REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Mid-term evaluation of the Erasmus+ programme (2014-2020)
Date: 2018-01-31
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, cooperation in the field of education, education, education policy, sport, vocational training, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 31.1.2018 COM(2018) 50 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Mid-term evaluation of the Erasmus+ programme (2014-2020) {SWD(2018) 40 final}  
 
 
Erasmus+ is the Union programme supporting actions in the fields of education and training, 
youth  and  sport.  With  a  budget  of  EUR  16.45  billion  for  the  period  2014-20201.  the 
programme  aims  to  provide  to  over  4 million  persons  the  opportunity  to  gain  competences 
and  have  a  personal,  socio-educational  and  professional  development  through  studies, 
training,  work  experiences  or  volunteering  abroad  worldwide.  It  aims  to  foster  quality 
improvements,  innovation,  excellence  and  internationalisation  of  organisations  active  in 
education  and  training,  youth  and  sport.  Erasmus+  also  helps  European  countries  to 
modernise and improve their education and training systems as well as their youth and sport 
policies,  reinforcing  their  role  as  drivers  for  growth,  employment,  competitiveness, 
innovation and social cohesion. 

This  mid-term  evaluation  report  on  the  Erasmus+  programme,  including  the  evaluation  of 
the  long-term  impact  of  its  predecessor  programmes,  is  submitted  pursuant  to  Article 21  of 
Regulation  (EU)  No  1288/2013  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council2  and  is 
accompanied  by  a  staff  working  document  (SWD)  presenting  all  evidence.  It  builds  on 
national  reports  submitted  by  the  programme  countries,  an  evaluation  report  by  an  external 
independent contractor, other reviewed studies, experience in managing the programme, and 
over a million responses from all interested parties. It assesses progress in implementing 
Erasmus+  in  the  period  2014-2016  in  all  participating  countries3,  prior  to  the  full  budget 
increase.  It  also  examines  the  long-term  impact  of  seven  predecessor  programmes  from  the 
period 2007-2013 (ex post evaluation), including in partner countries. 

Erasmus+  is  well  on  track  to  achieve  its  performance  indicators,  as  set  in  the  legal  basis, 
with  notably  over  less  than  three  years,  1.8 million  individuals  taking  part  in  mobility 
activities,  and  more  than  240 000  organisations  involved  in  cooperation  projects. 
Considering  the  baseline  of  the  evaluation,  between  2007  and  2016,  the  programmes  under 
review  funded  learning  mobility  for  more  than  4.3 million  young  people  and  more  than 
880 000  practitioners.  In  addition,  many  more  people  benefited  from  cooperation  projects 
involving 940 000 participating organisations. 

Overall,  the  evaluation  shows  that  Erasmus+  is  highly  valued  by  stakeholders  and  the 
public. The findings of this evaluation, as detailed in the SWD, show that all the programmes 
evaluated  proved  to  be  highly  effective.  Their  European  added  value  is  undisputed.  In 
addition, Erasmus+ is seen as being more coherent, relevant and only partly more efficient 
than its predecessors. Building on suggestions in the national reports and taking into account 
recommendations  made  by  the  external  evaluator,  it  makes  proposals  to  adjust  the 
implementation  of  the  current  programme  to  help  reach  its  full  potential  by  2020,  and 
considers suggestions for improvements with a view to a successor programme. 

1 Including funding from external action instruments 
2 OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50 budget 
3 Programme countries: the EU Member States, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, 
Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey. Partner countries: other non-EU countries. 

1 

 
 
                                                            
Effectiveness 

The  evaluation  found  that  Erasmus+  is  highly  valued  by  its  stakeholders  as  well  as  the 
general public, which identifies the programme as the third most positive results of the EU. 
Programme beneficiaries report satisfaction rates above 90 %. 

learners  (students,  apprentices,  volunteers,  young  people,  etc.), 

For 
the  evaluated 
programmes  had,  and  continue  to  have,  a  positive  effect  on  the  acquisition  of  skills  and 
competences,  thereby  increasing  employability  and  entrepreneurship  and  shortening  the 
transition from education to employment (13% higher, compared to individuals who did not 
take  part  in  Erasmus+  or  its  predecessor  programmes).  The  evaluation  indicates  that  the 
Erasmus+  programme  fosters  willingness  to  work  or  study  abroad  (+31%)  and  the 
development  of  foreign  language  skills  (7%  higher  in  tested  proficiency);  that  it  influences 
individuals’  positive  perception  of  the  value  of  learning  for  their  professional  and  personal 
development (+8%); and that it improves even students’ completion rates (+2%)  

There  is  also  evidence  of  a  contribution  to  a  more  cohesive  Union.  The  Erasmus+ 
programme fosters positive social/civic behaviour and a sense of feeling ‘European’ (+19% 
compared  to  non-participants).  It  reaches  out  to  disadvantaged  young  people  (11.5%  of  the 
total number of participants in Erasmus+) more than its predecessors or comparable national 
schemes. Yet the evaluation points to the need to do more to reach out to the more vulnerable 
in society and to facilitate the participation of smaller-size organisations. 

  Within  the  current  programme architecture to  2020, the Commission will step up its 
efforts  to  make  Erasmus+  more  accessible  to  individuals  from  disadvantaged 
backgrounds or with special needs. It will take steps to facilitate the participation of 
schools and other small-scale actors in the programme. 

  After  2020,  the  Commission  will  consider  how  to  further  boost  the  inclusion 
dimension of any future programme, through increased integration of disadvantaged 
and vulnerable groups in education and training, youth and sport activities. 

For  practitioners  (teachers,  trainers,  youth  workers,  staff,  etc.),  participation  translates  into 
professional development — notably in terms of wider networking options (+22 percentage 
points) and greater use of digital resources (+5 points) — coupled with stronger attachment 
to Europe (+6 points). 

For participating organisations (schools, universities, vocational education and training and 
adult  education  providers,  youth  and  sport  organisations,  etc.)  the  expected  changes  are 
gradual and differ in intensity across the sectors of the programme. Continued participation is 
needed  for  deeper  transformation.  But  the  evaluation  shows  the  programme  has  a  clear 
‘Europeanisation’ effect4. 

Though  less  visible,  the  evaluation  also  confirmed  that  the  programmes  reviewed  had  an  
impact on the formulation and implementation of education, training, youth and sport 

4 SWD, 5.1.2.1 

2 

 
 
                                                            
policies5,  especially  in  the  case  of  higher  education  where  the  relevant  budget  was  large 
enough,  or  had  an  indirect  effect  by  funding  policy  cooperation  between  authorities.  In  the 
long  run,  the  programmes  have  instilled  in  Europe  the  perception  that  learning  mobility 
brings  benefits  to  individuals  and  that  its  learning  outcomes  are  to  be  commonly 
validated  and  recognised.  The  programmes  evaluated  have  also  been  important  for  the 
EU’s  global  outreach,  notably  in  facilitating  the  recognition  of  qualifications  between 
Europe and partner countries. 

The  systemic  effects  are  matched  by  progress  in  disseminating  the  results  of  the  projects 
funded thanks to a single dedicated platform6. However, the evidence that the project results 
are used by policy makers is not always clear, especially if the latter are not engaged in the 
project from the beginning. 

  To  boost  the  impact  on  policy,  the  Commission  will  consider  additional  ways  of 
fostering system-level effects and to mainstream successful project results at national 
level more effectively. 
In preparing future programmes, it will explore options for developing and financing 
at  larger  scale  (notably  with  the support  of  the  European  Structural  and  Investment 
Funds) those successful Erasmus+ projects that have the potential to trigger structural 
reforms at national level. 

 

Overall, the evaluation showed that, at mid-term, Erasmus+ has achieved or exceeded most 
of the indicators set in the legal basis for it. Demand greatly exceeds the funding available. 
For  the  future,  without  prejudice  to  the  next  Multi  Financial  Framework,  the  evaluation 
confirmed the programme’s capacity to absorb an overall budget increase. If that was the 
case, it suggested that the current share-out between the sectors of the programme could 
be modified to reinforce those sectors for which a budget increase would determine the most 
efficient  gains  in  terms  of  impact.  School  education,  vocational  education  and  training 
(VET) and youth activities, where the impact of the programmes was proven albeit not yet as 
widespread  as  in  higher  education  due  to  smaller  budget  allocations,  were  identified  as 
having high potential for expanded participation in Erasmus+ activities in the coming years. 

 

  As of 2018, new actions and activities will be launched under Erasmus+ with a view 
to increasing the number of mobility opportunities for school pupils, VET learners 
and apprentices. 
In  its  communication  Strengthening  European  identity  through  education  and 
culture7,  the  Commission  sets  out  a  vision  for  boosting  the  future  Erasmus+  in  all 
categories  of  learners  (including  pupils,  students,  trainees  and  apprentices)  and 
teachers, with the aim of doubling the number of participants  and reaching out to 
learners from disadvantaged backgrounds by 20258. 

5 SWD, 5.1.2.2 
6 http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects 
7 Strengthening European identity through education and culture — The European Commission's contribution to 
the leaders’ meeting in Gothenburg, 17 November 2017, COM(2017) 673 
8 Without prejudice to the next Multi Financial Framework 

3 

 
 
                                                            
The  Master  Loan  Guarantee  Facility  has  only  recently  started  up.  The  first  beneficiaries 
gave positive feedback. So far however, it has not yet lived up to volume expectations due 
to  delays  to  its  launch,  low  take-up  among  financial  institutions  and  a  lack  of  awareness 
among students. 

  Until 2020, the Commission intends to reduce the yearly budget allocations to the 
Master Loan Guarantee Facility, without altering the overall allocation set for other 
higher education activities. 

EU added value and relevance 

In  light  of  the  outcomes  delivered,  the  evaluation  highlights  the  undisputable  European 
added  value  of  the  programmes  evaluated9.  This  stems  from  the  high  volume  and  broad 
scope of the activities funded, together with fairer access to learning mobility, mainstreamed 
best  practices,  deeper  EU  integration  and  a  clear  international  dimension.  Other  schemes 
funding comparable action at national level remain significantly smaller both in volume and 
scope. They are most unlikely to be able to substitute for Erasmus+ funding. 

The  evaluation  showed  that  Erasmus+  is  better  aligned  with  EU  policies  than  its 
predecessors and is flexible enough to adapt to emerging EU-level needs such as increasing 
social inclusion and preventing violent radicalisation10. To maximise the programme’s impact, 
the evaluation recommends that priorities be reduced in number and better focused. 

 

In  the current programme, greater emphasis was  placed  on action  that contributes to 
social inclusion following the Paris Declaration11, the new priority areas under  ET 
2020 and the Youth Strategy12 or the New Skills Agenda for Europe13. 

  The  future  programme  should  continue  to  help  implement  the  EU’s  political 
priorities, while keeping the flexibility to adjust as needed and being highly relevant 
to participating countries. Some actions, notably those supporting partnerships, could 
be focused on fewer priorities. 

The  final  evaluation  of  the  programme  will  also  assess  the  outcomes  of  the  large-scale 
Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances introduced within Erasmus+ for the purpose 
of  boosting  innovation  in  higher  education  and  VET.  These  actions  were  not  sufficiently 
complete to be evaluated at mid-term. 

9 SWD, 5.5 
10 SWD, 5.2 
11 Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination 
through education, Paris, 17 March 2015. 
12  2015  Joint  Report  of  the  Council  and  the  Commission  on  the  implementation  of  ET  2020,  OJ C 417, 
15.12.2015, p. 25; Council Resolution laying down a specific EU work plan for youth (2016-2018), OJ C 417, 
15.12.2015, p. 1. 
13 COM(2016) 381 of 10 June 2016 

4 

 
 
                                                            
  Up to 2020, the Commission will further consolidate the different ways of handling 
projects  mainly  aimed  at  promoting  cooperation  and  exchanges,  as  distinct  from 
projects aimed at fostering innovation. 
In the new programme, ways of boosting innovation will be considered. 

 

The  evaluation  also  noted  that  there  is  potential  to  introduce  better-targeted  actions  to 
maximise  the  relevance  of  Jean  Monnet  activities  and  the  programme’s  added  value  in 
the adult learning sector. 

Teaching  and  research  on  EU  matters  is  now  relatively  widespread  in  higher  education.  By 
contrast, there is a need for greater understanding of European integration and a greater sense 
of  belonging  to  Europe  among  the  youngest  generations,  in  the  aftermath  of  economic  and 
political crises of the last ten years. 

  Jean  Monnet  could  in  the  future  programme  be  redesigned  to  cater  for  a  wider 
target  group  (including  schools)  in  order  to  raise  awareness  on  what  its  common 
European values are. 

The evaluation underlines that the impact on the adult learning sector, which currently targets 
a wide population, is diluted due to the fragmented and diverse nature of the sector. 

  The  Commission  will  consider  how  to  increase  the  focus  of  EU  support  for 

transnational activities in the adult learning sector. 

Coherence 

The evaluation found a high level of complementarity between Erasmus+ and other relevant 
EU  policies  and  programmes  (e.g.  the  European  Social  Fund  and  Horizon  2020).  Although 
the level of synergies varies, it is striking that the evaluation detected very few overlaps14. 

The  programme’s  strong  internal  coherence  compared  to  its  predecessors  stems  from  its 
lifelong learning coverage. Bringing together fields that are often kept separate (at national 
level)  in  a  single  EU  programme  is  perceived  as  encouraging  complementarity  and  an 
international outlook15. 

Cross-sectoral  cooperation  within  Erasmus+  has  increased  sharply  (+23  percentage  points 
compared to predecessor programmes). The vast majority of cooperation projects now include 
at least one organisation from another programme sector. Cooperation between education and 
training and civil society is gradually happening under Erasmus+. 

The  evaluation  highlighted  that  the  programme  has  clearly  benefited  from  simpler 
architecture, grouping activities into three key actions (individual mobility, cooperation, and 
policy  reform  support),  as  expected  in  the  impact  assessment.  The  single  brand  name  has 
contributed to the programme’s increased visibility, to the benefit of each sector. Erasmus+ 

14 SWD, 5.3.2 
15 SWD, 5.3.1 

5 

 
 
                                                            
has improved its geographical balance, better involving small countries and countries from 
Central and Eastern Europe. 

Coherence  can  still  be  improved  in  relation  to  sport.  To  achieve  meaningful  results, 
resources should not be spread too thinly. 

  The Commission will seek to increase the focus of some sport actions, notably on 

social inclusion aspects, and reduce overlap with youth activities. 

Efficiency and simplification16 

Evidence  shows  that  Erasmus+  mobility  actions  are  clearly  cost-effective,  especially 
learners' mobility (with a cost for the EU of 15€ per day/learner). A key challenge will be to 
improve  the  efficiency  of  decentralised  actions  with  partner  countries,  which  have 
specific criteria and fragmented budgets coming under the EU’s external relations funds. 

Management costs (at 6 % of the Erasmus+ budget17) are reasonable, especially compared 
to  similar  national  schemes  (14 %  on  average),  although  greater  economies  of  scale  could 
have been achieved. More efficiency gains are therefore expected by 2020. 

In  terms  of  simplification,  the  integrated  nature  of  Erasmus+  allows  cross-field  tools  to  be 
used  for  grant  application,  monitoring,  audit  or  dissemination.  Following  a  difficult 
transitional period between the predecessor programmes and the current programme, there is 
broad  agreement  that  Erasmus+  has  seen  major  improvements  (e.g.  simplified  grants, 
digitalisation,  the  VET  Charter  and  online  language  support18)  but  that  procedures  and  IT 
management  tools  should  be  made  easier  to  use  to  reduce  the  administrative  burden  on 
implementing bodies and beneficiaries in proportion to the grants they receive. 

  From  2018,  the  Commission  will  make  it  easier  to  apply  for  grants  by  introducing 
online  web  forms.  These  incremental  improvements  will  continue  throughout  the 
programme’s life. 

  The future programme should further consolidate current efficiency gains, especially 
reducing  the  administrative  burden  by  simplifying  application  and  reporting 
procedures,  making  IT  tools  more  interoperable  and  user-friendly,  and  increasing 
budget flexibility, while preserving accountability. 

The  decentralised  implementation  mode  through  national  agencies  is  now  well 
established.  A  truly  performance-based  approach  to  programme  management  was 
introduced in 2014. Building on the acknowledged improvement in  monitoring outcomes  in 
Erasmus+,  some  indicators  need  to  be  fine-tuned  and  less  data  could  be  collected  from 
participants and better used. 

16 SWD, 5.4 
17 Including management fees for National agencies, supported through the operational budget.  
18 https://erasmusplusols.eu/ 

6 

 
 
                                                            
  The  communication  between  the  Education,  Culture  and  Audiovisual  Executive 
Agency  and  national  agencies  has  been  improved  in  order  to  increase  synergies 
between centralised and decentralised actions. 

  The Commission will consider how to perfect Erasmus+ monitoring by extending it to 
cooperation projects and centralised actions with a view to mining the data collected, 
in a proportionate way, so that decision making is informed by evidence. 

7