Green Paper - Promoting the learning mobility of young people
Date: 2009-07-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU programme, continuing vocational training, education, free movement of persons, geographical mobility, student mobility, vocational training, young person, youth policy

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 8.7.2009 
COM(2009) 329 final 

GREEN PAPER 

Promoting the learning mobility of young people 

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GREEN PAPER 

Promoting the learning mobility of young people 

INTRODUCTION 

The increasing importance of learning mobility 

Learning mobility, i.e. transnational mobility for the purpose of acquiring new skills is one of 
the  fundamental  ways  in  which  individuals,  particularly  young  people,  can  strengthen  their 
future  employability  as  well  as  their  personal  development1.  Studies  confirm  that  learning 
mobility adds to human capital, as students access new knowledge and develop new linguistic 
skills  and  intercultural  competences.  Furthermore,  employers  recognise  and  value  these 
benefits2.  Europeans  who  are  mobile  as  young  learners  are  more  likely  to  be  mobile  as 
workers later in life. Learning mobility has played an important role in making education and 
training  systems  and  institutions  more  open,  more  European  and  international,  more 
accessible and efficient3. It can also strengthen Europe's competitiveness by helping to build a 
knowledge-intensive society, thereby contributing to the achievement of the objectives set out 
in the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs. 

In the context of the current international economic crisis, the Commission has stressed that 
investment in education and training, is crucial. It has also underlined that while there may be 
a  temptation  in  such  circumstances  to  divert  resources  away  from  such  activities,  it  is 
precisely in times of economic difficulty that investment in knowledge and skills needs to be 
safeguarded4.  Thence  the  mobility  of  learners  should  form  part  of  a  renewed  drive  to  build 
Europe's skills and ability to innovate and compete at international level. It can also help to 
overcome  the  immobility  paradox  whereby  even  today,  during  a  severe  crisis,  there  are 
unfilled vacancies in some countries and sectors, due to skills shortages.  

Learning  mobility  has  other  positive  features.  It  can,  for  example,  help  combat  the  risks  of 
isolationism,  protectionism  and  xenophobia  which  arise  in  times  of  economic  crisis.  It  can 

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This Green Paper does not include mobility in the labour market but focuses on mobility for learning 
purposes. 
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For example a study showed that 54% of former Erasmus students believe that the period abroad was 
helpful in obtaining a first job. See Friedhelm Maiworm and Ulrich Teichler: Study Abroad and Early Career: 
Experiences of Former Erasmus Students, 2004; annual surveys of the Erasmus Student Network; Final 
Evaluation of the Community Programmes Socrates II, Leonardo da Vinci II and eLearning; Analysis of the 
Effects of Leonardo da Vinci Mobility Measures on Young Trainees, Employees and the influence of socio-
economic factors, 2007. 
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For  the  higher  education  sector  this  systemic  benefit  has  been  proved  by  a  study  on  "The  impact  of 
Erasmus  on  European  higher  education:  quality,  openness  and  internationalisation",  Dec.  2008, 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/doc/publ/impact08.pdf  
See also the Interim evaluation of Erasmus Mundus by CSES, June 2007, 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/doc/evalreport_en.pdf.  
In the area of research, the Marie Curie Actions, by enhancing the mobility of researchers, contribute to 
a balanced circulation of scientific talents, not only across Europe, but all over the world. 
A European Economic Recovery Plan - COM(2008) 800, 26.11.2008, p. 15. 

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help foster a deepened sense of European identity and citizenship among young people. It also 
boosts the circulation of knowledge which is key to Europe's knowledge-based future. 

Rather than being the exception, as is currently the case, learning mobility should become a 
natural feature of being European and an opportunity open to all young people in Europe. In 
this  way  it  can  make  an  important  contribution  to  securing  the  future  competitiveness  and 
cohesion of the European Union.  

Why a Green Paper?  

Learning mobility and its potential to contribute to European strategies for learning and skills 
has  been  the  subject  of  considerable  recent  reflection.  The  20th  anniversary  of  the  Erasmus 
programme  in  2007  triggered  many  debates  on  the  benefits  of  mobility  in  higher  education 
and  the  need  to  expand  mobility  to  other  areas.  The  Council  concluded  that  mobility,  in 
particular  in  higher  education,  was  a  key  priority5.  The  European  Commission's  Lisbon 
Report  in  December  2007  called  for  Erasmus-type  mobility  to  become  a  standard  part  of 
university education6. 

In January 2008, the European Commission established a High Level Expert Forum with the 
mandate to explore how to expand mobility, not only within the university sector, but among 
young people more generally. The Forum presented its report in June 2008 which called for 
learning  mobility  to  become  the  rule,  not  the  exception  among  Europe's  young  people.  7  In 
July  2008,  the  "Renewed  social  agenda:  Opportunities,  access  and  solidarity  in  21st  century 
Europe"8  affirmed  that  the  Commission  would  continue  to  develop  a  "fifth  freedom"  by 
removing barriers to the free movement of knowledge and promoting the mobility of specific 
groups like young people. It signalled that a Green Paper was planned for 2009 on the latter 
issue. 

The  Council  concluded  in  November  2008  that  "every  young  person  should  have  the 
opportunity  to  take  part  in  some  form  of  mobility,  whether  this  be  during  their  studies  or 
training, in the form of a work placement, or in the context of voluntary activities." It invited 
the Member States and the European Commission in particular to further develop the concept 
of  mobility  for  all  young  people,  during  their  studies  or  training,  in  the  form  of  a  work 
placement, or in the context of voluntary activities9.  

Finally,  the  Leuven  Communiqué,  adopted  on  29  April  2009  by  the  Ministers  in  charge  of 
higher education in the countries participating in the Bologna Process, stipulates that in 2020, 
at least 20% of those graduating in the European Higher Education Area should have had a 
study or training period abroad10. 

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Council Resolution of 23 November 2007 on modernising universities for Europe's competitiveness in a 
global knowledge economy. 
Strategic report  on  the  renewed  Lisbon strategy  for growth  and  jobs:  launching  the new  cycle  (2008-
2010) - COM(2007) 803.  
Report of the High Level Expert Forum on Mobility, June 2008, 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/doc/2008/mobilityreport_en.pdf 
COM(2008) 412. 
Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member states on youth 
mobility, 20 and 21 November 2008 (OJ C 320, 16.12.2008), 
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/educ/104249.pdf   
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/conference/documents/Leuven_Louvain-la-
Neuve_Communiqué_April_2009.pdf  

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The  Commission  Communication  on  employment  of  June  2009  listed  the  promotion  of 
mobility as one of the key priorities to overcome the present recession and boost job creation. 
In  particular  it  underlined  that  mobility  can  be  considered  an  opportunity  for  the  young 
unemployed to improve their skills11.  

In  short,  there  has  been  much  reflection  in  political  and  expert  circles  on  the  benefits  of 
learning  mobility  and  how  it  could  be  expanded.  A  clear  consensus  exists  in  support  of  the 
objective  of  expanding  mobility  opportunities  and  extending  them  more  broadly  to  young 
people.  What  is  now  needed  is  to  build  on  this  consensus  and  define  strategies  to  achieve 
these ambitions. The purpose of this Green Paper is to open up the debate to stakeholders and 
the wider public, seeking their views on how best to boost substantially the opportunities for 
young people to have a mobility experience.  

What kind of mobility?  

The  scope  of  the  Paper  is  broad;  it  aims  to  address  the  situation  of  all  young  people  in  all 
different learning contexts, i.e. at school; at bachelor, master and PhD levels within university 
studies,  as  well  as  in  internships,  apprenticeships,  youth  exchanges,  volunteer  work  or 
vocational training, in or outside the European Union. It sees learning mobility as relevant in 
all  disciplines  and  areas,  such  as  culture,  science,  technology,  arts,  sports,  and  also  young 
entrepreneurs.  It  aims  to  invite  an  exploration  of  how  existing  and  new  mechanisms  and 
instruments  can  be  better  mobilised  to  promote  the  mobility  of  young  people  and  how  the 
different levels of public authorities - the EU, national, regional and local - together with other 
stakeholders – business, civil society, private individuals – can be mobilised. 

In particular, this Green Paper: 

•  seeks to promote organised learning mobility. This means that mobility should be linked to 
specific  learning  outcomes  and  lead  to  the  attainment  of  qualifications,  credits  and/or 
professional experience. This can also encompass voluntary work and non-formal learning 
-  both  can  be  very  effective  ways  of  reaching  young  people  who  would  otherwise  risk 
falling  outside  learning  mobility  programmes  -  provided  the  activities  are  appropriately 
validated.  In  addition  to  addressing  mobility  supported  by  European  programmes,  the 
Paper also covers other forms of learning mobility supported within the Member States as 
well as that undertaken on a private basis; 

•  deals  firstly  with  mobility  between  the  countries  currently  participating  in  EU  
programmes,, reflecting the wishes of the Council in its Conclusions of November 2008, 
while at the same time seeking to develop exchanges with the wider world. The focus is on 
transnational  mobility  on  the  basis  that  a  move  to  another  country  is  likely  to  be  more 
challenging and enriching and is an appropriate focus for a EU consultation of this nature; 

•  promotes  not  only  "like-to-like"  mobility  across  borders  but  within  sectors  (schools, 
universities, enterprises etc.). It also deals with cross-sector movements from the world of 
education to the world of business and vice versa; from education to voluntary action; from 
vocational education to academia; from public research bodies to business; 

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Commission Communication "A shared Commitment for Employment" - COM(2009)257 

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•  focuses on physical mobility, while recognising also the value of virtual mobility – the use 
of ICTs for twinning and exchange between young people in learning environments - both 
as a means to prepare, enrich and follow up on physical mobility moves and as an activity 
conveying  at  least  some  of  the  benefits  of  physical  mobility  in  its  own  right.  Virtual 
mobility, such as that supported via Comenius eTwinning or via social networking, can in 
particular be valuable in opening up school-age young people to new contacts and cultures; 

•  concentrates on the mobility of young people, which is not to say that learning mobility is 
not important for all age groups; in the spirit of Lifelong Learning no precise age limits are 
set but the main cohort envisaged would be 16-35 year olds. 

Where do we stand?  

The EU has a long track record of supporting learning mobility through various programmes 
and initiatives, and in particular through the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013, which 
cover a broad range of areas12. The Structural Funds also support learning mobility. Mobility 
and exchanges of higher education staff and students between European and extra-European 
universities is supported under the Erasmus Mundus and Tempus programmes. 

In addition, the European Commission has helped to develop a number of tools to facilitate 
mobility,  such  as  the  Europass,  the  European  Credit  Transfer  and  Accumulation  System 
(ECTS,  for  higher  education),  the  Diploma  Supplement,  the  European  Qualifications 
Framework for Lifelong Learning, the European Credit System for Vocational Education and 
Training  (ECVET),  Youthpass,  EURAXESS,  the  "students  visa  Directive"13  and  the 
"scientific visa" package14. 

Taken  together,  the  current  mobility  programmes,  tools  and  initiatives  reach  out  to  the 
different  strata  of  Europe's  youth  population.  However,  mobility  still  remains  the  exception 
rather than the rule and it is more accessible by some groups, e.g. students, than others, e.g. 
vocational  trainees  and  apprentices  for  whom  many  practical  obstacles  remain.  In  2006, 
around  310 000  young  people  were  able  to  benefit  from  mobility  within  European 
programmes, which represents a mere 0.3% of the age cohort of 16-29 year olds in the EU. 
Clearly, much more could be done in this area.  

Structure 

The  Green  Paper  is  structured  in  three  sections.  Section  1  deals  with  issues  regarding  the 
preparation  of  a  mobility  period,  i.e.  information,  motivation,  linguistic  preparation  etc. 
Section 2 deals with the actual period spent abroad (including housing and mentoring issues) 

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They  include  the  following:  higher  education  (Erasmus,  Erasmus  Mundus,  Marie  Curie)  for  students, 
doctoral candidates and staff; higher education and research (Marie Curie, mobility within Networks of 
Excellence and Technology Platforms); from higher education to business (placements within Erasmus 
and Marie Curie); vocational education and apprentices (Leonardo); second level education (Comenius) 
adult  learning  and  senior  volunteering  (Grundtvig);  the  cultural  sphere  (Culture  Programme);  youth 
exchanges  and  volunteering  (Youth  in  Action);  volunteering  (European  Voluntary  Service  within  the 
Youth  in  Action  Programme);  the  civil  society  (Europe  for  Citizens  Programme)  and  the  preparatory 
action "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs".  
Council Directive 2004/114/EC of 13 December 2004 on the conditions of admission of third-country 
nationals for the purposes of studies, pupil exchange, unremunerated training or voluntary service. 
Including the Council Directive 2005/71/EC of 12 October 2005 on a specific procedure for admitting 
third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research ('Scientific visa'). 

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and  examines  the  follow-up  to  a  mobility  period,  such  as  validation  and  recognition  of  the 
experience. Section 3 presents proposals for a new partnership on youth mobility. 

1. PREPARING FOR A PERIOD OF LEARNING MOBILITY 

Careful preparation is the key to successful learning mobility and has to be at the heart of any 
project  or  programme.  When  young  people  are  exploring  mobility  opportunities,  they  need 
access  to  information  on  options,  on  funding  and  guidance  regarding  their  choice  and  on 
practical issues.  

1.1. Information and Guidance 

Internet and other electronic forms of information and communication allow young people to 
prepare a stay abroad, learn the language, acquaint themselves with the host country and its 
culture,  their  future  host  institution,  developing  direct  contacts  etc.  There  is  a  wealth  of 
information and guidance available on mobility-related issues that can be grouped into three 
main areas: 

- funding opportunities: the European Union programmes to support mobility, many under 
the  umbrella  of  the  Lifelong  Learning  Programme  or  through  the  Youth  in  Action 
Programme,  have  already  been  listed.  The  Commission’s  initiatives  are  complemented  by 
numerous  initiatives  at  the  national  and  regional  level,  including  programmes  run  by 
businesses, foundations etc. 

-  learning  opportunities  for  young  people  (education  and  training  programmes):  the 
Commission  has  set  up  various  information  portals,  such  as  PLOTEUS,  the  Portal  on 
Learning  Opportunities  throughout  the  European  Space15,  the  Youth  portal16,  Study  in 
Europe17,  Euraxess  –  Researchers  in  motion18,  the  Marie  Curie  website  for  all  Marie  Curie 
Actions19,  YourEurope20,  Euroguidance21,  EURES22  and  Eurodesk23,  Erasmus  for  Young 
Entrepreneurs24 and support for training and mobility for SME's25. 

-  practical  guidance  on  housing,  funding,  living  costs,  legal  aspects  e.g.  visa  regulations, 
work permits, insurance, etc.  

These information sources address not only individuals but also institutions and associations 
that organise youth mobility as part of a training course, study programme, volunteer project, 
etc.  

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http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/home.jsp?language=en  
http://europa.eu/youth/index.cfm?l_id=en  
http://www.study-in-europe.org/  
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess  
http://ec.europa.eu/mariecurieactions/  
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/index_en.html  
http://www.euroguidance.net/  
http://ec.europa.eu/eures  
http://www.eurodesk.org  
http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu  
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/craft/craft-skills_training/skills_training_main_en.htm  

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While  current information  initiatives  are helpful, it is clear that knowledge of existing tools 
and  programmes  is  still  incomplete  and  an  understanding  of  opportunities  and  support  for 
youth mobility as a whole is missing. Information needs to be better updated and made more 
easily accessible; this has been emphasised time and again, most recently by the Council in 
November  2008.  Young  people  are  often  unaware  of  the  opportunities  which  exist.  This  is 
true  for  higher  education  students  and  researchers,  but  even  more  so  for  young  people  in 
schools, vocational education and training, voluntary activities, apprentices, etc.  

Good practice: Study in Germany 

The website study-in-germany.de provides a one stop shop in eight languages that informs on 
study  possibilities  and  scholarships  in  Germany  and  provides  relevant  information  on 
general living conditions such as housing, food and sports.  
www.study-in-germany.de 

Euronaver 

Euronaver.net  is  a  European  network  to  enhance  transnational  mobility  in  vocational 
education and training (VET). It offers access to a European platform of expertise and the 
exchange of good practice in mobility. It focuses on the specific needs of apprenticeship and 
Initial Vocational Education and Training within skilled crafts and small and medium sized 
enterprises.  It 
towards  business  organisations,  VET  providers, 
intermediaries and enterprises. 
www.euronaver.net 

is  mainly  directed 

How can the availability of information and guidance related to mobility be improved? 

Please  provide  examples  of  good  practice,  including  appropriate  tools  and  ways  to  make 
such information available.  

1.2. Promotion and motivation 

There  is  consensus  among  many  decision  makers  that  learning  mobility  is  good  for  young 
people. However, the benefits of learning mobility may not be sufficiently understood among 
young people themselves.  

A number of factors may contribute to keeping many young people from even considering a 
stay  abroad:  time  pressure  to  finish  their  studies  or  training,  jobs,  lack  of  funding,  lack  of 
language skills and intercultural knowledge, as well as a general reluctance to leave "home". 
Young  people  will  be  more  open  to  mobility  if  the  benefits  of  learning  mobility  are  better 
explained  to  them.  Teachers,  trainers,  youth  workers  and  managers  in  particular  have  a  key 
role  to  play  in  encouraging  and  promoting  mobility  and  in  setting  positive  examples  by 
recognising  the  added  value  of  learning  mobility  in  their  activities.  Another  issue  is  how  to 
increase  the  motivation  of  those  who  host  participants  in  mobility  programmes,  including 
young entrepreneurs and apprentices. 

Young people need also to be confident of a positive outcome of their period of mobility. A 
crucial issue is the recognition they can expect for their stay abroad. Will credits be formally 
recognised, through ECTS, ECVET or similar credit systems? Will the newly acquired skills 
be  adequately  recorded,  e.g.  in  the  Diploma  Supplement,  the  Europass  or  the  Youthpass? 
Evaluations  show  that,  despite  longstanding  arrangements,  too  often  students  who  have 
undertaken  learning  mobility  periods  have  difficulty  in  getting  the  recognition  they  had 

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expected. This is damaging for those directly concerned and will clearly dampen enthusiasm 
for  learning  mobility  more  broadly.  The  issues  surrounding  recognition  are  discussed  in 
section 2.2 below. 

European  networks  of  regions,  companies,  institutions,  European  professional  and  students' 
associations  and  other  relevant  networks  could  be  invited  to  become  active  in  promoting 
youth  mobility  and  to  reinforce  the  role  of  local  and  regional  authorities  in  promoting  and 
supporting  mobility.  Young  people  should  be  informed  about  the  benefits  they  could  draw 
from  a  mobility  experience,  in  terms  of  personal  development,  employability,  intercultural 
competences  and  language  skills.  Motivation  efforts  need  to  be  tailored  to  very  different 
benefits  and  challenges  related  to  the  various  groups,  from  school  pupils  to  young 
entrepreneurs.  

What can be done to better promote and motivate young people to be mobile? How should 
this be done to ensure maximum effect? Please provide concrete examples of good practice 
in this area. 

What do you see as the main barriers to the motivation of young people to become mobile? 

1.3. Languages and culture 

Some of the key competences to be acquired through learning mobility are foreign languages 
and  intercultural  skills.  Living,  studying  and  working  in  a  foreign  country  provides  an 
opportunity for total immersion in another language and culture. Foreign language skills and 
intercultural competences widen an individual's professional options, upgrade the skills of the 
European  workforce  and  are  essential  elements  of  genuine  European  identity.  A  key 
instrument  is  the  Barcelona  objective,  established  by  the  European  Council  in  2002  that  at 
least two foreign languages should be taught from a very early age. The progress towards this 
objective, as well as the connections between language skills and learning mobility, has been 
examined in the strategic Communication on multilingualism from 200826. 

The wider learning of languages has facilitated mobility that would otherwise be impossible; 
however,  this  progress  is  uneven  and  for  some  groups  of  young  people  language  is  still  a 
major  barrier,  e.g.  in  vocational  education  and  training.  Moreover,  Europe's  linguistic 
diversity  is  a  key  part  of  its  richness  and  it  is  important  to  ensure  that  countries  with  less 
spoken languages are also promoted as mobility destinations. 

Good practice: Glossomuseums  

Glossomuseums contributes to the promotion of language learning and linguistic diversity in 
Europe. It is an interactive partnership of 12 organizations from Greece, Germany, Denmark, 
Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. The project’s main objectives are to familiarize 
schoolchildren with the cultural characteristics of some of the official EU languages – 
especially the less-widely used and taught ones – while motivating them to learn a second 
language. The program also encourages lifelong language learning and the discovery of the 
collective European cultural heritage. 

www.ecose.org 

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Multilingualism – An asset for Europe and a shared commitment - COM(2008) 566.  

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How can the linguistic and cultural obstacles to mobility be best addressed? 

Please provide examples of good practice. 

1.4. Legal issues 

One important aspect during the preparatory phase concerns the legal status of mobile young 
people  in  their  host  country.  The  enlargement  of  the  EU  has  greatly  increased  the 
geographical  scope  for  youth  mobility.  However,  many  obstacles  remain  in  the  areas  of 
administration  and  legislation.  While  the  legal  status  of  someone  studying  or  undertaking  a 
work placement abroad should normally be fairly clear, this is not always the case for young 
people  who  are  mobile  but  who  do  not  fall  neatly  into  either  of  the  above-mentioned 
categories (e.g. young professionals, such as artists, designers, entrepreneurs, who engage in 
learning mobility). 

Legal regulations in some countries can inhibit mobility, especially at secondary school level 
and also in the area of vocational education and training. It could be helpful to set up a secure 
framework for the mobility of minors. A European Trainee Statute could help to overcome the 
specific  difficulties  linked  to  work  placements  abroad  that  arise  from  the  very  different 
regulations  applying  to  this  kind  of  activity,  e.g.  regarding  such  aspects  as  salaries  or 
employment  contracts.  Within  the  university  sector  a  specific  problem  persists  for  doctoral 
students/young  researchers  whose  status  may  vary  between  student/scholarship  holder  and 
employee. Lack  of  clarity about their status has implications for their social  security claims 
and can discourage them from becoming mobile27. 

What  are 
Please give concrete examples.  

the  main 

legal  obstacles 

to  mobility 

that  you  have  encountered? 

Can you provide examples of good practice in overcoming legal obstacles to mobility?  

1.5. Portability of Grants and Loans 

A stay abroad also requires financial preparation. Apart from scholarships, social benefits and 
loans from the home country can be an important source. However, these and other direct and 
indirect subsidies are often not portable, in certain cases in contravention of Community law, 
thereby  discouraging  young  people  from  going  abroad.  For  example,  in  the  area  of  higher 
education, very few countries allow for full portability of grants and loans, and four Member 
States do not authorise any portability at all28. 

The European Court of Justice, in its 1990 ruling stated that the children of migrant workers, 
if they decide to study in a Member State different from their host country, are entitled to the 
same  benefits  they  would  enjoy  in  their  host  country29.  In  a  2007  decision30  the  Court  has 
extended this case-law beyond the families of migrant workers by stating that, if a Member 
State  offers  its  nationals  support  for  education  and  training  purposes  and  if  they  want  to 
undertake this education or training in another Member State, the home Member State cannot 

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See also Commission Communication "Better Careers and more Mobility: a European Partnership for 
Researchers" - COM(2008) 317. 
See Eurydice Report Higher Education 2009: Developments in the Bologna Process. 
Case C-308/89, di Leo, European Court Reports 1990, p. I-4185. 
Joined Cases C-11/06 Morgan and C-12/06 Bucher, European Court Reports 2007, p. I-9161.  

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require that the programme followed abroad be the continuation of that taken in the state of 
origin. The Commission will continue to take action against Member States which contravene 
Community law in this area. 

Info: Joined cases C-11/06 Rhiannon Morgan v Bezirksregierung Köln and C-12/06 

Iris Bucher v Landrat des Kreises Düren, judgement of 23 October 2007 

The  European  Court  of  Justice  stated  that  although  the  Member  States  are  competent  to 
determine the content of teaching and the organisation of their respective education systems, 
that competence must be exercised in compliance with Community law and, in particular, in 
compliance with freedom of movement for citizens of the Union, as conferred by article 18 
EC. In that light, where a Member State provides for a system of education or training grants 
which enables students to receive such grants if they pursue studies in another Member State, 
it must ensure that the detailed rules for the award of those grants do not create an unjustified 
restriction on freedom of movement.  

While Member States are generally aware of the acquis in this area and violations tend to be 
the  exception  rather  than  the  rule,  the  Commission  believes  it  would  be  helpful  to  publish 
guidance  for  public  authorities  and  stakeholders  in  the  Member  States,  drawing  out  the  key 
implications  of  the  case  law  established  by  the  Court  thus  far.  This  guidance  could  cover 
issues  such  as  access  to  educational  institutions,  recognition  of  diplomas,  the  portability  of 
grants and other rights of students in the host country or in the country of origin.  

What kind of obstacles have you encountered regarding the portability of grants and loans 
and access to benefits? Please give concrete examples? 

1.6. Mobility to and from the European Union 

Promoting  the  mobility  of  young  Europeans  as  well  as  attracting  young  people  to  Europe 
from third countries is an important element of future European competitiveness. Visa issues 
have been a significant obstacle to the smooth  mobility  of  Erasmus  Mundus  students  to  the 
EU  in  the  first  phase  of  the  programme31.  Under  Directive  2004/114/EC  (the  "students 
Directive")32,  EU  Member  States  shall  facilitate  the  admission  procedure  for  students, 
including by issuing the necessary visa in a timely manner. Provision is also made to allow 
third-country national students to study in various EU Member States. The Directive has been 
transposed  into  national  law  by  almost  all  EU  countries  and  third-country  students  may 
invoke  its  provisions  when  they  experience  serious  delays  in  the  delivery  of  their  visas  or 
residence permits.  

Specific obstacles – mostly visa problems - also exist for other groups with regard to extra-EU 
mobility,  for  example  participants  in  EU  volunteer  programmes,  pupil  exchanges  or 
unremunerated training. EU Member States could therefore make use of the option to apply 
the students Directive 2004/114 to these groups as well. The Commission will evaluate and 
report on the application of this Directive in Member States in the course of 2010.  

31 

32 

Interim evaluation of Erasmus Mundus by CSES, June 2007   
http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/doc/evalreport_en.pdf 
Council Directive 2004/114/EC of 13 December 2004 on the conditions of admission of third-country 
nationals for the purposes of studies, pupil exchange, unremunerated training or voluntary service. 

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Council Directive 2005/71/EC33 foresees a specific residence permit for foreign researchers, 
independent  of  their  contractual  status  (employee,  self-employed,  grant  holder).  A  simple 
contract  ("hosting  agreement")  with  an  accredited  public  or  private  European  research 
organisation specifying the researcher's scientific skills, financial means and health insurance 
is  the  basis  for  a  rapid  delivery  of  the  residence  permit.  This  scheme  has  numerous 
advantages,  such  as  the  waiver  of  work  permits,  an  easier  family  reunion,  faster  admission 
procedures, and smoother intra-UE mobility34. 

Good practice:  

Fast visa track for AIESEC trainees in Denmark 

The  Denmark  chapter  of  the  international  students'  association  AIESEC  agreed  with  the 
Danish Ministry of External Affairs on a fast track procedure regarding the visa regulations 
for AIESEC members from non-EU countries coming to Denmark for a training period. As a 
result  the  processing  time  of  visa  applications  for  AIESEC  members  is  reduced  from  2-3 
months to 3-4 weeks. 

http://www.aiesec.org  

What  more  should  be  done  to  promote  mobility  to  and  from  the  European  Union?  How 
should this be done? 

Please provide examples of good practice. 

1.7. Preparation of the mobility period and quality assurance issues 

It  is  clear  that  mobility  will  work  best  for  young  people  and  they  will  be  more  easily 
persuaded  of  its  value,  where  there  is  good  preparation  and  overall  management  of  the 
experience.  Organisers  of  learning  mobility  need  to  set  up  appropriate  mechanisms  for 
selecting  participants.  Selection  should  be  fair  and  transparent.  Sending  and  receiving 
institutions  need  to  cooperate  in  matching  participants  and  receiving  institutions.  Preparing 
participants properly, including in terms of linguistic skills and cultural knowledge, should be 
part  of  this  phase.  A  mobility  period  abroad  should  fit  in  as  much  as  possible  with  the 
personal  learning  pathways,  skills  and  motivation  of  the  individual  participant,  and  should 
develop  or  supplement  them.  The  European  Quality  Charter  for  Mobility  can  provide 
guidance on this point as it provides a list of general principles to be taken into account (see 
Info  box  below).  Other  charters  have  been  developed  for  particular  sectors  e.g.  vocational 
training (Leonardo da Vinci Mobility Quality Commitment), research (European Charter for 
Researchers and Code of Conduct35) higher education (Erasmus Student Charter36), voluntary 
work  (European  Voluntary  Service  Charter37)  and  enterprise  (Erasmus  for  Young 
Entrepreneurs  Commitment38).  Generally  speaking,  there  should  be  a  clear  commitment  to 
quality from both the sending and the host institution/organisation. 

33 

34 
35 
36 
37 
38 

Council Directive 2005/71/EC of 12 October 2005 on a specific procedure for admitting third-country 
nationals for the purposes of scientific research (OJ L 289, 3.11.2005, p. 15). 
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm?l1=17&l2=0&l3=1&CFID=88944&CFTOKEN=69293189  
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm?l1=0&l2=3  
http://ec.europa.eu/education/archive/million/charter_en.html  
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/pdf/doc716_en.pdf  
See annex of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Users' Guide at 
http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/upload/H840-290%20Erasmus%20Guide.pdf  

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It is also advisable to draw up a learning or training agreement, taking account of the level of 
knowledge and skills and the linguistic preparation of the participant, and to have it agreed by 
the sending and hosting organisations and the participant. The agreement should outline the 
objectives  and  expected  learning  outcomes,  as  well  as  how  these  can  be  achieved  and 
implemented and recognised. 

Info: European Quality Charter for Mobility 

The 2006 Recommendation of the European Parliament and Council on transnational mobility 
within the Community for education and training purposes provides a concise description of 
the  issues  surrounding  this  type  of  mobility.  The  European  Quality  Charter  for  Mobility, 
which is part of the recommendation, offers a "check list" of the most important issues to be 
taken  into  account  in  organising  learning  mobility  and  can  be  adapted  to  different  settings, 
from schools to apprenticeships etc. In particular it describes the need for a "learning plan", to 
be  agreed 
institution,  mobile  person). 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_394/l_39420061230en00050009.pdf  

to  by  all  parties  (sending 

institution,  host 

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Good practice: Ap n’ go 

Ap ‘n go is a platform where students and apprentices can request a placement abroad, and 
where  companies  interested  in  hosting  young  people  on  placements  can  describe  their 
requirements.  The  website  facilitates  a  matching  between  the  two.  In  addition  the  website 
provides  practical  advice  and  information  for  students/apprentices  and  companies,  online 
tools  in  various  languages  and  allows  to  share  experiences  and  good  practices  from 
apprentices and companies. 

www.ap-and-go.eu 

What measures can be taken to ensure that the mobility period is of high quality?  

Please provide examples of good practice. 

1.8. Reaching out to Disadvantaged Groups 

There is a need to reach out to groups who tend to be excluded from mobility opportunities. 
The  arguments  in  favour  of  learning  mobility  –  coping  with  globalisation,  increasing 
competitiveness  and  strengthening  social  cohesion  –  apply  even  more  so  to  disadvantaged 
groups as these are the most vulnerable. Any measures to increase mobility ought to aim in 
particular at including those already struggling with specific difficulties, e.g. economically or 
socially  disadvantaged  groups,  people  with  special  needs,  and  underprivileged  migrant 
populations.  The  Lifelong  Learning,  Youth  in  Action  and  Erasmus  Mundus  Programmes 
provide specific support to people with special needs. This practice could be widened to other 
programmes  and  mobility  actions  as  the  beneficial  aspect  of  developing  one's  personality 
through learning mobility is particularly important for these groups. 

Good practice: Spread the sign 

Sign  language  is  an  absolutely  necessary  tool  for  communication  between  deaf  or  hard  of 
hearing  people.  However,  against  the  common  belief,  sign  language  is  not  a  universal 
language and it has been difficult for deaf students to go abroad and study. "Spread the sign", 
a  web-based  sign  language  dictionary,  for  the  first  time  gives  a  visual  support  to  persons 
concerned on how to express specific terms in other sign languages. It has been developed to 
support persons in vocational training going abroad for placement. Sign languages from 11 
countries are presently available. 

www.spreadthesign.com  

Which are the most important difficulties encountered by disadvantaged groups with regard 
to learning mobility? 

Please provide examples of good practice of how such difficulties can be overcome. 

2. THE STAY ABROAD AND FOLLOW-UP 

Sending  more  young  people  abroad  is  only  one  side  of  the  coin.  There  also  ought  to  be 
arrangements in place to receive them properly. The lack of affordable housing, especially in 
big  cities,  and  of  reception  facilities  (counselling  offices,  canteens,  health  services,  etc.) 

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continues to be a problem, and may increase if the envisaged boost to mobility figures were to 
come about. 

2.1. Mentoring and Integration 

The host organisation (educational establishment, youth organisation, company, etc.) should 
provide  schemes  such  as  mentoring  to  advise  participants  and  help  with  their  effective 
integration  into  the  host  environment,  and  act  as  a  contact  point  for  obtaining  ongoing 
assistance. 

Can you give some concrete examples of good practice in this area? 

2.2. Recognition and Validation 

It is vital to record, recognise and validate periods of learning mobility in an appropriate way. 
The  Bologna  Process  (for  higher  education),  the  Copenhagen  Process  (for  vocational 
education  and  training)  and  the  European  Research  Area  have  helped  to  improve  the 
transparency  and  facilitate  the  recognition  of  qualifications  and  credits  for  educational 
purposes, which remain a national competence. European instruments now available include: 

•  the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ECTS (for higher education) 

•  the  European  Credit  System  for  Vocational  Education  and  Training  (ECVET,  adopted  in 

2009) 

•  the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) 

•  a  single  Community  framework  for  the  transparency  of  qualifications  and  competences, 
Europass (Decision 2241/2004/EC). It includes the Europass Mobility, a record of mobility 
experiences,  the  Diploma  Supplement  for  higher  education  (developed  jointly  by 
UNESCO-CEPES, the Council of Europe and the European  Commission), as  well as the 
Certificate Supplement for vocational training 

•  the Youthpass certificate for youth exchanges and volunteering 

•  The European Quality Charter for Mobility. 

For  higher  education  there  is  also  the  Convention  on  the  Recognition  of  Qualifications 
concerning  Higher  Education  in  the  European  Region  (Lisbon  Recognition  Convention) 
which was developed by the Council of Europe and UNESCO in 1997. 

The  responsibility  for  the  proper  implementation  of  most  of  these  instruments  lies  with 
national authorities. Progress in recognition could be sped up if the existing instruments were 
used to reach recognition agreements at regional and sectoral levels. The ongoing orientation 
of  teaching  and  training  towards  learning  outcomes39  and  the  emergence  of  qualifications 
frameworks will make it easier for schools, universities, businesses, youth organisations etc. 
to formulate agreements for the recognition of mobility periods. Policies to secure recognition 
are most developed in higher education, but even here problems persist.  

39 

Learning outcome: a statement of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of 
a learning process.  

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However,  proper  follow-up  to  mobility  can  go  beyond  formal  recognition.  Not  only  should 
the acquired formal knowledge be properly recorded, e.g. in the Europass Mobility, the Youth 
Pass or the Diploma Supplement, but in the spirit of Lifelong Learning, also non-formal and 
informal learning should be validated40. 

Info: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ECTS 

ECTS is a tool that enables students to collect credits for learning achieved through higher 
education. ECTS is a learner-centred system which aims to increase transparency of learning 
outcomes  and  learning  processes.  It  aims  to  facilitate  planning,  delivery,  evaluation, 
recognition and validation of qualifications and units of learning as well as student mobility. 
ECTS is widely used in formal higher education and can be applied to other lifelong learning 
activities.  Originally  developed  within  the  Erasmus  Programme,  it  has  become  one  of  the 
central tools of the European Higher Education Area (Bologna Process). 

http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc48_en.htm  

In  your  experience,  is  the  validation  and  recognition  of  both  formal  and  non-formal 
learning still a significant obstacle to mobility? 

Please  give  concrete  examples  and  your  views  on  what  can  be  done  to  improve  the 
situation. 

3. A NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR MOBILITY 

3.1. MOBILISING ACTORS AND RESOURCES 

Extending opportunities for youth mobility significantly beyond existing programmes cannot 
be  done  by  any  one  player.  Overcoming  the  continuing  obstacles  to  mobility  requires  a 
concerted  approach  by  all  sectors,  from  language  teaching  to  volunteer  services.  A  new 
partnership  is  needed,  with  public  authorities  teaming  up  with  partners  from  the  worlds  of 
civil society and business. Professional associations, NGOs and youth organisations could be 
encouraged to become active in promoting youth mobility. Mobility can be mainstreamed into 
all  relevant  policy  areas,  from  education,  training  and  culture  to  research,  enterprise  and 
innovation41. Civil society organisations could be encouraged to twin, following the example 
of  town  twinning,  and  to  set  up  dialogue  frameworks.  This  could  be  stimulated  through 
existing European programmes. European regions have the potential to assume an important 
role in this new partnership for mobility. Many are already key players in supporting mobility, 
providing inter alia funding, reception facilities, and counselling on legal problems. 

40 

41 

At  European  level,  the  following  definitions  are  used:  Formal  learning  is  typically  provided  by 
education  or  training  institutions,  with  structured  learning  objectives,  learning  time  and  learning 
support. It is intentional on the part of the learner and leads to certification. Non-formal learning is not 
provided by an education or training institution and typically does not lead to certification. However, it 
is  intentional  on  the  part  of  the  learner  and  has  structured  objectives,  times  and  support.  Informal 
learning  results  from  daily  activities  related  to  work,  family  life  or  leisure.  It  is  not  structured  and 
usually does not lead to certification. In most cases, it is unintentional on the part of the learner.  
In the area of research a partnership is being implemented, based on the Council Conclusions on better 
careers and more mobility: a European partnership for researchers of 26 September 2008,  
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st13/st13671.en08.pdf  

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Good practice: Interregional Cooperation 

The regions of Tuscany, Catalonia, and Västra Götaland have signed bilateral agreements to 
promote  mobility  among 
in 
apprenticeships,  at  post-secondary  level,  for  young  graduates  or  for  entrepreneurs.  These 
regions  have  defined  a  Quality  Charter  for  interregional  mobility,  to  provide  greater 
transparency to quality issues in the planning of mobility flows. 

the  different  sectors, 

in  schools, 

themselves 

i.e. 

in 

http://www.mob-reg.eu  

Schools and universities can jointly develop actions which help prepare pupils to be mobile 
when  they  become  students,  e.g.  summer  universities  for  upper  secondary  school  pupils  in 
specific  subject  fields.  Building  on  the  Comenius-Regio  initiative42  and  the  mobility 
components  within  the  Youth  in  Action  programme,  interaction  with  other  actors  from  the 
non formal education sector could be increased. 

Info: Comenius Regio Partnerships  

These partnerships offer funding to support regional cooperation in school education and the 
exchange  of  experiences  and  good  practice  between  regions  and  municipalities  in  Europe. 
Together with schools and other relevant partners from their region or municipality, regional 
authorities  with  a  role  in  school  education  are  invited  to  set  up  partnerships  with  other 
regions and to collaborate on any topic of common interest. To support mobility between the 
two partner regions and to develop sustainable mobility schemes for pupils can be one of the 
activities  within  Comenius  Regio  Partnerships. The  first  Comenius  Regio  Partnerships  will 
start in autumn 2009. 

http://ec.europa.eu/education/comenius/doc1002_en.htm 

One important aspect of youth mobility is funding. Whilst the availability of finance is not the 
only  –  and  often  not  the  most  significant  -  barrier  to  expanding  mobility,  it  is  clear  that  in 
order to offer mobility opportunities to all groups of young people the funding base has to be 
broadened  considerably,  beyond  the  existing  and  potential  scope  of  the  European  mobility 
programmes. Some regions are already using the European Social Fund to support mobility, 
most  notably  in  the  vocational  sector.  Under  the  Marie  Curie  Actions,  a  new  funding 
mechanism  (COFUND)  has  been  developed  to  support  existing  or  newly  created  regional, 
national  or  international  programmes  to  boost  transnational  mobility  for  training  and  career 
development.  The  Structural  Funds  may  offer  other  possibilities  to  support  mobility  in  the 
future. The European Investment Bank currently supports a number of initiatives at national 
and regional level for the provision of student lending in the higher education area. Potential 
exists  to  use  the  Bank's  resources  to  expand  the  funding  available  for  mobility.  All  these 
different sources of funding help the EU to play a key role in stimulating learning mobility. 
However,  to  meet  the  ambition  of  expanding  this  opportunity  to  a  much  wider  group, 
European funding may need to be restructured and the existing instruments reoriented to give 
these activities more visibility and effectiveness. Nevertheless, European funding will not be 
sufficient  and  a  much  broader  financial  base  will  have  to  be  found.  European,  national  and 

42 

Comenius  Regio  Partnerships:  new  opportunities  for  regional  cooperation  in  school  education, 
3.11.2008, 
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1621&format=HTML&aged=0&langua
ge=EN&guiLanguage=fr  

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regional  authorities  need  to  cooperate  with  education  institutions,  civil  society  bodies  and 
local authorities engaged in mobility to combine their capacities to fund mobility.  

How can all actors and resources at national, regional and local levels be better mobilised 
in the interest of youth mobility? 

Can you provide examples of successful territorial partnerships?  

Can you provide good examples and innovative ideas on the funding of youth mobility? 

3.2. More active involvement from the business world  

There  is  a  potential  for  further  strengthening  the  motivation  and  engagement  of  business  in 
youth  mobility.  Internships,  research  programmes  and  collaborative  projects,  which  allow 
young people to work with or within a company, alone or in interdisciplinary groups, should 
be encouraged in all disciplines and sectors. Businesses need to be convinced of the value of 
learning mobility so that they will undertake the extra effort needed to offer more placements 
to  young  people.  Businesses  can  also  contribute  to  the  funding  of  youth  mobility,  in 
cooperation with European, national and regional authorities43. 

The  mobility  of  young  entrepreneurs  contributes  to  enhancing  the  internationalisation  and 
competitiveness  of  European  enterprises.  The  European  Institute  for  Innovation  and 
Technology  (EIT)  will,  once  fully  operational,  provide  examples  of  increased  mobility  of 
students, academics and researchers in its various fields of activities44.  

Info: Marie Curie Actions 

Marie  Curie  Actions  offer  a  wide  range  of  opportunities  for  geographical  and  intersectorial 
mobility  of  researchers.  For  example,  Initial  Training  Networks  (ITN)  offer  early-stage 
researchers  the  opportunity  to  improve  their  research  skills,  join  established  research  teams 
organised in international networks and enhance their career prospects. The networks recruit 
and employ researchers, and provide specialised training modules and exposure to the private 
sector. Another  example  are the Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships  and  Pathways 
(IAPP)  which  can  include  universities  and  companies  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  focussing  on 
joint research projects. IAPP aims to boost skills exchange between the commercial and non-
commercial sectors through the secondments of staff.  

http://ec.europa.eu/mariecurieactions/ 

Good practice: Go for Europe 

This  joint  initiative  of  chambers  of  commerce  and  craft  as  well  as  the  metal  and  electrical 
industries  of  Baden-Württemberg/Germany  aims  to  support  internships  of  apprentices 
abroad  and  to  internationalise  the  training  of  apprentices  to  prepare  them  better  for  the 
European labour market. 

http://www.goforeurope.de/home.html 

43 

44 

See also Commission Communication "A new partnership for the modernisation of universities: the EU 
Forum for University Business Dialogue" - COM(2009) 158. 
http://eit.europa.eu/  

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How  can  businesses  be  motivated  to  become  more  strongly  involved  in  youth  mobility? 
Please provide examples of good practice. 

3.3. Virtual Networking and eTwinning 

Virtual  mobility,  i.e.  the  use  of  the  internet  and  other  electronic  forms  of  information  and 
communication, is often a catalyst for embarking on a period of physical mobility. Although 
not  a  substitute  for  physical  mobility,  it  does  enable  young  people  to  prepare  a  stay  abroad 
and can create conditions for future physical mobility by facilitating friendships, contacts and 
social networking etc. It also provides a means to keep in contact with the host country once 
the  mobility  period  is  over.  It  can  also  provide  an  international  dimension  to  those  learners 
who, for different reasons, are not able or willing to go abroad. In that context, ICT can be 
used  for  “electronic  twinning”  and  for  virtual  platforms,  for  teachers,  other  "multipliers", 
interested  individuals,  interactive  communities,  open  source  initiatives  etc.  Virtual  mobility 
may also be an appropriate and practical form of mobility for young pupils, where travelling 
abroad  may  not  be  an  option.  Electronic  twinning  can  enhance  the  quality  of  mobility 
initiatives (e.g. through better preparation) and make them more sustainable.  

Info: Comenius eTwinning 

Within  the  Comenius  programme,  eTwinning  is  being  developed  to  mainstream  the  use  of 
Information  and  Communication  technologies  to  promote  collaborative  learning,  the 
European dimension, the sharing of resources and practice and the pedagogical use of ICT in 
schools  Europe-wide.  In  eTwinning,  primary  and  secondary  schools  establish  an  Internet 
twinning link with a partner school elsewhere in Europe. The main output of eTwinning are 
the joint pedagogical projects developed by the participating schools using the tools and the 
Internet  spaces  made  available  for  them  through  the  European  eTwinning  portal.  The  most 
original  feature  of  eTwinning  is  that,  rather  than  financing  individual  projects,  it  offers 
support, services, ideas, tools and recognition for facilitating school collaboration. More than 
50,000 schools are involved in eTwinning throughout Europe. 

http://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/index.htm  

Good practice: Virtual Campus for Digital Students 

This  European  network  of  providers  of  open  and  distance  learning  is  building  a  virtual 
campus for "digital students" aimed at providing open educational sources and tools and to 
ensure  the  compatibility  of  the  different  eLearning  environments  used  in  the  partner 
universities. 

www.vicadis.net  

How  can  we  best  make  use  of  ICTs  to  provide  valuable  virtual  mobility  opportunities  to 
enrich the physical mobility? 

Can  the  eTwinning  approach  be  used  in  other  learning  sectors  e.g.  voluntary  service, 
vocational sector? 

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3.4. Engaging the "multipliers"  

As briefly mentioned in section 1.2, an enthusiastic teacher, trainer or youth worker who has 
been mobile him or herself, can be an important motivator for young people to undertake a 
mobility period abroad. Such individuals have the credibility to explain the benefits of and act 
as an ambassador for youth mobility.  

However, being mobile themselves and helping young people to go abroad requires, in most 
cases,  a  considerable  personal  investment  on  the  part  of  the  teachers,  trainers  and  youth 
workers.  Mobility  periods  of  teachers  and  trainers  in  school,  university  and  vocational 
education  should  be  encouraged  and  recognised  as  an  integral  part  of  their  career 
development, as well as mobility of youth workers in youth organisations.  

Likewise,  the  time  and  effort  of  teachers,  trainers  and  youth  workers  to  invest  in  helping 
young  people  to  prepare  their  stay  abroad  needs  to  be  recognised  accordingly  in  their  task 
descriptions and work plan. All too often mobility opportunities are the result of the personal 
commitment of a teacher, trainer or youth worker who invests his or her free time and private 
resources  to  create  these  opportunities.  This  group  needs  incentives  and  recognition  for  the 
valuable work they do.  

This could include the development of mobility opportunities for educators and trainers in all 
target areas, e.g. reciprocal teacher exchange schemes. Particular attention could be given to 
the training of trainers in areas of strategic importance and skills shortages identified by the 
"New Skills for New Jobs Initiative"45.  

Language teachers are a particularly important group of multipliers. However, while it would 
seem  elementary  that  language  teachers  should  have  spent  some  time  in  the  country  whose 
language  they  teach,  this  is  by  no  means  the  rule  everywhere  in  Europe.  Equally,  language 
teachers ought to have the opportunity to teach their mother tongue abroad.  

Another  pool  of  people  that  could  be  made  use  of  in  this  context  are  those  who  have 
themselves been mobile, i.e. higher education alumni and various networks of pupils, students 
and former volunteers.  

Good practice: 

Marie Curie Fellows Association  

The  MCFA  is  the  association  of  young  scientists  who  were  awarded  a  mobility  research 
training grant by the European Community. It provides information and a discussion forum 
to young European researchers. 

http://mcfa.eu  

Erasmus Student Network 

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a non-for-profit international student organisation. 
Its mission is to foster student mobility in Higher Education under the principle of “Students 

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New Skills for New Jobs: Anticipating and matching labour market and skills needs - SEC(2008) 3058, 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/com868_en.pdf  

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Helping Students”. The network provides services and information to 150.000 students.  

www.esn.org  

Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association  

The mission of the Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA) is to provide a 
forum for networking, communication and collaboration and to promote Erasmus Mundus as 
a  European  programme  of  excellence  in  international  education.  The  EM  Alumni  have 
proven to be the most effective ambassadors to promote EM programme in their countries of 
origin due to their first-hand knowledge of students' needs, problems and language. 

www.em-a.eu  

Should mobility opportunities for "multipliers" (teachers, trainers, youth workers, etc.) be 
given additional support and prominence in European programmes? 

What do you see as the main obstacles to a stronger engagement of teachers and trainers in 
promoting mobility? 

3.5. Mobility Targets 

Ministers in the Education Council of November 2008 indicated their broad support for a new 
mobilisation to increase mobility; efforts should now focus on turning this broad support into 
precise objectives. Concrete targets to be achieved in a specific area can be a powerful tool to 
encourage  Member  States,  regional  authorities,  institutions  and  organisations  to  focus  their 
strategy. Targets currently exist within the education and training area as part of the Lisbon 
Strategy,  but  so  far  they  do  not  include  mobility.  The  existing  targets  have  proved  to  be  a 
useful tool within the Open Method of Coordination, particularly to motivate stakeholders to 
reach new goals. Specific mobility targets are presently being discussed in the context of the 
renewed Education and Training Strategy. A significant breakthrough was achieved in April 
2009 when a mobility target in higher education was adopted in the context of the Bologna 
Process. This stipulates that by 2020, at least 20% of those graduating in the European Higher 
Education Area should have a study or a training period abroad (see footnote 10). On the foot 
of this, in May 2009, the European Council invited the Commission to study the possibility of 
extending  such  a  benchmark  to  include  vocational  education  and  training  and  teacher 
mobility46. 

In  addition  to  European  and  national  benchmarks,  it  might  also  be  useful  for  regions, 
universities, schools, businesses and associations to set strategic benchmarks of their own, in 
line  with  their  own  education  and  skills  strategies.  This  develops  a  sense  of  ownership  and 
motivation to reach the benchmarks. 

Good practice: national and organisational mobility targets in higher education 

A newly developed "Strategy for the Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions in 
Finland  2009-2015"  sets  mobility  goals  for  2015:  thus  the  outgoing  student  and  trainee 
mobility in universities is to reach 6% (2007:3.8%) and in polytechnics 8% (2007: 6.1%). 

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Council  Conclusions  in  a  strategic  framework  for  European  cooperation  in  education  and  training, 
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st09/st09845.en09.pdf  

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The Austrian Government has set the objective that 50% of graduates should have a mobility 
experience relevant to their studies by 2020.  

Targets exist not only at governmental level: The German Academic Exchange Service DAAD 
also calls for at least 50% of graduates to have a mobility experience "in the medium term".  

Do you consider targets a useful tool in defining a mobility strategy and if so, at what level 
(European, national, institutional, sectoral, etc.)?  

Please provide examples of good practice. 

CONCLUSIONS  

This Green Paper is being put forward with a view to raising a wide number of issues linked 
to the learning mobility of young Europeans in all disciplines and contexts. 

The  European  Commission  is  now  calling  upon  all  stakeholders,  from  governments  to 
individuals,  to  support  its  efforts  to  make  youth  mobility  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception. 
While  recognising  that  this  is  a  challenging  objective  in  the  current  economic  context, 
learning  mobility  is  a  key  element  in  the  overall  strategy  to  equip  Europe  with  the  skills 
needed for the future. 

This  Green  Paper  highlights  a  number  of  areas  where  further  efforts  are  required.  Many  of 
these  efforts  imply  action  at  national,  regional  and  institutional  level,  as  well  as  the  active 
involvement of civil society, business and other stakeholders.  

Suggestions of possible courses of action which could be explored at different levels are put 
forward.  These  are  intended  to  stimulate  feedback  and  are  not  meant  to  be  exhaustive.  All 
interested parties  are  welcome  to  contribute  to this debate and put forward their options for 
the  future.  The  Commission  will  carefully  evaluate  the  feedback  to  the  consultation  and 
prepare a proposal for the practical follow-up. 

HOW TO TAKE PART IN THE CONSULTATION 

Responses to this Green Paper will be collected at two levels.  

First, the Commission invites stakeholders to provide responses to the open questions raised 
in the text, as well as further reflections and examples of good practice.  

All data concerning individuals will remain anonymous. If you are responding on behalf of an 
organisation,  please  indicate  the  name  and  nature  of  the  entity  you  represent.  Professional 
organisations are invited to register in the Commission's Register for Interest Representatives.  
(http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regrin). 

You can send your contributions via e-mail to  

EAC-GREEN-PAPER-MOBILITY@ec.europa.eu. 

 or via mail to:  

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EAC GREEN PAPER MOBILITY  

DG EAC/B3 

MADO 11/14 

European Commission 

B-1049 Brussels  

Second, there is an on-line multiple-choice questionnaire, tailored to the wider public, at:  

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/consult/index_en.html 

The public consultation period for consultations at both levels ends on 15 December 2009. 

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