r ly 

through  whom 

a l so  w i t h in 

l e v el 

l e v el 

the 

the 

to  10X 

c o n t i n u ed 

need 
l e v el  and 

for 
t h at 
the  d e c l a r ed  aim 
to  be 
is 
is  r e q u i r ed  n ot  o n ly  at 
This 
the 
f or  which 
the 
are 

regard 

to 

each  Member  S t a t e. 

in 
competent  a u t h o r i t i es 
t he  ERASMUS  s t u d e nt  g r a n ts 

is  an  e s s e n t i al 

f e a t u re  of 

the 

implementation  of  Action  2  o p e r a t i o ns 

important  w i th 

5. 

training 

to  a c h i e ve 

in 
in  t he 

t he  S i n g le  Market, 

i s o l a t i on 
The  future  development  of  ERASMUS  cannot  be  s e en 
f i e ld 
from  the  wider  framework  of  Community  i n i t i a t i v es 
the 
in  p a r t i c u l ar 
of 
launched  as  of  1 9 9 0.  The 
proposed  LINGUA  Programme,  due  to  be 
the 
Commission  w i ll  ensure 
a s p e c ts 
ERASMUS  and  LINGUA  programmes  w i th  respect 
a f f e c t i ng  higher  e d u c a t i on  c o o p e r a t i o n.  Moreover,  as 
t e a c h i ng 
a c t i v i t i es  are  c l o s e ly  r e l a t ed  to  those  in  r e s e a r ch  w i t h in  many 
u n i v e r s i t i e s, 
and 
a c t i o ns 
interchange  between  European  r e s e a r ch  s c i e n t i s ts 
c a r r i ed  out 
under  a  number  of  R  and  D  programmes,  notably  SCIENCE  and  SPES, 
w i ll  a l so  be  taken  i n to  a c c o u n t. 

implementation  of 

t he  c o o r d i n a t ed 

c o o p e r a t i on 

promote 

to  a ll 

t he 

to 

I I. 

Aims  and  s t r u c t u re  of 
Decision 

t he  proposed  adaptations 

to 

t he  Council 

Action  1  :  E s t a b l i s h m e nt  and  o p e r a t i on  of  a  European  U n i v e r s i ty 
Network 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

a 

f or 

the 

the 

the 

t h at 

view 

been 

b a s is 

the  Annex 

amendments 

provides 
of 

1  of 
e s s e n t i al 

have 
the  need 

t he 
improving 

ERASMUS  Programme.  With 

the  European  U n i v e r s i ty  Network 
the  Council 
to 
long-term 

functioning  of 
proposed. 
to  guarantee 
the  p a r t i c i p a t i ng  u n i v e r s i t i es 

The  Commission  c o n s i d e rs 
( e s t a b l i s h ed  under  A c t i on 
Decision) 
to 
development 
t h is  network  a 
c o n s o l i d a t i ng  and 
the 
number 
of 
term 
the 
Commission  r e c o g n i s es 
t h e r e f o re 
and 
commitment  of 
s e l e c t ed 
considers  it  n e c e s s a ry  to  arrange  for  the  u n i v e r s i t i es 
to 
the 
to  be 
t he  Commission's 
to  provide 
a v a i l a b le  c r e d i ts  and  to  s a t i s f a c t o ry  performance 
f or  a  multi-annual  p e r i o d.  Secondly,  with 
support 
f i n a n c i al 
support  may  be 
granted 
regard 
the  a c t i v i t i es 
introduced  to  p r o v i s i on 
within  Action  1,  e x p l i c it  r e f e r e n ce 
for  an 
language  p r e p a r a t i o n.  The 
integrated  p e r i od  of 
Commission  sees  the  good  l i n g u i s t ic  and  c u l t u r al  p r e p a r a t i on  of 
the  continued 
ERASMUS  students  as  a  n e c e s s a ry  precondition  of 
success  of  the  Programme. 

for  which 
is 

-  s u b j e ct 
-, 

F i r s t l y, 
long 

informed  of 

i n t e n t i on 

f o r e i gn 

to 

j o i nt 

to  group 

curriculum 

t o g e t h er 
At  the  same  time  an  attempt  has  been  Bade 
t he  v a r i o us  d i f f e r e nt  a c t i v i t i es  which  may  be 
more  coherently 
the  European  U n i v e r s i ty  Network. 
considered  as  forming  part  of 
p r o j e c t s, 
p a r t i c u l a r ly 
Thus, 
the  European  dimension 
important  with  a  v i ew 
into 
programmes 
of 
(previously  p a r ts  of  A c t i o ns  3  and  4  r e s p e c t i v e l y)  have  been 
integrated  w i t h in  A c t i on  1.  S i m i l a r l y,  a ll 
study 
v i s i ts  provided 
f or  w i t h in  ERASMUS,  and  at  p r e s e nt  d i v i d ed 
between  Actions  1  and  4,  have  been  regrouped  w i t h in  A c t i on  1. 

development 
i n t r o d u c i ng 
and 

i n t e n s i ve 

types  of 

c o u r s e s, 

content 

the 

to 

Action  2  :  ERASMUS  Student  Grants  Scheme 

s i m i l ar 

c h a n c es 

introduce 

the  parameters  used 

to  the  e x i s t i ng  parameters 

The  Commission  has  reviewed 
to  determine 
the  t o t al  amount  of 
t he  s t u d e nt  grants  a l l o c a t i on  to  be  made  to 
each  Member  S t a t e,  and  c o n s i d e rs 
in 
it  e s s e n t i al  to 
a d d i t i on 
-  a  mechanism  which  w i ll 
enable  c o r r e c t i ve  measures 
l e v el 
to 
ensure 
to  pursue 
in 
courses  of  study 
view,  the  Commission  p r o p o s es  s e t t i ng  aside  a  small  p r o p o r t i o n, 
not  more 
student  g r a n ts  budget.  This 
would  permit  a l l o c a t i o ns  to  be  made  by  the  Commission  to  Member 
need. 
S t a t es 
Arrangements  w i ll  be  made  a l so  w i th  regard  to  the  a l l o c a t i on  of 
the  global  amount  be  made  a v a i l a b le  f or  s t u d e nt  grants  to  meet 
the  s p e c i al  s i t u a t i on  of  Luxembourg. 

in  o t h er  EC  Member  S t a t e s.  With  t h is  aim 

taken  at  Community 
students  w i s h i ng 

or  d i s c i p l i n es 

than  5X,  of 

to  be 
a ll 

p a r t i c u l ar 

deemed 

to  be 

t o t al 

the 

f or 

in 

- 

have 

d i f f i c u l t i es 

the 
Considerable 
the 
a p p l i c a t i on  at  n a t i o n al 
t he  a l l o c a t i on  and  d i s t r i b u t i on  of  grants 
Council  Decision  f or 
the  very  d i f f e r e nt  grant-awarding 
to  s t u d e n t s.  This  r e f l e c ts 
l e v el  and  t he  d i f f i c u l t i es  of 
systems 
ensuring  complementarity  of  n a t i o n al  grants  -  where  t h e se  e x i st 

in  o p e r a t i on  at  n a t i o n al 

observed  w i th 

l a id  down  in 

the  c r i t e r ia 

l e v el  of 

been 

•  and  Community  support  through  ERASMUS  grants.  The  total 
amounts  awarded  to  individual  students  have  often  been 
unacceptably  small.  The  Commission  therefore  requests  Member 
States  to  provide,  in  cases  of  need,  for  the  complementary 
funding of students  to whom mobility grants have been awarded. 

10.  The  inclusion  within  the  ERASMUS  Programme  of  provision  for 
students  for  whom  special  arrangements  are  made  outside  the 
European University  Network  to study  abroad  (often  referred to 
as  "free  movers")  has  led  to  considerable  administrative 
problems  in  a  number  of  Member  States.  Therefore,  although 
provision for such students to train abroad with the assistance 
of ERASMUS  - provided  they  fulfil  the eligibility  criteria for 
ERASMUS grants  - is retained,  at  this stage of development,  in 
the  Decision,  the  Commission's  intention  is  to  reduce  the 
participation  of  'free  movers'  by  limiting  the  percentage  of 
the total student  grants budget  allocated  to each Member State 
available  to them.  It  is the  Commission's view  that, based on 
experience  with  the  implementation  of  the  Programme  to date, 
the  organised  framework  of  an  inter-university  cooperation 
programme  provides  the  best  conditions  for  substantially 
increasing student mobility at Community  level and that by 1994 
all  Member  States  should  have  introduced  the  necessary 
arrangements  so  as  to  avoid having  recourse  to  the  formula of 
'free movers'. 

11.  The Commission has identified a certain number of categories of 
students presently excluded from the ERASMUS  Programme. This is 
the case notably for students who, having completed  a cycle or 
course of studies  in their own country, would  like  to continue 
their  studies  by  acquiring  an  additional  qualification  in 
another  Member  State.  These  students  are  often  particularly 
well  motivated,  and  can  be  expected  to  make  a  particularly 
important contribution  in the perspective of  1992 and  the need 
to  create  a  pool  of  highly  trained  manpower  with  firsthand 
experience  of other  Member  States. The  Commission  proposes  to 
cater  for  this  particular  category  in  exceptional  cases  and 
cooperation 
within 
programmes,  on  the  basis  that  full  academic  recognition  is 
granted not by  the home university  but  by  the degree-awarding 
institution  in  the Member  State  in which  students  spend their 
study abroad period. 

inter-university 

framework 

the 

of 

12.  The Commission's  proposals  also  aim  at  increasing  the average 
length of the period of training spent  in another Member State. 
Thus,  while  still  accepting  a  minimum  period  of  an  academic 
term  (three  months),  the  Commission  proposes  considering  six 
months as the normal minimum duration of the training period in 
another  Member  State  for  which  a  grant  may  be  awarded. 
Moreover, in view of the increased impact of a longer period of 
study  abroad  in  cultural,  linguistic,  academic  and  in 
particular professional terms, the Commission's  intention is to 
move  gradually  towards  the  acceptance  of  a  training  abroad 
period of normally one year's duration. 

S 

5  -

Action  4  :  Complementary  measures  to  provide  student  mobility 
in  the  Community. 

13. 

to  support  a d d i t i o n al  forms  of 

In  view  of  the  need  to  be  able 
cooperation  w i t h in 
experimental  b a s i s, 
of  the  complementary  measures 
within  Action  4.  These  are 
support 
for  ERASMUS  and 
university 
f a c i l i t a t i ng 
Programme, 
specific  provision  for 
the  Decision  t e x t. 

the  ERASMUS  Programme  on  a 
and 
the  Commission  proposes  to  extend  the  scope 
for 
informational 
awareness  of 
importance  of 
the  ERASMUS 
to  make 
in 

to  provide 
increase  mutual 
given 

to  promote  mobility  provided 

information  measures  of 

the  dissemination  of 

intended 
to 

the  Commission 

information  on 

In  p a r t i c u l a r, 

t h is  nature 

c o n s i d e rs 

necessary 

systems. 

limited 

the 

it 

III.  Evaluation 

14.  With  the  assistance  of  the  ERASMUS  Advisory  Committee, the 
Commission has given  careful  consideration  to the design and 
implementation  of appropriate  arrangements  for the continuing 
evaluation and monitoring  of the ERASMUS  Programme. So as to 
underline the importance attached to evaluation, the Commission 
proposes  making  explicit  provision  for such  measures  in the 
Decision. 

IV.  Budget 

15.  The Commission  proposes  that  the annual  credits  necessary to 
cover the Community contribution to the actions provided for in 
the  Programme  be  established  in  accordance  with  the  usual 
annual budgetary procedures of the Community. The estimation of 
needs  until  1992  established  within  the  framework  of  the 
present  financial  forecasts  1988-1992  amounts to ECU 192 million. 
The means to be put at the disposal of the programme  for the 
next 
two  years  will  be  examined  in  the  light  of the 
evolution of the financial forecasts. 

16.  In the period  up  to 1992 the  ERASMUS  Programme  will  not of 
itself  achieve  the target  objective  of 10Z  student  mobility. 
The Commission  intends to examine with the Member  States other 
means of finding complementary  resources to achieve this objective, 

17.  The imposition of a ceiling of 10Z of the annual appropriation 
on  Actions  3  and  4  has  caused  considerable  operational 
problems. These problems are likely to continue in the future, 
particularly  with  regard  to  the  future  development  of the 
European  Community  Course  Credit  Transfer  System  (ECTS). The 
Commission  therefore  proposes  removing  this  restriction  in 
respect  of Action  3. The  maintenance  of a  limit  of  5Z for 
Action 4 is considered appropriate. 

V. 

Conclusions 

18.  This Communication  is accompanied by the proposal  for a Council 
Decision amending the Council Decision of 15 June  1987 adopting 
the  European  Community  Action  Scheme  for  the  Mobility  of 
University  Students  (ERASMUS)  and  also  by  an  indicative 
financial  annex.  To  allow  a  smooth  transition  to  the  second 
phase  of  ERASMUS  the  Commission  proposes  that  the  adaptations 
be implemented from 1 January 1991 with the exception of Action 
2, paragraph 2 which will be implemented from 1 July  1990. This 
will  allow  for  sound  forward  planning  for  the  revised 
arrangements  to be  introduced  in respect  of  the  academic  year 
1991-2. 

19.  The  Commission  is  convinced  that  in  its  second  phase  the 
ERASMUS Programme, thus modified, will  represent  an  instrument 
better  tuned  to  the different  university  systems,  and capable 
of  responding  to  the  needs  of  the  Single  Market  and  to  the 
development of a People's Europe. 

Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending  Decision 87/327/EEC  adopting the European Community 
Action  Scheme for the Mobility of University  Students 
(ERASMUS) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic 
Community, and in particular Article 128 
thereof, 

Having  regard  to Council  Decision  63/266/EEC  of 2 April  1963  laying 
down general principles for implementing a common vocational  training 
policy (1), 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
(3). 

whereas the fundamental  objectives  of the  common vocational  training 
policy set  out  in the second principle of Decision 63/266/EEC aim in 
particular  at  enabling  every  person  to  reach  the  highest  possible 
level of vocational training which  is necessary  for his professional 
activity,  and  refer  also  to  broadening  vocational  training  to meet 
requirements  arising  from  technical  progress,  linking  the  different 
forms of vocational training to social and economic developments; 

Whereas  on  the basis  of  the  sixth  principle  of  that Decision  it is 
the  Commission's  responsibility  to  encourage  direct  exchanges  of 
vocational  training  specialists  in order  to enable  them  to acquaint 
themselves  with  and  study  the  achievements  and  new  developments  in 
the other Member States; 

Whereas  the Council established  the European Community Action Scheme 
for  the  Mobility  of  University  Students  (ERASMUS)  by  its  Decision 
87/327/EEC  (4); whereas Article 7 of that Decision provides for the 
possibility of adapting that Decision; 

(1) OJ No 63, 20.4.1963, p. 1338/63, 
(2) to be inserted 
(3) to be inserted 
(4) OJ No L 166, 25.6.1987, p. 20. 

- 2 -

Whereas the Council has adopted measures with a view to strengthening 
technological  cooperation  at  Community  level  and  providing  the 
necessary  human  resources  for  this  purpose,  notably  through 
Council Decision 89/27/EEC of 16 December 1988 adopting the second 
phase of the programme on cooperation between universities and 
industry regarding training  in the field of technology  (COMETT II) 
(1990-1994) (5); 

Whereas the Council has adopted measures to stimulate cooperation and 
interchange  between  European  research  scientists,  notably  through 
Decision 88/419/EEC establishing  the SCIENCE Programme  (6) and 
Decision 89/118/EEC establishing the SPES Programme (7); 

Whereas  the  Commission's  aim,  in  following  up  the  People's  Europe 
initiative of the European Council, is that by 1992 nearly  10Z of all 
students  in  the  Community  will  be  following  a  university  course 
organized by universities in more than one Member State; 

Whereas  the  Commission  has  presented  proposals  for  two  Council 
Decisions which  together  constitute  the  LINGUA  Programme  to promote 
training in foreign languages as well as the teaching and learning of 
foreign languages in the  Community; 

Whereas on 21 December 1988 the Council adopted  Directive 
89/48/EEC on a general system for the recognition of higher-education 
diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training 
of at least three years' duration (8); 

Whereas  the  annual  reports  on  the  functioning  of  the  ERASMUS 
Programme  in 1987  and  1988  and  the  monitoring  of  the  Programme  to 
date  have  shown  that  the  Programme  is  a  successful  means  of 
increasing  student 
inter-university 
cooperation within the Community; 

effective 

mobility 

via 

Whereas  the  estimated  amount  required  to  finance  the  ERASMUS 
Programme in the first three years of the five-year period is  ECU 192 
mi llion, 

(5) OJ No L 13/17.1.1989, p. 28. 
(6) OJ No C 335, 30.12.1988, p. 3, 
(7) OJ No L 44, 16.2.1989, o. 43. 
(8) OJ No L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16. 

- 3 -

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Article 1 

Decision 87/327/EEC  is hereby amended as follows: 

1.  The following  subparagraph  is added  to Article 1(2): 

"All students studying  in those establishments, regardless of 
the field of study and the  level of study, up to and including 
the doctorate are eligible for support within the Erasmus 
programme." 

2.  Article 4 is replaced by the following: 

"Article 4 

As from 1 January 1990 the annual credits necessary to cover the 
Community  contribution to the actions provided for in the programme 
will be established  in the annual budgetary procedure, taking  into 
account  the results of the programme as well as any new needs which 
may emerge during  its operation.  These credits are intended to 
finance the various actions set out  in the Annex, including 
appropriate measures taken to ensure the technical assistance at 
Community  level, continuing  monitoring and evaluation of the 
programme. 

The appropriations deemed necessary for the first  three years of 
the programme will form part of future budgets within  the frame 
work of the present  financial forecasts 1988-1992 agreed  jointly 
by the three Institutions  in June 1988 and their development." 

3.  In Article 5 the phrase "the other actions already scheduled at 

Community  level" is replaced by "other actions at Community  level". 

4.  In Article 7 the date of 31 December  1989 referred  to in line 1 
is replaced by 31 December  1993 and the date of 30 June 1990 
referred to in line 5 is replaced  by 30 June 1994. 

5.  The Annex  is replaced by the Annex to this Decision. 

Article 2 

The actions of the Annex shall be implemented  from 1 January 1991 
with the exception of Action 2 S 2 which shall be implemented  from 
1 July 1990. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 

~\Q 

- 4 -

ANNEX 

"ANNEX 

ACTION 1 

Establishment and operation of a European University Network 

l.The Community will further develop  the European University Network 
established  within  the  ERASMUS  Programme  and  designed  to 
stimulate Community-wide exchange of students. 

The  European  University  Network  will  be  composed  of  those 
universities  which,  in  the  framework  of  the  ERASMUS  Programme, 
have concluded  agreements  and  organized  programmes  providing  for 
exchanges  of  students  and  teachers  with  universities  of  other 
Member States and which  recognize  study periods thus accomplished 
outside the home university. 

The  main  aim  of  inter-university  agreements  is  to  give  the 
students of one university  the  opportunity  to undertake  a  fully 
recognized period of study  in at least one other Member  State, as 
an  integral  part  of  their  diploma  or  academic  qualification. 
These joint programmes  should  include as necessary  an  integrated 
period  of  foreign  language  preparation  as  well  as  cooperation 
among  teachers  and  administrative  staff  in order  to prepare  the 
conditions  necessary  for  the  exchange  of  students  and  for  the 
mutual recognition of periods of study accomplished abroad. 

Priority will be given  to programmes  involving an  integrated  and 
fully  recognized  period  of  study  in  another  Member  State.  For 
each joint programme,  each  participating  university  will  receive 
support of up to an annual  ceiling  of ECU 25 000  normally  for a 
period of  three years  in  the  first  instance  subject  to  periodic 
review. 

2.  Support will also be provided  for exchanges of teaching staff for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  out  integrated  teaching  assignments  in 
other Member States. 

3.  Support  will  also  be  provided  for  joint  curriculum  development 
projects  between  universities  in  different  Member  States  as  a 
means of facilitating academic  recognition and of contributing by 
means of an exchange  of  experience  and  expertise  to  the  process 
of  innovation  and  improvement  of  courses  on  a  Community-wide 
basis. 

4.  In addition, support will be provided  to universities  organizing 
intensive  teaching  programmes  of  short  duration  involving 
students from several different Member States. 

/-/ 

The  Community  will  also  provide  support  for  teaching  staff  and 
university administrators  to visit  other Member  States, to enable 
them  to prepare programmes  of  integrated  study with  universities 
of these  Member  States  and  to  exchange  experience  on  the  latest 
developments  in  their  area  of  expertise.  Grants  will  also  be 
provided  to  allow  teaching  staff  to  conduct  a  series  of 
specialised lectures in several Member States. 

ACTION 2 

ERASMUS  student grants scheme 

l.The  Community  will  further  develop  a  scheme  for  the  direct 
financial  support  of  students  at  universities  as  defined  in 
Article 1(2) of Council decision 87/327/EEC carrying out a period 
of  study  in  another  Member  State.  In  determining  the  total 
expenditure  for Actions  1 and  2 respectively, the Community will 
have regard to the number of students  to be exchanged within the 
European University Network as it develops. 

Î. The  ERASMUS  student  grants  are administered normally  through the 
competent authorities  in the Member States. The allocation of the 
amount to each Member State will be based  on the total number of 
students at universities  as  defined  in Article  1(2), as well  as 
on the total number of 18 to 25 year-olds in each Member State. 

Moreover, the Commission will  take  the necessary  steps  to ensure 
a balanced participation across Member  States and disciplines and 
will therefore allocate a small proportion of the funds available 
for student grants, not  to exceed  5Z of  the total annual student 
grants budget. The funds for student grants in respect of certain 
exceptional  programmes  whose  structure  renders  administration  of 
the grants via national  agencies  impracticable  will be allocated 
directly by the Commission. 

J.  The National Grant-Awarding Authorities will issue grants up to a 
maximum of ECU 5 000  per  student  for a stay of one year, subject 
to the following conditions : 

a)  the grants are not normally intended to cover the full cost of 
study  abroad,  but  as  a  means  of  offsetting  the  additional 
costs  of  mobility,  that  is  travel  costs,  foreign  language 
preparation as necessary and higher cost of living in the host 
country  (including,  where  appropriate,  the  extra  cost  of 
living  away  from  the  student's  home  country). Member  States 
will provide, in cases of need,  for the complementary  funding 
of students to whom mobility grants have been awarded; 

b)  priority will be  given  to students  on courses which are part 
of the European University Network under Action 1 as well as 
to  those  students  participating  in  the  European  Community 
Course  Credit  Transfer  System  (ECTS) under  Action  3.  Grants 
may  also be provided  for  other  students on courses  for whom 
special arrangements  are made  outside  the network  in another 
Member State provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria; 

c)  normally,  grants  will  be  awarded  only  in  cases  where  the 
period of study spent  In another Member State will be granted 
full  recognition  by  the  student's  home  university.  However, 
grants may be awarded exceptionally  in cases where the period 

./I 

7 -

of study  to be  spent  in  another  Member  State  will  be  granted 
full  recognition  by  the  degree-awarding  university  in  that 
Member  State, provided  that  this  arrangement  forms  part  of  an 
inter-university  agreement  supported  under Action  1. 

d)  no  tuition  fees  will  be  charged  by  the  host  university  to 
incoming  students;  where  appropriate,  grantholders  will 
continue to pay  tuition fees at  their home  university; 

e)  grants will be  awarded  for  periods  of  study  in  another  Member 
State  of  six  months  to  a  full  academic  year;  grants  may  be 
awarded  exceptionally  for  periods  of  study  of  a  minimum 
duration of three months or  for more  than twelve months  in the 
case of highly  integrated programmes; 

f)  any grants or loans available  to students  in their own  country 
will continue  to be  paid  in  full  during  their  period  of  study 
at the host university  for which  they  are receiving  an  ERASMUS 
grant. 

/f 

- 8 -

ACTION 3 

Measures to promote mobility through the academic 
recognition of diplomas and periods of study 

The Community will undertake, through cooperation with the competent 
authorities  in the Member  States, the following actions in order to 
promote mobility through the academic  recognition of diplomas and 
periods of study acquired  in another  Member  State: 

1.  measures to promote the European Community  Course Credit Transfer 
System  (ECTS) on an experimental and voluntary basis in order to 
provide a means by which students undergoing or having  completed 
higher education and training may receive credit  for such training 
carried out at universities  in other Member  States.  A limited 
number of grants of up to ECU 20 000 per year will be awarded to 
the universities participating  in the pilot  system; 

2.  measures to promote the Community-wide  exchange of information on 

the academic  recognition of diplomas acquired  and periods of study 
spent  in another Member  State, notably by means of the further 
development  of the European Community Network of National Academic 
Recognition  Information Centres; grants will be awarded to the 
centres to facilitate exchange of information, in particular by 
means of a computerized  system for data exchange. 

*K 

Complementary  measures 

to  promote  s t u d e nt  m o b i l i ty 

in 

t he  Community 

ACTION  4 

l . To  p r o v i de 

i n f o r m a t i o n al 

s u p p o rt 

mutual  awareness  of  u n i v e r s i ty 
w i ll  provide  for 

: 

systems 

in 

for  ERASMUS  and 

i n c r e a se 
to 
the  Community,  ERASMUS 

s u p p o rt 
t e a c h i ng 
European 
i n i t i a t i v es 
Community; 

to 
s t a f f, 
b a s i s, 
in 

a s s o c i a t i o ns 

and 

c o n s o r t ia 

a d m i n i s t r a t o rs 
in 
s p e c i f ic 

f i e l ds 

p a r t i c u l ar  w i th 

or 

b e t t er  known 

of 
s t u d e n ts 
a 

view 

u n i v e r s i t i e s, 
a 
a c t i ng 
to  making 
the 

t h r o u g h o ut 

on 

p u b l i c a t i o ns 
d e s i g n ed 
t e a c h i ng  o p p o r t u n i t i es 
to 
a t t e n t i on 
u n i v e r s i ty  c o o p e r a t i on 

to 
in 

enhance 

awareness 

of 

s t u dy 

t he  o t h er  Member  S t a t es  or 

and 
to  draw 
f or 

i m p o r t a nt  developments  and 

i n n o v a t i ve  models 

t h r o u g h o ut 

t he  Community; 

o t h er 
i n i t i a t i v es 
c o o p e r a t i on  w i t h in 

d e s i g n ed 
to 
t he  Community; 

promote 

i n t e r - u n i v e r s i ty 

measures  f a c i l i t a t i ng 
ERASMUS  programme; 

t he  d i s s e m i n a t i on  of 

i n f o r m a t i on  on 

t he 

ERASMUS  p r i z es  of 
s t u d e n t s, 
which  have  made  an  o u t s t a n d i ng  c o n t r i b u t i on 
of 

i n t e r - u n i v e r s i ty  c o o p e r a t i on  w i t h in 

t he  European  Community 

s t a ff  members, 

u n i v e r s i t i es 

or  ERASMUS 

to  be  awarded 

to 
p r o j e c ts 
t he  development 

to 

t he  Community. 

!.  The  c o st  of  measures  u n d er  A c t i on  4  w i ll  n ot  e x c e ed  5Z  of 

t he 

a n n u al  a p p r o p r i a t i o ns 

f or 

t he  ERASMUS  Programme." 

A-

FINANCIAL RECORD 

Budget line and Title 

B6320 
ERASMUS,  the  European  Community  Action  Scheme  for  the 
Mobility of University Students 

2. 

Legal Basis 

Council Decision  87/327/EEC  of 15 June  1987  adopting the 
ERASMUS Programme  (O.J. No L 166/20 of 25/6/1987, p.20) 
Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  amending  the  above-
mentioned Decision 
Article 128 

Classification of expenditure 

Non-compulsory expenditure 
Non-dissociated  appropriations 

Description 

The  four  principal  objectives  of  the  ERASMUS  Programme 
are as  stated  in  Council  Decision  87/327/EEC  of  15 June 
1987. 

The ERASMUS  Programme  comprises four types of measures : 

* 

* 

* 

the  development  of  interuniversity  cooperation  as 
the  basis  for  the  exchange  of  students  and 
teachers.  Taken  together,  the  interuniversity 
cooperation  programmes  funded  within  ERASMUS  form 
European University Network; 

a student  grant  scheme whereby  ERASMUS  grants help 
cover  the  supplementary  costs  entailed  by  a  study 
period  spent  in  another  Member  State 
travel, 
linguistic  preparation,  higher  cost  of  living  in 
the host country; 

the  promotion  of  the  European  Community  Course 
Credit  Transfer  System  (ECTS)  and  the  further 
development  of  the  European  Network  of  National 
Academic Recognition Information Centres  (NARIC) in 
order  to  promote  student  mobility  through  the 
recognition  of  diplomas  and  periods  of  study 
acquired  in another Member State; 

* 

complementary  measures  to  provide  informational 
support  for  ERASMUS  and  to  increase  mutual 
awareness of university systems in the Community, 

n 

- 2 

the  evaluation  and  monitoring  of  actions  funded  by  the 
ERASMUS  Programme  and  the  impact  of  ERASMUS  Community-
wide ; 

the  technical  assistance  for  the  execution  of  the 
Programme ; 

the persons  to whom  the ERASMUS  Programme  is principally 
addressed  are 
teachers  and 
administrators. 

university 

students, 

Justification 

Through  the  development  of  highly  qualified  human  resources, 
the  ERASMUS  Programme  contributes  to  the  completion  of  the 
Single Market as well  as the reinforcement of  the economic  and 
social development of the Community. 

The amendment of  the  ERASMUS  Programme  as originally  agreed by 
the  Council  on  15  June  1987  will  create  the  necessary 
flexibility  for  action  for  çhe.next  phase  of  development,  in 
particular regarding the objective of contributing  towards the 
target of 10% student  mobility. 

6. 

Financial  implications  for operational  appropriations  : nature 
of expenditure and method of calculation 

6.1  The  appropriations  necessary  will  form  part  of  future 
the  financial 
the  framework  of 
budgets  within 
perspectives  1988-1992  agreed  jointly  by  the  three 
institutions in June 1988 and their development. 

The estimation of needs established  within the framework 
of the present financial forecasts 1988 to 1992 amounts 
The  means  to  be  put  at  the 
to ECU 192 million. 
disposal  of  the  programme  for  the 
two  years 
will be  examined  in  the  light  of  the  evolution  of  the 
financial forecasts. 

next 

6.2  The  actions  to  be  implemented  are  financed  from  the 
Community Budget Art. 6320 on the following basis : 

ACTION 1 - Interuniversltv Cooperation Programmes (ICPÏ 

* 

* 

Each  participating  university  may  receive  support 
of up  to an annual  ceiling of ECU  25 000 for each 
inter-university cooperation programme; 

Up to an annual ceiling of ECU 5 000 per university 
may be  awarded  for  the  implementation  of  teaching 
staff  mobility  programmes.  In  addition,  for  a 
three-month period abroad the teaching staff member 
may  receive  a  grant  of  up  to  ECU  4 000  for  the 
mobility  costs  and  the  Commission  may  grant  the 

sending university maximum  financial support of ECU 
3 000 per month per staff member replaced. 

Curriculum  development  projects  and  intensive 
teaching  programmes  may  be  granted  ECU  20 000 per 
programme. 

Grants for teaching and study visits  for university 
staff may be awarded up to ECU 2 000 per person for 
periods abroad of no longer than four weeks. 

ACTION 2 - Mobility Grants  for Students 

Grants of a maximum  of  ECU  5 000  per  person  (in  the case  of a 
full year of  study) may be  awarded  to enable students to 
carry out a recognised period of  study  in another Member 
State. 

ACTION 3 - Recognition of diplomas and periods of study 

* 

* 

Grants of up  to ECU  20 000 per year may be awarded 
to - the  universities  participating  in  the  pilot 
phase  of  the  European  Community  Course  Credit 
Transfer System  (ECTS). 

The European Community  Network of National Academic 
Recognition  Information  Centres  : grants  of up  to 
ECU 20 000 per  year  may be awarded  to each  of the 
national centres per year. 

ACTION 4 • Complementary Measures 

* 

* 

* 

* 

Associations 
Support 
to 
u n i v e r s i t i es  of  up  to  a  maximum  of  ECU  20  000  may 
be  awarded. 

associations 

consortia 

and 

of 

Publications 

Prizes  to  students,  teachers,  administrators  and 
universities  for  outstanding  contributions  to  the 
development  of  the  ERASMUS  Programme  may  be 
awarded. 

Complementary  measures  which  concern  the  further 
development  of  the  ERASMTS  Programme  such  as 
information actions. 

Appropriate  provision will  also  be made  for  the ongoing 
evaluation of  the Programme  as well as for the technical 
assistance  rendered  by  the  agency  assisting  the 
Commission  (cf. 10 below). 

y\ •V 

6.3  Incidence of appropriations necessary  (In ECU mi I lion) 

1990 

1991 

1992 

Total 

15 

31 

2.0 

2.9 

17 

19 

51.0 

34.3 

37.5 

102.8 

2 

3.2 

2 

3.5 

6.0 

9.6 

7.1 

7.5 

8 

22.6 

Action 1 

Action 2 

Action 3 

Action 4 

Evaluation/ 
Information/ 
Technical 
Assistance 

Total 

58.0 

64.0 

70 

192.0 

Implications for revenue 

There are no implications  for revenue. 

Type of control 

8.1  Financial  control 

by  the  Commission's  services  in 
regard  to  the  regularity  of  the  expenditure  and  the 
implementation of the budget; 

8.2  Scientific  and  technical  control 

the  services 
responsible  in  the  Commission  with  the  advice  of  the 
ERASMUS Advisory Committee established by the Decision. 

Financial implications  in terms of personnel 

Additional personnel necessary from 1990: 

1 A 
2 B 
2 C 

The personnel needs  set  out  above will be  satisfied  either by 
internal  deployment  of  staff  or  within  the  framework  of  the 
budgetary procedure for 1990. 

10.  Technical Assistance 

The  implementation  of  the  ERASMUS  Programme  will  require 
specialist  expertise  in  higher  education  administration  and 
will permit  the  Commission  to  ensure  the  balanced  development 
of the Programme involving the full participation of all Member 
States. The required expertise will consist  in particular in: 

the  dissemination  of  information  to  universities, 
teaching staff and students 

the  processing  of  applications  for  selection,  and  the 
organization of advisory groups 

contracts  and  payments  of  grants  and  individual  project 
control 

the  technical  coordination  of  National  Grant-Awarding 
Authorities  for  ERASMUS  student  grants  and  coordination 
with national student financing policies  in Member States 

the  preparation  of  information  material  on  the  ERASMUS 
to 
Programme 
information actions in the 12 Member  States  including all 
translation  services  necessary  for  an  operation  in  9 
languages 

contributions 

publication 

and 

for 

technical  coordination  and  underpinning  of  the  European 
Community Course Credit Transfer System  (ECTS) and the EC 
network  of  National  Academic  Recognition  Information 
Centres (NARIC) 

the continuing monitoring of the ERASMUS  Programme 

technical  assistance  to  the  Commission  regarding 
preparatory  work  to  all  Committee  meetings  and 
specialised working groups. 

Commission of the  European Communities 

COM(89)  235  final 

Communication from the 

COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 

and proposal for a 

COUNCIL  DECISION 

amending  Decision  87/327/EEC  adopting  the  European  Community 
action scheme for the mobility of  university students  (Erasmus) 

29.5.1989 

Office for  Official  Publications of the  European Communities 
L - 2985  Luxembourg 

Series:  DOCUMENTS 

1989 -  21 pp. -  Format:  21.0 *  29.7  cm 

EN 

ISSN  0254-1475 

ISBN  92-77-50551-6 

Catalogue  number:  CB-C0-89-214-EN-C 

C0M(89)  235  final 

ISSN 0254-1475 

DOCUMENTS 

Communication  from  the 

COMMISSION  TO THE  COUNCIL 

and  proposal for  a 

COUNCIL  DECISION 

amending  Decision  87/327/EEC  adopting  the 
European  Community  action  scheme  for  the 
mobility  of  university  students  (Erasmus) 

17 

Catalogue number:  CB-CO-89-214-EN-C 

ISBN  92-77-50551-6 

€ 

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

29.5.1989