COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation 'Europe on the move' – learning mobility opportunities for everyone
Date: 2023-11-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: cooperation in the field of education, education, education policy, educational system, sport, student mobility, vocational training, youth exchange scheme, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 15.11.2023  SWD(2023) 719 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT   Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation  'Europe on the move' – learning mobility opportunities for everyone {COM(2023) 719 final} - {SWD(2023) 720 final}  
 
 
1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 3 

2. State of play of learning mobility in the European Union ............................................................. 9 

2.1 Mobility data and trends ............................................................................................................ 9 

2.2 Mobility Scoreboard ................................................................................................................. 14 

2.3 Study on supporting learning mobility and other evidence and developments ................... 23 

2.3.1 Higher education ................................................................................................................ 23 

2.3.2 Vocational education and training ................................................................................... 27 

2.3.3 School education ................................................................................................................. 30 

2.3.4 Youth ................................................................................................................................... 36 

2.3.5 Adult education .................................................................................................................. 42 

2.3.6 Sport .................................................................................................................................... 45 

2.3.7 Inclusive mobility ............................................................................................................... 47 

2.3.8 Digital aspects of mobility ................................................................................................. 52 

2.3.9 Green mobility .................................................................................................................... 60 

2.3.10 Participatory mobility ...................................................................................................... 64 

2.3.11 Balanced mobility ............................................................................................................. 67 

3. The way forward ............................................................................................................................. 69 

3.1 Learning mobility targets ......................................................................................................... 69 

3.2 Recommendations for the Member States .............................................................................. 76 

3.2.1 Providing systemic learning mobility opportunities ....................................................... 76 

3.2.2 Enhancing language learning ............................................................................................ 83 

3.2.3 Supporting engagement in learning mobility activities .................................................. 84 

3.2.4 Providing information on learning mobility opportunities ............................................ 89 

3.2.5 Supporting transparency and recognition of learning outcomes ................................... 92 

3.2.6 Supporting transition to labour market and work mobility .......................................... 98 

3.2.7 Making learning mobility more inclusive and accessible ............................................... 99 

3.2.8 Making learning mobility more environmentally sustainable ..................................... 101 

3.2.9 Making use of digital technologies to facilitate learning mobility ............................... 103 

3.2.10 Promoting EU values through learning mobility ........................................................ 105 

3.2.11 Promoting the EU as a learning destination ................................................................ 107 

3.2.12 Making implementation arrangements ........................................................................ 109 

3.2.13 A policy framework for teacher’s mobility .................................................................. 109 

3.2.14 A policy framework for mobility of apprentices ......................................................... 112 

3.3 Actions of the Commission ..................................................................................................... 119 

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3.3.1 Supporting the implementation of the Recommendation ............................................. 119 

3.3.2 Strengthening the evidence base on learning mobility ................................................. 126 

Annex: Stakeholder consultation synopsis report .......................................................................... 128 

a) Introducing the consultation strategy ..................................................................................... 128 

b) Targeted information and consultation of stakeholders ....................................................... 128 

c) Public Consultation and Call for Evidence ............................................................................ 128 

d) Citizens’ Panel recommendations ........................................................................................... 134 

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1. Introduction 

Policy context 

The  European  Education  Area  is  a  strategic  initiative  of  the  European  Union  aimed  at 
improving the quality, inclusiveness, and competitiveness of European education and training 
systems. It seeks to create a common space for learning, where people can move freely, learn, 
and work anywhere in Europe. Until 2030, the achievement and further development of the 
European  Education  Area  will  be  the  overarching  political  objective  of  the  new  strategic 
framework  for  European  cooperation  in  education  and  training  2021-20301.  The  seamless 
learning mobility is an essential element of the European Education Area not only for people, 
but also for organisations and education and training systems. 

The Commission Communication of 30 September 2020 on achieving the European Education 
Area by 20252 announced the update of the learning mobility framework, the 2011 Council 
Recommendation ‘Youth on the move’ – promoting the learning mobility of young people3, 
and the development of the policy framework for the learning mobility of teachers to enable 
more learners and teachers to benefit from a mobility opportunity. A proposal for the learning 
mobility framework was also listed among the strategic initiatives towards the achievement of 
the European Education Area to be adopted by 20254, with an adoption date by the end of 2023.  

The Communication on achieving the European Education Area also affirmed the role of non-
formal  and  informal  learning,  including  volunteering,  in  the  development  of  personal  and 
professional skills and competences of learners, as well as their intercultural awareness and 
active citizenship. It highlighted the need to address legal, financial, and administrative barriers 
that might hinder the mobility of young people, including volunteers.  

The Council resolution of 16 May 2023 on the European Education Area: looking to 2025 and 
beyond5  emphasised  that  a  particular  focus  should  be  given  to  promoting  the  professional 
development,  mobility  opportunities,  working  conditions  and  well-being  of  teachers  as  key 
factors  in  increasing  the  attractiveness  of  the  profession,  and  to  removing  the  remaining 
obstacles  to  mobility  while  encouraging  inclusive,  sustainable  and  balanced  mobility  in  the 
EU, including by achieving automatic mutual recognition in education and training. 

Much has been achieved since the 2011 Recommendation in promoting learning mobility by 
Member  States  and  the  EU,  including  through  the  reinforced  Erasmus+  and  the  European 
Solidarity Corps programmes.  

1 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in  education and training towards the 
European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030), (OJ C 66, 26.2.2021). 
2 COM(2020) 625 final. 
3  OJ C 199, 7.7.2011, p. 1–5. 
4  Communication  from  the  Commission  on  progress  achieved  towards  the  achievement  of  the  EEA,  COMM 
2022(700) 
5 OJ C 185, 26.5.2023, p. 35–38. 

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However, feedback and evidenced collected from the Conference on the Future of Europe6, the 
European Citizens’ panel7 on learning mobility, the Mobility Scoreboard8, the Eurobarometer 
and other surveys and studies called for the expansion of learning mobility opportunities for 
all,  regardless  of  age,  education  and  background  and  for  making  these  opportunities  more 
inclusive. 

In the recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe citizens emphasized  the 
importance for the EU and its Member States to “Promote European exchanges in different 
fields,  both  physically  and  digitally,  including  educational  exchanges,  twinning,  travel  and 
professional mobility (including for teachers and local elected politicians)” and to “establish 
by 2025 an inclusive European Education Area within which all citizens have equal access to 
quality education and life-long learning, including those in rural and remote areas”. 

The  European  Citizens’  Learning  Mobility  Panel  addressed  the  question  “how  to  make 
opportunities for learning mobility a reality for everyone?” and provided 21 recommendations 
to  the  European  Commission  ahead  of  its  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation.  These 
recommendations stressed the importance of an inclusive system that enables learning mobility 
for people with fewer opportunities, the importance of well targeted information and support 
for learners, the learning mobility of employees and the importance of multilingualism and a 
lingua franca. 

The  proposed  Recommendation  invites  the  Member  States  to  make  learning  mobility 
experiences a valued part of all education and training pathways and embed the opportunity for 
mobility in education and training programmes. It has a strong focus on inclusive mobility and 
broadens  the  scope  of  the  2011  Recommendation  to  learners,  educators  and  staff  in  all 
education and training, youth and sport sectors, whether formal, non-formal or informal. The 
proposal  addresses  the  persistent  impediments  to  mobility  such  as  administrative  burden, 
language  barriers,  lack  of  financial  means,  and  lack  of  automatic  recognition  schemes.  It 
equally addresses new developments in learning patterns aiming at making learning mobility 
more  environmentally  sustainable,  benefiting  from  digital  technologies  and  promoting  EU 
values.  It  will  also  strengthen  the  links  between  learning  mobility  and  labour  mobility, 
promoting  synergies  between  initiatives  and  organisations  active  in  both  fields  and  making 
learning abroad an important component of professional development. 

Importance and benefits of mobility 

Learning mobility supports the development of skills and competencies that are essential for a 
competitive and resilient  economy, as well as for social cohesion.  Embracing  new cultures, 
languages,  teaching  and  learning  methods  helps  to  develop  critical  thinking,  intercultural 
competence,  and  communication  skills.  Transnational  and  international  learning  mobility 
activities have proven to be highly valuable experiences for people in gaining knowledge, skills 

6 Conference on the future of Europe. Recommendations of the European Citizens’ Panel 1 on ‘Stronger economy, 
social justice, jobs, education, culture, sport, digital transformation’, recommendation 36. 
7 European Citizens’ Panel on learning mobility, final recommendations. 
8 https://national-policies.eacea.ec.europa.eu/mobility-scoreboard.  

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and competencies9 needed for personal, educational, and professional development10, as well 
as  civic  engagement  and  social  inclusion11.  By  investing  in  learning  mobility,  European 
countries can build more inclusive12, competitive, and resilient education and training systems, 
and youth and sport sectors. 

Free  movement  of  persons,  knowledge,  ideas  and  cultural  exchanges  are  at  the  core  of  the 
European  project.  Cross-border  learning  experiences  also  foster  intercultural  understanding 
and contribute to the development of a shared European identity. Learning mobility promotes 
the backbone of the EU’s economic and social development: education, training, and research. 
It is also a strong driver for enhancing the quality of education and training institutions and of 
organisations  and  stakeholders  involved  in  non-formal  and  informal  learning  contexts  and 
youth work. Learning experiences abroad are also a first step towards a working experience in 
another country. Students are also the group in the population expressing the highest intentions 
for  working  abroad.  In  the  recent  Eurobarometer  on  Intra-EU  labour  mobility  after  the 
pandemic13, 51% of students expressed the intention to work abroad, against a figure of 18% 
for  the  average  population.  For  the  majority  of  Europeans  living  or  working  abroad  is  an 
important experience beyond the professional aspects; within the population of those who lived 
abroad, 52% of the respondents considered this as an important experience which had effects 
beyond professional life and 40% agreed that they had gained better skills and qualifications, 
thus confirming the learning opportunity linked to mobility. 

Scope and objectives of the proposal 

With a proposal for a new Recommendation, the Commission is aiming to give a new impetus 
to boosting learning mobility, to promote its benefits and incentives and to address the still 
existing  obstacles.  The  key  ambition  of  the  proposal  is  to  gradually  move  towards  making 
opportunities for learning mobility a norm, rather than an exception, for learners at any age, 
educators and staff in all education and training systems, youth and sport sectors. 

The proposal for a new Recommendation builds on the lessons learnt from the implementation 
of  the  2011  Recommendation  and  seeks  for  continuity,  where  relevant.  It  builds  on  the 
broadened, reinforced and more inclusive Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027 and its measures 
and good practices that  may serve as  an inspiration  for other  learning  mobility schemes, in 
particular  in  support  of  inclusion  and  diversity,  green  transition,  digital  transition  and 
participatory mobility.  

The evidence for the proposal were gathered through the dedicated study “Supporting learning 
mobility:  progress,  obstacles  and  way  forward”  and  an  extensive  consultation  process  that 

9  See  Di  Pietro,  G.(2022).  International  internships  and  skill  development:  A  systematic  review.  Review  of 
Education,10, e3363. 
10  See  Di  Pietro,  G.  (2022):  “Studying  abroad  and  earnings:  A  meta-analysis”,  Journal  of  Economic  Surveys, 
36(4),1096-1129. 
11  Commission  Staff  Working  document:  Impact  assessment,  accompanying  the  document  Proposal  for  a 
Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  establishing  'Erasmus':  the  Union  programme  for 
education,  training,  youth  and  sport  and  repealing  Regulation  (EU)  1288/2013,  {COM(2018)  367  final}  - 
{SEC(2018) 265 final} - {SWD(2018) 276 final.  
Link: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018SC0277 
12  See  Di  Pietro,  G.  (2022):  “Changes  in  the  study  abroad  gender  gap:  A  European  cross-country  analysis”, 
HigherEducation Quarterly, 76(2), 436-459. 
13 Intra-EU labour mobility after the pandemic - December 2022 - - Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu) 

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comprised three blocs: the European Citizen’s Learning Mobility Panel, the public consultation 
and  the  call  for  evidence  that  received  over  a  thousand  inputs  and  dozens  of  targeted 
information and consultations meetings with stakeholders.  

The proposal also aims to give a specific boost to learning mobility for teachers and apprentices 
through dedicated policy frameworks in annexes. Schools are facing shortages of teachers and 
learning  mobility  should  increase  the  attractiveness  of  their  profession.  Teachers  who  have 
experienced  mobility  may  become  role  models  for  learners  and  important  promoters  of 
transnational and international cooperation. Apprentices are facing specific barriers related to 
the  specificities  of  apprenticeship  and  work-based  learning.  Their  mobility  should  help  to 
address skills gaps and green and digital transitions, and increase the employability of young 
people. 

Policy framework for teachers’ mobility 

The  2020  Commission’s  Communication  on  Achieving  the  European  Education  Area  by 
202514 highlighted the crucial role of teachers and the vision of having highly competent and 
motivated educators who can benefit from a range of support and professional development 
opportunities throughout their varied careers, including through learning mobility opportunities 
abroad. It states that the Commission “will work together with Member States and stakeholders 
on a policy framework for increasing the number and quality of learning mobility of teachers 
in Europe based on their actual mobility needs”. 

In its Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training 
towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030), the Council agreed to address 
five strategic priorities including “Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality for all” and 
“Enhancing competences and motivation in the education profession”. 

In  this  context,  the  mobility  of  teachers  for  professional  developments  is  one  of  the 
cornerstones of the achievement of the European Education Area. 

The Council adopted a Recommendation on Pathways to School Success in November 2022 
aiming at promoting better educational outcomes for all young Europeans, irrespective of their 
personal  characteristics,  family,  socio-economic  and  cultural  background.  This  policy 
framework is based on a holistic approach for improving success by identifying key conditions 
and a wide range of prevention, intervention and compensation measures, which will serve as 
a reference tool for national, regional and local policy makers and practitioners in education 
and training to develop a systemic policy response to ensure better educational outcomes for 
all learners. 

As  part  of  this  approach,  the  Council  Recommendation  calls  for  supporting  school  leaders, 
teachers,  trainers  and  other  staff  by  making  sure  they  have  the  knowledge,  skills,  and 
competences, as well as time, space and adequate support to work effectively with learners at 
risk of exclusion, underachievement and early leaving. 

Learning  mobility  of  teachers,  school  leaders  and  staff  contributes  to  their  competences, 
motivation and professional development along their careers, as required in the context of the 

14 COM(2020) 625 final. 

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Council  Recommendation  on  Pathways  to  School  Success  and  more  generally  for  the 
achievement of the European Education Area. 

In addition, the Council Conclusions on European teachers and trainers for the future15 stress 
that cross-border mobility, either as short-term or longer-term, physical, virtual or blended, is 
a powerful learning experience and a valuable opportunity in developing participants’ social, 
intercultural, multilingual and interpersonal competences, both for students in initial teacher 
education and practising teachers and trainers in their continuous professional development. 

Furthermore,  the  mobility  of  teachers  has  an  impact  on  the  whole  education  and  training 
system:  the  Council  conclusions  on  enhancing  teachers’  and  trainers’  mobility  during  their 
initial and in-service education and training, issued in 2022, stressed the benefits of mobility 
for  the  professional  development  of  teachers  themselves  but  also  for  the  development  of  a 
European dimension in the activities and projects of their education and training institutions.  

Policy framework for mobility of apprentices   

Apprentice mobility can bring benefits to the training and employability of young people, to 
company  workforce  skills,  and  to  society  as  a  whole.  However,  apprentices  face  additional 
difficulties  on  individual,  organisation  and  systemic  levels,  in  particular  in  long-duration 
learning mobility.  

The Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a European Framework for Quality and 
Effective  Apprenticeships16  lays  down  two  criteria  explicitly  covering  the  mobility  of 
apprentices:  criterion  4  on  workplace  component,  which  states  that,  where  possible,  there 
should be an opportunity to undertake a part of the workplace experience abroad; and criterion 
11 on flexible pathways and mobility, which states that transnational mobility of apprentices, 
either at the workplace or education and training institutions, should be progressively promoted 
as a component of apprenticeship qualifications. The European Alliance for Apprenticeships 
(EAfA) has the mobility of apprentices as one of its four objectives (along with the supply, 
quality and image of apprenticeships) and the Alliance pursues this objective to respond the 
strong interest from its members. 

The  2020  Council  Recommendation  on  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  17  and  the 
Osnabrück Declaration18 have placed a very strong emphasis on VET internationalisation and 
learner mobility in particular. Along with setting the target of 8% of VET learners, including 
apprentices, benefitting from a learning mobility abroad by 2025 at EU level, the 2020 Council 
Recommendation  stressed  the  importance  of  opportunities  for  learning  mobility  of  VET 
learners  and  staff,  including  virtual  mobility,  long  duration  mobility  and  mobility  to  third 
countries.  The  Osnabrück  Declaration  endorsed  by  ministers  in  charge  of  VET,  European 
Social  Partners  and  the  Commission  asked  national  authorities  to  support  and  facilitate  the 

15 2020/C193/04 
16  Council  Recommendation  of  15  March  2018  on  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships 
OJ C 153, 2.5.2018, p. 1–6 
17 OJ C 417, 2.12.2020, p. 1–16. 
18 Osnabruck declaration on vocational education and training as an enabler of recovery and just transitions to 
digital and green economies, endorsed on 30 November 2020. 

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mobility of VET and adult learners, including apprentices, for example by developing support 
structures and providing information on opportunities in host countries.  

While  progress  has  been  made,  apprenticeship  schemes  providing  opportunities  for  the 
mobility are still rather the exception than the rule19. To ensure an appropriate volume of high-
quality mobility offers, a strong supporting framework is needed addressing the specific needs 
of apprentices, VET providers and employers. To reinforce the provisions on mobility of the 
Council  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework  for  a  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeship, a policy framework to mobility of apprentices is presented in the Annex II of 
the Commission proposal to provide a guidance on the implementation. It proposes a strategic 
framework to be put in place at national level to facilitate the mobility of apprentices on system, 
individual and company level. 

Overview of the Staff Working Document 

This  Staff  Working  Document  is  accompanying  the  Commission  proposal  for  a  Council 
Recommendation on learning mobility which is updating the 2011 Council Recommendation 
‘Youth on the move’ – promoting the learning mobility of young people. The staff working 
document presents the state of play of mobility in the different sectors and it sets out in more 
detail and depth the concepts put forward in the Commission proposal by providing research 
evidence, findings from consultation activities, good practice examples and other information 
as a basis for the proposed Recommendation.  

The Staff Working Document provides an overview of the state of play of learning mobility 
since 2011 Recommendation and explains the proposed way forward. Chapter 1 provides an 
introduction  to  the  topic,  describing  the  policy  context  of  the  European  Education  Area 
initiative, the importance and benefits of mobility, the current obstacles to mobility, and the 
scope and objectives of the proposal. 

Chapter 2 presents in more detail the state of play of learning mobility. Its first section presents 
learning mobility data and trends. The second section provides an overview of the key findings 
of the Mobility Scoreboard that was established to follow-up the implementation of the 2011 
Recommendation.  The  third  part  presents  the  main  findings  of  the  dedicated  study  on 
supporting learning mobility and other relevant data sources. 

Chapter  3  gives  an  overview  of  the  way  forward.  Its  first  section  gives  details  to  the 
recommendations  for  the  Member  States.  The  second  section  explains  the  actions  of  the 
Commission. It also provides a detailed description of the actions proposed in Annexes I and 
II of the Recommendation which present two policy frameworks – for the mobility of teachers 
and for the mobility of apprentices. 

The  findings,  suggestions  and  recommendations  in  this  document  are  developed  through  a 
strong research base and wide-ranging consultations with multiple stakeholders and experts in 
the field, non-governmental organisations, social partners and citizen groups. The Annex on 
stakeholder consultations describes the stakeholder consultation process. 

19 SWD(2021) 230 final 

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2. State of play of learning mobility in the European Union 

2.1 Mobility data and trends 

Since  2011  there  have  been  ongoing  efforts  to  improve  data  collections  to  provide  more 
comprehensive monitoring of learning mobility in accordance with the aims of the ‘Youth on 
the move’ Recommendation. Despite the emphasis on improving quantitative data collections, 
comprehensive  cross-national  data  collections  for  monitoring  of  learning  mobility  beyond 
Erasmus+  at  EU-level  are  only  in  place  in  higher  education20.  Across  all  other  sectors,  the 
Erasmus+  programme  offers  the  most  comprehensive  (in  terms  of  geographical  coverage), 
detailed, and updated monitoring data for EU-level analysis of learning mobility21. While other 
sources  of  data  do  exist,  their  quality,  comparability,  coverage  and  accessibility  vary 
considerably, underlining the need for improving the evidence base which is detailed in section 
3.3.2.   

The following sections provide a brief overview of data availability, data quality, and gaps, 
based  on  the  assessments  and  evidence  gathered  through  the  dedicated  study  ‘Supporting 
learning  mobility:  progress,  obstacles  and  way  forward’,  and  overall  participation  trends  in 
learning mobility per sector. The emphasis in the assessment of trend data is on participation 
in mobility activities, but equally important are quantitative data for addressing enablers and 
obstacles to mobility, and outcomes and impact of mobility activities.   

Higher education 

Monitoring of learning mobility is at its most advanced stage in higher education compared to 
other sectors. Comprehensive data collection exists at both national and international levels, 
capturing different aspects and types of learning mobility22. System-level, programme specific 
and  thematic  monitoring  schemes  are  available,  offering  extensive  country  coverage.  The 
emphasis tends to be on participation rates and mobility flows, but there are many examples of 
data  collections  addressing  impact  of  mobility,  satisfaction  of  participants,  obstacles  and 
enabling factors for mobility23. Limitations are also present in data collections encompassing 
higher education, however. 

Data from the UNESCO-OECD-Eurostat joint data collection on education administrative data 
provides a comprehensive overview of mobility in the EU. In 2021, close to 400,000 of the 4.3 
million higher education graduates (ISCED levels 5 to 8) in the EU (approximately 9%) had 
completed a temporary stay abroad of at least three months or 15 ECTS credits during their 
studies, known as ‘credit mobility’24. Mobility under programmes financed by the EU is the 
predominant mode of credit mobility at the bachelor level (60.9%), but it accounts for less than 
half  of  the  credit  mobility  taking  place  at  the  master  level  (45.8%).  The  corresponding 

20 One example is the UNESCO-OECD-Eurostat joint data collection on education administrative data. 
21 In the youth sector, the European Solidarity Corps programme also offers relevant cross-national mobility data.  
22 Examples include the UNESCO-OECD0-Eurostat joint data collection and the European Tertiary Education 
Register (ETER).  
23 For instance Eurograduate, Eurostudent.  
24 Source: Eurostat (UOE) 2023. Online data codes: educ_uoe_mobc01 and educ_uoe_grad01. Credit mobility is 
addressed in more detail in section 3.1. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
percentages for short cycle tertiary education (data from 13 Member States) and doctoral or 
equivalent level (data from 21 Member States) are respectively 48.7% and 32.3%. Moreover, 
8.0% of the 4.3 million graduates from higher education institutions in the EU completed their 
education in a country other than their country of origin25.    

Figure 1. Learner and staff mobility in higher education under Erasmus+, 2014–2022 

Learners

Staff

Outbound

Inbound

Outbound

Inbound

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

350.000

300.000

250.000

200.000

150.000

100.000

50.000

0

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

140.000

120.000

100.000

80.000

60.000

40.000

20.000

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Mobility start year

Mobility start year

Source: Erasmus+ administrative data. Extracted 6.7.2023. Note: Aggregated data for the EU. Outbound mobility 
refers to mobilities originating in an EU Member State, regardless of country of destination. Inbound mobility 
refers to mobilities where the destination country is an EU Member State, regardless of country of origin.  

Taking a closer look at programme data from the Erasmus+ programme we see that there was 
a  steady  increase  in  student  and  staff  mobility  from  2014  to  the  outbreak  of  the  Covid-19 
pandemic  in  2020.  Although  mobility  has  strongly  increased  following  the  end  of  the 
pandemic, neither student nor staff mobility had still reached the pre-pandemic levels in 2022.  

In 2020, women represented 54% of the learners in the tertiary level of education in the EU27; 
this percentage raises to 59% for the same population among participants in learning mobility 
opportunities  supported  by  Erasmus+26.  More  specifically,  for  the  fields  of  study  covering 
engineering, information technology,  natural  sciences and mathematics,  women represented 
42% for Erasmus+ Higher education mobilities in 2020, to be compared with the general figure 
of 32% in the EU in 2019. 

Vocational Education and Training 

Programme specific data collections on mobility are the most prevalent in VET, with limited 
availability of cross-national system-level data from other sources than Erasmus+. At national 
level, there are only a few examples of data collections on mobility in administrative registers, 
and  there  is  not  a  collection  system  in  place  for  compiling  comparable  cross-national  data 
similar to the education administrative collections in place in higher education27. The focus of 
existing data collections tends to be on participation rates, and less on monitoring other aspects 
of learning mobility.   

25 Country of origin is defined as the country of upper secondary diploma.  
26 Under Erasmus+ the gender ratio is similar across most fields and stable over the years. 
27 For an analysis of national-level sources of VET mobility, see European Commission, Hefler, G. & Steinheimer, 
E. (2020). Measuring Learning Mobility in Vocational Education and Training: A review of data sources and 
approaches 
at: 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/693519. 

European  Union  Member 

States.  Available 

to  measurement 

across 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
At EU level Erasmus+ provides the most comprehensive collection of mobility data, enabling 
detailed breakdowns of mobility flows. Considering the high demand and increased funding of 
the Erasmus+ programme for 2021–2027, a new EU-level target on learning mobility in VET 
was  introduced  in  the  2020  Council  Recommendation  on  vocational  education  and  training 
(VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience28, stating that 8% of VET 
learners should benefit from a learning mobility stay abroad by 202529. 

Figure 2. Learner and staff mobility in VET under Erasmus+, 2014–2022 

Learners

Staff

Outbound

Inbound

Outbound

Inbound

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

200.000
180.000
160.000
140.000
120.000
100.000
80.000
60.000
40.000
20.000
0

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

60.000

50.000

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Mobility start year

Mobility start year

Source: Erasmus+ administrative data. Extracted 6.7.2023. Note: Aggregated data for the EU. Outbound mobility 
refers to mobilities originating in an EU Member State, regardless of country of destination. Inbound mobility 
refers to mobilities where the destination country is an EU Member State, regardless of country of origin. 

Figure  2  shows  the  development  of  mobility  of  VET  learners  and  staff  in  the  Erasmus+ 
programme since 2014. There has been clear upwards trend in the number of mobile learners, 
while  the  staff  mobility  has  remained  stable.  Like  the  higher  education  sector,  Covid-19 
resulted in  a significant  drop in  both  outbound mobile learners (-70.0%) and staff (-76.6%) 
from 2019 to 2020. Following the pandemic, and with the new Erasmus+ programme period 
starting in 2021, the annual mobility has caught up to and surpassed the pre-Covid-19 figures, 
however.  

School education 

There is a lack of centralised data collections for mobility in school education beyond specific 
data provided through the Erasmus+ programme and regional programmes such as Nordplus. 
For other learning mobility programmes operating within the EU and beyond, data collections 
are fragmented. The available data offer a limited understanding of pupils' and school staff’s 
engagement  in  international  mobility  outside  the  scope  of  the  most  prevalent  mobility 
programmes. At the same time, the Erasmus+ programme is identified as the primary means 
for cross-border activities for school staff and pupils in most EU Member States and offers a 
good indication of the volume of participation in cross-border education activities in the school 
sector.   

28 Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable 
competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. 2020/C 417/01. OJ C 417, 2.12.2020, p. 1–16. 
29 The target is addressed in more detail in section 3.1.  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 3. Learner and staff mobility in school education under Erasmus+, 2014–2022 

Learners

Staff

Outbound

Inbound

Outbound

Inbound

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

250.000

200.000

150.000

100.000

50.000

0

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

120.000

100.000

80.000

60.000

40.000

20.000

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Mobility start year

Mobility start year

Source: Erasmus+ administrative data. Extracted 6.7.2023. Note: Aggregated data for the EU. Outbound mobility 
refers to mobilities originating in an EU Member State, regardless of country of destination. Inbound mobility 
refers to mobilities where the destination country is an EU Member State, regardless of country of origin. 

Mobility in school education under the Erasmus+ programme is presented in Figure 3. From 
2014 onwards, there has been a steady increase in the number of mobile learners and staff. The 
effect of the Covid-19 pandemic is clearly visible, with substantial drops in outbound mobile 
learners  (-60.2%)  and  mobile  staff  (-73.4%)  in  2020  compared  to  2019,  however.  The 
pandemic  also  resulted  in  reduced  mobility  in  2021.  This  is  also  reflected  in  the  inbound 
numbers. In 2022 mobility of learners and staff returned to and surpassed pre-pandemic levels, 
in part due to the launch of the new Erasmus+ programme in 2021 which allows for easier 
access to mobility activities in the field of school education. Close to 214 000 pupils and almost 
92 000 staff members in EU Member States benefitted from cross-border mobility in 2022.  

Youth 

The main source of data on cross-national mobility in the youth sector comes from programme 
specific  data  collections  such  as  the  Erasmus+  programme  and  the  European  Solidarity 
programme.  Limited  information  is  available  on  mobilities  taking  place  outside  these 
programmes.  

Figure 4. Learner and staff mobility in the field of youth under Erasmus+, 2014–2022 

Young people

Outbound

Inbound

Youth workers

Outbound

Inbound

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

80.000

70.000

60.000

50.000

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

35.000

30.000

25.000

20.000

15.000

10.000

5.000

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Mobility start year

Mobility start year

Source: Erasmus+ programme data. Extracted 6.7.2023. Note: Aggregated data for the EU. Outbound mobility 
refers to mobilities originating in an EU Member State, regardless of country of destination. Inbound mobility 
refers to mobilities where the destination country is an EU Member State, regardless of country of origin. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps data allow to sketch a picture of mobility trends for 
the youth sector in the 2014–2022 period. There has been a steady growth in the mobility of 
young people through youth exchanges since 2014, albeit with substantial drops in mobility 
due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 (figure 4).  A similar trend is visible for youth 
workers, but with a slight drop following the pre-pandemic high point in 2015 followed by 
growth  from  2017  to  2019.  Figure  5  shows  the  development  of  mobility  in  the  European 
Solidarity Corps programme. In contrast to other programmes, there is no distinct drop due to 
Covid-19.  

Figure 5. Mobility under the European Solidarity Corps, 2019–2022 

Outbound

Inbound

12.000

10.000

8.000

6.000

4.000

2.000

0

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

2019

2020

2021

2022

Mobility start year

Source:  European  Solidarity  Corps  programme  data.  Extracted  6.7.2023.  Note:  Aggregated  data  for  the  EU. 
Outbound mobility refers to mobilities originating in an EU Member State, regardless of country of destination. 
Inbound mobility refers to mobilities where the destination country is an EU Member State, regardless of country 
of origin. 

Adult education 

Cross-national  data  on  mobility  in  adult  education  in  the  EU  is  limited  beyond  the  data 
collected through the Erasmus+ programme and the regional Nordplus programme. National-
level data collections are also limited, mainly sourcing programme data for monitoring of this 
field. This does not necessarily mean that mobility is not taking place, but rather that data is 
not systematically collected and reported.  

Figure 6. Learner and staff mobility in adult education under Erasmus+, 2014–2022 

Learners

Staff

Outbound

Inbound

Outbound

Inbound

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

2.000
1.800
1.600
1.400
1.200
1.000
800
600
400
200
0

s
e
i
t
i
l
i

b
o
m
d
e
s
i
l

a
n
F

i

16.000

14.000

12.000

10.000

8.000

6.000

4.000

2.000

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Mobility start year

Mobility start year

Source: Erasmus+ administrative data. Extracted 6.7.2023. Note: Aggregated data for the EU. Outbound mobility 
refers to mobilities originating in an EU Member State, regardless of country of destination. Inbound mobility 
refers to mobilities where the destination country is an EU Member State, regardless of country of origin. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Although limited to programme specific data, Erasmus+ provides a good overview of the extent 
of  mobility  in  the  adult  education  sector.  Figure  6  shows  the  development  of  mobility  of 
learners  and  staff  in  adult  education  under  the  Erasmus+  programme  from  2014  to  2022. 
Actions  to  support  mobility  of  learners  where  first  introduced  in  the  current  Erasmus+ 
programme period (2021–2027), which explains the lack of data in the years preceding 2021. 
Widespread  learner  mobility  only  commenced  in  the  second  year  of  the  new  programme 
period, with close to 2 000 mobile learners. Notably, mobility of learners starting in 2023 have 
already surpassed the 2022 numbers according to preliminary data for the first six months of 
the year (not shown).  

Staff  mobility  in  adult  education  has  increased  consistently  over  the  past  nine  years,  if 
disregarding the drastic reduction in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022 
there were  close to  14 000 outbound  staff mobilities originating in  EU Member States, and 
almost 15 000 inbound staff mobilities to destinations in the EU.    

Sport 

In the sport sector, there is a very limited availability of monitoring data. Most of the available 
data on sport staff mobility are produced by the Erasmus+ programme, which is also the main 
European  cross-national  programme  available  for  sport  staff  mobility.  In  addition,  the 
European Solidarity Corps also accepts applications of sports organisations as host partners. 
Meanwhile, national institutions and agencies rarely collect sport staff learning mobility data. 

Horizontal priorities 

With  respect  to  the  relevant  horizontal  priorities:  inclusive,  green,  digital,  and  participatory 
mobility,  most  national  and  cross-national  monitoring  systems  still  lack  indicators  for  their 
monitoring. At the EU programme level, relevant data will be gradually available through the 
Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps monitoring and evaluation. Inclusive mobility is 
addressed in greater detail in section 3.1.  

2.2 Mobility Scoreboard 

In 2011, the Council of the European Union invited Member States to implement structural 
reforms  to  create  a  positive  environment  to  support  learning  mobility.  This  ‘Youth  on  the 
Move’ Recommendation30 proposed the creation of a methodological framework known as the 
Mobility Scoreboard to monitor progress made by European countries in facilitating learning 
mobility.  This  tool  examines  rules  and  regulations  that  affect  student  mobility  in  higher 
education and initial vocational education and training (IVET). 

The  Mobility  Scoreboard  was  first  published  in  2016  on  a  joint  online  platform.31  Higher 
education indicators were developed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency 
(EACEA), and information has been collected through the Eurydice Network on a three-yearly 
basis. The comparative analysis of higher education indicators was published in three Eurydice 
background  reports.32  Indicators  in  IVET  were  developed  by  Cedefop,  and  data  have  been 

30 Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on ‘Youth on the move’ – promoting the learning mobility of young 
people, OJ C199, 7.7.2011. 
31 Mobility Scoreboard platform: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/en/mobility-scoreboard 
32  European  Commission  /  EACEA  /  Eurydice,  2016.  Mobility  Scoreboard:  Higher  Education  Background 
Report.  Eurydice  Report.  Luxembourg:  Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union;  European  Commission  / 

14 

 
 
 
 
collected  biannually  through  the  ReferNet33  network.  IVET  indicators  are  published  on 
Cedefop’s dedicated website.34  

Composite indicators in  both  higher education and IVET are made up of  five colour-coded 
categories reflecting performance in each policy area. An education system that meets all the 
expected  criteria  is  allocated  to  the  dark  green  category,  while  a  system  that  meets  none  is 
placed in  the red one. Three additional categories:  light  green, yellow, and orange are used 
depending on the number of criteria met. 

2.1.1 Higher Education 

The higher education Mobility Scoreboard35 includes six composite indicators in policy areas 
mentioned by the 2011 Recommendation of the Council of the European Union on learning 
mobility  for  young  people36:  information  and  guidance,  foreign  language  preparation, 
portability of grants and loans, support provided to disadvantaged learners, ensuring the full 
automatic recognition of the outcomes of the learning periods abroad carried out in education 
and  training  and  automatic  recognition  of  qualifications  for  further  learning.  Table  below 
illustrates the overall performance of EU Member States by policy area (information on the 
three Belgian communities is included separately). The table shows that with the exception of 
the indicator on supporting disadvantaged learners, education systems fare relatively well in 
all areas of the scoreboard. The majority of EU education systems are placed in the top two 
categories for five scoreboard indicators. 

Table 1. Number of EU education systems by scoreboard indicator category, 2022/2023 

Information and 
guidance 
Foreign language 
preparation 
Portability of grants 
and loans 
Support provided to 
disadvantaged learners 
Recognition of 
learning outcomes 
Automatic recognition 
of qualifications 
Source: Eurydice. 

Dark 
green 
6 

Light 
green 
9 

9 

9 

1 

5 

11 

6 

7 

3 

12 

4 

Yellow  Orange  Red 

Overall 

9 

7 

6 

7 

7 

9 

3 

6 

5 

17 

5 

5 

2 

1 

2 

1 

0 

0 

Good performance 

Very good 
performance 
Very good 
performance 
Some progress has 
been made 
Very good 
performance 
Very good 
performance 

EACEA / Eurydice, 2020. Mobility Scoreboard: Higher Education Background Report 2018/19. Eurydice Report. 
Luxembourg:  Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union; European  Commission  /  EACEA  /  Eurydice,  2023. 
Mobility  Scoreboard:  Higher  education  background  report  2022/2023.  Eurydice  Report.  Luxembourg: 
Publications Office of the European Union. 
33 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/networks/refernet 
34 IVET Mobility Scoreboard: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/projects/mobility-scoreboard 
35 European Commission / EACEA / Eurydice, 2023. Mobility Scoreboard: Higher education background report 
2022/2023. Eurydice Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. 
36 Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on ‘Youth on the move’ – promoting the learning mobility of young 
people, OJ C199, 7.7.2011. 

15 

 
 
 
 
In  the  two  areas  concerning  recognition,  no  education  system  is  placed  in  the  bottom  (red) 
category. At the same time, five systems meet only a limited part of established criteria for 
each  indicator.  For  the  recognition  of  learning  outcomes  through  the  European  Credit 
Transfer  and  Accumulation  System  (ECTS),  this  means  that  in  five  EU  Member  States, 
external quality assurance agencies are not required to use the European Commission’s and the 
European Higher Education Area’s 2015 ECTS Users’ Guide37 to assess how well ECTS is 
used in higher education institutions. Nevertheless, quality assurance agencies generally use 
the Users’ Guide in practice even in these cases. Among the countries where the ECTS Users’ 
guide is required to be used, five education systems have widened the range of aspects to be 
monitored since 2018/2019; for four systems, this is also reflected in a change of the scoreboard 
indicator category. 

Concerning the automatic recognition of qualifications, in the five EU Member States in the 
orange  category,  recognition  of  qualifications  from  countries  of  the  European  Higher 
Education  Area  (EHEA)  is  not  (fully)  automatic.  These  systems  have  nevertheless 
implemented at least two of the key measures of good practice in recognition according to the 
Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European 
Region38, more commonly known as the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Overall, there has 
been steady, but relatively limited progress in the EU towards reaching full mutual automatic 
recognition,  with  only  three  countries  making  legislative  changes  to  introduce  automatic 
recognition  since  2015/2016.  This  means  that  by  2022/2023,  11  EU  Member  States  have 
implemented  system-level  automatic  recognition.  More  significant  developments  towards 
automatic  recognition  have  taken  place  in  a  regional  context,  with  several  multilateral 
agreements entering into force in this period. In total, 13 Member States practice automatic 
recognition with a subset of countries from the European Higher Education Area. The Council 
Recommendation on “promoting automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper 
secondary education and training qualifications and the outcomes of learning periods abroad”39 
has also contributed to the improved implementation of automatic recognition in the EU since 
2018.  

The areas of foreign language preparation and the portability of grants and loans show similar 
patterns  regarding  both  the  distribution  of  countries  along  the  indicator  categories  and  the 
extent of changes over time: there are only one or two countries in the bottom category, the 
majority of EU Member States fulfils most conditions, but category changes have been very 
limited overall. 

The indicator on foreign language preparation  monitors the length of compulsory foreign 
language learning in general education and initial vocational education and training (IVET)40, 
as well as the length of the period when at least two foreign languages are compulsory at the 

37 European Commission, 2015. ECTS Users’ Guide 2015. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the 
European Communities, http://ec.europa.eu/education/ects/users-guide/docs/ects-users-guide_en.pdf 
38  Council  of  Europe  Convention  on  the  Recognition  of  Qualifications  concerning  Higher  Education  in  the 
European Region, ETS No. 165, http://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/165 
39  Council  Recommendation  of  26  November  2018  on  promoting  automatic  mutual  recognition  of  higher 
education and upper secondary education and training qualifications and the outcomes of learning periods abroad, 
OJ C444/01 10.12.2018. EUR-Lex - 32018H1210(01) - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 
40 Only VET programmes that give access to tertiary education are taken into account. 

16 

 
 
 
 
same time in school. The good overall performance of EU Member States indicates that foreign 
languages are introduced relatively early on in the curriculum, so the length of foreign language 
learning exceeds 10 years in most countries. And despite the few category changes, changes 
not detected by differences between indicator categories were more common, showing a slow 
but  steady  lengthening  of  language  learning  periods.  However,  the  learning  of  two  foreign 
languages is less common in IVET programmes. This might be a source of concern, given that 
students from both general and vocational education are able to enter the same higher education 
programmes, and therefore should have the same opportunities for learning languages so that 
they are equally able to participate successfully in learning mobility.  

The  indicator  on  the  portability  of  grants  and  loans  examines  the  extent  to  which  higher 
education students  can use their domestic grant(s) or loan(s)  for studying  abroad, either  for 
credit  or  degree  mobility.  There  are  only  two  countries  where  students  cannot  keep  their 
domestic grant or loan when they study abroad, while sixteen Member States allow for the full 
portability of domestic support measures, with or without additional restrictions. In 11 Member 
States, portability is only possible for credit mobility. However, this indicator proved to be the 
most static one, with only three category changes in the whole examined period.  

The area of information and guidance is the field where most education systems have put 
policies in place, but only few meet all defined criteria. There are only six education systems 
in the dark green category, but only five in the orange and red as well. The most commonly 
lacking criterion is having a central monitoring and evaluation system of personalised services 
on outward mobility. Thus, while most EU Member States have centralised websites, strategies 
and/or  large-scale  initiatives  aimed  at  informing  and  guiding  learners  on  mobility 
opportunities, only few monitor the information and guidance provision in higher education 
institutions. This may result in a fragmented and uneven information provision and variable 
quality  standards.  At  the  same  time,  information  and  guidance  provision  is  the  policy  area 
where most changes took place. More than one third of EU education systems changed their 
category between 2015/2016 and 2022/2023, and most towards higher categories. The changes 
were  most  often  incremental,  introducing  one  additional  policy  measure,  but  nevertheless 
indicate clear progress over the period. 

The indicator on supporting the participation of disadvantaged learners reveals the greatest 
need for progress among the six indicators. For this indicator, the large majority of education 
systems are in the orange and red categories, and only four of them fall in the top two. This 
means that most education systems, while providing some form of targeted financial support, 
do  not  have  the  strategic  goal  of  increasing  the  participation  of  disadvantaged  learners  in 
mobility programmes. The indicator has also proved to be relatively unstable in terms of the 
direction of policy change. Changes were relatively infrequent and did not always move in the 
direction of higher categories. Policy measures have been typically introduced through top-
level internationalisation strategies, and when such a strategy has come to an end, it has not 
necessarily been renewed. While such drops may be temporary, they nevertheless signal a lack 
of systematic attention on supporting disadvantaged learners. 

2.1.2 Initial Vocational Education and Training 

In  vocational  education  and  training,  the  Commission  entrusted  Cedefop  with  setting  up  a 
Mobility Scoreboard for initial vocational education and training. A feasibility study in 2015 

17 

 
 
involved  an  expert  group  with  representatives  from  the  Commission  and  experts  from  six 
Member States and led to the development of a fully-fledged scoreboard in the period 2016-
2017.  

The Mobility Scoreboard41 allows European and national policy-makers, mobility organisers 
in  the  participating  countries  and  other  stakeholders  to  evaluate,  compare  and  adjust  their 
actions in international learning mobility in IVET where needed. It is updated every two years 
with information provided by its European network of expertise in VET, ReferNet. 

The Mobility Scoreboard presents information around ten key thematic areas in line with the 
Council  Recommendation  “Youth  on  the  Move  -  Promoting  the  learning  mobility  of  young 
people”: 

1.  information and guidance; 
2.  administrative and institutional issues; 
3.  recognition of learning outcomes; 
4.  partnerships and funding; 
5.  motivating for mobility; 
6.  long-term preparation for mobility; 
7.  quality of mobility; 
8.  portability of grants and loans; 
9.  specific support to disadvantaged learners; 
10. involving multipliers. 

The  IVET  Mobility  Scoreboard  indicates  performance  across  countries  in  meeting  the 
requirements of the 'Youth on the Move' Recommendation. An indicator has been defined for 
each thematic area and consider the following criteria42: 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

setting up targets 
actions taken in line with the 'Youth on the Move' Recommendation 
countrywide coordination of the actions taken 
countrywide evaluation of the actions taken 
involvement of learners and stakeholders 

IVET mobility policies: recent progress 

The political commitment to promote learning mobility in IVET appears to have increased in 
most of the countries monitored. Young people in IVET today have more opportunities to do 
part of their training abroad than their peers of a decade ago. The IVET Mobility Scoreboard 
distinguishes five levels of national achievements in developing mobility policies: excellent, 
very good, good, some progress made, and little progress made (see table 2).  

41 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/mobility-scoreboard 
42  The  methodology  of  the  Cedefop  Mobility  Scoreboard  is  derived  from  that  of  the  Bologna  process  and  is 
available at https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/methodology_20161121_v.04.pdf   

18 

 
 
 
 
Table  2.  Degree  of  closeness  to  full  implementation  of  the  'Youth  on  the  move' 
Recommendation 

(near  full 

Countries  
None 

Level of performance in 2021 
Excellent  performance 
implementation) 
Very good performance 
Good performance 
Some progress made 
Little progress made 
Not enough data to allow for ranking  BE (fr), EL, RO, SE 

DE, FI, LT 
BG, CZ, EE, FR, HR, HU, IT, LV, LU, NL 
AT, BE (de), CY, DK, ES, IE, MT, PL, PT, SI, SK 
BE (fl) 

Based on this methodology, Cedefop’s 2021 review reveals that five out of the 10 thematic 
areas of the ‘Youth on the move' Recommendation are covered reasonably well: information 
and  guidance;  partnerships  and  funding;  motivation  to  participate  in  international  mobility; 
long-term preparation for mobility; and quality of stays abroad (see table 3).  

IVET mobility policies and systems have been developed and structured. Erasmus+ and other 
IVET-mobility-related  European  programmes  and  funding  have  had  a  significant  positive 
influence.  According  to  data  available  to  Cedefop,  in  nine  countries  Erasmus+  is  the  only 
existing mobility scheme in which IVET learners can participate. The remaining 18 countries 
include more than 50 mobility schemes accessible to IVET learners which may or may not be 
part  of  a  formal  study  or  training  programme  and,  therefore,  may  include  (or  not)  related 
services for preparation, follow-up, and assessment. Several  countries have developed good 
practices  in  these  areas  and  they  are  available  online  at  the  dedicated  space  at  the  Cedefop 
Mobility Scoreboard43. 

Table 3. Average EU 27 performance by indicator in 2021 

Indicator 1: Information and guidance 

Good performance 

Indicator 2: Administrative and institutional issues 

Some progress has been made 

Indicator 3: Recognition of learning outcomes 

Some progress has been made 

Indicator 4: Partnerships and funding 

Indicator 5: Motivating for mobility 

Good performance 

Good performance 

Indicator 6: Long-term preparation for mobility 

Good performance 

Indicator 7: Quality of mobility 

Good performance 

Indicator 8: Portability of grants and loans 

Some progress has been made 

Indicator 9: Specific support to disadvantaged learners  Some progress has been made 

Indicator 10: Involving multipliers 

Some progress has been made 

43 Available at https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/mobility-scoreboard/good-practices 

19 

 
 
  
 
Reporting on those action areas is done through several monitoring tools such as country fiches 
or  scorecards.  The  performance  of  Member  States  varied  across  different  action  areas.  The 
2021  results  showed  that  only  three  countries  (Finland,  Germany,  and  Lithuania)  achieved 
‘very  good  performance’  across  all  indicators.  While  no  data  are  made  available  on  four 
countries, 12 out of 34 countries or regions analysed have made only ‘some progress’ towards 
the  implementation  of  the  Recommendation,  while  another  11  countries  achieved  ‘good 
performance’. 

Compared to 2017, several countries have taken measures to reduce administrative burdens, 
recognise skills and knowledge acquired abroad, promote the participation of disadvantaged 
learners in mobility activities and use multipliers to promote international mobility. However, 
countries’ average performance in developing mobility policies in these areas is still poor. In 
addition,  until  recently  most  countries  have  lacked  targets  and  evaluation  in  most  policy 
strands; both aspects go hand in hand, as evaluation would not make sense if no prior targets 
were set.44 

The state of play in 2021 identifying the strong areas, and where improvements can be made 
for each indicator is described below. 

Information  and  guidance  is  one  of  the  thematic  areas  where  countries  demonstrate  good 
performance (yellow) on average. Most of them (16) have a mechanism in place to provide 
IVET  learners  with  both  information  and  guidance  on  international  learning  mobility  (dark 
green) while eleven countries only provide information to IVET learners without personalised 
guidance  (yellow).  In  addition,  17  countries  report  on  having  nationwide  coordinated 
mechanisms to provide information to IVET learners.   The most commonly lacking criteria 
have been target  setting  and evaluation  of the actions  in  place45. Before the European level 
target on VET mobility was set, only four countries have set up countrywide policy targets 
(whether  quantitative  or  qualitative)  and  six  countries  monitored  existing  provisions  of 
information  and  guidance  for  international  IVET  mobility  and  review  them  for  continuous 
improvement.  According  to  the  National  Implementation  Plan  of  the  2020  Council 
Recommendation on VET, 12 Member States have addressed the target on mobility in VET at 
national level. 

Some  progress  has  been  made  on  average  (orange)  for  the  indicator  on  reducing  the 
administrative and institutional obstacles that can hinder international IVET mobility, and 
it is one of the indicators where the most progress is needed. Most countries have taken action 
to integrate international mobility experience in IVET curricula while the biggest challenge 
countries face is related to the mobility of minors.  In addition, about half of countries (13) are 
lacking countrywide coordination and evaluation of the measures to ensure their consistency, 
convergence, effectiveness and improvement.  

44  Cedefop  Briefing  Note, 
“On 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/9145_en.pdf 
45 According to the National Implementation Plan of the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET, 12 Member 
States have addressed the target on mobility in VET at national level. 

the  move 

available 

2020: 

there 

yet”, 

not 

but 

at 

20 

 
 
  
 
Concerning  the  recognition  of  learning  outcomes  acquired  during  an  international  IVET 
mobility  five  countries  perform  very  good  (light  green)  while  nine  have  good  performance 
(yellow) on average across all criteria. When it comes to the scope of recognition, mechanisms 
can take into account all or some of the following six elements: courses, credit points, units, 
modules, programmes, and qualifications/diplomas/degrees. Nine countries have recognition 
mechanisms that cover all the elements (dark green) while 11 countries cover a maximum of 
three elements (orange).  Many countries reported recognising small units of learning abroad 
while the use and recognition of credit points is the least popular. Three countries do not have 
recognition mechanisms in place or they have very limited coverage. Most of the countries use 
the EU tools (EQF/NQF, Europass documents) in the process of recognition.  

The indicator on supporting partnerships between private and public actors, and providing 
mobility incentives to participants and stakeholders is the one where countries have the highest 
score on average across all criteria: three excellent (dark green), eight very good (light green) 
and twelve good (yellow). Most of the countries (24) reported actions on all of the following 
three dimensions:  i)support companies and institutions in the creation of mobility partnerships 
and  networks,  ii)  fund  the  international  learning  mobility  of  IVET  learners  and  iii)  provide 
companies and IVET institutions involved in organising mobility projects with financial and/or 
non-financial support. In addition, contrary to the other indicators most countries reported that 
existing partnerships and funding actions are coordinated and are subject to evaluation.   

On motivating for mobility, three countries have very good (light green) and ten countries 
have a good performance (yellow) on average across all criteria. This indicator looks at two 
dimensions:  i)  the  actions  taken  by  countries  to  raise  awareness  of  IVET  learners  and 
stakeholders on the added value of learning mobility and ii) the actions to foster a mobility 
culture in IVET. Eight of the countries addressed both dimensions, while another 13 have in 
place actions in one of the two. When it comes to the coordination and evaluation of the existing 
actions seven countries demonstrate an excellent performance while target setting is an area 
for improvement as only one country reported on country-wide policy targets for motivating 
IVET learners to go on mobility. Actions for raising awareness of the added value of mobility 
and/or fostering a mobility culture may take various forms and countries can get inspiration 
from good examples of practice available on the Cedefop IVET Mobility Scoreboard46.   

Concerning the indicator on long-term preparation for IVET mobility, Cedefop’s mobility 
scoreboard  includes  three  dimensions:  the  linguistic  and  intercultural  preparation  of  IVET 
learners  from  the  early  stages  of  education,  the  acquisition  of  basic  digital  skills  and  the 
internationalisation of IVET curriculum through methods and practices that are in use abroad. 
It is the indicator where countries have the highest score on average across all criteria after the 
one on partnerships and funding; one excellent (dark green), seven very good (light green) and 
11 good (yellow). About half of the countries (14) reported on measures in all three dimensions. 
The process is in general coordinated and monitored.  

On quality mobility one country performs excellent (dark green), five countries perform very 
good  (light  green)  while  14  have  good  performance  (yellow)  on  average  across  all  criteria. 
They are in a different situation when it comes to consistently taking action to ensure quality 

46  Examples 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/mobility-scoreboard/good-practices  

in  Cedefop 

IVET  Mobility 

practice 

good 

of 

Scoreboard 

available 

at 

21 

 
 
 
in all stages of the IVET mobility experience. In nine countries where Erasmus+ is the only 
existing mobility scheme for IVET learners, quality requirements are met consistently in all 
mobility  stages,  because  participation  in  Erasmus+  requires  mobility  organisers  and 
participants to agree and implement actions stipulated in the "Quality Commitment" form. The 
remaining 18 countries include more than 50 mobility schemes accessible to  IVET learners 
which may or may not be part of a formal study or training programme and, therefore, may 
include (or not) related services for preparation, follow-up, and assessment. Several countries 
have  developed  good  practices  and  they  are  available  online  at  the  dedicated  space  at  the 
Cedefop Mobility  Scoreboard47.  Learners’  and stakeholders’ involvement in  improving the 
quality of IVET mobility is the highest compared to other indicators. Most of the countries (18) 
have  taken  measures  in  at  least  one  dimension  of  the  three:  visibility  and  access  policy, 
feedback surveys, and impact measurement. While learners’ feedback surveys take place to a 
big extent, results are not always used to improve  quality of mobility. 

Ensuring the portability of grants and loans is one of the decisive factors in increasing overall 
mobility for IVET learners. This indicator examines the extent to which IVET learners can use 
their  domestic  grant(s)  or  loan(s)  for  studying  abroad.  Two  thirds  of  the  countries  have 
mechanisms in place to ensure the portability of those grants and loans, while one third does 
not have neither plan to put such a mechanism in place. The scoring however of this indicator 
in the Mobility Scoreboard is relatively low compared to other indicators because countries do 
not set targets in making grants portable, they do not evaluate the effectiveness of their actions 
and most of them do not involve stakeholders in improving portability of grants and loans.  

The indicator on supporting the participation of disadvantaged learners reveals a need for 
progress. Most countries provide some sort of support either in the form of information and 
guidance  or  funding  mobility.  Very  few  countries  take  action  in  motivating  and  preparing 
disadvantaged  learners  for  IVET  mobility  abroad.  The  use  of  multipliers  to  inspire  and 
motivate disadvantaged learners to become mobile is also lacking. As a result, more than half 
of the countries have made some (orange) or little progress (red) in this indicator.    

The involvement of multipliers to motivate the mobility of IVET learners abroad is an area 
where countries on average have indicated some progress (orange).  Many countries reported 
some  actions  to  encourage  the  use  of  teachers,  trainers,  families,  youth  workers  and  young 
people  who  have  participated  in  a  mobility  experience.  However,  only  five  countries  take 
action to mainstream learning mobility as a component in the initial training and continuous 
professional development of heads of IVET institutions, teachers, trainers, administrative staff 
and  youth  workers.  Also,  few  countries  recognise  and  value  teachers’,  trainers’  and  youth 
workers’ commitment to learning mobility.  Countries can be inspired by examples of good 
practices in the Cedefop IVET Mobility Scoreboard to improve the involvement of multipliers 
to motivate young people to become mobile48. 

47 Idem as 41. 
48  Examples 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/mobility-scoreboard/good-practices  

in  Cedefop 

IVET  Mobility 

practice 

good 

of 

Scoreboard 

available 

at 

22 

 
 
 
 
2.3 Study on supporting learning mobility and other evidence and developments 

The  Commission  contracted  a  study  “Supporting  learning  mobility:  progress,  obstacles  and 
way forward” that was conducted from November 2022 to July 2023 to strengthen the evidence 
base  and  to  support  its  work  in  the  preparation  of  the  Commission  proposal  for  a  Council 
Recommendation.  

The study focussed on analysing evidence regarding learning mobility in formal, non-formal 
and informal settings throughout the European Union, within and outside the EU programmes, 
with a focus on identification of incentives and obstacles to learning mobility. 

The key findings of the study are presented below for higher education, vocational education 
and training, school education, youth, adult education, sport sectors and for the horizontal 
aspects of mobility. 

2.3.1 Higher education 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

The 2011 Council Recommendation has consolidated the Union’s efforts in the area of learning 
mobility leading to a steady growth in the numbers of participants in mobility activities and the 
proliferation  of  policy  initiatives,  programmes,  and  support  instruments  across  different 
sectors. 

Under the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ programme, interest in higher education mobility remained 
consistently high, and analysis of projects’ success rates (calculated based on participants in 
contracted projects over participants in submitted projects) indicates that the budget allocated 
for  higher  education  mobility  under  Erasmus+  has  been  fully  absorbed  .  Success  rates  for 
programme countries  ranged from  70%  (2015 call) to  80% (2019 call).  In the case of third 
countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme, they ranged from 59% in 2015 to 75% 
in 2020. This indicates a significant room for further promotion of higher education mobility, 
especially  in  relation  mobility  with  partner  countries,  by  increasing  the  amount  of  funding. 
Increasing budget allocation for higher education mobility under the 2021-2027 programme 
was, therefore, an important step in the right direction.  

The study identified obstacles for further growth of participation in learning mobility. These 
obstacles can be split into individual-level, organisational-level and system-level obstacles.  

Individual-level obstacles include the financial burden associated with cross-border mobility, 
especially for those participants with family responsibilities. The obstacles also include the fact 
that there can be limited time for mobilities during master’s programmes and in general a lack 
of  personal  initiative.  Higher  education  staff  also  faces  barriers  such  as  lack  of  time,  high 
workload,  and  lack  of  confidence.  Staff  with  temporary  contracts  furthermore  often  do  not 
perceive mobility as a priority due to high administrative and academic workloads. Non-mobile 
learner participants have also reported that the high level of bureaucracy was an obstacle to 
mobility. While the study does identify lack of foreign language skills as an obstacle, they also 

23 

 
 
 
 
note that this is not perceived by all as a barrier, as it was perceived that English could be used 
during the mobility.  

The  organisational-level  obstacles  include  different  higher  education  systems  perceiving 
learning mobility,  and its benefits  and opportunities, in  different  ways. Organisational-level 
obstacles  also  include  the  higher  workload  that  has  come  with  adapting  to  digital  mobility 
management and the management of new types of mobilities also which can be time consuming 
for HEI staff. This is also related to the limited number of staff members in institutions, and 
problems with finding replacement staff while on mobility. Organisational-level obstacles also 
relate  to  housing  and  finding  suitable  and  affordable  accommodation  options  during  the 
mobility, and the integration with local communities during the mobility. 

Finally, system-level obstacles include for example the timing of grant payments, low grant 
amounts for the mobility periods, and lack of portability of national grants. The recognition of 
qualifications and learning outcomes is also reported as an obstacle despite being at a far more 
advanced stage compared to other sectors. 

The study also identified key incentives to increase participation in mobility. These are also 
divided into individual-level, organisational-level, and system-level incentives. 

For  individual-level  incentives,  traveling  abroad  in  itself  is  a  major  driver  and  source  of 
interest  for  students  according  to  the  focus  group  consulted  in  the  study,  with  a  general 
tendency  of  students  to  choose  non-familiar  destinations,  such  as  locations  outside  the  EU. 
Staff were more concerned about the quality of the host institutions and building professional 
relationships and cooperation. Having previous mobility experience was also found to increase 
the chances for students to go on degree mobility with the purpose of doing a master’s degree 
abroad. Enhancing career prospects was also found to be an incentive, especially for traineeship 
students. The study explains that a tailored communication approach is important to incentivise 
staff, and that quality support with the application process and finding suitable host institutions 
are valuable as expressed by both mobile and non-mobile students. 

Organisational-level incentives include the organisation of blended intensive programmes as 
they can represent low-threshold opportunities for HEIs to collaborate on joint curricula, and 
more generally the development of different types of mobility opportunities can contribute to 
widening participation. Joint programmes can also alleviate some administrative burdens and 
institutional challenges of mobility, a good example of that being the European Universities 
alliances.  Involving  stakeholders  such  as  student  bodies,  alumni  networks  and  youth 
associations  can  also  be  beneficial,  and  these  actors  play  a  vital  role  in  the  integration  of 
incoming students. However, ESN research has found that returning students do not receive a 
lot of encouragement from their sending institutions to be involved in mobility alumni activities 
upon  return.  Finally,  embedding  mobility  windows  in  curricula  is  seen  as  key  for  the 
internationalisation of higher education and easier recognition and credit transfer, as well as a 
less stressful mobility experience. 

When it comes to system-level incentives, aligning grant rates for students and staff to the 
economic situation in home and host countries can encourage mobility, even more so if costs 
such  as  health  insurance  and  visa  are  taken  into  account.  Simplification  of  administration 
processes, using adequate IT and data collection tools can also result in successful mobilities.  

24 

 
 
Other evidence and developments 

The  Commission  on  23  February  2023  has  published  its  report49  to  the  Council  on  the 
implementation of the “Council Recommendation on promoting automatic mutual recognition 
of  higher  education  and  upper  secondary  education  and  training  qualifications  and  the 
outcomes of learning periods abroad”50, four years after its adoption in November 2018. The 
report provides information on the current state of play, analyses the progress made and the 
lessons learned.  

Automatic mutual recognition is key for students to make the best possible use of all learning 
opportunities across Europe and an essential building block of the European Education Area.  

Automatic recognition is understood in this context as follows: 

a qualification at higher education level acquired in one Member State is automatically 
• 
recognised at the same level in any other Member State, for the purpose of granting access to 
further studies. 

the outcomes from a learning period abroad at higher education level in one Member 
• 
State are automatically and fully recognised in the others, as agreed beforehand in a learning 
agreement  and  confirmed  in  the  Transcript  of  Records,  in  line  with  the  European  Credit 
Transfer  and  Accumulation  System.  Credits  gained  during  the  period  of  study  in  another 
Member State or during a virtual mobility are transferred without delay and counted towards 
the student’s degree without any additional work or assessment of the student. 

an upper secondary qualification giving access to higher education in one Member State 
• 
is automatically recognised in any other Member State, for the purpose of granting access to  
higher education. 

• 
at upper secondary level, the right to have the learning outcomes from a learning period 
abroad in  one Member  State recognised in  the country of origin, provided that the learning 
outcomes are broadly in line with those in the national curricula of the country of origin. 

The  Council  Recommendation  does  not  prejudice  the  right  of  the  other  Member  States’ 
authorities  to  verify  the  authenticity  and  the  level  of  the  qualification  and  if  it  really  gives 
access to higher education in the Member State of issuance. However, this verification does 
not involve any separate recognition procedure. Automatic recognition does not prejudice the 
right  of  higher  education  institutions  to  set  specific  criteria  for  admission  to  their  specific 
programmes. 

49  Report  from  the  Commission  to  the  Council  on  the  implementation  of  the  Council  Recommendation  on 
promoting  automatic  mutual  recognition  of  higher  education  and  upper  secondary  education  and  training 
qualifications  and 
(2023)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
learning  periods  abroad 
content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2023:91:FIN  
50  Council  Recommendation  of  26  November  2018  on  promoting  automatic  mutual  recognition  of  higher 
education and upper secondary education and training qualifications and the outcomes of learning periods abroad 
(2018) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32018H1210(01)  

the  outcomes  of 

25 

 
 
 
In the field of higher education, a number of steps have been put in place by Member States to 
ensure  the  necessary  framework  conditions,  trust  and  transparency  within  their  education 
systems, however, more needs to be done by 2025.  

In the higher education field, we can see the following: 

•  National legislation for automatic recognition of higher education qualifications from 
all EU Member States is in place in 12 Member States. 3 additional Member States 
are in  the process  of adapting their national  legislation.  And 9 other Member States 
makes it available for a limited number of EU countries.  

•  The Bologna and EU transparency tools are in place in most of the Member States. 
However, there are still 11 Member States where these tools are not fully implemented. 
This is hampering the necessary trust between Member States and systems. 

•  14  Member  States  have  in  place  national  guidance  for  institutions,  together  with 
regular training provision and utilisation of online tools for recognition decisions.   
•  7 Member States monitor and evaluate recognition decisions through a central system-
level  database  that  collects  and  disseminates  data  on  recognition  cases,  and  that  is 
regularly updated. Such lack of data in other Member states hamper the assessment of 
de facto implementation of automatic recognition on the ground. 

•  When it comes to automatic recognition of learning periods abroad, the only available 
data  is  the  one  from  the  Erasmus+  programme.  The  European  average  in  2020  was 
84.4%  of  credits  automatically  recognised,  with  substantial  differences  between 
countries. The new Erasmus+ quality framework for the period 2021-2027 has been set 
in  place  to  achieve  full  automatic  recognition  of  learning  periods  abroad  through 
Erasmus+.  

One  of  the  difficulties  in  the  implementation  of  the  automatic  recognition  in  the  higher 
education is the inconsistencies in its implementation. Decisions on recognition are most often 
left  to  the discretion of the higher education institutions themselves, which leads to  diverse 
practices.  Another  hurdle  for  automatic  recognition  lies  in  the  fact  that  recognition  and 
admission  processes  are  often  combined  at  institutional  level.  When  adapting  national 
legislation, Member States might consider ensuring consistency of implementation by giving 
the competence for automatic recognition decisions to a dedicated body. 

In the field of upper secondary education and training, even more effort is needed in order 
to implement the automatic recognition. 

In order to boost implementation, the Commission proposes the following actions: 

•  Developing a European Quality Assurance and Recognition System 
•  Automatic recognition accelerator teams reviews 
•  Provision of information on recognition via online platforms 
•  Financial support for automatic recognition 
•  Automatic recognition accelerator teams reviews 
•  Training and information provisions  
•  Facilitate dialogue between Member States 
• 

Increased participation of NARICs 

26 

 
 
•  Erasmus+  support  for  further  training  to  prepare  school  heads  and  teachers  in 

fostering automatic recognition of the outcomes of learning periods abroad 

•  Exploring synergies between Erasmus+ learning agreements and Europass documents 

for upper secondary education needs (European mobility template) 

The Commission sees a continued need to increase efforts towards the implementation of the 
Council Recommendation and make substantial progress by 2025, based on the main findings 
of this report.  

2.3.2 Vocational education and training 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

The study categorises the obstacles in three different levels:  

•  Individual-level obstacles: Age is one of the factors that plays an important role in 
VET  learners’  (and  apprentices  in  particular)  willingness  to  go  abroad.  The  highest 
number of contracted participants in short-term learning mobility of VET learners are 
those  aged  17-18  years  old,  which  is  the  age  of  many  learners  that  are  either  near 
graduating or have graduated recently from their IVET programmes. Young age is often 
perceived  as a barrier as learners may not be ready to leave their families and live and 
work abroad. Their foreign language skills may also be less developed. For staff, the 
trend is the contrary as it becomes more challenging to go on mobility as teachers grow 
older where the motivation to learn and experience new things tends to diminish for 
many  teachers  over  time.  Other  obstacle  identified  at  this  level  is  the  psychological 
well-being,  as  the  fear  of  suffering  from  stress/loneliness/sadness  was  perceived  by 
VET  learners  as  one  of  the  main  hindering  factors  to  engagement  in  cross-border 
learning  mobility.  The  financial  capacity  to  spend  time  abroad,  the  fear  of  losing 
employment are also considered as impediments to mobility, while employers may also 
be reluctant to let go of apprentices.  

•  Organisational-level  obstacles:  In  a  survey  of  VET  learners,  ‘lack  of  support  or 
information’  was  ranked  amongst  the  top  three  obstacles  preventing  learners  from 
engaging  in  learning  mobility.  They  indicated  that  they  did  not  know  much  about 
available opportunities, and they lacked proper guidance from their schools. Lack of 
substitutes  for  teachers  going  on  mobility  and  dealing  with  the  high  administrative 
burden and busy teaching schedules are some of the major reasons why teachers do not 
engage  in  mobility.  In  the  case  of  apprentices,  they  often  lack  the  support  of  their 
employers (see below). The overall size and training capacity of companies might also 
pose challenges  to  promoting VET mobility, on the both  sides of each mobility, the 
sending and hosting organanisations. 

•  System  –  level  obstacles:  Legal  and  administrative  barriers  to  sending  and  hosting 
apprentices  could  deter  companies,  particularly  small  and  medium  sized  ones  from 
taking part in VET mobility programmes and activities. These include the diversity of 
VET curricula and apprenticeship schemes across Europe as well as the lack of clarity 
on  the  liabilities  linked  to  the  work-based  learning  context.  The  recognition  of  the 
learning outcomes acquired abroad is yet another challenge.  

27 

 
 
 
Other evidence and developments 

Mobility of apprentices  

EU-level policies related to high-quality VET and apprenticeships include other measures to 
stimulate  cross-border  mobility  of  learners.  The  Erasmus+  programme  has  placed  an 
increasingly strong focus on strengthening the work-based character of mobility stays of VET 
learners and it co-funded the mobility of 165 000 apprentices in 2014-2020. 

Besides  Erasmus+,  there  are  other  European  level  policy  initiatives  and  programmes 
supporting apprentice mobility. The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) has 
the  mobility  of  apprentices  as  one  of  its  four  objectives.  As  part  of  the  efforts  to  enhance 
apprentice  mobility,  in  autumn  2023  an  EAfA  Community  will  be  launched  on  apprentice 
mobility  to  support  mutual  learning  of  interested  EAfA  members.  In  addition,  the 
Apprenticeship Support Services of EAfA is planning to publish a toolkit on the mobility of 
apprentices later in 2023.; the EURES portal opens up job and apprenticeship offers available 
in national public employment services databases and among private employment services to 
candidates  from  other  Member  States.  The  EURES  Targeted  Mobility  Scheme  (EURES 
TMS)  offers  support  services  –  varying  according  to  labour  market  needs  –  provisions  for 
interviews in another Member State/EU country, relocation support, linguistic training as well 
as work and country integration support for apprentices. 

Besides  supporting  the  implementation  of  the  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European 
Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships (EFQEA) in 2018, the Commission also 
carried out  a stock-taking of the Member States’ compliance with  EFQEA criteria. Council 
Recommendation suggests to undertake, where possible, a part of the workplace experience 
abroad  (criterion  4)  and  to  promote  mobility  either  at  the  workplace  or  at  the  training 
institutions  (criterion  11).  The  report  looked  at  the  state  of  play  and  progress  made  in  the 
implementation of the provisions of the Recommendation. In relation to mobility, it mapped 
the level of implementation as part of criterion 11: Flexible pathways and mobility. The report 
identified  that  in  spite  of  the  developments  taken  place,  the  implementation  of  flexible 
pathways and mobility in apprenticeship is still underdeveloped and this policy element is the 
least covered in Member States of the all the 14 criteria of the Recommendation.  

To  better  understand  the  barriers  related  to  apprentices'  mobility,  Cedefop  has  recently 
undertaken  an  analysis51  to  identify  the  main  barriers  to  apprentice  mobility,  highlighting 
amongst others that: 

•  Employers are reluctant to let their apprentices go abroad, especially for longer periods, 
due to efficiency losses, fear of poaching, or concerns on contractual obligations, health 
and safety and quality of learning and related achievements. 

•  There is little appetite from apprentices themselves, who are in general young or even 

minors, and often have poor foreign language skills. 

51 Cross-border long-term apprentice mobility  - Making it work: suggestions for national policy-makers, June 
2021; Enablers and disablers of cross-border long-term apprentice mobility: evidence from country- and project-
level investigations, September 2021. 

28 

 
 
 
•  The diversity of national apprenticeship schemes makes it difficult to identify, compare 
and  recognise  learning  periods  abroad.  Differences  in  status  (i.e.  employee/learner) 
create a disparity in wages/compensation and social protection. 

The  Commission  has  conducted  dedicated  stakeholder  consultations  with  the  Advisory 
Committee  on  Vocational  Training  (ACVT),  social  partners  and  VET  providers  where 
CEDEFOP evidence (52) was also widely discussed. The main feedback from the general and 
targeted consultations so far is as follows:  

•  The lack of information, lack of opportunities matching  the interests, language barriers, 
lack  of  financial  means,  variety  and  rigidity  in  curricula  structures,  lack  of  automatic 
recognition schemes, lack of support to disadvantaged learners, administrative burden, and 
replacement of teachers  are among  the most common impediments  to  learning mobility 
abroad in all sectors identified by experts and surveys.  

•  Stakeholders also pointed to the lack of evidence on the benefits of long-duration mobility 
of apprentices. It was argued that apprenticeship mobility should be limited to 4 or 6 weeks 
since  they  are  easier  to  implement,  and  longer  periods  are  not  deemed  beneficial  for 
employers and learners.  Lack of appetite by the apprentices themselves is a disabler for 
long-duration mobility. Several factors can be identified to this: lack of foreign language 
skills, preference to continue studying without interruption or to look for a job, young age, 
or other responsibilities of the individual such as having a family, can that stand in the way 
of mobility.  

VET providers were also consulted through their ad hoc expert group in a meeting in October 
2022composed by six European Associations of VET providers (EVVB, EVTA, EUproVET, 
EfVET,  Eucen,  EURASHE).  They  emphasised  the  benefits  provided  by  learning  mobility 
forVET  staff;  however,  both  in-companies  trainers/tutors  and  VET  school  teachers  face 
challenges to find a period of time during the school year when they would be available. VET 
providers  would  like  to  have  more  clarity  on  EU  transparency  tools  and  their  further 
development to facilitate recognition of learning periods abroad, with a special focus on the 
soft skills.  

In January 2023 a dedicated hearing was organised with Social Partners on learning mobility, 
the main conclusions of the hearing were:  

•  Social Partners strongly agreed with Cedefop findings on the various challenges related 
to long-term mobility of apprentices. There was an overall consensus that mobility of 
apprentices should last up to 4 or 6 weeks (max 2 months if needed).  

•  Virtual mobility can complement but not replace physical mobility (or can be used to 

prepare physical mobility) (Trade Unions).  

•  Efforts to increase information, guidance and support in all stages need to be stepped 

up, to increase motivation in particular for learners and SMEs. 

•  Partnerships, networks, support structures, intermediary bodies can alleviate burdens, 

deepen trust and could be supported from Erasmus+ (Trade Unions).   

(52) Cross-border long-term apprentice mobility - Making it work: suggestions for national policy-makers, June 
2021; Enablers and disablers of cross-border long-term apprentice mobility: evidence from country- and project-
level investigations, September 2021. 

29 

 
 
 
 
•  Ensuring  the quality  of mobility  should  be supported e.g. with  a framework and the 

continuation of (ECVET) mobility tools.  

•  Foreign language learning should be strengthened. 

Input about the obstacles to VET learners’ mobility has been collected in the context of the 
public consultation.  

For  example,  EAM.EU  (EuroAppMobility.EU),  an  international  non-profit  association, 
together with seventy stakeholders from different  backgrounds (like  apprentices, companies 
and VET providers) recommends to:  

•  provide better information on mobility opportunities;  
•  exchange good practices and  better promote soft skills acquired through mobility ;  
• 
• 
•  mainstream mobility activators to support young people and companies in their efforts, 

remove administrative and technical obstacles;  
remove psychological barriers and support overcoming difficulties;  

and thus remove some of the above-mentioned obstacles.  

It also identifies the following obstacles to long term mobility of apprentices: 

language barriers, 
recognition of learning outcomes 
issues related to the legal and administrative rules on apprenticeship status 
financial barriers 

• 
• 
• 
• 
•  psychological obstacles 

The VET provider “Les Compagnons du devoir” also mentioned the reluctance of employers 
to let their apprentices go for a learning period abroad, not to weaken their workforce.  

2.3.3 School education 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

Mobilities in school education among pupils and school staff happen through various channels, 
including  bilateral  institutional  agreements,  non-  and  for-profit  organisations,  individual 
initiatives, European and global exchange programmes.  

As it is the case in the current Erasmus+ programme (2021-2027), learning mobility in school 
education targets two main groups: pupils and staff. Pupils usually take part in individual or 
group  mobility  whereas  options  for  school  staff  can  comprise  placements  and  teaching 
assignments, job shadowing, professional development courses and training abroad. For both 
groups  of  participants,  learning  mobility  can  be  short  –a  few  days-  and  long  –up  to  one 
academic year. 

For  both  groups,  learning  mobility  can  bring  about  significant  benefits  related  to  cultural, 
cognitive, and personal learning experiences, in addition to knowledge and skills. Pupils after 

30 

 
 
 
mobilities showed higher degrees of independence and volunteering, they improved transversal 
skills, including cooperation with others, responsibility, creativity, learning to learn as well as 
digital skills53.They might also have higher expectations towards teachers and more motivation 
for  learning.  In  addition  to  individual  benefits,  knowledge  and  experiences  gained  through 
mobilities  can  enrich  schools,  especially  when  schools  have  been  directly  involved  in  the 
design and implementation of the mobility experiences a whole and wider communities.  

Within  Erasmus+,  the  new  accreditation  scheme  put  in  place  under  the  2021-2027 
programming  period,  contributes  to  building  capacity  of  schools  to  engage  in  cross-border 
exchanges and cooperation, and carry out high quality mobility projects. The action contributes 
to long-lasting effects on the participants and participating organisations involved, as well as 
on the policy systems in which such activities are framed. 

Available data suggests that learning mobilities at school level have strongly increased since 
the  early  2000s.  Major  contributing  factors  for  this  increase  are  the  establishment  and 
continuous  development  of  international  programmes  promoting  mobility  and  exchange, 
including  Erasmus+  and  its  precursors54.  However,  according  to  the  relevant  legal  basis, 
mobility projects selected along the previous Erasmus+ programme (2014-2020) could include 
staff mobility only, while mobility activities for pupils were embedded in strategic partnerships 
(under  Key  Action  2),  and  more  specifically  in  school  exchange  partnerships,  meaning 
cooperation  projects  between  organisations.  Under  the  (2021-2027)  Erasmus+  programme, 
mobility  activities for pupils, together with  mobility activities for staff, are part of mobility 
projects  supported by  Key Action 1 of the programme, which gives more visibility to  such 
opportunity.  

Challenges  

Despite positive developments with regard to engaging in mobilities at school level, various 
barriers for pupils, teachers and other staff still remain to undertake learning activities abroad. 
According to the study, some of the key obstacles to pupil and school staff learning mobility 
include: 

•  Language barriers; 
•  Emotional distress caused by separation from families; 
• 

Insufficient finances or resources on individual and organisational levels for preparing 
and implementing learning mobility activities; 

Inflexible and varying school curriculum (no time slot available);  

•  Workload; 
• 
•  Lack of education and training on learning mobility topics;  
•  Lack of recognition of learning outcomes acquired abroad; 
•  Lack of centralised learning mobility monitoring approaches and practices. 

53 European Commission (2017). Combined evaluation of Erasmus+ and predecessor programmes. Final report. 
https://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/erasmus-plus/eval/icf-volume1-main-report.pdf 
54 Such as the Comenius programme for school partnerships (1995-2013) and Pestalozzi, the Council of Europe 
training programme for education professionals 

31 

 
 
 
These obstacles can be linked to specific situation at individual level or to the more structural 
or systemic context. 

Pupil mobility  

At an individual level the obstacles to pupil mobility are connected to personal and emotional 
reasons such as psychological distress caused by separation from the family and lack of interest 
and  motivation  to  go  on  mobility.  Most  schools  currently  lack  mobility  coordinators  or 
appointed tutors for supporting incoming and outgoing pupils. As a result, very few pupils are 
aware of available learning mobility opportunities.55 

Real or perceived lack of foreign language competences is another major barrier for pupils to 
go abroad. Significantly more pupils who speak three languages or more take part in Erasmus+ 
(not  only  mobilities),  while  there  are  much  fewer  participants  who  speak  only  one  other 
language.  

On an organisational level, schools often have insufficient resources to implement, facilitate 
and support the learning mobilities of pupils and school staff. Insufficient funding is one of the 
main reasons why learning mobilities for pupils might not be realised.  Disadvantaged learners, 
in  particular,  are  at  risk  of  not  participating  in  learning  periods  abroad  without  additional 
financial support for such experience. This especially applies for small schools, located in rural 
areas  or  designed  to  support  pupils  with  special  needs.  Missing  awareness  of  mobility 
opportunities and benefits  among  individuals and education institutions undermine mobility 
potentials.  

An important system-level obstacle is finding the suitable time during the school year to go on 
a  mobility  due  to  the  rigid  nature  of  the  school  curriculum.  In  addition,  procedures  for 
recognition and accreditation are often lacking at institutional level. Where they exist, different 
schools might have diverging views on what should be recognised. Even if host schools certify 
learning periods of visiting students, such “certification” usually does not carry legal value at 
the home school. 

Due  to  the  scattered  nature  of  mobilities  that  take  place  in  school  education,  especially  for 
pupils, there is a lack of centralised mobility monitoring processes. This lack of information 
on  mobility  flows  impairs  the  development  of  evidence-based  policies  and  practices  for 
learning mobility.   

Teacher mobility  

Individual-level obstacles include lack of support from superiors, peers or family which might 
prevent teachers from participating in mobility activities.  Teachers and other staff often have 
family  or  other  personal  responsibilities,  which  might  prevent  them  from  participating  in 
learning mobility. The language barrier is another big obstacle for teachers to be able to attend 
job  shadowing or other professional  learning activities abroad. Research  shows  that foreign 

55  ESN  et  al  (n.d)  Erasmus  in  schools,  Research  on  the  knowledge  and  the  interest  of  high  school  students 
regarding International Mobility: report on the findings of the survey 

32 

 
 
 
language  teachers  engage  in  learning  mobility  activities  more  often  than  teachers  of  other 
subjects.  

At organisational level, schools often struggle with the administrative burden and additional 
workload  of  engaging  in  mobility  activities.  The  study  shows  that  schools  often  lack  an 
institution-wide  strategy  to  share  the  acquired  knowledge  through  mobility  periods.  Thus, 
many teachers' mobility activities are initiated by teachers themselves and therefore have less 
strategic impact on the whole school community than learning mobility strongly embedded in 
the  school  development  strategy.  In  some  countries  there  seems  to  be  the  expectation  for 
teachers to invest their own finances in their professional development56.  

Due to a strict nature of the school curriculum, many teachers have a very limited number of 
windows during a school year which could be used for individual learning mobility activities 
or  for  accompanying  pupils  during  group  mobilities.  This  is  also  related  to  the  shortage  of 
teachers  in  many  EU  countries  (which  result  in  more  difficulties  for  schools  to  find 
replacements of teachers) and the lack of funds dedicated for schools to hire substitute teachers 
for the ones who participate in mobilities. 

On the basis of the aforementioned obstacles, the main incentives supporting learning mobility 
in school education are as follows: 

•  Language support tools and platforms. 
•  Support for sending and hosting schools that engage in learning mobility. 
•  Rewarding the work done by staff preparing and implementing mobility projects 
•  Supporting schools in their learning mobility awareness-raising efforts. 
•  Development of a more flexible curriculum by embedding mobility windows. 
•  Provision of education and training on learning mobility topics to school staff. 
•  Provision  of guidance on the recognition  process and building  of bilateral  exchange 

agreements. 

•  Adoption of nationally centralised learning mobility monitoring practices. 
• 

It is also necessary for institutions to be supported in their awareness-raising efforts in 
multiple  ways,  including  the  production  of  promotional  campaigns,  informational 
materials or involving ambassadors that share their learning mobility experiences with 
interested individuals in schools. 

Lastly,  the  development  of  evidence-based  policies,  regulations,  and  practices  for  learning 
mobility  in  schools  can  be  supported  through  nationally  centralised  learning  mobility  data 
monitoring approaches. 

56 Focus group of respondents as part of the Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward 
(2023) 

33 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Other evidence and developments 

Pupil mobility 

Within the Erasmus+ programme  and its predecessors, the pupil mobility  activity started in 
bilateral  or  multilateral  projects  between  schools.  A  study57  published  by  the  European 
Commission about the impact of Comenius partnerships (cooperation projects in the school 
education sector) under the previous Lifelong Learning programme mentions that cooperating 
with other organisations (local authorities, NGOs, companies etc) in addition to schools brings 
a strong added value to the schools involved in the Comenius partnerships.  

A collective of European civil society organisations in the field of school education, including, 
inter  alia,  EFIL,  OBESSU  and  the  Lifelong  Learning  Platform,  as  part  of  the  public 
consultation,  call  any  learning  mobility  programmes  beyond  Erasmus+  to  be  identified  and 
adhere to the European Quality Charter for Mobility58. This Charter mentions that support for 
mobility  within  the  EU  from  all  stakeholders  (including  public  authorities)  is  needed  to 
improve the quality and effectiveness of education and training systems in Europe.   The quality 
of mobility can be enhanced by the provision of schemes such as mentoring for participants. It 
also  calls  for  supporting  Individual  Pupil  Mobility  (IPM)  as  a  key  tool  for  the 
internationalisation  of  schools  and  for  developing  European  citizenship  at  a  young  age.  In 
addition, it calls for supporting a learning mobility culture by:  

−  ensuring  a  whole  school  approach  to  internationalisation  (and  including  learning 

mobility in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) curricula). 

−  supporting school heads to integrate learning mobility within the school pedagogical 
project,  in  line  with  a  whole  school  approach,  also  in  view  of  providing  adequate 
information to teachers and students 

−  promoting diverse host destinations, including beyond Europe;  
−  promoting a welcoming culture in hosting institutions and communities, conducive to 
learners’  cultural  immersion  in  the  local  community,  and  the  creation  of  hosting 
infrastructure (e.g. accommodation);  

−  supporting  partnerships  between  key  mobility  stakeholders  (i.e.  schools,  youth 
information  centres,  school  students  unions,  non-profit  organisations  running 
mobilities)  to  provide  pupils  and  parents  with  information  on  learning  mobility, 
especially through peer interventions. 

Teacher mobility 

Under  the  new  Erasmus+  programme  (2021-2027),  trends  in  teacher  mobility  show  that  a 
majority of teachers participate in courses abroad (for which Erasmus+ support can be allocated 
for a maximum of 10 days), while job shadowing in a school and teaching assignments (which 
can be supported for up to 60 days and 350 days respectively) are much less common. This 

57 Étude d’impact des partenariats scolaires  Comenius sur les établissements  –  Changements institutionnels et 
dimension européenne : Rapport final, Publications Office, 2012 
58 RECOMMENDATION OF  THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND  OF THE COUNCIL of 18 December 
2006  on  transnational  mobility  within  the  Community  for  education  and  training  purposes:  European  Quality 
Charter for Mobility (2006/961/EC) 

34 

 
 
 
illustrates the difficulties for teachers to go abroad for those activities, which are in general 
longer than courses and training events.  

The TALIS survey (2018)59 considers the transnational mobility of teachers during two specific 
periods: mobility during initial teacher education and mobility as a practising teacher. Despite 
the  importance  of  transnational  mobility  as  part  of  initial  teacher  education,  only  20.9%  of 
teachers  in  the  EU  reported  having  gone  abroad  during  their  studies.  As  far  as  in-service 
teachers are concerned, approximately one third (32.9 %) of teachers in the EU reported having 
had  a  transnational  mobility  experience,  again  with  variations  across  countries.  The  same 
survey also suggests significant gender imbalances in the teaching workforce because of fewer 
numbers of men choosing to be teachers.  

Mobility schemes as part of initial teacher education is sometimes diminished by a number of 
obstacles  to  their  academic  recognition.  One  challenge  relies  to  discrepancies  between 
countries with  respect  to  the level  of qualification teachers must attain  in  order to  meet  the 
requirements to become a fully qualified teacher 60. In addition, teacher education curricula do 
not  always  enable periods of mobility  abroad. Teaching  and training assistantships in  other 
European countries may not be recognised as being an integral part of initial teacher and trainer 
education,  especially  as  being  equivalent  to  in-school  training  in  a  national  education  and 
training institution61. 

Student  mobility  in  European  teacher  education  lags  far  behind  other  study  areas,  due  to 
national  obstacles  of  time  frames  and  regulations.  When  looking  at  the  student  mobility  in 
higher education under the (2014-2020) Erasmus+ programme, study fields such as business, 
administration, law, arts  and humanities make up 43,5% of  all mobile students  while study 
fields while the study field ‘education’ only 3,7%.   

As regards in-service teachers, a recent study of Eurydice62 show that foreign language teachers 
are the most mobile  ones  compared to  teachers  of four other main subjects  (reading,  social 
studies,  science  and  mathematics).    Some  countries  provide  top-level  funding  schemes  to 
support the transnational mobility of their foreign language teachers wanting to go abroad for 
professional purposes.  Still, almost only 30% of modern foreign language teachers surveyed 
in the EU have never been abroad for professional purposes.  

The Council Conclusions on enhancing teachers’ and trainers’ mobility also mention obstacles 
to  the  mobility  of  teachers  and  trainers.  This  includes  recognition  issues,  difficulties  in 
arranging substitute teachers and trainers, lack of language competences. In addition to this, 
there is a significant degree of regulation at national level within the teaching profession and 
there are differences in the structuring of school years between Member States. While this is a 
sign of the diversity and richness of the national education and training systems in the EU, this 
may  also  hinder  the  organisation  of  in-school  training  such  as  job  shadowing,  teaching 
assistantship or teaching assignment. 

59 TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II), Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals 
60 Eurydice, “Key Data on Education in Europe” (2012) 
61 Council conclusions on enhancing teachers’ and trainers’ mobility, in particular European mobility,  
during their initial and in-service education and training (2022/C 167/02) 
62 Key data on teaching languages at school in Europe - 2023 edition 

35 

 
 
 
The  Council  of  the  European  Union  recognized,  in  its  conclusions issued  in  2022  (Council 
Conclusions  on  enhancing  teachers’  and  trainers’  mobility63)  that  in  addition  to  its  positive 
effects  on  the  motivation,  knowledge,  skills  and  competences  as  well  as  the  professional 
pathways  of  teachers  and  trainers,  mobility  of  teachers  and  trainers,  especially  European 
mobility, is also beneficial to national education and training systems and could improve them 
since:  

a) it reinforces teachers’ and trainers’ capacity to innovate and to reflect on practices with a 
view to better meeting the needs of learners;  

b)  it  helps  develop  teachers’  and  trainers’  sense  of  belonging  to  a  European  teaching  and 
learning community through the bonds that are forged during and after mobility experiences, 
it  encourages  learners’  mobility  and  more  generally,  it  contributes  to  the  development  of  a 
European dimension in the activities and projects of their education and training institutions, 
as well as international strategies, hence it has an impact on the whole education and training 
system.  However, the Council conclusions on European teachers  and trainers for the future 
stressed  that  initial  education  programmes  for  teachers  often  display  a  weak  international 
dimension  and  low  levels  of  study  and  traineeship  mobility,  in  comparison  to  study 
programmes in other subject fields, and there are challenges related to recognition of mobility 
periods abroad and learning outcomes. 

2.3.4 Youth 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward in non-formal and informal learning contexts, including learning mobility of young 
people and youth workers. 

The  dedicated  study  highlighted  that  the  variety  of  youth  mobility  opportunities  offered  by 
Erasmus+  youth  and  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  offer  a  good  range  of    activities  and 
experiences, accomodating different needs and interests of young people and youth workers. 
These projects cater for diverse interests, e.g. addressing democratic participation, EU values, 
inter-cultural  awareness,  support  to  communities  and  humanitarian  and  societal  challenges, 
including  inclusion,  environment  and  climate  and  digitalisation.    Opportunities  embed  key 
competence development that support the next steps of young people, for instrance to prepare 
for  further  education  or  training,  for  employment  or  for  civic  and  voluntary  engagement. 
Learning mobility in non-formal and informal learning, youth work and volunteering contexts, 
through  their  participatory  or  experiential  pedagogy,  building  relationships  and  learning 
together, mentor and peer support, offers valuable opportunities for all young people, including 
those with fewer opportunities, struggling with studies or training, and encountering barriers 
in their transition to adulthood.  

The study identified the following key obstacles in the youth sector: 

•  Financial obstacles due to insufficient funding provided to mobile participants. 
•  The lack of interest and motivation to go on mobility. 

63 Council conclusions on enhancing teachers’ and trainers’ mobility, in particular European mobility, during their 
initial and in-service education and training (2022/C167/02) 

36 

 
 
 
 
•  Psychological obstacles due to separation from families and peers and lack of self-

reliance. 

•  Lack of adequate foreign language skills. 
•  Lack of awareness and information on mobility opportunities. 
•  Lack of organisations’ capacities due to understaffing and underfunding.  
•  Administration/bureaucracy of grant funding processes in EU programmes. 
•  Lack of suitable accommodation. 
• 

Issues with recognition of competencies obtained through mobilities. 

The  Flash  Eurobarometer  50264,  found  that  the  main  individual-level  obstacles  to  youth 
mobility activities are lack of financial means (36%), lack of interest (24%) and lack of self-
independence (20%). Younger age groups (15-18 or 19-24) are more interested in participation. 
Other reasons include lack of information on learning mobility, non-adequate foreign language 
skills (19%), mismatch between available opportunities and personal interests (14%) and lack 
of support by family, partner or friends (7%). 

The Eurodesk Youth Info Survey 202265, found that non-mobile young people face challenges 
such as finding opportunities matching their interests, societal expectations, academic pressure, 
and the risk of losing benefits like unemployment or welfare services. Geographical obstacles 
can add costs and challenges due to time and distance to travel and lead to exclusion of young 
people from peripheral areas66. Young adults who have family responsibilities or caring duties 
are less motivated for mobility due to financial obstacles and societal expectations. This lack of 
motivation for mobility is not only caused by financial obstacles, but also by societal expectations on 
family responsibilities and ties67.. A focus group mentioned social costs and self-confidence issues 
as obstacles to leaving one's comfort zone for learning68.   

The  complexity  of  mobility  programmes  and  their  requirements  makes  communication 
challenging. Information can be ineffective or not enough, or not reaching the right audience.69  

According to Eurodesk, overall access to youth information remains unequal across Europe, 
with  some  regions  and  demographic  groups  facing  greater  barriers  to  accessing  quality 
information70.  Factors  that  contribute  to  inequality  of  access  to  information  are:  geographic 
location,  language,  socio-economic  status,  health  and  digital  literacy.  Exposure  to  mobility 
experiences in the family environment can also contribute to foster a positive approach towards 
mobility71.   

to 

of 

Office 

Union. 

European 

Available 

Publications 

Luxembourg: 

64 European Commission (2022) Flash Eurobarometer 502: Youth and Democracy in the European Year of Youth. 
Europe. 
at: 
the 
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2774  
65  Eurodesk  (2022)  Youth  Info  Survey  2022  –  Mobility  and  the  Role  of  Youth  Information.  Available  at: 
https://eurodesk.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ED_survey_22_WEB_Final.pdf  
66 European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (2020) Study on removing 
obstacles 
at: 
activities, 
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/1a7042cb-e678-11ea-ad25-01aa75ed71a1     
67 Focus group with Italian youth workers and volunteers.  
68 Focus group with Italian youth workers and volunteers. 
69Internationale  Jugendarbeit  (FPD)  (N.D.)  Access  Study  in  international  youth  exchange.  Available  at: 
https://www.zugangsstudie.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Zugangsstudie_en_web.pdf 
70 Eurodesk (2020)  EU Youth Strategy Mid-Term Evaluation How investing in Eurodesk boosts Inclusion and 
Diversity in EU Youth Programmes and Initiatives. 
71 Interview with Eurodesk. 

cross-border 

Publications 

Available 

solidarity 

Office. 

37 

 
 
 
A  focus  group  with  young  people  found  that  learning  mobility  is  primarily  associated  with 
university studies and Erasmus+ KA1. Most participants were not adequately informed about 
the  variety  of  available  opportunities,  and  EU  websites  were  perceived  as  main  tools  for 
information on learning mobility opportunities beyond the Erasmus+ study abroad period and 
higher education institution channels.  

In the field  of social  youth  work and youth  work with  disabled  young people, international 
learning mobility is often perceived as a luxury activity, especially for young people with fewer 
opportunities and where organisations already struggle with providing their main services and 
tasks72. This suggests that youth workers and the youth work field do not always associate their 
function, action,  and professional  role with  mobility  opportunities.  This  warrants  additional 
attention considering the objectives of the European Youth Work Agenda. 

Additional efforts to promote mobility opportunities are often hindered by scarcity of funding 
and human resources. Eurodesk, the leading European youth information network, points out 
that limited human resources hamper the capacity to promote opportunities on social media, 
websites, and coordinate multipliers and ambassadors' networks. 

Applicant organisations face difficulties with workload, administrative procedures, complex 
funding  rules,  partner  finding,  and  project  development73.  A  recent  study  by  the  European 
Commission  on  youth  work  in  the  EU74  highlighted  the  need  for  further  financial  support, 
especially  for  youth  work  organizations  lacking  sustainable  core  financial  support  from  the 
government and in countries with underdeveloped youth work practices. The lack of structural 
funding can lead to short-termism and brain drain75, hindering the attractiveness of the sector 
as a career option and impairing the availability of relevant development opportunities. Youth 
workers working with vulnerable target groups stress the insufficiency of financial support to 
cater for their specific needs.  

Financial concerns remain  a significant  obstacle for young people participating in  mobility, 
with many stating that EU and public funding is insufficient, and they cannot afford to engage 
in  mobility  relying  solely  on  their  families'  economic  support.  Eurodesk  emphasizes  the 
importance of proper and affordable accommodation for mobile learners, especially for short 
periods  abroad.  Housing  problems  are  identified  as  the  second  most  frequent  obstacle  for 
learners while in mobility (25% of respondents)76, after financial problems.  

Recognition issues are also a significant obstacle, including for youth workers, as competences 
acquired in youth work are not always recognised in national formal education systems and not 

72 Interview programme 
73  ALTO/RAY  (2019)  Exploring  the  implementation  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  during  its  first  year. 
Available at: https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/solidarity/training-support-community/resources/ 
74 European Commission Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture  (2021) Study on youth 
work  in  the  EU  –  Final  report.  Available  at:  https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5a8beedc-
f0e1-11eb-a71c-01aa75ed71a1  
75European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (2020) Study on removing 
at: 
activities, 
obstacles 
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/1a7042cb-e678-11ea-ad25-01aa75ed71a1 
76 
https://esn.org/sites/default/files/pages/he_finalreport.pdf     

(2017)  HousErasmus+ 

report.  Available 

Student  Network 

cross-border 

Publications 

Available 

solidarity 

Research 

Erasmus 

Office. 

to 

at: 

38 

 
 
 
formally  recognised in  policy77.  The lack of recognition related to  non-formal and informal 
learning in youth work, youth activities, and volunteering can also hinder regional and local 
support  for  organisations  and  potential  learners'  willingness  to  engage  in  youth  work  and 
mobility. 

International youth work is sometimes considered a closed system with high threshold access 
and complex bureaucratic work, which discourages participation from young individuals who 
may not have the educational and social means to engage in mobility bureaucracy.  

Compatibility  of  legal  frameworks  across  participating  countries  is  crucial  for  cross-border 
youth  mobility,  volunteering  and  solidarity  activities.  A  survey  on  cross  border  solidarity78 
found that lack of standardised approach to mobility and visas, lengthy procedures and visa-
costs, risks of loss in health insurance/state welfare, difficulties in navigating complex national 
rules, posed substantial obstacles for organisations and participants. 

To mitigate the obstacles, the study idenftified the following key incentives in the youth sector: 

•  Practices and initiatives that mitigate psychological and motivational barriers. 
•  Practices that foster better information and awareness on mobility opportunities. 
•  Work of multipliers and community-based youth networks. 
•  Support offered to youth organisations by national agencies. 
•  Ad-hoc recognition frameworks developed at organisation level. 
•  Practices and policy strategies aimed at enhancing recognition and quality frameworks 

for youth work and youth volunteering. 

•  Sufficient variety of available activities within EU mobility schemes.  
•  Additional  funding  provided  by  national  agencies,  other  national  public  bodies  or 

private agencies. 

To manage individual-level obstacles in learning mobility, the study suggests to involve parents 
in  the  pre-departure  stage,  provide  direct  information  on  opportunities,  and  use  individual 
counselling.  Multipliers  and  ambassadors'  networks,  like  Eurodesk79,  play  a  crucial  role  in 
promoting  mobility.  Peer-to-peer  strategies,  like  Europeers80,  involve  informal  intercultural 
exchanges  between  mobile  international  students,  young  people,  volunteers,  and  those  with 
fewer opportunities. These strategies help reassure families and learners about the value and 
safety of learning mobility. 

The Eurodesk 2022 survey81indicates that most young people require individual support for 
mobility experiences. Research by RAY-MON82 shows that 55% of project participants know 
about  their  projects  through  youth  organisations,  informal  youth  groups,  or  youth  centers. 

77  European  Commission  (2021)  Study  on  youth  work  in  the  EU  –  Final  report.  Available  at: 
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5a8beedc-f0e1-11eb-a71c-01aa75ed71a1 
78 European Commission (2020) Study on removing obstacles to cross-border solidarity activities. Available a: 
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/1a7042cb-e678-11ea-ad25-01aa75ed71a1 
79 Interview with Eurodesk. 
80 For more information, please see: https://www.europeers.de/international/  
81  Eurodesk  (2022)  Youth  Info  Survey  2022  –  Mobility  and  the  Role  of  Youth  Information.  Available  at: 
https://eurodesk.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ED_survey_22_WEB_Final.pdf 
82  RAY-MON  (2022)  Effects  and  outcomes  of  the  Erasmus+  Youth  in  Action  Programme.  Available  at: 
https://www.researchyouth.net/news/new-effects-and-outcomes-of-erasmus-youth-in-action-between-2014-
2020/   

39 

 
 
 
Friends and acquaintances also play a significant role in informing participants. Diversification 
of  activities  and  programs,  such  as  Erasmus+  and  European  Solidarity  Corps  and  national 
schemes, can facilitate mobility participation and accommodate different interests and stages 
of life and careers of young people and youth workers. This approach also enables professional 
development at different stages of the youth work career, aligning with the EU Youth Strategy 
and the European Youth Work Agenda. 

Multipliers  enhance  youth  mobility  information  accessibility  and  targeting,  benefiting  civil 
society  and  youth  organizations.  Eurodesk  multipliers  consist  of  local  youth  information 
points,  libraries,  and  municipalities.  Eurodesk  Ambassadors,  Youth  Ambassadors  and 
European  Young  Journalists  also  support  these  activities.  Local  outreach  and  networks 
facilitate mobility by reaching young people in their communities, emphasizing links between 
community, locally-based action, and transnational activities. Community-based face-to-face 
outreach reaches younger target groups and builds trust, providing a personal and relatable face 
to Europe83. 

Locally-based  networks  can  improve  the  community  impact  of  learning  mobility  projects, 
involving community members, fostering interaction, and acquiring skills, visions, and values. 
National agencies' guidance and support act as incentives at organisational level, motivating 
youth organizations to design and complete projects. Eurodesk and EUROPE DIRECT centres 
are well placed to cooperate to enhance the appealing of learning mobility. 

Organisational practices, such as the use Youthpass84, and other EU and national transparency 
tools, can improve recognition of non-formal and informal learning in youth and volunteering 
activities. The Youthpass process and certificates support, identify and document participants' 
learning  throughout  the  project  life-cycle.  The  Franco-German  youth  office  (OFAJ 
international  organisation)  is  an  example  of  certification  for  youth  workers  based  on 
intercultural standards and professional competence assessment.  

RAY Network85 highlights professional development as a motivating factor for youth workers 
to participate in mobility. Youth workers need practical knowledge in digitalization, foreign 
languages,  presentation,  project  applications,  and  implementation.  Having  competent  and 
knowledgeable  youth  workers  can  stimulate  interest,  support  young  people  in  identifying 
opportunities, prepare young people to go on mobility in non-formal and informal settings and 
volunteering,  ensure  quality  and  inclusion  of  mobility  activities  and  support  the  process  of 
recognition of learning outcomes. 

Coherent legal frameworks can incentivize young people's participation in cross-border youth 
work  and  volunteering.  Recent  policy  developments,  such  as 
the  2022  Council 
Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers across the EU86, invite Member States 
to  strengthen  legislative  frameworks  for  health,  safety,  and  security,  support  organization 
capacity building, and raise awareness on volunteers' rights. 

83 Ibid. 
84 YouthPass website. Available at: https://www.youthpass.eu/it/ 
85  RAY-MON  (2022)  Effects  and  outcomes  of  the  Erasmus+  Youth  in  Action  Programme.  Available  at: 
https://www.researchyouth.net/news/new-effects-and-outcomes-of-erasmus-youth-in-action-between-2014-
2020/ 
86 Council of the European Union (2022) Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers across 
the  European  Union.  Official  Journal  of  the  European  Union.  Available  at:  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022H0411(01) 

40 

 
 
 
The implementation of the European Youth Work Agenda is coordinated by the EU-Council 
of Europe Youth Partnership87 and aims to improve framework conditions for and recognition 
of youth work in Europe and beyond.   

Initiatives like the European Union-Council of Europe youth partnership's Quality Framework 
for Learning Mobility in the Field of Youth serve as sources for developing EU-level quality 
and recognition frameworks. The framework includes quality principles, indicators, inclusion, 
health  and  safety,  and  active  participation,  as  well  as  a  quality  handbook.88.  The  Q!  App, 
developed by the European Platform for Learning Mobility, assists organizations in planning 
and creating quality mobility projects. It guides organizers through 16 questions and provides 
resources, tips, and practical  solutions,  enabling easy quality  assessment  for youth  mobility 
organizers.89. 

Funding  necessities  remain  the  main  barrier  to  youth  learning  mobility  participation. 
Additional  funding  schemes,  also  beyond  those  offered  by  the  EU  programmes,  offered  by 
public  or  private  bodies,  like  education  and  training  institutions  and  national  agencies,  can 
enhance economic conditions for young mobile learners. The study found examples of Italian 
National  Agency  and  Universities90,  which  provide  additional  funding  if  family  income  is 
below a certain threshold, an approach that the study suggests could be interesting for other 
sectors and countries.  

Other evidence and developments 

In the feedback to the Call for Evidence, stakeholders such as the European Youth Forum and 
the Erasmus student network, have highlighted that there is a lack of awareness of many young 
people of the wide range of learning mobility opportunities available and a disproportionate 
focus  on  formal  education  settings.  Young  people  face  challenges  in  participating  in  youth 
learning mobility activities due to lack of support, financial constraints, and inadequate support 
for  youth  organisations.  Improved  outreach  and  inclusion,  as  well  as  further  recognition  of 
learning outcomes, are needed.  

Before Erasmus+ 2014-2020, Youth in Action 2007-2013 was the EU programme for young 
people, supporting out of school mobility within and beyond the EU, non–formal learning and 
intercultural dialogue, strongly focused on the inclusion of all young people regardless of their 
socio-economic, educational, and cultural background. It also put emphasis on the objectives 
of youth participation and the citizenship dimension of the activities. The mid-term evaluation 
of Youth in Action found that the programme provided strong learning experiences and helped 
distinguish non-formal learning as a separate area of key competence and skills acquisition. It 
also showed effects in terms of life-changing impact on participants, leading to better education 
and employment prospects. Learning experiences in a non-formal setting were found to create 

87  Council  of  Europe  website.  Available  at:  https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/recognition-
resources/-/asset_publisher/llpkrN7I27by/content/bonn-
process?inheritRedirect=false&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fpjp-eu.coe.int%2Fen%2Fweb%2Fyouth-
partnership%2Frecognition-
resources%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_llpkrN7I27by%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%2
6p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-1%26p_p_col_pos%3D1%26p_p_col_count%3D2 
88 Council of Europe and European Commission (2019) Handbook on Quality in Learning Mobility. Available at: 
https://pjp-eu.coe.int/documents/42128013/47261953/Handbook+LM/3a5c103c-0367-4eba-1aca-ee544826f557  
89 For more information, please see Annex 2. 
90 Focus group with Italian youth workers and volunteers. 

41 

 
 
 
bridges to  formal education and training.  Opportunities to ‘hard-to-reach’ groups,  including 
young people struggling with  school  and studies,  were impactful in  increasing  participants’ 
motivation to return to or continue in further formal education. Participation also contributed 
to  young  peoples'  social  awareness  and  sense  of  responsibility.  It  stimulated  interest  in  EU 
values and a positive view of the EU.  For many young people, Youth in Action offered the 
possibility to venture outside of their country or even beyond their home region for the first 
time. The programme was also valuable in supporting the professionalisation of youth work. 

2.3.5 Adult education 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

While learning is a lifelong process, in many countries access to education remains limited as 
soon as formal initial education is completed. Lifelong learning is pivotal to build inclusive, 
resilient  and  active  sociates.  Adult  education  can  provide  unique  opportunities  to  gain  new 
knowledge,  skills  and  confidence  and  to  experience  active  citizenship  and  intercultural 
dialogue. As it is the case for other Erasmus+ sectors (including Youth with non-formal and 
informal  activities),  available  data  show  that  adult  learners  who  benefit  from  learning 
opportunities become well-versed, self- empowered, self-assured   and better equipped to make 
decisions in a variety of situations.  

Currently, learning mobility in adult education is primarily supported through Erasmus+ and 
Nordplus Adult programmes. Some mobility of adult education staff and learners also takes 
place in an unstructured way, but the information of this is not always publicly available.  

The main aim of the mobility activities in adult education in Erasmus+ is to provide learning 
opportunities to individuals (mainly for social inclusion and active citizenship) and to support 
internationalisation  and  institutional  development  of  adult  education  providers  and  other 
organisations active in the field of adult education. By doing so, they also contribute to the 
implementation  of the  European  Skills  Agenda and the creation of the European Education 
Area. 

The definition of adult education within the Erasmus+ programme includes all forms of non-
vocational adult education, whether of a formal, non-formal or informal nature (for continuous 
vocational  training  see  "VET").  We  can  divide  the  participants  in  two  categories:  staff  and 
learners. Adult learners are any adult who, having completed or being no longer involved in 
initial  education  or  training,  returns  to  some  forms  of  non-vocational  continuing  learning 
(formal,  non-formal  or  informal).  Staff  members  are  formally  linked  to  their  working 
educational organization (school, vocational education and training, higher education and adult 
education organization) and are not considered as adult learners in such context.  

Challenges According to the study, some of the key obstacles to mobility in adult education 
are as follow: 

•  Difficulties to reconcile mobility periods with work and family responsibilities. 

42 

 
 
 
•  Emotional  distress  caused  by  separation  from  family,  especially  young  children  or 

elderly parents. 
Insufficient language skills of potential participants. 

• 
•  Lack of awareness and potential benefits – difficulties for accessing to information. 
•  Limited operational capacity of adult education organisations. 
•  Difficulties finding suitable organisational partners. 
•  Lack of sufficient funding for adult learners. 
•  Lack of sufficient paid training leave for adult learners 
•  Lack of internationalisation of adult education on the national level. 

The  study  identified  the  following  main  incentives  to  support  learning  mobility  in  adult 
education: 

•  Awareness raising and providing information on opportunities in adult education. 
•  Support to organisations in creating cooperation networks. 
•  Providing legal, administrative and logistical support to participants. 

Individual-level obstacles 

Adult learners hey might face fear and anxiety, especially if the mobility is longer than several 
days. The length of mobility is also an important factor when it comes to work responsibilities.  

In addition to psychological barriers, insufficient language skills of potential participants need 
to be tackled by adult education organisations. 

The low level of awareness of mobility opportunities and potential benefits for individuals and 
adult education organisations is among the obstacles to mobility of adult learners considering 
that such organisations initiate, plan and implement mobility activities for adult learners.   More 
promotional  and  communication  tailored  actions  could  help  adult  education  organisations 
understand that the experience with the mobility activities makes their learning programmes 
more innovative and differentiate their learning offers in general. 

Operational capacity of adult education organisations.  

Adult education sector is still affected by relatively low participation of adults in learning and 
training activities which means that there is much less focus on internationalising it and putting 
a  strong  focus  on  mobilities.  National  Authorities  could  take  a  more  proactive  role  in 
highlighting the benefits of internationalisation in adult education. 

In many cases such organisations suffer from low operational capacity, since they do not have 
access to stable funding and depend on voluntary staff. Notably adult education organisations 
do not have own premises and staff alike the institutions in the formal education sector. They 
are not aware of the EU nor other national and local funding sources for covering operational 
costs. 

•  National  and  local  authorities  could  put  in  place  necessary  mechanisms  and 
communication  to  support  them  to  this  regard,  in  particular  to  support  synergies 

43 

 
 
between  mobility  schemes  and  other  EU,  national  and  local  funding  targeting 
operational costs.  

In order for all mobility programmes to have the highest impact, organisations and individual 
participants  need  to  be  aware  of  and  interested  in  available  mobility  opportunities.  Once 
organisations are aware  of mobility projects, are confident  to  engage in  them,  and have the 
necessary  resources  to  do  so,  it  is  important  for  them  to  create  partnerships  and  engage  in 
networking.  

EPALE platform (ePlatform for Adult Learning in Europe) is a key tool in this preparation and 
implementation  of  Erasmus+  projects.  Among  other  things  the  platform  allows  users  to 
network and search for partners. 

Other evidence and developments 

Before Erasmus+ (2014-2020) was launched, adult education was addressed by the Grundtvig 
programme  (2007-2013).  The  Grundtvig  programme  specifically  sought  to  address  the 
educational challenge of an ageing population and to provide adults with alternative pathways 
to updating their skills and competences. The programme encompassed all types of learning, 
whether these took place in the 'formal' or 'non-formal' system of education for adults, or in 
more  'informal'  ways,  such  as  autonomous  learning,  community  learning  or  experiential 
learning.  The  mid-term  evaluation  of  the  Lifelong  Learning  Programme  (2007-2013)91 
pointed out a positive effect of the mobility opportunities to socially disadvantaged groups of 
learners. Adult education organisations developed improved teaching methods, more effective 
strategies  for  outreach  to  socially  marginalised  learners,  new  ways  of  validating  skills  and 
competences, and improved provision of courses for the training of adult education staff. 

Overall, Erasmus+ (2014-2020) has seen a gradual increase in participation in the adult sector. 
Mobility of adult staff witnessed a significant rise under Erasmus+ going from around 10 000 
participants in 2014 to a bit less that 30 000 participants in 202092. One of the novelties of the 
second generation of Erasmus+ programme (2021-2027) lies in the support of learning mobility 
of  adult  learners  under  mobility  projects,  together  with  mobility  of  staff  involved  in  adult 
education. 

Concerning directly participants, the objectives of mobility projects in adult education focus 
on: 

•  promoting values of inclusion and diversity, tolerance, and democratic participation, 
• 

improving the quality of formal, informal and non-formal adult education in Europe for 
key  competences  as  defined  by  the  EU  framework  (2018),  including  basic  skills 
(literacy, numeracy, digital skills) and other life skills,  
raising the participation of adults of all ages and socio-economic background in adult 
education,  especially  by  fostering  participation  of  organisations  working  with 
disadvantaged learners, small adult education providers, newcomers to the Programme 

• 

91https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM%3A2011%3A0413%3AFIN%3AEN%3APDF 
92 Final figures to be validated within the final evaluation of the (2014-2020) Erasmus+ programme. 

44 

 
 
 
less  experienced  organisations,  as  well  as  community-based  grassroots 

and 
organisations. 

In line with these objectives, at the very beginning of the programme, only adults with fewer 
opportunities could be supported by Erasmus+ mobility projects. 

Considering the time necessary to implement the mobility projects since the beginning of the 
(2021-2027) Erasmus+ programme and the disturbance resulting from the COVID-19 crise, it 
is  still  premature  to  mention  precise  and  reliable  data  regarding  the  participation  of  adult 
learners under the current Erasmus+ programme. 

While  the  very  first  projects  are  being  finalised,  those  organisations  which  have  already 
implemented mobility projects report not only an overall reinforcement of key competences 
but also a bigger motivation of adult learners and their willingness to learn further. 

The key stakeholders (European Association for Education of Adults and Lifelong Learning 
Platform) active in adult education call for more effort towards lifelong learning approach to 
learning mobility and underline the fundamental importance of quality mobility opportunities. 
They plead for learning mobility as a fundamental component of the universal right to adult 
education and continuing training (Art. 14(1) of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights), the 
right to employee training and the right to paid training leave – in conjunction with the right to 
freedom of movement (Art. 45 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights). 

It is crucial to ensure learning mobility opportunities to a wide range of individual's profile,  
whatever be their gender, age, socio-economic status, educational attainment, ethnic or migrant 
background, special educational needs and disability, parenting and caregiving responsibilities 
etc 

The  systemic  approach  is  needed  to  overcome  barriers  to  mobility  opportunities  in  adult 
education. Financial resources, reinforced local culture and practice, networks, adult education 
staff,  and  support  of  local  and  regional  authorities  are  pivotal  to  foster  motivation  and 
participation of learners in education and training activities.  

2.3.6 Sport 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles, and way 
forward 

The  sport  sector  is  a  very  diverse  sector,  which  makes  defining  sport  mobility  more 
challenging, compared to other sectors. Even within a narrow understanding of sport, there are 
significant  differences  between 
the  professional  and  elite  sport  segments,  with  a 
commercialised  and  specialised  approach,  and  the  grassroots  sport,  participatory  segment, 
where health, social and inclusion values dominate. Often, sport is seen in the broader context 
of physical activity, play and games, which broadens the scope even more. In the Erasmus+ 
programmes,  sport  has  thus  consistently  been  described  together  with  physical  activity  and 
assumed  a  key  role  for  initiatives  such  as  the  Tartu  Call  for  a  Healthy  Lifestyle  and  the 
#HealthyLifestyle4All initiative (i.e., Health-Enhancing Physical Activity). 

45 

 
 
 
In addition, there are some related areas which also touch upon elements of mobility in sport: 

-  Sport tourism, which is so far mostly individual and commercially driven, but represents a 

growing sector. 

-  Sport  diplomacy,  where  both  elite  and  grassroots  sport  diplomacy  are  drivers  for 

international exchanges. 

-  Sport festivals, where participants in groups or individually participate in large, culturally 

oriented events. 

-  Higher education mobility for students and teachers in sport-related subjects 

Since 2022, the Erasmus+ programme specifically supports mobilities in the sport sector. The 
Erasmus+ Programme Guide provides a useful description of mobilities in sport:  

“Staff of sport organisations, primarily in  grassroots  sports, are provided the opportunity  to 
improve their competences, qualifications and acquire new skills through learning mobility by 
spending a period of time abroad, thus contributing to the capacity-building and development 
of sport organisations. This action supports the professional development of coaches, and other 
staff (both paid staff and volunteers) in grassroots sport”.  

Volunteers  are  included,  reflecting  the  specific  characteristics  of  sport,  notably  that  a 
significant share of involved staff and coaches are volunteers. 

The  intended  outcome  of  sport  mobility  is  both  individual  skills  development  and  capacity 
development of involved organisations. This broad understanding is in line with the other Key 
Action 1 sector descriptions. 

Approaches to learning mobility in sport 

In practice, learning mobility in sport (beyond the Erasmus+ programme) can take many forms 
including a work placement, a job shadowing, a study programme, a voluntary activity or an 
apprenticeship.   

Three major approaches to learning mobility in the sport sector were identified: 

− 

− 

− 

International  mobility  in  connection  to  coach  education  and  sport  youth  leader 
development. 
International  mobility  between  sport  organisation  staff  to  exchange  approaches  and 
methods, and learning from best practice. 
International  mobility  and  exchanges  of  athletes  and  teams  in  connection  to  sport 
competitions at all levels. 

These approaches have some overlaps with related sectors, as mentioned above (sport tourism, 
sport diplomacy, sport festivals and higher education exchanges) and they are distinguished by 
the objective of the mobility as well as the target group. 

The Erasmus+ (MFF 2021-2027) Key Action 1 for sport focuses on the first two approaches 
and target groups. 

46 

 
 
 
As  international  mobility  in  the  field  of  sport  matures,  definitions  and  the  focus  of  sport 
mobilities are likely to evolve around these described approaches, objectives and target groups.  

Other evidence and developments 

The results of the Erasmus+ programme sport mobility projects will be taken into account as 
the definition and scope of sport mobility develops. 

2.3.7 Inclusive mobility 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

The study underlines that equality and inclusiveness are embedded in the EU treaties, policy 
documents and strategies as they are part of the funding values of the European Union. After 
referring to the right of citizen in accessing ‘to quality and inclusive education, training and 
life-long  learning’  opportunities  and  the  key  role  of  education  institutions  in  fostering 
inclusion, it focuses on the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and its policy context. 

It is worth mentioning that the study quotes the definition provided by the Inclusive Mobility 
Alliance (IMA), a network of different European organisations that aims at making mobility 
programmes inclusive for students and young people from disadvantage and underrepresented 
groups. According to the IMA the term inclusive mobility means “creating adequate conditions 
to  learn,  work  or  volunteer  abroad  for  people  with  fewer  opportunities,  by  addressing  their 
diverse support needs. It is a needs-based approach to what the individual beneficiary needs to 
ensure a safe and exciting mobility period abroad. It is important to not generalise needs, needs 
are specific and the individualised aspect in it is highly important. What the person/beneficiary 
says they need  is  what  they should receive.  It  is  not  only about  academic mobility  but  also 
about the social aspects that play an important role in the experience abroad and the potential 
link to connect with the local community”93.  

Key developments and trends 

Inclusion has always been at the forefront when it comes to EU programmes, but its promotion 
has notably intensified since 2021. Within the Erasmus+ programme, the trends show that the 
number of people with fewer opportunities receiving financial support increased over the years. 
Between 2015-2020 top-up grants were allocated to 45,322 participants with special needs and 
481,919  with  fewer  opportunities  mainly  in  VET  and  youth  sector.  In  2020,  8%  of  the 
participants with fewer opportunities took part in mobility activities in higher education, 12% 
in  VET  and  40%  in  youth  sector.  With  the  new  Erasmus+  programme  2021-2027,  higher 
education  sector  has  seen  a  significant  increase  in  financial  support  for  people  with  fewer 
opportunities. Promising trends seem can also be observed in the adult education, youth and 
school  education  sectors,  in  link  with  the  implementation  of  inclusive  rules  and  formats 
launched since 2021.  

93 Van Hees, V. et al. (2020) Making mobility programmes more inclusive for students with disabilities Inclusive 
Mobility - Research Report. Support Centre Inclusive Higher Education (SIHO). 

47 

 
 
 
 
Obstacles, incentives, and good practices 

Among  the  main  obstacles  outlined  by  the  study,  it  is  important  to  mention  not  only  the 
personal,  psychological,  financial  barriers,  disabilities,  and  accessibility  issues  that  a 
participant may face – pointed out by the Erasmus+ programme as well – but also the lack of 
awareness  and access  to information  about  opportunities and support for people with  fewer 
opportunities  and 
the  capacities  of  organisations  dealing  with 
The study also mentions the research conducted by the SALTO Resource Centre for Inclusion 
and Diversity in Education and Training exploring the obstacles that the National Agencies 
have to cope while promoting inclusion. Among them are the definition, the reach out and the 
engagement  of  target  groups,  the  fulfilment  of  the  role  of  inclusion  and  diversity  officer 
because of lack of time, resources and training, and the administrative burden related to the 
paperwork and the programme terminology. 

inclusion  aspects.            

Some of the solutions to overcome the above-mentioned obstacles include: 

-  Better  engaging  multipliers  and  ambassadors  sharing  their  positive  and  real-life 
experiences. Their key role in implementing awareness is significantly impactful, and 
it is even more at the community level. Thus, it is essential to find a way to motivate 
and reward them for their useful work (through networking and training opportunities 
or information resources as done by the Eurodesk). 

-  Engaging in more targeted outreach activities addressed to persons with disabilities and 
people with fewer opportunities. According to a survey with students with disabilities 
led within the EPFIME project, only 22% of the respondents affirmed that their higher 
education institutions provided additional information about opportunities for students 
with  disabilities.  Most  of  them  (58%)  were  not  aware  of  such  information  being 
provided. 

-  Creating  dedicated  accessible  websites,  organising  campaigns,  producing  inclusive 
formats  of  materials  and  adopting  inclusive  communication.  Some  examples  of 
incentives dedicated to this topic are a website and campaign – created by the German 
National Agency and the Ministry of education – focusing on two students regularly 
posting on their social media channels their daily life as students with impairment living 
abroad. The Greek Erasmus+ National Agency published leaflets in braille, KU Leuven 
university  developed  a  detailed  English  website about  studying  with  disabilities  and 
provided a checklist to help students with disabilities to prepare their stay. In addition, 
it  is  essential  to  consider  accessibility  issues.  According  to  the  EPFIME  survey, 
accessibility is particularly important for individuals with disabilities while choosing 
their mobilities, notably regarding to the accessibility of the city, of the academic life, 
of local transports and of housing and campus. 

-  Expanding  the  activities,  financial  and  human  resource  capacities  of  organisations 
promoting learning mobilities – such as Eurodesk and SALTO resource centres – and 
increasing capacities and expertise of the National Agencies. These actors are key to 
the promotion of inclusive learning mobility programmes, but they often have to face 
constraints  in  their  activities  due  to  limited  resources.  More  support  to  them  would 
allow a stronger impact in fostering inclusion and providing guidance.  

-  Clarifying the amount and the timing of payments. The study highlights that when pre-
payment is not available and the payments are receiving during or after the mobility, 

48 

 
 
individuals with fewer opportunities need to know when to expect them. This also leads 
to  individuals  not  even  considering  mobilities  because  of  their  potential  financial 
difficulties. According to the Social Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility study, 43% 
of  students  from  low-income  backgrounds  said  that  they  worried  about  finances  or 
losing their current job when considering an exchange compared to 34% of those from 
higher  income  backgrounds.  Moreover,  lack  of  portability  of  national  grants  and 
support services between countries is a major obstacle for students with disabilities. 
-  Streamlining inclusiveness through mobility programmes to ensure diversity of learners 
involve  unrepresented  groups.  For  instance,  Taith  programme  provides 

and 
disadvantage participants with additional financial support. 

Other evidence and developments 

The  Erasmus+  Programme  aims  to  shape  a  more  inclusive  and  diverse,  digitally  advanced, 
sustainable, and engaged community of participants – across Europe and beyond – and seeks 
to maximise its impact on the wider society. To do so, it defined four transversal priorities to 
be  implemented  throughout  all  actions  and  sectors:  inclusion  and  diversity,  digital 
transformation, environment and fight against climate change, and participation in democratic 
life, common values, and civic engagement.  

These priorities are cross-cutting key areas that influence the design, the implementation and 
the evaluation of projects and initiatives funded by the programme. As a matter of fact, the 
programme gives priority to projects addressing the priorities as a thematic topic or adopting 
approaches,  methods,  and  actions  in  line  with  them,  by  considering  all  these  aspects  in  the 
criteria to assess project proposals. Furthermore, in some cases, it provides additional financial 
support,  develops  tools  and  platforms,  and  carries  out  dedicated  actions  to  foster  the 
implementation  of  the  horizontal  priorities.  To  strengthen  the  impact  of  the  programme  as 
regards of the transversal priorities and to enhance cooperation and collaboration on the topic, 
dedicated resource centres – SALTO – are established for each priority. Moreover, National 
Agencies appointed contact persons to support the work of the SALTO Resources Centres and 
to share knowledge and practices related to the horizontal priorities. 

Policy Context 

Education,  youth,  sport  and  culture  play  a  crucial  role  in  building  inclusive  and  cohesive 
societies.  In  this  regard,  in  October  2021,  the  Commission  published  the  ‘framework  of 
inclusion measures of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes 2021-
202794’. The framework outlines concrete measures to be adopted throughout the programmes 
to foster inclusion and diversity, with a view to ensuring ensure equal opportunities for people 
from all backgrounds and origins. 

In addition, the ‘Inclusion and Diversity Strategy95’ – co-created with the Erasmus+ National 
Agencies and the stakeholders – stresses the importance of formal, non-formal and informal 
education in  increasing  commitment to  inclusion and in  involving  people and organisations 

94 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) of 22.10.2021 on the framework of inclusion measures 
of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes 2021-2027. 
95 Implementation guidelines. Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Inclusion and Diversity Strategy (2021). 

49 

 
 
 
with  fewer  opportunities.  To  this  end,  it  provides  practical  guidance  on  how  to  implement 
projects in a more inclusive manner and features shared definitions across the different sectors, 
target groups and specific inclusion-related objectives.  

Transnational  work  experience  can  help young  people  find  their  way  to  the  job  market, 
especially  the most disadvantaged  NEETs96 (young people not  in  any kind of  employment, 
education or training) aged 18-29, who are vulnerable with regard to their chances of accessing 
work or training for individual or structural reasons (e.g. disability, long-term unemployment, 
insufficient school performance/vocational skills, migration background). The ALMA97 (Aim, 
Learn, Master, Achieve) initiative, implemented under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 
by Member States and supported by the European Commission at EU level.  aims to help young 
NEETs by offering participants a supervised work-related experience in another EU Member 
State  for  a  period  of  2  to  6  months  and  a  comprehensive  project  cycle  with coaching  and 
counselling at every step. The ALMA initiative is based on a theory of change whereby young 
participants with low motivation, low self-confidence, and low chances in the labour market 
undergo a transformative experience and develop relevant skills, boost their self-confidence, 
and, as a result, they are motivated to participate in education and training or employment. It 
actually complements  existing  programmes  supporting  mobility  of  young  people 
like Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps, by catering for a group of young people that 
are not captured by these programmes. The initiative builds on a German-led mobility project 
(ESF  Learning  Network  on  Transnational  Mobility  Measures  for  Disadvantaged  Youth  and 
Young Adults, TLN Mobility) which has given thousands of Europeans the opportunity to gain 
skills and confidence by working abroad. 

There is also European research, by the RAY network98, showing that young people with fewer 
opportunities generally benefit more from youth mobility projects than better-off peers. They 
report  a  significantly  higher  impact  on  their  competences,  their  behaviour  and  their  values, 
suggesting that participation in learning mobility in non-formal and informal learning, youth 
work  and  volunteering  settings  provide  valuable  options  for  young  people  with  fewer 
opportunities, including young people not in employment, education or training and at risk of 
exclusion. Together with a strengthened ‘learning to learn’ competence, youth projects make 
young people with fewer opportunities more autonomous and self-reliant for the future.  Non-
formal and informal learning mobility opportunities can stimulate a positive attitude to further 
learning, including returning to or continuing in formal education and training, and improving 
competences and soft skills that are valued in the labour market, for civic engagement etc.     

Definition 

The  Erasmus+  Regulation99  defines  people  with  fewer  opportunities  as  ‘people  who,  for 
economic, social, cultural, geographical or health reasons, due to their migrant background, or 
for reasons such as disability or educational difficulties or for any other reason, including a 

96 Statistics on young people neither in employment nor in education or training - Statistics Explained (europa.eu) 
97  ALMA  (Aim,  Learn,  Master,  Achieve)  -  Employment,  Social  Affairs  &  Inclusion  -  European  Commission 
(europa.eu) 
98Research-based analysis of European youth programmes | RAY (researchyouth.net)  
99 REGULATION (EU) 2021/817 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 May 
2021  establishing  Erasmus+: the  Union  Programme  for  education  and  training,  youth  and  sport  and repealing 
Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013. 

50 

 
 
 
 
reason that could give rise to discrimination under Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental 
Rights of the European Union, face obstacles that prevent them from having effective access 
to opportunities under the Programme’. 

The Erasmus+ programme plays a key role in making inclusion a reality and in addressing the 
barriers that different target groups may face. The programme defines and further explains a 
non-exhaustive  list  of  potential  barriers  that  can  hinder  the  participation  in  mobility 
programmes. Among them are disabilities, physical or mental health problems, barriers linked 
to education and training systems, to discrimination, geographical barriers – that people living 
in remote or rural areas may encounter, socio-economic difficulties as well as cultural barriers. 

Furthermore,  based  on  the  overall  principles  and  mechanisms  at  European  level,  National 
Agencies draw up inclusion and diversity plans to best address the needs of participants with 
fewer opportunities and to support the organisations working with these target groups, paying 
particular  attention  to  the  specific  challenges  to  access  the  Programme  within  the  national 
context. 

Dedicated measures 

The  Erasmus+  Programme  aims  to  promote  equal  opportunities  and  access,  inclusion, 
diversity, and fairness across all its actions. To reach out people with fewer opportunities, it 
allocates  resources  to  initiatives  that  offer  flexible  and  simple  participation  formats  and 
provides financial support to prepare and accompany current and prospective participants all 
along their Erasmus experience.  

The programme gives priority to projects addressing inclusion and diversity and developing 
diversity-sensitive practices by assessing these aspects in the award criteria. While developing 
their  projects,  organisations  should  take  an  inclusive  approach,  design  inclusive  activities, 
ensure access to participants from all backgrounds and involve them in the decision-making 
process, independently from the thematic of their projects. 

It also offers more accessible formats for small and grassroots organisations such as the small-
scale partnerships and youth participation activities – which are particularly suited to involve 
people with people with fewer opportunities – and to ensure newcomers’ participation.  

Moreover,  the  Erasmus+  programme  provides  financial  support  for  organisation  and 
individuals  –  especially  with  physical,  mental  or  health  related  conditions  –  to  cover  the 
additional costs related to the organisation  of mobility activities for participants with  fewer 
opportunities. It also covers additional costs of preparatory visits and accompanying persons. 
This support is tailored to the type of action and to the individual needs of each participant with 
fewer opportunities. 

Special attention is also given to the inclusion of people who are unable to apply for long-term 
physical  mobility,  due  to  their  field  of  study  or  to  some  barriers  they  face.  In  this  regard, 
blended  mobility  programmes  –  which  combine  both  physical  and  virtual  mobility  –  can 
offer additional opportunities to them.  

51 

 
 
 
Resources 

To support the implementation of inclusion and diversity across all the programme, to gather 
knowledge  on  the  topic  and  conceive  and  run  capacity  building  activities,  two  dedicated 
resource  centres  were  created:  one  for  the  youth  sector  –  hosted  by  the  Belgian  Flemish 
National Agency – and one for education and training – hosted by the Croatian Agency for 
Mobility and EU Programmes. 

The  SALTO  Youth  Inclusion  &  Diversity100  aims  to  facilitate  the  participation  of  young 
people  with  fewer  opportunities  in  international  youth  projects,  while  equipping  youth  and 
youth workers with the necessary skills to deal with diversity of all kinds. It also provides a 
wide  range  of  resources  such  as  trainings,  exchanges  of  knowledges  and  best  practices,  for 
individuals,  organisations  and  agencies  supporting  young  people  with  fewer  opportunities 
(inclusion workers, youth workers, social workers, National Agencies & Coordinators). The 
SALTO Youth Inclusion & Diversity seeks to enhance the transparency and accessibility of its 
work  in  promoting  inclusion  and  diversity  and  to  widely  prioritize  the  inclusion  of  young 
people with fewer opportunities and the positive diversity management. 

The SALTO Inclusion and Diversity Resource Centre (Education and Training)101 seeks to 
assist the National Agencies in enhancing the inclusive dimension of the Erasmus+ programme 
and  ensuring  the  implementation  of  high-quality  projects  school  education,  vocational 
education  and  training,  higher  education,  and  adult  education.  Its  scope  is  also  to  conduct 
analyses, coordinate networking and practice sharing activities, provide support to both NAs 
and beneficiaries, cooperate with different stakeholders and contribute to impact assessments. 

2.3.8 Digital aspects of mobility 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

The  study  underlines  that  digitalisation  has  become  an  integral  part  of  the  EU  policies  in 
response to the rising need for high qualitative, inclusive and accessible digital education. It 
refers to the Digital Education Action Plan and to the actions led by the Erasmus+ programme 
to  foster  the  digital  dimension  of  learning  mobility.  The  study  also  defines  three  different 
formats  of  digital  learning  mobility:  virtual  or  online  mobility  which  consists  in  the  use  of 
information  and  communication  technologies  to  implement  a  project  with  an  international 
partner at a distance, hybrid mobility which is a combination of physical and virtual mobility 
simultaneously, and blended mobility – an asynchronous mix of physical and virtual mobility 
components.  

Key developments and trends  

The Erasmus+ data shows that digital aspects of learning mobilities have been evolving in all 
sectors  since  2020.  The  Covid-19  pandemic  certainly  gave  a  setback  to  physical  learning 
mobilities  while  contributing  to  the  rapid  increase  of  digital  learning  mobility  patterns  and 

100 https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/inclusion/; https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/inclusion/ 
101 https://saltoinclusion.eu/ 

52 

 
 
 
 
highlighting  the  urgent  need  for  the  digital  transition.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  pandemic 
accelerated the use of virtual, hybrid and blended mobilities as well as the implementation and 
the usage of tools and applications. For instance, by 2020 nearly 1 million people improved 
their  language  skills  thanks  to  the  Online  Linguistic  Support  (now  called  Online  Language 
Support).  Moreover,  in  order  to  assist  the  Member  States  in  developing  policies  on  digital 
skills,  a  dedicated  working  group  on  digital  education  was  established  under  the  ET2020 
framework on education and training. In the past years tools such as SELFIE were extended 
and Erasmus Without Paper was developed.   
The monitored data collected under the new Erasmus+ Programme (2021-2027) will provide 
more precise information about the digital dimension in learning mobility activities. 

Obstacles, incentives, and good practices 

Digitalisation is crucial to facilitating free movement of persons and labour mobility. 

In the social security coordination area, significant progress has been achieved in the exchange 
of information between social security institutions through the Electronic Exchange for Social 
Security Information (EESSI) system.  

The Commission and Member States are also working to further simplify the lives of mobile 
people when dealing with cross-border social security issues. The European Social Security 
Pass  (ESSPASS)  initiative  was  launched,  starting  with  a  pilot  project,  to  explore  a  digital 
solution for the cross-border digital verification of social security entitlements. The aim is to 
make it easier for citizens to exercise their social security rights across borders.  

The  Commission  will  present  a  Communication  later  this  year  to  take  stock  of  the  current 
progress,  in  particular  with  the  EESSI  system  and  the  ESSPASS  pilot  project.  This 
Communication  will  clarify  the  overall  landscape  of  existing  initiatives  relevant  for  free 
movement of persons and labour mobility, setting out the objectives to be achieved in the short 
and long term. 

The  study  defines  the  main  obstacles  linked  to  the  digitalisation  of  learning  mobility 
programmes including:  

- 

-  Lack  of  connectedness  and  personal  reciprocity  that  can  only  be  cultivated  through 
face-to-face interactions, and lack of immersion in the foreign culture and socialisation 
processes.   
Insufficient time and resources to implement mobilities on individual or organisational 
levels. 
- 
Incompatibility of academic calendars of participants. 
-  Lack of recognition of the acquired learning outcomes. 

To mitigate these obstacles, the study identifies some incentives: 

- 

Innovative digital solutions embedded in the design of the projects, created through the 
collaboration between education institutions and stakeholders, to motivate and engage 
participants.  According  to  the  study,  individuals  are  often  hesitant  about  the  added 
value of digital activities and in some cases, it is difficult to keep their motivation and 

53 

 
 
engagement throughout these activities. An example could be the Museopedagogy and 
Augmented reality (MONA) project which brought culture to young audience through 
four  elements:  a  guide  to  museum  education  with  the  use  of  modern  technology,  a 
virtual  guided  tour  platform,  an  interactive  game,  and  an  application.  Moreover, 
according to a study led in Finland, teachers in school find virtual cooperation intensive 
and stressful. Besides, it is challenging to manage hybrid mobilities because of its need 
of synchronisation. Thus, collaboration with external stakeholders should be fostered 
to overcome the additional workload, time and energies needed to implement digital 
activities. 

-  Policy  initiatives  promoting  equal  access  to  information  and  communication 
technologies and providing educators and participants with the required digital skills. 
Regarding this aspect,  centralised platforms offering training materials  and tools are 
essential to enhance digital competences.  

-  Clear guidance, tools  and good practice examples which should be provided to  help 
educators and staff in the digital transition. In the context of higher education, the UNIC 
Handbook on Physical and Virtual mobility is indicated as a precious resource102. 
-  Additional evidence-based research on successfully implementing blended and digital 

aspects of mobilities to improve guidance. 

-  Virtual  collaboration  platforms  allowing  institutions  to  create  partnerships.  The 
development, the promotion and the extension of existing platforms should be fostered 
in order to help institution to find suitable partners open for collaboration. 

-  Quality frameworks ensuring recognition of learning outcomes obtained during virtual 
activities.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  seem  to  be  discrepancies  in  recognising  the 
outcomes  produced  during  digital  or  blended  learning  mobilities,  among  different 
institutions and countries. It is important to mention that the Erasmus Charter for Higher 
Education also covers blended mobilities which requires higher education institutions 
to consider the credits earned during these activities in the same way as those earned in 
traditional in-person mobility. 

Other evidence and developments 

The  Digital  Education  Action  Plan103  adopted  on  30  September  2022  outlines  a  common 
vision of high quality, inclusive and accessible digital education across Europe. Its objective is 
to support Member States in adapting their education and training systems to the needs of the 
digital age. 

In order to  address  the challenges and the opportunities  of the COVID-19 pandemic and to 
foster  the  transition  towards  more  digital  education  and  training  systems,  it  sets  out  two 
strategic priorities: fostering the development of a high performing digital education ecosystem 
and enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation.  

102 D3.5 UNIC Handbook on Physical and Virtual Mobility. Available at:  
https://www.unic.eu/storage/app/media/Publications%20archive/D%203.5%20UNIC%20Handbook%20on%20
Physical%20and%20Virtual%20Mobility.pdf 
103 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, 
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 
Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 Resetting education and training for the digital age. 

54 

 
 
 
By defining guiding principles to make education and training systems fit for the digital age, it 
underlines inter alia that digital education, which respects the protection of personal data and 
ethics, must be a strategic goal for the whole education and training ecosystem. Appropriate 
investments in connectivity, equipment and capacity skills are necessary to guarantee an equal 
access to digital education.  The Digital Education Action Plan also highlights the importance 
of enhancing digital competences of all teachers and educators as they play a pivotal role in 
promoting digital literacy and in tackling disinformation. 

In the Call for Evidence feedback, the European Youth Forum highlighted the importance of 
quality  and  the  involvement  of  youth  organisations  to  ensure  that  online  components  are 
included in line with the interests of young people, stressing also that online elements should 
remain complementary, e.g. linked to preparation phases or to enable greater inclusivity, rather 
than replace offline activities. The 2021 Commission study on youth work104 showed a need 
for  strengthened  funding  to  implement  online  activities,  including  for  adapted  pedagogical 
materials and infrastructure, as well as support for digital skills for youth workers, including 
for designing and organising high quality online youth work and core activities.  

Definition 

In the glossary of terms, the Erasmus+ programme guide defines digital competence as follows: 
‘it  involves  the  confident,  critical  and  responsible  use  of,  and  engagement  with,  digital 
technologies for learning, at work, and for participation in society. It includes information and 
data  literacy,  communication  and  collaboration,  media  literacy,  digital  content  creation 
(including  programming),  safety  (including  digital  well-being  and  competences  related  to 
cybersecurity), intellectual property related questions, problem solving and critical thinking.’  

However, the digital priority goes beyond digital dimension as a set of skills. It concerns many 
different  aspects  such  as  teaching  and  learning  methods  and  formats,  tools  and  platform, 
activities  organisation,  virtual  collaboration,  the  innovative  practices  implementation  and 
digital  methods  development.  The  programme  aims  at  building  capacity  and  critical 
understanding  in  education  and  training  institutions,  as  well  as  empowering  education 
ecosystems to leverage the potential of digital technologies for teaching and learning, across 
all levels and sectors. It also helps them to develop and implement digital transformation plans. 
Moreover,  through  the  use  of  information,  communication  and  technology  tools,  the 
programme’s objective is to reach out to a larger target group within and beyond the Union, 
fostering the use of physical mobility, virtual learning and cooperation. 

Dedicated measures 

In line with the key priorities of the Digital Education action Plan, the Erasmus+ Programme 
seeks to prepare individuals and organisations for the digital transition and provide them with 
high performing skills and competences. It promotes actions to enhance digital competences 
development throughout society and focuses both on basic and advanced digital skills, as well 
as on digital literacy.   

104 European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Study on youth work in 
the EU : final report, Publications Office, 2021, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/45059 

55 

 
 
 
 
 
Furthermore,  the  Erasmus+  Programme  encourages  education  institutions  to  adopt  and 
promote innovative, flexible, and inclusive learning formats. In this regard, it supports blended 
programmes  -  which  combine  physical  mobility  with  a  virtual  component  -  in  all  sectors. 
Besides,  in  the  higher  education  field,  it  proposes  blended  intensive  programmes,  in  any 
study field and cycle, to allow students to further develop their digital skills while participating 
in innovative online and physical trainings and courses. To boost the digital transformation the 
programme also promotes projects on virtual exchanges in higher education and youth sector.  

In  addition,  through  the  Digital  Opportunity  Traineeships,  higher  education  students  and 
recent graduates in all disciplines are able to gain professional experience in the tech sector and 
to further develop their digital skills, in accordance with the labour market needs. Companies 
can cover different areas such as digital marketing, software and application development, web 
design,  as  well  as  cybersecurity,  big  data,  quantum  technology  and  machine  learning.  This 
initiative  serves  multiple  purposes:  ensuring  Europe’s  competitiveness,  enhancing  the 
employability of students and recent graduates, and assisting companies in finding employees 
who possess the necessary skills for today's digital landscape.  

From the launch in 2018 until the end of 2021, around 30 000 students undertook an Erasmus+ 
traineeship to acquire digital skills. 

The  digital  dimension  is  part  of  the  award  criteria  at  the  level  of  the  project  design  and 
implementation.  In  order  to  assist  primary,  secondary,  vocational  education  and  training 
(VET),  higher,  and  adult  education  institutions  in  their  digital  transformation  plans,  the 
programme  gives  priority  to  projects  aimed  at  enhancing  the  capacity  and  readiness  of 
institution for a successful transition towards the digital education. 

Emphasis is also placed on the substantial use of digital technologies and methods in education, 
training, youth and sport for teaching, learning, assessment, and engagement. This also entails 
fostering digital pedagogy and expertise among teachers and learning staff, and accessible and 
assistive technologies as well as the creation and innovative use of digital education content. 
Therefore, the programme gives priority to projects helping staff to acquire digital skills, to 
further  develop  their  teaching  methods  and  to  best  use  innovative  and  digital  tools  and 
technologies. 

More in general, the programme seeks to develop digital skills of all the population; particular 
attention is given to gender equality in this field and to underrepresented groups in the access 
to digital tools. 

The  priority  supports  the  development  and  the  implementation  of  STEM/STEAM  higher 
education  curricula  and  strives  to  increase  women  participation  in  this  field,  notably  in 
engineering, ICT and advanced digital skills. In addition, education institutions are encouraged 
to support the digitalisation of student mobility management, in line with the standards of the 
European  Student  Card  initiative.  This  means  that  HEIs  participating  in  the  Erasmus+ 
programme must connect to the Erasmus without Paper Network in order to exchange mobility 
data and manage digital learning agreements and digital inter-institutional agreements online. 

Moreover, to boost exchanges and bottom-up collaborations on digital learning methods and 
tools, projects in the field of school education and adult education are strongly encouraged to 

56 

 
 
 
use  European  School  Education  Platform  or  the  adult  learning  platform  EPALE  to  work 
together before, during and after the project activities. Similarly, projects in the field of Youth 
are strongly encouraged to use the European Youth Portal and the European Youth Strategy 
Platform. In the European Solidarity Corps, the General Online Training helps young people 
prepare for a volunteering and learning experience abroad and navigate the activities on offer 
as well as access additional learning resources and post-placement guidance and support.  

Europass 

The  Europass  framework  offers  online  tools  and  information  through  the  Europass  online 
platform105 to support people in their lifelong learning and career management. Its mission is 
to provide services for job and learning mobility and transparency of skills and qualifications 
and serve as a life-long management career platform, allowing citizens to have access to all 
opportunities for working and learning in Europe, enabling labour market and education and 
training  actors  to  have  the  same  understanding  and  trust  regarding  information  on  people’s 
skills  and  educational  background,  and  avoid  proprietary  data  standards  thanks  to  a  public 
infrastructure for documenting personal work experiences and educational attainments. It can 
be  used  by  learners,  workers,  jobseekers  and  volunteers  to  communicate  and  present  their 
skills, qualifications and experiences clearly and consistently across Europe. It includes a set 
of tools for documenting and registering skills and experiences acquired abroad: 

-  The  Europass  Mobility  was  first  introduced  in  2004.  In  the  new  Europass  Decision 
(Decision  (EU)  2018/646),  the  Europass  Mobility  is  defined  as  a  template  which 
describes the skills acquired abroad on mobility experiences for learning or work.  
-  The Europass Mobility is a transparency tool to document and communicate the new 
skills and experiences acquired during a traineeship, volunteering or a learning period 
abroad. The sending organisation and the host organisation both complete the Europass 
Mobility to document the skills development and experiences of the participant. The 
Europass Mobility is shared with the participant at the end of the experience abroad and 
can be used by the participants to prove the credentials and skills acquired.   

-  The European Digital Credentials for Learning (EDC) has its legal base in Article 4(6) 
of the Europass Decision (EU) 2018/646. The 2018 Digital Education Action Plan106 
also mentions the need to develop a digitally signed credential infrastructure (priority 
1, action 3). The 2020 European Skills Agenda also reinforces the need to develop EDC 
under  action  11.  Since  then,  numerous  documents  refer  to  EDC  (the  Council 
Recommendations on: a European approach to Micro-Credentials, Individual Learning 
Accounts, and the proposal for a Council Recommendation on the key enabling factors 
for successful digital education and training).  
On  25  October  2021,  the  European  Commission  launched  the  European  Digital 
Credentials for Learning. These standards for digitally-signed credentials are compliant 
with  international  standards  (“verifiable  credentials”).  These  electronic  learning 
documents can be full qualifications, transcript of records, as well as certificates of non-
formal learning. In the context of EDC, a digital credentials infrastructure was put in 
place: it includes a digital credentials “issuer” (to build, seal and sign the credentials in 

105 Please see Home | Europass  
106 (COM(2018) 22) 

57 

 
 
 
compliance with the current eIDAS Regulation) and a “viewer” service (to view and 
verify  the  credentials),  a  digital  wallet  to  store  digital  credentials,  and  verification 
services (the credentials are tamper-evident). The EDC infrastructure allows education 
and  training  institutions,  employers,  credential  evaluators  to  easily  authenticate, 
validate and recognise learning credentials of any size, shape or form.  
The  infrastructure  is  delivering  in  practice:  examples  of  adoption  are  the  use  by 
Luxembourg  for  issuing  VET  certificates,  Croatia  (digitalised  degrees),  Malta  for 
issuing over 2,200 transcripts of records in early 2022. Most recently, the 2018 agreed 
template for the Diploma Supplement has become available as Digital Credential type 
under the EDC infrastructure.   

-  As  part  of  the  efforts  to  increase  transparency  of  information  on  qualifications  and 
learning opportunities, the European Learning Model (ELM) , the first multilingual (29 
languages) data model for learning which can operate in the field of knowledge and 
skills  data  exchange,  is  opening  new  possibilities  for  interoperability  and  credential 
exchanges.  It  is  used  to  share  information  on  qualifications,  learning  opportunities, 
accreditation,  and  credentials  in  the  field  of  learning.  By  establishing  a  single 
vocabulary for learning in Europe, ELM aims to help the recognition of and trust in 
qualifications and digital credentials across Europe, supporting the fight against fraud. 
Aligning with the ELM allows for the comparability, transparency and portability of all 
data  related  to  learning.  The  ELM  contributes  to  the  wider  goals  of  the  European 
Commission  to  promote  labour  and  learning  mobility  in  Europe,  and  Common 
European Data Space for Skills. The data richness of the ELM supports the visibility of 
skills. The latest version of the ELM is fully compatible with the ELMO data model, 
opening the way for ELM to be reference data model for all types and levels of learning, 
including formal and non-formal/informal. 

Youthpass 

-  Youthpass  is  a  long-standing  European  transparency  instrument  for  identifying  and 
documenting non-formal and informal learning outcomes that are acquired in projects 
under the Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps programmes. Since its 
launch  in  2007,  close  to  1  500  000  Youthpass  certificates  have  been  issued.  The 
Youthpass  Strategy107  aims  to  advance  the  broader  visibility  and  recognition  of  the 
learning value of engagement in youth work and volunteering.  

-  Youthpass consists of a structured process of individual reflection, self-awareness and 
guided self-assessment about learning and a certificate that on this basis identifies and 
documents  the  participants’  non-formal  and  informal  learning  outcomes.  Youth 
workers and mentors are important to support and guide young people in the discovery 
and  awareness  of  their  learning  and  towards  documenting  the  learning  outcomes. 
Project  participants  are  entitled  to  receive  a  Youthpass  certificate,  issued  by  the 
organisation  that  signs  the  contract  for  the  grant,  documenting  their  non-formal  and 
informal learning outcomes.  

-  Youthpass contributes to the objectives of the 2019-2027 EU Youth Strategy and the 
2012 Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. 
It structures and reinforces reflective practices in youth work and solidarity activities, 

107 https://www.youthpass.eu/en/about-youthpass/youthpass-strategy/ 

58 

 
 
 
thereby enhancing their educational quality and recognition. Youthpass also supports 
the  continued  pathways  of  young  people  and  youth  workers,  including  into  formal 
education  and  the  labour  market,  and  raises  visibility  of  the  value  of  European 
engagement. 

For the validation of non-formal and informal learning, transparency tools such as Youthpass 
and Europass are important to support the identification and documentation of non-formal and 
informal learning outcomes gained by participants in activities organised by civil society, youth 
organisations  and  volunteering  organisations,  also  beyond  the  Erasmus+  and  European 
Solidarity Corps programmes. Such documentation can facilitate entrance in the labour market 
or into formal education. Youthpass educational materials, such as handbooks, leaflets etc., and 
examples  of  certificates  are  publicly  available  on  the  Youthpass  website108  and  can  inspire 
practices  of  civil  society  and  other  organisations  and  promote  policies  and  validation 
arrangements for non-formal and informal learning at national and regional levels. 

The Erasmus+ programme provides and supports tools and platforms such as: 

-  Online Language Support (OLS): an e-learning linguistic support platform providing 
participants  in  mobility  activities  the  opportunity  to  assess  their  knowledge  of 
languages as well as to follow online language courses to improve their competences 
of the language in which they will work, study or volunteer abroad. 

-  Electronic  Platform  for  Adult  Learning  in  Europe  (EPALE):  a  membership 
community  open  to  adult  learning  providers,  as  well  as  policymakers,  researchers, 
journalists,  and  academics.  The  platform  offers  up-to-date 
information  on 
developments in adult learning and enables members to network with colleagues across 
Europe, to share best practices and knowledges. It also includes a virtual Community 
of Vocational Education and Training practitioners since 2020, regularly mentioned in 
the  Erasmus+  programme  guide  for  virtual  collaboration  and  networking  among  its 
members. 

-  Self-reflection  on  Effective  Learning  by  Fostering  the  use  of  Innovative 
Educational technologies (SELFIE): a free multilingual online tool designed to help 
primary,  secondary  and  vocational  schools  to  build  their  digital  capacity  through  a 
process  of  self-reflection  and  assessment.  Similarly,  SELFIE  for  teachers  allows 
teachers to reflect on how they make use of technologies in their professional practices, 
to self-assess their own digital skills and to understand how to improve further. 

-  European School Education Platform (ESEP): the meeting point for all stakeholders 
in the school education sector. The platform provides up-to-date information, resources, 
training and courses, support, and the opportunity to interact and collaborate with other 
verified school staff in Europe. 

-  e-Twinning: a community of teachers and school staff hosting a space for registered 
users,  national  support  organisations,  central  support  service, 
the  European 
Commission (Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture), and the 
European  Education  and  Culture  Executive  Agency.  eTwinning  embodies  a 
methodology,  a pedagogical  approach, a community of practice, and  a platform that 
enables innovation, communication, and collaboration. 

108 Welcome to Youthpass – Youthpass 

59 

 
 
 
-  European Youth Portal offers European and national information about opportunities 
and initiatives that are of interest to young people who are living, learning and working 
in Europe. The European Youth Portal also provides information for other stakeholders 
working in the field of youth (youth organisations, youth workers, policy makers, etc.). 
The European Solidarity Corps portal, hosted on the European Youth Portal, offers on-
line learning resources and General Online Training for participants.  

-  HEInnovate:  a guiding framework for Higher Education Institutions that gives them 
the opportunity to assess their innovative potential in eight key areas, and notably digital 
transformation and capability. It is also a community of practices that offers workshops 
and trainings. 

-  The  European  Student  Card  initiative  which  aims  at  digitalising  the  main 
components necessary for the organization of student mobility. It consists of three key 
elements:  
- European Student Card: a standardised student card valid across Europe, which allows 
students to benefit from on and off campus services during their mobility.   
-  Erasmus  Without  Paper  Network:  a  digital  solution  connecting  systems  in  higher 
education institutions, allowing them to manage Erasmus mobilities online.  
- Erasmus+ App: a single-entry point to provide learners with all practical information 
about opportunities and administrative procedures before during and after their mobility 
programme. 

Resources 

A dedicated resource centre - the SALTO digital - was created to support the implementation 
of the digital dimension throughout the programme and to raise the quality of digital education 
and aspects in Youth. It is hosted by the Finnish National Agency for Education and works in 
all sectors. Its purpose is to gather evidence-based knowledge in the field of digital education 
and youth, to enhance the impact and the quality of digital-related projects to and to guide the 
National Agencies to raise awareness. 

Digital competence of both young people and adults, digital pedagogy and equipment, digital 
skills of teachers and staff, digital and virtual cooperation, as well as virtual exchanges, are key 
operational priorities for the SALTO digital. Furthermore, the resource centre actively explores 
the impact of new technologies on education, work, and society at large, while also promoting 
programming  competence,  AI  proficiency,  and  STEM  subjects  through  the  support  of  EU 
programmes.  

2.3.9 Green mobility 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

After presenting the EU policy context as regards to the green transition and underling the key 
role of the education and training ecosystems in shaping a more sustainable society, the study 
provides  a  broad  definition  of  green  mobility.  This  consists  in  “all  measures,  practices  and 
actions that foster: a) a learning mobility that operates through lower carbon emission options 

60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
where possible; b) a learning  mobility that improves learners’ knowledge and awareness  of 
themes such as climate change, green transition and sustainability; c) the alignment of mobility 
organisations  to  sustainability  principles  and  practices  on  the  procedural  and  organisational 
level”. 

Key developments and trends  

The interest towards sustainability and green mobility has been growing in recent years. For 
the  period  2014-2020  sustainability-related  topics  were  mostly  covered  by  projects  realised 
under the Erasmus+ KA2. Despite showing a decrease in popularity in the years 2017, 2018 
and 2019, since 2020 environment and climate change has become a more popular topic to be 
addressed through learning mobility activities. To this extent, the new Erasmus+ programme 
2021-2027 addresses and promotes environmental and climate change related issues in learning 
mobility. 
As  to  sustainable  practices  and  behaviours,  the  study  findings  point  out  a  general  will  of 
learning  mobility  participants  to  reduce  their  environmental  impact  while  taking  part  to 
mobility activities, but also stress that practical circumstances make it unfeasible and create a 
gap  between  the  will  and  the  action  of  individuals.  According  to  a  survey  led  by  Nuffic109 
among higher education students in the Netherlands, students care about sustainable issues, but 
some of them pay less attention to the topic when it comes to the organisation of sustainable 
international experiences. In addition, students would appreciate a higher support from their 
institutions in planning sustainable journeys. The majority of the respondents declared that they 
travelled by plane to reach their destination not only because of the reduced time of travel but 
also  because  of  the  practical  feasibility.  Furthermore,  based  on  a  survey  led  by  the  Czech 
National Agency for Education and Research (2022), almost half of the respondents consider 
the negative environmental impact of the means of transport but only 9% of them chose the 
most environmentally friendly option. When it comes to choose how to travel several factors 
such as price, safety, comfort, and speed are taken into account. In addition, it is important to 
mention that 48% of the respondents would like to reduce their environmental impact but they 
do not know how.  

Obstacles, incentives, and good practices 

The main barriers to a greener mobility identified by the study findings are as follows: 

-  Lack of financial support for sustainable travel. 
-  Scarce information and promotion on sustainable travel. 
-  Difficulties related to infrastructures and transportation means across Europe. 
-  Dissatisfaction towards virtual and blended mobility. 

The incentives proposed to overcome the above-mentioned obstacles are: 

-  Practices that learning mobility organisations can implement in favour of sustainability 
in  their  internal  functioning,  by  designing  and  organising  projects,  by  fostering 
education and awareness to change systems and policies. 

109 Nuffic is the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education. The study led by Nuffic cannot provide 
a complete overview of European and Dutch students’ opinions. However, it offers useful elements for reflection. 

61 

 
 
 
 
- 

Information  and  promotion  on  sustainable  practices.  Different  guidelines,  tools  and 
resources are available especially for youth organisations and youth workers to orient 
their activities to sustainability principles such as the sustainability checklist designed 
in the context of the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership, the Sustainable Event 
Guidelines, the Eurodesk guide on Greening Youth Services. 

-  Projects dedicated to sustainable mobility within EU funded mobility programmes such 
as  the  Erasmus  Goes  Green,  the  Green  Erasmus  Project  and  the  Air  Travel  project.  
More precisely, Erasmus Goes Green is a project developed within the Erasmus+ KA2 
by different partners to assess the carbon emissions derived from Erasmus+ mobilities 
by the realisation of an online carbon footprint calculator. The project also published a 
report  on  the  assessment  of  the  transport  related  carbon  footprint  of  the  Erasmus+ 
programme  which  underlines  that  travels  carried  out  within  the  academic  context 
generated  significant  emission.  The  academic  world  should  be  aware  of  the 
environmental externalities induced by international cooperation practices. 

-  Financial  incentive  to  promote  green  travels.  It  is  worth  mentioning  that  the  study 
highlights that students feel that financial support for sustainable travel is insufficient 
and that they need some guidance and information. The Green Erasmus Project also 
underlines  the  scarcity  of  the  financial  support  and  claims  for  a  universal  top  up  to 
individual support of 250€, proportionate to distance covered, and an increase up to 7 
days for travels. In addition, inadequate levels of infrastructure and means of transport 
across the European  countries hinder green practices and discourage participants,  as 
travelling by train or sea is often more expensive and less accessible and high-speed 
train connections are not enough deployed across different countries. 

Other evidence and developments 

The Commission Communication on the European Green Deal highlights the pivotal role 
of education to foster knowledge, skills and attitudes on sustainable development and climate 
change issues. It recognises that schools, training institutions and universities are key players 
in involving the wider community in the transition towards climate neutrality.  

In  addition,  the  Council  Recommendation  on  ‘learning  for  the  green  transition  and 
sustainable development’ (June 16, 2022) stresses the commitment of the EU Member States 
to  make  teaching  and  learning  for  sustainability  a  priority  in  education  and  training.  It 
emphasises the need to provide learners of all ages with opportunities to discover more about 
the climate crisis and sustainability, in both formal and non-formal education. 

Within this context, it is worth mentioning that the GreenComp, a reference framework for 
sustainability  competences,  helps  learners  and  educators  to  better  understand  what 
sustainability  as  a  competence  entails.  It  is  designed  to  support  education  and  training 
programmes  for  lifelong  learning  and  support  people  to  develop  knowledge,  skills,  and 
attitudes to live and act in a sustainable manner. 

Definition 

Environmental  sustainability  has  been  set  up  as  one  of  the  four  horizontal  priorities  of  the 
Erasmus+ programme since the 2021 call for proposals.  

62 

 
 
 
The programme is a key instrument for building up knowledge, skills and attitudes on climate 
change and sustainable development, both within European Union and beyond. Thanks to its 
multidimensional nature, the programme has a broad environmental impact: it operates at many 
levels  –  inter  alia,  by  incentivising  sustainable  travels,  prioritising  green  projects,  raising 
awareness  about  environmental  issues  -  with  a  wide  spectrum  of  actors  such  as  citizens, 
educational  institutions,  VET  providers,  youth  and  sport  organisations,  NGOs,  local  and 
regional authorities, and civil society organisations. Besides, it acts as a multiplier and a point 
of  reference  for  mobility  programmes  and  education,  paving  the  way  for  more  sustainable 
actions, and inspiring environmental improvements. 

Dedicated measures 

The  programme  gives  priority  to  projects  aimed  at  promoting  the  development  of  green 
sectorial competences and strategies, enhancing career prospects, and engaging participants in 
areas which are strategic for sustainable growth, with special attention to areas such as rural 
development,  sustainable  farming,  management  of  natural  resources,  soil  protection,  bio-
agriculture,  clean  energy  transition,  and  healthy  oceans.  It  fosters  actions  that  -  through 
education, training, youth and sport activities - enable behavioural improvements for individual 
preferences, consumption habits, and lifestyles, making learners and staff true actors of change.  

The  programme  fosters  projects  addressing  ‘environment  and  climate  action’  as  a  thematic 
topic and  adopting  implementing  practices  with  a  low  environmental  impact.  Thus, 
participating  organisations  are  encouraged  to  promote  environmental  sustainability  through 
their activities by using the specific funding opportunities provided by the programme, raising 
awareness among their participants, sharing best practices as well as choosing green-oriented 
design for their activities.  

The  incorporation  of  green  practices  in  all  facets  is  part  of  the  award  criteria  in  both 
take  an 
to  encourage  participants  and  participating  organisations 
programmes, 
environmentally  friendly  approach  when  designing  the  activity,  to  discuss  and  learn  about 
environmental  issues,  to  come  up  with  alternative  greener  ways  of  implementing  their 
activities, as well as to reflect on local actions. 

to 

Besides  fostering  cooperation  on  environmental  challenges  in  all  sectors,  the  programme 
encourages  participants  to  use  lower  carbon  transports  as  an  alternative  to  flying.  For  this 
purpose, since 2021, it has introduced a financial contribution of 50EUR (in addition to the 
individual support) to sustain participants from Higher Education sector, using low emissions 
means of transport, such as train, bus, or carpooling. Moreover, it has extended the travelling 
period  for  participants  up  to  6  days  in  some  cases  and  it  has  increased  by  15%  the 
standard travel support in the other fields (“Green travel top-up”). 

Resources 

A dedicated resource centre - the SALTO on green transition and sustainable development 
- was created to strengthen the impact of the programme as regards to the green transition. It is 
hosted by the French National Agency and has been operational since March 2023. It aims at 
guiding the National Agencies on the implementation and the follow-up of the green priority 
through the Erasmus+ programme, and acts along three main lines:  

63 

 
 
 
 
-  Raising  awareness,  training,  and  equipping  national  agencies  and  their  ecosystems 
(beneficiaries, evaluators, multipliers) with skills and knowledges about sustainability 
and climate change. 

-  Creating and animating a networking community, sharing good practices and expertise. 
-  Developing a capacity to measure and analyse developments.  

2.3.10 Participatory mobility 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

The  study  points  out  that  the  EU  commitment  in  strengthening  the  European  identity  and 
increasing citizen’s consciousness and engagement through mobility activities  dates back to 
the  late  80s.  More  recently  Youth  on  the  Move  and  the  2019-2027  EU  Youth  Strategy, 
reinforced by the 2022 European Year of Youth, underline the crucial role of learning mobility 
in involving young people and helping them to gain intercultural awareness and become active 
European citizens.  

Different actions implemented under Erasmus+ - including the EU Youth Dialogue - and the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  programme  are  particularly  relevant  to  the  objectives  of 
participatory  mobility.  However,  what  emerges  from  the  study  is  that  the  participatory 
dimension in learning mobility seems to be mostly associated to youth and higher education 
sectors, despite the relevance of the involvement of adult learners and VET participants, as 
well as the school sector. 

Key developments and trends 

The  study  underlines  that  the  participatory  aspects  of  learning  mobility  continue  having  a 
relevant impact on learning mobility participants since the early stages of learning mobility 
programmes implementation. As argued by the study, the presence of Europe seems to be more 
tangible in educational spaces, especially in higher education. Other discrepancies can be seen 
among people with different educational levels as well as between people from EU15 countries 
and  the  others.  As  stated  by  the  study  “in  countries  such  as  Belgium  and  Italy,  the  daily 
consequences of EU might appear as less visible, given that Europe has always been present” 
compared to countries that joined the EU later. Moreover, the study stresses the role of the 
Erasmus+ Programme in spreading the EU values and the sense of identity and belonging. In 
this  respect,  recent  studies  confirmed  that  mobilities  within  the  European  context  have  a 
significant impact on participation on EU issues, notably on the intention to vote at the next 
EU elections and improves the vision of the EU as a community. It is important to mention that 
other  EU  funded  programmes  such  as  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  cover  participatory 
aspects in a substantial way, both in the objectives and themes of activities and in quality and 
support measures such as the General Online Training for the European Solidarity Corps which 
includes modules on EU values and inter-cultural awareness etc.   

64 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Obstacles, incentives, and good practices 

The main barriers hindering the implementation of participatory mobility activities identified 
by the study are: 

-  A lack of focus on participatory mobility in some education sectors. Higher education, 
youth and VET seem to propose more activities that include participatory components 
than adult education, school, or sport sector. However, it is also important to consider 
that for these sectors the effects of mobility on engagement and participation have been 
less studied in literature. 

-  A mismatch between concrete delivery of projects based upon participatory aspects and 

the project’s participation-related goals and contents  

-  Difficulties in establishing common definitory aspects. For instance, according to the 
study findings, the definition of EU values seems to be still vague, as well as a common 
understanding about the concept of solidarity. 

What  emerges  from  the  study  is  that  national  and  local  implementation  of  participatory 
mobility  programmes  represents  a clear incentive, especially  for those programmes that are 
linked to the local dimension. Thus, it is important to adopt a bottom-up approach and to bring 
together the transnational dimension with the local one. This would reinforce motivation and 
foster a positive attitude towards mobility projects focused on social engagement and political 
topics. Two examples of successful programmes fostering participatory dynamics are CERC 
programme and the Italian Servizio Civile. 

Furthermore, proving accessible, targeted and coherent information could also boost interest in 
participatory  mobility.  For  that  purpose,  Eurodesk  has  provided  an  excellent  source  of 
information on mobility programmes and has gathered best practices, adopting a peer-to-peer 
approach, non-formal methods, and a locally oriented perspective.  

Finally, the study also stresses that the direct involvement of participants in the preparation and 
implementation of participatory mobility projects allows them to practice participation and can 
directly influence their participation experience. 

Other evidence and developments 

The  2017  Commission  Communication110  ‘Strengthening  European  identity  through 
education and culture’ highlights the pivotal  role that education, culture and sport play in 
promoting  active  citizenship  and  common  values  among  the  youngest  generations.  The 
Erasmus+  Regulation111  recalls  this  role  and  stresses  the  need  to  strengthen  priorities  on 
fostering European identity, active citizenship, and participation in democratic life. As a matter 
of fact, the regulation emphasises the crucial role of the programme in contributing to a more 
democratic Union and in boosting the sense of commitment and belonging to the Union among 
the participants. In addition, it underlines that the Programme should support Member States 
in reaching the goals of the Paris Declaration of 17 March 2015 on promoting citizenship and 

110 COM/2017/0673 final 
111 REGULATION (EU) 2021/817 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 May 
2021  establishing  Erasmus+: the  Union  Programme  for  education  and  training,  youth  and  sport  and repealing 
Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 

65 

 
 
 
the  common  values  of  freedom,  tolerance,  and  non-discrimination  through  education.  The 
Regulation also highlights the objective of encouraging the participation of young people in 
Europe's democratic life by supporting active citizenship, education and participation projects 
for young people. 

Moreover,  the  European  Union  Youth  Strategy  2019-2027112  sets  out  a  framework  for 
European cooperation in  the youth  field, based on the Commission’s Communication  of 22 
May 2018 on ‘Engaging, Connecting and Empowering young people’. The Strategy fosters 
youth participation in democratic life, supports social and civic engagement and aims to ensure 
that all young people have the necessary resources to take part in society. The European Youth 
Work Agenda113 stressed the role of youth work in promoting active citizenship, democratic 
awareness  and  inter-cultural  understanding,  including  through  competence-building  and 
education and training of youth workers. The 2022 European Year of Youth was a significant 
initiative,  boosting  youth  participation  and  engagement,  fostering  intercultural  dialogue, 
diversity and solidarity, including through learning mobility opportunities. The legacy of the 
European Year of Youth will ensure a longer-term impact on youth empowerment and youth-
centred policy making.  

Definition 

Promoting democratic participation, common values and civic engagement is one of the four 
horizontal  priorities  of  the  Erasmus+  programme.  The  programme  aims  to  foster  active 
citizenship, shape inclusive and engaged societies, build intercultural awareness, and empower 
participants  to  become  active  and  responsible  European  citizens.  By  encouraging  dialogue, 
exchange of ideas and experiences, tolerance and respect for diversity, the programme aims to 
enhance understanding and cooperation among participants from different backgrounds, and to 
equip them with the necessary skills for active engagement in democratic life. 

Dedicated measures 

The Programme promotes active citizenship and ethics in lifelong learning and plays a crucial 
role in supporting the development of social and intercultural competences, critical thinking, 
and media literacy across all its actions and sectors. To do so, it gives priority to projects that 
enable people to participate in democratic life, social and civic engagement through formal or 
non-formal learning activities. The emphasis is placed on raising awareness and understanding 
the European Union context, notably as regards the common EU values, the principles of unity 
and diversity, as well as their social, cultural and historical heritage. Thus, projects should aim 
to improve participants’ knowledge of the European Union and the European values, including 
respect  for  democratic  principles,  human  dignity,  unity  and  diversity,  intercultural  dialogue 
and tolerance. While designing their project, applicants are encouraged to address democratic 
participation and to support active citizenship and ethics, as well as provide participants with 
the necessary competences to be more engaged and active. 

112 Resolution of the Council of the European Union and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member 
States meeting within the Council on a framework for European cooperation in the youth field: The European 
Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 
113 European Youth Work Agenda: EUR-Lex - 42020Y1201(01) - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 

66 

 
 
 
 
According to the Erasmus+ Annual Report 2021, 82% of participants declared that they were 
more aware about European values after having taken part in mobility activities. 

Furthermore, to promote participation in democratic life, the programme supports youth-led 
local  and  transnational  initiatives  run  by  informal  groups  of  young  people  or  youth 
organisations. In Youth participation activities, the focus is put on the organisation of initiatives 
aiming at engaging young people in democratic life, learning to participate, raising awareness 
about European Union common values and fundamental rights, bringing together young people 
and decision makers, contributing to the EU Youth Dialogue and to  the European Youth Goals. 
In the field of youth, a Youth Participation Strategy114 has been designed to provide a common 
framework and support the use of the programmes to foster youth participation in democratic 
life. 

The Jean Monnet actions – implemented by the European Education and Culture Executive 
Agency  -  are  also  instrumental  in  promoting  teaching,  learning  and  research  in  European 
integration  matters,  in  both  higher  education  and  education  and  training  fields.  They  must 
contribute to spread the knowledges about the European Union, its history, aims, structures, 
functions, and its policies and bring the EU closer to the public. By doing this, they also enable 
learners to know how European policies can benefit the daily lives of citizens and can influence 
the policy making system  in  similar fields.  The Jean Monnet  actions strive to function as a 
vector of public diplomacy towards third countries, promoting EU values and enhancing the 
visibility  of  what  the  European  Union  stands  for  and  what  it  intends  to  achieve.  They  also 
promote excellence in teaching and research in the field of European Union studies worldwide, 
foster dialogue between the academia and the whole and strengthen the role of the EU within 
Europe and beyond. 

Resources 

The SALTO  participation and information115 resource centre was created to  enhance the 
impact  of  the  programme  as  regards  to  the  democratic  participation.  It  is  hosted  by  the 
Erasmus+  and  European  Solidarity Corps  Estonian  Agency  and  operate  across  all  fields  by 
implementing strategic and innovative measures to foster engagement in democratic life. This 
includes providing guidance and support for applicants, beneficiaries, and national agencies, 
ensuring the involvement of young people, organising events and activities to promote active 
participation and civic engagement. 

2.3.11 Balanced mobility 

Key findings of the study on supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way 
forward 

The  idea  of  a  more  balanced  mobility  between  the  EHEA  countries  has  acquired  rising 
importance  within  the  Bologna  Process  framework  starting  from  the  2007  onwards116. 

114 SALTO-YOUTH - Youth Participation Strategy 
115 https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/participation/ 
116  Ferencz,  I.  (2015).  Balanced  Mobility  Across  the  Board—A  Sensible  Objective?  The  European  Higher 
Education Area, pp. 27–41. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20877-0_3.  

67 

 
 
 
 
Although the concept does not currently have a commonly agreed definition at the European 
level,  it  can  be  stated  that  it  refers  to  the  policy  aim  of  reaching  a  more  balanced  flow  of 
incoming and outgoing students. 

Key developments and trends  

The Bologna Process Implementation Report (2020) 117 classified EHEA countries into four 
different  mobility  categories, based on their mobility  flows balance:  ‘limited’ systems  were 
found in countries experiencing high outflows but lower inflows (those generally denouncing 
brain  drain);  ‘closed’  countries  were  indicated  as  those  with  low  outflows  and  even  lower 
inflows; ‘open’ systems were characterised by high outflows but even higher inflows; finally, 
‘attractive’ systems were reported to have low outflows and generally high inflows.  

However,  in  certain  countries,  situations  of  imbalance  were  actively  sought  as  desirable 
objectives in their mobility policy. For example, countries with ‘attractive systems’ (such the 
UK, France, Denmark and Sweden) were seen as the benchmark in terms of student mobility 
despite their imbalances in the outgoing and incoming students mobility flows. 

It is important to distinguish between balance in credit mobility and balance in degree mobility. 
While the Erasmus+ Programme enabled credit mobility flows to take place in both directions, 
the concept of balanced mobility remains more of an ideal rather than an actual reality (or even 
a  tangible  policy  objective)  when  it  comes  to  degree  mobility,  since  the  tools  to  influence 
degree mobility flows are much less feasible compared to student exchanges (credit mobility). 

In  fact,  while  degree  mobility  tends  to  be  self-funded,  credit  mobility  mostly  takes  places 
within the context of funded European and national mobility programmes, making it far easier 
to steer and influence by policymakers. 

When it comes to extra-EU mobility flows, the EU aims to attract top talent to study in the EU. 
Third-country  students  make  up  a  larger  proportion  of  the  student  population  compared  to 
mobile EU students. However, attracting these students is easier than retaining them, as only 
few countries offer strong incentives to retain them.  

When it  comes to doctoral  students  and  researchers, the study shows  recognisable mobility 
patterns to countries that are leaders in producing world-class, high-quality scientific research, 
which include organisations located in North America and Western Europe. 

Obstacles, incentives, and good practices 

The study outlines several obstacles impacting balanced mobility:  

- 

internal  and  systemic  factors  such  as  political  stability,  quality  of  education, 
geographical location, socioeconomic situation, and standard of living; 
-  varied practices of recognition of qualifications and learning periods abroad; 
- 
lack of policies to retain incoming and outgoing learners in degree mobility; 

117 Agencia  Ejecutiva En El Ámbito Educativo, A. Y. C., & Education, A. & C. E. A. (2020).  The European 
Higher  Education  Area 
Implementation  Report.  UTB.  Available  at: 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2797/756192. 

in  2020:  Bologna  Process 

68 

 
 
 
-  differences  between  safety  and  security  standards  applied  between  countries  can 
influence  the  participant’s  willingness  to  apply  for  a  traineeship  or  VET  mobility 
abroad. 

The study identifies a number of measures that National level policy-makers can implement to 
reduce imbalances in learners mobility flows: 

increasing the attractiveness of learning locations; 

-  automatic mutual recognition of learning periods abroad; 
- 
-  establishing return grant schemes; 
- 

the  establishment  of  specific  mobility  programmes  that  target  selected  geographical 
regions, such as Nordplus, the regional learning mobility programme between Nordic 
and Baltic countries, can also stimulate more balanced flows among the participants 
countries. 

In relation to mobility flows with non-EU countries, ad-hoc bilateral or multilateral agreements 
and/or  specific  exchange  programmes  can  shape  the  structure  of  mobility  flows  with  non-
EU/third countries. 

Overall,  achieving  balanced  mobility  requires  a  comprehensive  approach  that  addresses 
various  factors,  including  policy  measures,  financial  support,  information  and  guidance 
services, cooperation between institutions, and incentives for both students and institutions. By 
addressing  these  factors,  policymakers  and  stakeholders  can  work  towards  creating  a  more 
equitable and balanced mobility landscape. 

3. The way forward 

3.1 Learning mobility targets 

Evidence shows that EU-level targets leverage educational issues on the national agenda and 
foster the monitoring of progress118. Moreover, concrete targets to be achieved in a specific 
area can be a powerful tool to encourage Member States, regional authorities, and organisations 
to focus their strategies119. The European Commission has identified three areas suitable for 
adjusting or setting EU-level targets on mobility: mobility in vocational education and training, 
mobility in higher education and inclusive mobility. In other areas the robustness of available 
international data does not presently allow for meaningful target setting beyond the EU-funded 
programmes. Supporting the Member States in  strengthening the  evidence base on learning 
mobility in Europe and beyond is addressed in section 3.3.2. 

118 Commission Communication on achieving the European Education Area by 2025. COM/2020/625 final. 
119 Green Paper - Promoting the learning mobility of young people. COM/2009/0329 final   

69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Learning mobility in vocational education and training 

In  the  context  of  the  strategic  framework  on  “Education  and  Training  2020”,  the  European 
Council agreed in 2011 that “by 2020, an EU average of at least 6% of 18-34-year-olds with 
an initial vocational education and training (VET) qualification should have had an initial VET-
related study or training period (including work placements) abroad lasting a minimum of 2 
weeks (10 working days), or less if documented by Europass.” By 2019, 4% of VET learners 
on upper-secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary level completed a mobility experience in 
VET120. 

Considering  the  growing  demand  since  2014  and  increased  funding  of  the  Erasmus+ 
programme for 2021-2027, a new EU-level target on learning mobility in VET was introduced 
in  the  2020  Council  Recommendation  on  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  for 
sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience121. The target states that 8% of VET 
learners should benefit from a learning mobility abroad by 2025122. Some adjustments to the 
definition  of  the  underlying  indicator  were  made  (namely  narrowing  the  focus  on  upper-
secondary an post-secondary level and eliminating the age requirement), and the methodology 
was agreed to source administrative data to measure progress.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an interruption of the upward trend in VET mobility 
experiences over the 2014-2020 period. The number of participants grew steadily from 126 
000  in  2014  call  year.  In  2020  the  number  of  participants  contracted  surpassed  167  600  – 
nevertheless only less than 33 000 mobilities, in line with the target definition, were realised in 
that year due to the pandemic. The year 2021 still suffered from the negative impact of the 
pandemic and in 2021 only around 2.1% of the respective cohort of VET learners – around 56 
000 participants on ISCED level 3-4 – could benefit from a mobility experience.   

Participation in mobility is brought up to speed starting from 2022 with a number of 136 300 
contracted learner participants last  year.  In 2023, submitted applications point to  increasing 
demand accounting to 7-8% of VET learners in the respective cohorts on upper-secondary and 
post-secondary level123 in 2023. However, funding is limited and close to half of the demand 
cannot be met by Erasmus+ programme. 

The European Parliament in its Resolution on the Council Recommendation for sustainable 
competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  resilience  called  for  setting  a more  ambitious  target  on 
learning mobility abroad for VET students, recalling the 20% target set for higher education 
graduates.  During  the  consultation  phase  of  the  updated  mobility  framework,  various 

120 Share of ISCED 3-4 VET mobilities supported under Erasmus+ compared with Eurostat data. 
121 Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable 
competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. 2020/C 417/01. OJ C 417, 2.12.2020, p. 1–16. 
122 This will be measured as the share of mobile learners in a calendar year, as a proportion of a cohort of VET 
graduates in the same year. The indicator will be based on the mobility data sourced from Erasmus+ data and VET 
graduate data sourced from the UOE data collection. Where available and only if the data provided is comparable 
to Erasmus+ data, including the duration of mobility, data from national authorities’ mobility programmes could 
also be used to complement the data from Erasmus+. In case data from national authorities is included, it should 
be displayed in a transparent manner. 
123 Due to the data collection methodology, the exact share of VET learners on ISCED level 3-4 can be established 
upon the completion of the mobility project. 

70 

 
 
 
stakeholders  expressed  the  need  to  expand  the  opportunities  for  mobility  for  VET  learners 
including apprentices. 

To respond to these calls, this recommendation proposes to increase the target of participation 
in mobility of VET learners, including apprentices, to 15% by 2030 including the participants 
of flexible mobility opportunities under Erasmus+ (such as individual or group mobility 
shorter than two weeks, blended mobility, mobility linked to participation in skills 
competitions). 

Figure 7. Growth rate of requested VET participants since 2021 

Source: Erasmus+   

Learning mobility in higher education 

A target on learning mobility in higher education is not featured in the 2021 Council Resolution 
on  a  strategic  framework  for  European  cooperation  in  education  and  training  towards  the 
European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030)124. Learning mobility was amongst twelve 
areas where policy priority and robustness of international data was assessed during technical 
preparatory work for developing a new set of education and training targets but was not part of 
the final set of targets proposed by the European Commission125. EU Member States aligned 
with this recommendation and did not introduce a target on mobility in the strategic framework 
resolution.  

Under  the  previous  strategic  framework  (ET2020),  a  target  on  learning  mobility  in  higher 
education  did  feature  as  one  of  seven  benchmarks  (i.e.  targets)126.  Extensive  work  was 

124 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the 
European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030). 2021/C 66/01. OJ C 66, 26.2.2021, p. 1–21. 
125 COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  Accompanying the document Communication from the 
Commission to the European Parliament,  the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the 
Committee of Regions on achieving the European Education Area by 2025. SWD/2020/212 final. 
126 The target on learning mobility in higher education stated that by 2020, an EU average of at least 20% of higher 
education  graduates  should  have  had  a  period  of  higher  education-related  study  or  training  (including  work 
placements)  abroad,  representing  a  minimum  of  15  ECTS  credits  or  lasting  a  minimum  of  3 months.  See  the 
Council conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training 
(ET 2020) OJ C 119, 28.5.2009, p. 2–10. This target was aligned with the 20% higher education mobility target 
set in 2009 by the countries partaking in the Bologna process. See the Communiqué of the Conference of European 
Ministers responsible for Higher Education, Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29 April 2009. 

71 

 
 
 
 
undertaken to develop an indicator to measure progress towards the learning mobility target 
introduced  by  means  of  the  2011  ‘Council  conclusions  on  a  benchmark  for  learning 
mobility’127.  The  focus  of  this  indicator  is  on  outward  mobility,  measuring  the  number  of 
graduates  originating  in  the  EU  who  have  been  both  mobile  during  their  studies  and  have 
successfully completed their tertiary education qualifications128. The reliability of this indicator 
is  adversely  affected  by  data  availability,  being  reliant  on  data  collected  and  reported  by 
receiving countries outside the EU129. Quality and robustness of available data was one reason 
the indicator (and target) was not carried over into the current strategic framework.   

The  notion  of  a  target  on  learning  mobility  in  higher  education  was  revisited  during 
development of the present proposal for a Council Recommendation on learning mobility. The 
policy context and current state of play are outlined in sections 2.1 – 2.3. In line with current 
policy priorities  the European Commission proposes the following EU-level target: in higher 
education, the share of graduates with a learning mobility experience should be at least 25%, 
by 2030. 

The indicator established to  measure progress  towards the target  captures credit  and degree 
mobile graduates in the EU at ISCED levels 5 to 8130, expressed as a share of graduates in the 
EU  (figure  8)131.  It  encompasses  graduates  who  have  completed  a  credit  mobility  stay  of a 
minimum duration of two months or representing at least 3 ECTS credits during the duration 
of the tertiary programme from which they graduate132. It also covers graduate who graduated 
in another country than the country of their previous qualification level. Data are sourced from 
the UNESCO-UIS / OECD / Eurostat (UOE) data collection on formal education133. Further 
development  is  necessary  to  cover  the  full  range  of  these  learning  mobility  experiences 
especially for mobilities at ISCED level 5, for mobilities less than 2 month or 15 ECTS credits.  

127Council conclusions on a benchmark for learning mobility. 2011/C 372/08. OJ C 372, 20.12.2011, p. 31–35. 
128 The procedure for computing the ET2020 learning mobility indicator is outlined in the Eurostat Methodological 
manual on learning mobility in tertiary education.  
129 For more details on data issues concerning the ET2020 higher education mobility indicator, please see Flisi, S. 
and Sánchez-Barrioluengo, M. Learning Mobility II. An estimation of the benchmark, Publications Office of the 
European Union, Luxembourg, 2018. 
130 ISCED level 5 is included only if the county’s higher education system covers these levels. For ISCED level 
8, some  countries don’t award credits (so credit mobility is not applicable). 
131 Credit mobility is defined in accordance with the Eurostat ‘Methodological manual on learning mobility in 
tertiary education’ as “temporary tertiary education and/or study-related traineeship abroad within the framework 
of enrolment in a tertiary programme at a ‘home institution’ (usually) for the purpose of gaining academic credits 
(i.e. credits recognised by that home institution)”. A graduate is a person who, during the reference academic year, 
has successfully completed an education programme. 
132 The indicator includes all credit mobile graduates whose ‘home institution’ is in the EU, regardless of whether 
the graduates’ country of origin is in the EU.   
133 The UOE data collection is administered jointly by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural 
Organization  Institute  for  Statistics  (UNESCO-UIS),  the  Organisation  for  Economic  Co-operation  and 
Development (OECD), and the Statistical Authority of the European Union (Eurostat).  

72 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 8. EU-level credit mobility rates 

s
e
t
a
u
d
a
r
g

f
o

e
r
a
h
S

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

2018

2019

2020

2021

Bachelor's or equivalent level

Master's or equivalent level

Combined bachelor's and master's levels

Proposed EU-level 2030 target

Source: Eurostat (UOE) 2023. Online data codes: educ_uoe_mobc01 and educ_uoe_grad01. Extracted June 2023. 
Note: data on credit mobile graduates are not available for Ireland, resulting in an underestimation of the EU-level 
credit  mobility  rates.  French  estimates  of  credit  mobile  graduates  in  2021  do  not  account  for  the  COVID-19 
pandemic, resulting in a possible overestimation of the EU-level rate. For additional flags, please see the Eurostat 
metadata.  

There is  robust and comparable available data across Member States (Figure XX) and over 
time (Figure X) for ISCED levels 6 and 7(limited to the bachelor’s or equivalent level and the 
master’s  or  equivalent  level)134.  There  are  some  data  available  for  on  short  cycle  tertiary 
education and  credit mobility with durations shorter than three months (or less than 15 ECTS 
points)135 is currently reported on a voluntary basis. Combined, the bachelor’s and master’s 
levels constitute approximately 87% of graduates in tertiary education and 94% of the reported 
credit mobility in the EU in 2021. Enhancing data collections to improve coverage of mobility 
in short-cycle tertiary education and at the doctoral or equivalent level would allow for future 
expansion of the target indicator to also cover these levels. Developing further reporting for 
short mobilities (less than 3 month or 15 ECTS credits) will acknowledge the development of 
different kinds of learning mobilities in the EU, and also be in line with the ambition to provide 
micro-credentials  for  small  learning  options.  Meanwhile,  reporting  will  be  based  on  the 
available data, focusing on ISCED 6 and 7. 

From 2021 the Erasmus+ programme started offering more opportunities for shorter mobilities 
for  higher  education  students  through  the  introduction  of  blended  mobilities.  Short-term 
blended mobilities last from 5-30 days and for student mobility for studies should give at least 
3 ECTS points. This offers more opportunities for students to have an international experience 
during  their  studies  and  these  opportunities  have  already  proved  to  be  successfully 

134  Credit mobility in short-cycle tertiary education is a limited phenomenon. Only 13 EU member States reported 
that there were credit mobile graduates at this level of tertiary education in 2021. Moreover, 94.5% of the credit 
mobile graduates were reported by Spain and France. Although country coverage of credit mobile graduates is 
better at doctoral or equivalent level, the six Member States where data are not available constitute 41.8% of the 
graduates at this level. 
135 Reporting of credit mobility with durations shorter than three months is done on a voluntary basis through the 
UOE  data  collection.  Only  13  Member  States  reported  mobility  at  the  bachelor’s  and  master’s  levels  for  the 
reference year 2021.  

73 

 
 
 
 
 
 
implemented  by  many  higher  education  institutions.  Furthermore,  the  European  University 
Alliances  have  a  50%  mobility  target,  that  also  includes  shorter  durations  and  more  varied 
mobility formats. 

Figure 9. Credit mobility rates by country 

e
t
a
r

y
t
i
l
i

b
o
m

t
i
d
e
r
C

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

2021

2019

Source: Eurostat (UOE) 2023. Online data codes: educ_uoe_mobc01 and educ_uoe_grad01. Extracted June 2023. 
Note: data on credit mobile graduates are not available for Ireland, resulting in an underestimation of the EU-level 
credit  mobility  rates.  French  estimates  of  credit  mobile  graduates  in  2021  do  not  account  for  the  COVID-19 
pandemic, resulting in a possible overestimation of the EU-level rate. For additional flags, please see the Eurostat 
metadata.  

In 2021, 9.8% of graduates at master’s and bachelor’s levels in the EU had been on a temporary 
stay  abroad  at  some  point  during  their  studies.  This  was  a  notable  but  expected  decline 
compared  to  the  pre-Covid-19  data  from  2019,  when  10.9%  of  graduates  in  the  EU  had 
participated in credit mobility (figure 8). Across all Member States there is indication of an 
adverse Covid-19 effect on credit mobility. Limited progress in the years leading up to 2021 
(figure  9)  suggests  that  there  are  other  barriers  to  mobility  besides  those  imposed  by  the 
pandemic  that  would  need  to  be  removed  if  the  EU  is  to  reach  the  proposed  2030  target, 
however. 

Inclusive mobility 

Improving quality, equity, inclusion and success for all in education is a strategic priority for 
European cooperation in education and training136. This also entails making learning mobility 
more  inclusive  and  accessible,  including  providing  more  learning  mobility  opportunities  to 
people  with  fewer  opportunities.  The  policy  context  and  current  state  of  play  for  inclusive 

136 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the 
European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030). 2021/C 66/01. OJ C 66, 26.2.2021, p. 1–21. 

74 

 
 
 
 
 
 
mobility are set out in section 2.2.7. Underlining the importance of this issue, the European 
Commission proposes the following EU-level target:    

In all education and training, and youth and sport systems, people with fewer opportunities 
should account for at least 20% of all learners benefiting from learning mobility abroad, by 
2030.  

The  indicator  established  to  measure  progress  towards  this  target  is  a  proxy  for  inclusive 
mobility  based  on  data  on  learners  with  fewer  opportunities  participating  in  the  Erasmus+ 
programme, expressed as a share of all learners partaking in mobility activities137. The indicator 
encompasses  all  completed  mobility  activities  from  EU  Member  States  (i.e.  the  sending 
country is an EU country), irrespective of duration, destination country, or type of mobility, 
starting in the reference year (figure 10)138. 

Figure 10. Participants with fewer opportunities in the Erasmus+ programme  

Source: Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme data. Extracted June 2023. Note: completed mobilities from the EU by 
start year of the mobility. The vertical bars show learners with fewer opportunities participating in cross-border 
mobility  activities  expressed  as  a  share  of  all  participants  in  mobility  activities.  Sorted  in  descending  order 
according to share of mobilities with start year 2022. 

137 The Erasmus+ Regulation87 defines people with fewer opportunities as ‘people who, for economic, social, 
cultural,  geographical  or  health  reasons,  due  to  their  migrant  background,  or  for  reasons  such  as  disability  or 
educational difficulties or for any other reason, including a reason that could give rise to discrimination under 
Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, face obstacles that prevent them from 
having effective access to opportunities under the Programme’. 
138  Using  Erasmus+  programme  data  provides  for  a  common  definition  of  people  with  fewer  opportunities  at 
programme  level,  but  caution  should  be  applied  when  interpreting  the data  as  there  are variations  in  how  the 
definition  is  applied  between  and  within  sectors  and  between  and  within  countries.  Moreover,  using  a  proxy 
indicator offers limited possibility of generalisation beyond the Erasmus+ programme. 

75 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.2 Recommendations for the Member States 

3.2.1 Providing systemic learning mobility opportunities 

(a)  Making  learning  mobility  abroad  a  standard  and  integral  part  of  school  education, 
vocational  education  and  training,  higher  education  and  adult  education  and  training 
systems  by  embedding  learning  mobility  periods  abroad  in  all  education  and  training 
curricula through flexible mobility windows, elective courses and other opportunities. 

Education and training organisations as well as national and local authorities should take into 
consideration the systemic and individual benefits of learning mobility activities abroad when 
designing and implementing their development strategy.  

For example, embedding time slots for mobility periods abroad in all education and training 
curricula  and  in  all  initial  education  and  training  programmes  for  teachers,  trainers,  other 
educators  and  youth  workers  would  be  useful  for  making  such  learning  mobility  abroad  a 
reality.   

A mobility window for learners is a recommended period during academic and school years 
when mobility of learners abroad takes places without prejudice for further study. A mobility 
window  for  teachers,  trainers  and  other  educators  is  a  period  of  the  school  year  in  which 
sending and hosting teachers and future teachers is appropriate to implement in view of not 
disrupting the education process. The wider use of mobility windows has been recommended 
by  various  stakeholders  from  the  higher  education,  school  education  and  VET  fields  in  the 
public consultation139.   

More  generally,  participation  of  teachers,  trainers,  educators  and  youth  workers  in  various 
forms of mobility should be accompanied by making efforts to find sustainable solutions for 
replacement  needs.  This  means  that  resources,  in  terms  of  funds,  equipment  and  staff  are 
allocated  to  the  most  appropriate  level  to  foster  internationalisation  strategies  in  education, 
training  and  non-formal  and  informal  learning,  including  all  forms  of  cross-border  learning 
mobility. 

It is also recommended to facilitate teaching assignment of practising teachers and trainers for 
a limited period abroad (up to one year) as part of their continuous development.  

At organisational level, this includes building organisational culture towards a more open, more 
diverse, international way of working and including innovative learning and teaching methods 
as well as new skills. More flexible curricula structure and legal arrangements should facilitate 
the implementation of mobility periods abroad for learners and staff from various education 
and training sectors.  

139 See  for example "Joint Position Paper on the European Learning Mobility Framework in the school sector 
(EFIL Obessu LLLP)”, “Towards a revised European learning mobility framework: ACA vision and way forward, 
More mobility, better mobility, more accessible mobility”, “The Contribution of the Erasmus Student Network to 
the Council Recommendation on a new Learning Mobility for all”, “ESU: Learning mobility - a reality for all”. 

76 

 
 
 
 
In addition to the mobility windows, inputs from the public consultation140 stress the need to 
supporting school heads to integrate learning mobility within the school pedagogical project, 
in  line with  a whole school  approach.  This  would contribute to  support a learning mobility 
culture at organisation, local and national levels as promoted by stakeholders in the field of 
school education141. 

(b) supporting  education  and  training  providers  in  developing  and  delivering  an  increasing 
share of cross-border joint activities, including joint programmes leading to joint degrees, 
by  making  the  best  use  of  European  initiatives,  in  particular  European  Universities 
alliances,  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence,  National  VET  Teams,  Alliances  for 
innovation,  and  Erasmus+  Teacher  Academies;  building  on  the  experiences  of  the 
European Universities alliances targeting a 50% mobility rate of students, with physical, 
virtual and blended mobility options; 

The  study  identifies  the  development  of  joint  education  programmes  as  a  key  incentive  to 
higher education learner and staff mobility and explain that the development of joint education 
programmes can alleviate some of the administrative burdens and institutional challenges of 
implementing cross-border student exchanges/mobility activities142. 

The European Universities alliances represent an important good practice in that regard. They 
form a framework for facilitated cross-border mobility of students and staff, including joint 
activities such as joint degree programmes and living labs. They aim to create European inter-
university campuses, where students, staff and researchers enjoy seamless mobility (physical, 
virtual or blended) to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services at cooperation 
partner  institutions.  These  inter-university  campuses  are  created  with  embedded  long-term 
mobility targets of at least 50% of the students within the alliance, as well as for academics, 
professional staff and researchers, which proves the transformational character of the alliances’ 
cooperation,  aiming  to  foster  mobility  among  its  partner  universities.  Moreover,  strong 
attention  is  given  to  provide  versatile  and  seamless  transnational  mobility  options  for  all 
learners,  including  for  people  with  fewer  opportunities  or  from  remote  areas,  and  lifelong 
learning  activities,  across  interconnected  European  campuses.  The  European  Universities 
initiative also strives for balanced mobility of students, mobility of staff and brain circulation, 
within the alliances. The fact that they contribute to driving legislative changes, and are part of 
policy experimentations such as the Erasmus+ pilot projects on the joint European degree label 
and a  European  legal status for alliances of higher education institutions, illustrate well the 
scope of their impact, and their potential.  

Being  firmly  embedded  in  well-connected  ecosystems,  with  rich  diversity  of  partners, 
European Universities alliances have a long-term engagement and vision, with the aim to be 
role  models  and  benefiting  the  entire  higher  education  sector.  This  includes  diffusing  their 
innovative approaches such as bringing cooperation to an unprecedent level, offering flexible 
learning pathways, opening their courses to the partner universities, redefining, diversifying, 
and  enlarging  the  scope  of  mobilities,  and  making  use  of  existing  tools  to  automatically 

140  see  joint  position  paper  issued  by  EFIL,  Obessu,  LLL,  ATEE,  EEE  YFU  in  the  context  of  the  public 
consultation. 
141 Idem. 
142 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023) 

77 

 
 
 
recognise  qualifications  and  mobility  periods  abroad  as  a  bridge  between  the  European 
Education Area and the European Research Area, in full synergy with the European Higher 
Education Area.   

Erasmus+ Teacher Academies create European partnerships and promote cooperation between 
teacher education institutions and training providers.  Two of their objectives are to develop 
and test different models of mobility in initial teacher education and continuous professional 
development.  

Also in Vocational Education and Training, new forms of transnational partnerships facilitate 
mobility of learners and staff. The Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence initiative aim 
to  implement  Vocational  Excellence  and  support  reforms  in  Vocational  Education  and 
Training, in line with the Council Recommendation on Vocational Education and Training for 
sustainable  competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  resilience,  as  well  as  the  Osnabrück 
Declaration.  The  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  are  collaborative  structures  that  bring 
together a wide range of stakeholders: VET providers, higher education institutions including 
universities  of  applied  sciences  and  polytechnics,  research  institutions,  science  parks, 
innovation agencies, employers, chambers and their associations, social partners, national and 
regional authorities etc.  Among the activities that the Centres of Vocational Excellence can 
engage in, are the internationalisation and mobility abroad, such as creating support structures 
and  measures  to  foster  and  ensure  the  quality  of  mobility  experiences  (including  virtual 
mobility)  among  the  partners  in  the  networks  in  compliance  with  the  Erasmus  Quality 
Standards, and launching initiatives to mobilise learners, teachers and trainers (including in-
company trainers), as  well as experts, to  take  advantage of the opportunities offered by the 
Erasmus+ programme to engage in mobility abroad. The Centres of Vocational Excellence can 
also  work  on  developing  curricula  and  qualifications,  including  integrating  international 
learner  mobility  in  the  curricula,  ensuring  the  validation  and  recognition  of  the  learning 
outcomes acquired abroad. Through the transnational cooperation, the project partners learn 
about and gain trust in each other’s vocational education and training systems. This knowledge 
and trust can contribute to reducing the mobility barriers related to  concerns about learning 
outcome, brain drain, balanced mobility, etc.  

Since 2020, many Member States have set up National VET teams supported by the Erasmus+ 
programme.  The  purpose  of  these  teams  is  to  provide  a  pool  of  expertise  to  promote  the 
application  of  EU  VET  tools  and  principles  in  EU  funded  projects  supported  by  the 
Programme.  The  concerned  EU  VET  tools  are  laid  down  in  the  relevant  EU  VET  policy 
documents such as the European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships and the 
Council Recommendation on VET (covering the EQAVET Framework, European Vocational 
Core Profiles, graduate tracking, etc.). The National VET team members provide support to 
the beneficiaries of EU funded projects supported by the Erasmus+ Programme to implement 
the  abovementioned  EU  VET  tools  in  their  projects  and  they  promote  in  many  cases  the 
mobility of learners in VET programmes. Activities include the organisation of webinars about 
promoting mobility of learners, publication of guides on the use of learning outcomes as a way 
to facilitate mobility, promotion of micro-credentials as an opportunity for mobility. 

(c)  Promoting  and  embedding  inwards  and  outwards  learning  mobility  in  non-formal  and 
informal learning, youth work and volunteering settings, as valuable and viable mobility 

78 

 
 
options for all learners and staff, including through awareness-raising, outreach measures 
and  other  support  to  providers  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning,  local  and  regional 
authorities, youth centres and civil society organisations.   

The agreements of Member States in the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, to engage, connect 
and empower young people, and in the European Youth Work Agenda, with the promotion of 
the European dimension of youth work through cross-border exchange and cooperation, also 
rely  on  learning  mobility  and  volunteering  opportunities  to  support  young  people  in  their 
personal  development  and  transition  to  adulthood.    The  European  Year  of  Youth  raised 
awareness  of  such  opportunities  for  young  people  and  reaffirmed  the  need  to  continue 
promoting,  addressing  obstacles,  and  facilitating  access  for  young  people  with  fewer 
opportunities.   

Research, such as the RAY youth research, on the effects of young people’s participation in 
Erasmus+  (youth  chapter)  and  European  Solidarity  Corps  programmes,  and  stakeholder 
feedback, have shown the benefits of learning mobility in non-formal and informal learning, 
youth  work  and  volunteering  settings.  These  experiences  can  be  particularly  beneficial  for 
young people with fewer opportunities. They support the development of key competences and 
offer spaces and activities through which young people can grow, step outside of their comfort 
zone and engage with  other cultures and perspectives in  a safe and respectful environment. 
Spending  a  period  abroad  in  youth  or  youth  work  activities  or  volunteering  strengthens 
competences  such  as  communication,  inter-cultural  understanding,  teamwork,  problem-
solving,  adaptability,  resilience,  and  leadership,  all  of  which  can  significantly  boost  young 
people’s prospects, including in further education and training, in the labour market etc.  By 
engaging in community-based projects, young people learn about societal challenges, develop 
a  sense  of  social  responsibility  and  motivation  to  contribute  to  positive  change  in  their 
communities.  This  cultivates  active  citizenship,  promoting  EU  values,  social  inclusion  and 
civic engagement. 

Non-formal and informal learning mobility of individuals also generates cooperation on joint 
projects and partnerships, exchanges of knowledge and practices among young people, youth 
workers  and  organisations  across  borders.  This  can  help  the  transfer  of  innovative  ideas, 
methodologies and approaches and enrich existing local strategies or the development of new 
strategies  for  non-formal  and  informal  learning,  youth  work  and  volunteering.  This  also 
contributes to a shared European identity, promoting understanding and solidarity.  

However, based on the findings of the dedicated study and as shown in the Citizens’ panel, 
learning mobility is still very much perceived as student mobility and information channels as 
those of higher education institutions by many young people and the general public. The study 
also  shows  that  among  youth  workers  and  civil  society  organisations,  learning  mobility  is 
sometimes perceived as something unattainable or even a ‘luxury’ – it is thus not systematically 
considered due to e.g. resource constraints, lack of awareness of different opportunities and 
quality and support measures, while this type of learning mobility is well suited to cater for 
young people with fewer opportunities and those working with and for them. 

Member  States  can  actively  promote  and  facilitate  learning  mobility  in  non-formal  and 
informal  learning,  youth  work  and  volunteering  settings,  through  supportive  policies  and 

79 

 
 
frameworks,  e.g.  by  giving  visibility  to  non-formal  and  informal  learning  mobility,  cross-
border youth work and volunteering in national youth strategies and other policies that impact 
young people e.g. education and training, employment, social inclusion etc. Member States can 
foster a learning mobility eco-system that considers and puts forward non-formal and informal 
learning, youth  work and volunteering across borders as valuable and viable options for all 
young people, including young people not in employment, education or training, young people 
with  disabilities  or  health  issues,  or  experiencing  other  obstacles  to  participation  on  equal 
footing with peers, and for the organisations that work with them.   

Member States are recommended to  work closely with local and regional authorities, youth 
centres, civil society organisations, Eurodesk and other information and support structures, to 
provide comprehensive, accessible and inclusive, information and guidance on the variety of 
learning mobility opportunities and to disseminate effectively and reach diverse young people. 

Investing in capacity building of youth workers, trainers, staff in youth centres and civil society 
organisations  is  crucial.  Training  on  project  management,  intercultural  competences, 
approaches  and  methods  in  supporting  young  people  in  diverse  and  difficult  situations, 
mentoring, and digital skills, can enhance the quality and effectiveness of learning mobility 
schemes  and  boost  organisations’  capacity  to  deliver  high  quality  and  impactful  learning 
activities and experiences for young people. 

Ensuring  appropriate  funding  for  youth  and  youth  work  organisations,  youth  centres,  civil 
society  organisations  and  local  and  regional  authorities  that  organise  cross-border  learning 
mobility, trainings, exchanges and other activities in non-formal and informal learning, youth 
work and volunteering settings, including for digital youth work, enables capacity building and 
inclusiveness  so  that  young  people  are  motivated  and  well  prepared  for  and  adequately 
supported during (including coverage of travel and living costs during mobility) and after the 
mobility,  including  through  adequate  mentoring  and  guidance.  Exploring  complementary 
funding and synergies with diverse funding sources can also be a way to cater for additional 
needs of young people and youth workers with fewer opportunities.  

Member States can also encourage the establishment of partnerships among local and regional 
authorities,  youth  centres,  civil  society  organisations  and  facilitate  networking  and 
collaborating on learning mobility strategies, projects and activities. Such an environment can 
also help effective sharing of resources, expertise and good practices. Member States should 
also continue developing arrangements and mechanisms for recognition and validation of the 
learning outcomes of non-formal and informal learning, youth work and volunteering. 

(d) supporting the application of quality criteria for preparation, implementation, and follow 
up  of  learning  mobility  activities,  including  by  building  on  quality  standards  developed 
within  the  Erasmus+  programme,  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  programme  and  other 
learning mobility schemes; 

When supporting or developing learning mobility schemes, Member States should cooperate 
to  design  and  implement  a  system  for  quality  assurance,  including  by  defining  general 
principles  and  criteria  for  the  successful  organisation  of  related  activities.  These  activities 
include the preparation, implementation, and follow-up of learning mobility abroad.  

80 

 
 
The quality criteria should serve the purpose of benchmarks to support organisations in their 
daily  work  related  to  the  organisation  of  learning  mobility  activities  and  should  allow  for 
independent monitoring at various stages of the process. Member State are recommended to 
build  upon  the  existing  quality  standards  for  mobility  projects  under  the  Erasmus+  and 
European Solidarity Corps programmes. This includes for example the Erasmus Charter for 
Higher Education (ECHE) which provides the general  quality  framework for European and 
international  cooperation  activities  a  higher  education  institution  may  carry  out  within 
Erasmus+.  Organisations  implementing  youth  learning  mobility  activities  also  adhere  to  a 
common  set  of  quality  standards  (Erasmus+  Quality  Standards  mobility  projects-Youth)  to 
ensure quality experience and learning outcomes for all participants, and to make sure that all 
organisations receiving the programme’s funding are contributing to its objectives. Erasmus+ 
Accreditations and European Solidarity Corps Quality Labels, can inspire systems to ensure 
that  organisations  involved  in  learning  mobility  offer  necessary  conditions  to  participants, 
comply with principles and charters and meet high quality standards.  

In  their  Joint  Position  Paper  on  the  European  Learning  Mobility  Framework  in  the  school 
sector,  several  stakeholders  from  the  sector  (EFIL  –  European  Federation  for  Intercultural 
Learning,  LLL  –  Lifelong  Learning  Platform,  OBESSU  –  Organising  Bureau  of  European 
School  Student  Unions,  EEE-YFU  –  European  Educational  Exchanges  Youth  for 
Understanding, and ATEE – Association for Teaching Education in Europe) also advocate for 
adhering to the European Quality Charter for mobility. 

An important step towards guaranteeing quality of mobility programmes is a clear status for 
mobile  learners,  meaning  e.g.  whether  pupils  are  officially  registered  in  the  hosting  school 
and/or remain registered at the sending school. The status may determine whether the learners’ 
learning outcomes during the learning period abroad may be recognised (e.g. in some countries, 
hosted  pupils  who  are  not  registered  will  not  have  their  learning  recognised  in  their  home 
country). It can also determine whether sending and host schools receive funding for exchange 
learners (thus creating incentives or disincentives for hosting learners or for the sending school 
to approve the mobility period abroad). A clear status is furthermore essential to guarantee the 
learner  re-enrolment  in  their  sending  school  upon  return  (a  lack  of  status  thus  creating  a 
disincentive for pupils to risk losing their place in the school). This has been pointed out by 
stakeholders in the context of the European Parliament Preparatory Action ‘Expert Network on 
Recognition of outcomes of learning periods abroad in general secondary education”. 

Member States should put in place effective procedures to provide practical, accessible, and 
comprehensive  information  at  national  level  for  all  learners,  educators  and  staff  relating  to 
national  legal  and  administrative  rules.  Potential  participants  in  learning  mobility  activities 
abroad  should  receive  appropriate  guidance  on  the  necessary  steps  to  undertake  before 
embarking on the activities.  

This includes information about their health and social security rights during their stay aboard 
and administrative status  in  their sending  organisation.  Upon their return  from  the mobility 
activity abroad, participants should receive appropriate information about their reintegration in 
their country of origin. 

Protection and safety of participants in learning mobility activities are of great importance in 
view of taking full advantage of the possibilities for personal and professional development. 

81 

 
 
All activities should be organised in a safe environment which respects and protects the rights 
of all persons, their physical and emotional integrity, their mental health, and wellbeing. Where 
minors  are  involved  in  learning  mobility  activities,  organisations  must  obtain  the  prior 
authorisation of participation from their parents or legal guardians. 

In accordance with national legislation, organisations taking part in learning mobility activities 
should  seek  the  most  suitable  insurance  policy.  This  policy  should  cover  at  least  the  risks 
related to travel (including damage of loss of luggage), third party liability (including, wherever 
appropriate,  professional  indemnity  or  insurance  for  responsibility),  accident  and  serious 
illness (including permanent or temporary incapacity), death (including repatriation). Where 
applicable, participants are strongly recommended to be in possession of the European Health 
Insurance Card. 

Quality  support  for  participants  during  preparation,  implementation  and  follow  up  is  also 
important to ensure the high quality of the mobility experience. The study notes that in higher 
education, both mobile and non-mobile students find support with the application process and 
the choice of a host HEI to be highly valuable. Physical pre-departure events are also highly 
regarded. This also applies to staff members, who see benefits in the organisation of physical 
promotional events. There is a clear need for a more tailored approach in communication and 
important  that  Member  States  devote  enough  resources  to  this  preparation  phase  of  the 
mobility. Similarly, the study found that in the youth field, organisations often struggle with 
the application process,  developing projects and finding partners, also linked to limited and 
volatile financial and human resources for learning mobility and youth work.143 

(e)  fostering cooperation among the bodies managing and implementing funding instruments 
at EU, international, national or regional level to ensure coordinated activities to support 
and  promote  learning  mobility,  while  avoiding  overlaps  and  maximising  the  impact  of 
resources. 

For supporting organisations and participants in implementing learning mobility abroad with 
appropriate measures, national, regional and local funding should complement EU co-funding 
and programmes in the field by creating synergies between funds. More specifically, inputs 
from the public consultation mention ESF+ and Interreg. Some stakeholders  stress the role of 
public  funding  to  effectively  operationalise  the  monitoring  process  and  develop  a  quality 
monitoring system. 

Cohesion policy funds programmes support formal, informal and non-informal education. In 
continuity  with  the  previous  programming  period,  ESF+  supports  investment  in  Education, 
including  learning  mobility.  Interreg  programmes  support  various  activities  to  support  and 
promote  learning  mobility  such  as  language  learning,  schools  and  university  student  and 
teacher exchanges, as an instrument to reinforce cooperation and trust across borders, and to 
support access to cross-border labour market. The four EU macro-regional strategies (MRS)144, 
overlapping with the geography of four transnational Interreg programmes, contribute in policy 

143 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023) 
144 i.e. the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, the EU Strategy for the 
Adriatic 
See 
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/cooperation/macro-regional-strategies_en  

Strategy 

Region. 

Region, 

Alpine 

Ionian 

and 

EU 

the 

the 

for 

82 

 
 
 
making exercises related to skills development and labour market exchanges among Member 
States,  but  also  among  Member  States  and  non-EU  countries  part  of  the  strategies.  Youth 
mobility and exchange is also at the core of the work of MRSs, through the Youth Councils 
and the financing of projects related to students and teachers exchanges. In parallel, instruments 
focussing  on  infrastructures  (e.g.  ERDF  programmes,  Digital  Europe,  RRF)  can  equally 
support  the  fostering  of  learning  mobility  by  through  the  funding  of  e.g.  tools  for  digital 
education,  schools,  libraries  in  disadvantaged  areas,  affordable  housing  for  students, 
facilitating  green  travels  for  learners  in  mobility.  Building  structured  forms  of  cooperation 
among  the  bodies  in  charge  of  implementing  complementary  actions  supporting  learning 
mobility  is  essential  to  channel,  with  a  strategic  approach,  the  resources  needed  to  support 
participants and organisations, while increasing the European added value and the impact of 
the investments of each specific instrument.  

National Agencies implementing Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps are tasked to 
put forward a number of activities aiming to develop sustainable forms of cooperation with 
other funding bodies, in view of facilitating the building of synergies and complementarities. 
To achieve this goal, national and regional authorities play a key role to ensure that appropriate 
cooperation  channels  are  supported,  in  a  synergetic  effort.  This  also  implies  that  National 
Authority actively  support and assist  the  National  Agencies under their supervision  in  their 
effort to build long-standing cooperations with other funding instruments.  

3.2.2 Enhancing language learning 

(a)  strengthening language learning at all stages of education and training, and in youth and 
sport  systems,  including  by  delivering  part  of  curricula  in  other  EU  languages  than  the 
national language(s), notably to boost learning mobility options and opportunities; 

(b) Facilitate  access  to  language  education  and  learning,  including  for  adult  population,  to 
improve multilingual competences and enable citizens to fully take advantage of learning 
mobility, the European Education Area and employment opportunities. 

The study ‘Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward’ identified lack 
of  language  competences  as  one  of  the  core  barriers  to  mobility  for  participants  in  higher 
education, vocational education and training, school education, adult education and youth145. 
According to the study, participants in learning mobility may not be able to follow instructions 
if they are given in a language that the participants do not know, limiting the opportunities and 
destinations. For instance, teachers’ professional training, such as job shadowing or long-term 
mobility, is very limited due to language barriers. Similarly, language barriers may also impede 
on youth workers capacity to take part in learning mobility for their professional development.  

Multilingualism is one of eight key competences needed for personal fulfilment, a healthy and 
sustainable lifestyle, employability, active citizenship and social inclusion, as outlined by EU 
Member States in the Council recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning146.   

145 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023) 
146 Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning  (2018/C 189/01) 

83 

 
 
 
 
The Citizen panel highlighted that one way of motivating people to learn more languages can 
be achieved through EU funding and that participation in learning mobility creates a strong 
basis for language education.  

A  recent  study  from  Eurydice  shows  that  more  progress  is  needed  in  the  second  foreign 
language. In 2020, only about 60% of students in general upper secondary education learnt at 
least two languages in Europe. 

The report also  showed  that VET students  do not  have the same opportunities to  learn two 
foreign languages as their counterparts in general education. In 2020, only 35.1% of learners 
in upper secondary VET were learning two languages. Nearly one in five learners (that is 18%) 
in upper secondary VET did not learn any foreign language while in general upper secondary 
education they were only 2.9%. This is an issue requiring attention. 

The Council recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of 
languages  (2019)  highlights  that  increasing  and  improving  language  learning  and  teaching 
could  strengthen  the  European  dimension  in  education  and  training.  Content  and  Language 
Integrated Learning (CLIL) that is, teaching subjects through a foreign language have proven 
efficient for different categories of learners. 

The Eurydice report (2023) shows that Content and Language Integrated Learning plays an 
increasingly  important  role  in  language  education,  both  as  a  feature  of  foreign  language 
teaching and learning, and as an element of bilingual and plurilingual education.  

3.2.3 Supporting engagement in learning mobility activities 

(a)  building lifelong learning mobility culture at all learning stages from school education to 
adult education and across learning settings, by developing a variety of mobility formats 
their 
and  activities,  supporting  sending  and  hosting  organisations 
internationalisation  strategy,  increasing  the  attractiveness  of  education  institutions  in 
hosting  mobile  learners,    and  encouraging  alumni  networks  to  develop  and  promote 
learning experience at the local level; 

in  pursuing 

Learning mobility opportunities should be part of the lifelong learning pathway in all education 
and  training,  youth  and  sport  sectors,  starting  from  school  education  and  youth  exchanges. 
These early  experiences  may inspire confidence  and motivation  for learners to  see learning 
mobility as an important opportunity for personal and educational development in later stages 
of formal, non-formal and informal learning, and in working life. 

For example, the most common types of learning mobility activities for pupils are organised as 
a group mobility or an individual mobility. The group mobility usually takes place over a short 
period  of  time  and  is  aimed  primarily  at  meeting  peers  from  another  country,  encouraging 
multicultural understanding, and sharing of common values. The individual learning mobility 
may take place over a medium or long term and has benefits such as improving self-awareness, 
personal  independence,  communication  skills,  critical  thinking,  entrepreneurship,  creativity, 
and civic engagement of the pupils.  

In both cases, spending a period abroad helps pupils with language learning and gives them a 
chance to  experience Europe’s cultural  diversity first  hand. Due to  its character and length, 

84 

 
 
group mobility of pupils generally have a common learning programme applicable to all pupils, 
and reintegration in the sending school is quick and seamless. In individual pupil mobility, an 
individual learning programme must be drawn for each mobile pupil, with expected learning 
outcomes agreed between the sending and hosting organisations together with each participant: 
each  pupil  must  have  their  own  learning  agreement  as  a  personal  guarantee  of  quality.  In 
addition, it guarantees that reintegration workload is manageable, and that the sending school 
will avoid double coursework for the pupil. 

For example, DiscoverEU in the field of youth gives young people the possibility to travel, 
learn  and  discover  the  cultural  heritage  of  Europe  and  beyond,  strengthen  their  sense  of 
belonging and connect with other young people and local communities across different themes 
and routes.  DiscoverEU also serves as an entry point to youth exchanges and other learning 
mobility opportunities offered in the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes, 
thus supporting a learning mobility culture among young people. In the Discover EU Facebook 
Group, young people exchange experiences and tips and National Agencies promote further 
mobility  opportunities.  The  DiscoverEU  Learning  Cycle  also  offers  post-travel  meetings 
organised by the National Agencies and the European Commission promotes next steps after 
DiscoverEU via a youth-friendly infographic147.   

In  higher  education,  students  who  have  completed  an  Erasmus+  mobility  indicate  in  their 
participant  report  after  the  mobility  whether  they  plan  to  participate  in  Erasmus+  mobility 
again.  The  results  from  call  2021  and  2022  for  KA131  student  mobility  show  that  37%  of 
responding mobile students said yes, 35% are undecided and 27% said no. Of those students 
who  did  a  traineeship  abroad  through  Erasmus+,  the  rate  of  those  who  say  they  do  plan  to 
participate in Erasmus+ mobility again goes up to 41%, with 23% saying no. This demonstrates 
how mobility can lead to more mobility.  

This is further demonstrated in the 2019 Erasmus+ higher education impact study that showed 
that Erasmus+ graduates have more international career than non-mobile students148. 23% of 
Erasmus+ graduates reported to have started their job in a country different to their country of 
origin, compared to 15% in the case of non-mobile graduates, and 87% agree or rather agree 
that they definitely want to work abroad for at least some time. 

(b) fostering  cooperation  between  regional  and  local  authorities,  education  and  training 
providers,  civil  society  organisations,  NGOs  and  private  actors,  for  promoting  and 
supporting outgoing learning mobility, including of people with fewer opportunities, and 
fostering a welcoming environment towards incoming learning mobility participants from 
abroad; 

The organisation of successful and meaningful learning mobility activities abroad requires the 
active  collaboration  between  various  stakeholders  at  national,  regional,  and  local  level.  In 
practical  terms,  national,  regional  and  local  authorities  should  engage  with  education  and 
training and non-formal learning providers, civil society organisations and private actors for 
promoting  and  fostering  a  welcoming  environment  towards  incoming  learning  mobility 

147 DiscoverEU infographic: discovereu_whatsnext-hd.pdf (europa.eu) 
148  European  Commission,  Directorate-General  for  Education,  Youth,  Sport  and  Culture, Erasmus+  higher 
education impact study : final report, Publications Office, 2019, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/162060 

85 

 
 
 
 
participants  from  abroad.  Recommendation  12  of  the  European  Citizens  Panel  on  learning 
mobility pleads for reinforced welcome in the hosting country to facilitate integration of mobile 
learners.  

The  involvement  of  various  stakeholders  throughout  this  process  raises  awareness  of  the 
benefits of learning mobility (including through role models and alumni), influences positively 
the offer and quality of learning mobility opportunities, while providing orientation on possible 
future pathways. In addition, collaboration between the public and the private sectors ensures 
that future needs in terms of professional development are taken into account when supporting 
the development of mobility schemes. 

Local  authorities  can  also  support  the  implementation  of  mobility  projects  and  outgoing 
learning mobility activities by providing and pooling resources in order to coordinate learning 
mobility activities for consortia of education and training organisations around. This is an asset 
for more inclusiveness by involving a wide range of organisations and participants in mobility 
projects and activities. 

Furthermore, alternative options for hosting organisation could bring added value to learning 
mobility experiences. For example, traineeships in general education could diversify the offer 
of learning mobility activities abroad. Pupils can learn by observing and performing tasks in a 
workplace  environment  -  in  cultural  institutions  (such  as  museums,  libraries,  theatres  or 
cultural centres), non-governmental and civil society organisations, media organisations, local 
government  offices,  public  service  providers,  companies  and  small  businesses.  Common 
examples of learning outcomes in general education traineeships include communication and 
digital  skills,  entrepreneurial  skills,  financial  literacy,  media  literacy,  active  citizenship, 
cultural awareness and interpersonal skills. 

Some  public  consultation  input  (EAM)  stress  that  efforts  should  be  made  to  develop 
partnerships and networks between training centres and companies in order to be able to carry 
out long-term stays for their apprentices. 

Collaboration with  employers and associations of employers is  also  important  and Member 
States  should  consider  collaborating  with  employers  to  highlight  the  benefits  of  receiving 
trainees and apprentices from abroad. At the same time, it is important to also ensure the quality 
of these mobility experiences by providing support to the incoming participants. This can be 
achieved through collaborations with other stakeholders such as the Erasmus Student Network 
and other learner organisations, or support from other local stakeholders or authorities. Member 
States  can  furthermore  consider  incentivising  companies  that  decide  to  host  learners,  as 
suggested by the Erasmus Student Network.  The Erasmus Student Network highlights the need 
for mobility  promotion initiatives to  be embedded in  internationalised educational  curricula 
and planning from an early age, as this will help learners adopt an internationalisation culture 
they can then continue to boost throughout their lives and prepare them to make the most of 
any international mobility experiences149. 

149 More mobility, better mobility, more accessible mobility. The Contribution of the Erasmus Student Network 
to the Council Recommendation on a new Learning Mobility for all. 

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(c)  encouraging the authorities and organisations managing mobility schemes, both in sending 
and  hosting  roles,  to  reduce  administrative  burden  for  organisation  and  participants  and 
provide clear guidance throughout the application process.  

Evidence,  including  the  study  and  stakeholder  consultations  on  learning  mobility  also 
identified  that  the  application  and  reporting  procedures  put  high  administrative  burden  on 
organisations, in particular on small and medium sized companies, and civil society and youth 
organisations, eventually discouraging applications. Efforts should therefore be made towards 
lowering the level of bureaucracy and administrative burdens associated with applying for EU-
funded  mobility  programmes  through,  for  example,  the  simplification  of  the  application 
process,  clarifying  the  programmes’  language  and  related  concepts,  offering  adequate 
guidance, and embracing the use of digital tools. 

(d) supporting  flexible  learning  mobility  formats,  that  can  broaden  the  pool  of  participants, 
also  as  a  stepping  stone  to  longer  mobility  periods  including  group  mobility  activities, 
short-term mobility and blended intensive programmes; and any other learning experiences 
that can lead to micro-credentials, in line with the European approach to micro-credentials 
for lifelong learning and employability. 

The  study  identifies  blended  intensive  programmes  as  one  of  the  incentives  for  higher 
education mobility. They can represent a low-threshold opportunity for HEIs to collaborate on 
joint curricula and more generally the development of different types of mobility opportunities 
can contribute to widening participation.150 Blended programmes, with a short-term physical 
component  and  a  complementing  virtual  component,  can  give  mobility  opportunities  to 
students who are not able to go on long-term mobility for whatever reason. This can include 
students with limitations in their study programmes, students with caring responsibilities, or 
students with health issues. Short-term mobility can also serve as a stepping-stone to longer 
mobilities and give students who are unsure whether learning mobility is for them the chance 
to experience a shorter mobility that can later lead to further mobility experiences in their study 
careers. Research by Cedefop (2021) shows that apprentices that were satisfied with their short-
term experiences became more inclined to undertake long-term learning mobility.151 According 
to the OECD report Micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability, some countries 
also  discuss  micro-credentials  in  the  context  of  promoting  internationalisation  and  student 
mobility,  as  the  widespread  use  of  micro-credentials  could  improve  cross-border  academic 
recognition.152 

The study also points to the wide range of different learning mobility formats offered to young 
people  in  the  Erasmus+Youth  and  European  Solidarity  Corps  programmes  as  examples  of 
incentives for participation as they respond to a variety of needs and interests of many young 
people.  

(e)  valuing  the  work  of  staff  preparing  and  implementing  learning  mobility  projects  and 
activities  by  making  it  an  integral  and  formally  recognised  part  of  the  profession  of 
education  and  training  staff  and  youth  workers,  in  particular  in  terms  of  working  hours 

150 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023) 
151 Cedefop. (2021). Cross-border long-term apprentice mobility. Making it work: suggestions for national policy-
makers.  
152 OECD Education Policy Perspectives, published 17 March, 2023 , no. 66,  available: Micro-credentials for 
lifelong  learning  and  employability  :  Uses  and  possibilities  |  OECD  Education  Policy  Perspectives  |  OECD 
iLibrary (oecd-ilibrary.org) 

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quotas and formal requirements for career advancement, and recognising the role of staff 
mobility in preparing, encouraging and subsequently supporting student mobility. 

Quality standards and evaluation criteria applicable in mobility programmes such as Erasmus+, 
demonstrate  that  setting  up  learning  mobility  activities  requires  a  significant  investment  of 
work:  

−  on substance: to analyse the learning requirements at sending and receiving end, define 
the  learning  content  of  the  activity,  monitor  the  participants’  progress,  provide 
academic and personal support, and to evaluate and document the achieved learning 
outcomes (recognition) 
in the form of administrative, financial, logistical, reporting and coordination tasks.  

− 

For many education, training and youth organisations these are novel tasks that do not fit easily 
into existing work roles. This is particularly true in the context of formal education and training 
where extensive regulation exists on the number and profile of employees, on how work hour 
quotas are established and what kind of activities can be recognised as part of that quota. As a 
result,  Erasmus+  National  Agencies  and  beneficiaries  report  that  staff  working  on  mobility 
projects  and  activities  often  do  so  on  a  volunteer  basis  without  remuneration  and  at  times 
having to justify their activities, rather than being recognised for performing them. It is also a 
particular issue in the adult education, youth and youth work sectors, where many organisations 
lack stable and structural funding and rely on volunteer staff and youth workers with varying 
conditions.  

Two  changes  are  needed  to  improve  the  situation:  (1)  changing  the  workplace  culture  and 
management mind-set to better valorise learning mobility activities and by extension the work 
necessary to implement them, and (2) creating, expanding and promoting the use of regulatory 
mechanisms  for  formal  recognition  of  work  on  organising  learning  mobility  as  a  valid 
professional  task  that  counts  towards  the  working  hour  quotas  and  career  advancement 
requirements for education, training and youth staff. 

Improvements  in  formal  recognition  of  work  on  organising  learning  mobility  activities  is  a 
precondition for mainstreaming learning mobility activities. Scaling up the current practices is 
not possible based on unpaid work of staff investing their free time. The need to recognise the 
work  of  those  who  make  mobility  opportunities  possible  has  been  highlighted  by  Citizen 
Panel’s Recommendation 14: Recognise the role of educators in learning mobility. 

Standardisation  of  work  tasks  necessary  for  international  cooperation  (including  learning 
mobility) has been a crucial part of successful mainstreaming of learning mobility in  higher 
education over the last 36 years. Successful higher education models for defining new work 
tasks  can  be  transferred  to  other  fields,  should  the  Member  States  provide  an  appropriate 
regulatory framework and resources.   

Staff mobility in higher education also plays an important role in encouraging the mobility of 
students.  Academic  staff  that  has  been  mobile  earlier  in  their  careers  and  also  during  their 
position  in  their  institution  can  offer  encouragement  to  students.  The  same  goes  for 
administrative staff with mobility experience as they can offer better support and advice to both 
incoming  and  outgoing  students.  It  is  therefore  worth  examining  the  increase  of  synergies 

88 

 
 
between student and staff mobility, as pointed out by ACA153 and the Norwegian Ministry of 
Education and Research154. They also explain that "recognising the value and additional effort 
of gaining a mobility experience abroad as part of career progression or workload arrangements 
by  home  institutions  can  be  potentially  decisive  for  early  career  academic  staff  as  well  as 
administrative  staff,  and  should  be  further  incentivised  at  both  the  national  and  European 
level.” 

As also highlighted in the study, youth workers play an important role in learning mobility in 
youth,  youth  work and volunteering settings.  They participate in  learning  mobility  for their 
own personal  and professional development,  the  latter of particular importance in  countries 
where formal youth worker education and training is less developed. They are also designers 
and organisers of learning mobility activities for young people. Furthermore, in their daily work 
with young people, e.g. in youth centres, youth organisations, in open youth work on the streets 
etc.,  they  play  a  key  role  in  promoting  opportunities  and  motivating  young  people  of  all 
backgrounds  for  learning  mobility,  as  well  as  helping  in  their  preparation,  mentoring  and 
support  during  and  after  mobility.  However,  due  to  limited  financial  and  human  resources, 
youth and youth work organisations are sometimes struggling to engage in learning mobility 
and even perceiving it as a ‘luxury’ for which staff time, and youth worker and youth leader 
time, cannot always be devoted.   

3.2.4 Providing information on learning mobility opportunities 

(a)  putting in place learning mobility promoters – coordinators, contact points, ambassadors or 
dedicated learning mobility information centres – at regional or local level to share their 
expertise  with  regional  and  local  education  and  training  providers,  civil  society 
organisations  and  private  actors,  to  support  engagement  in  learning  mobility  activities. 
Encouraging the networking of these coordinators at national and transnational level.  

The  creation  of  more  and  better  opportunities  for  learning  mobility  abroad  necessitates  the 
pooling  of  resources  for  preparation  and  implementation  of  learning  periods  abroad,  in 
particular  through  dedicating  human  resources  to  act  as  mobility  promoters  or  mobility 
coordinators.  

In order for educators, teachers, youth workers, students, pupils and young people to benefit 
from  mobility  activities,  some  staff  members  have  to  act  as  project  managers  and  mobility 
coordinators: preparing project applications, finding partners abroad, managing EU funds and 
reporting.  These  are  novel  tasks  for  staff  who  encounter  obstacles  in  receiving  appropriate 
training and having their work recognised. Tackling these issues is a crucial element in making 
mobility opportunities a standard in European schools. 

Recommendation 14 of the Citizens Panel on learning mobility emphasises the importance of 
the  mobility  coordinators,  who  make  learning  mobility  possible,  and  the  need  to  properly 
recognise their role and work. In most cases, in the sectors of VET and school education, this 
work is conducted by teachers and trainers as an additional task, which is not considered part 
of their official teaching hours. In the youth field, it can also be performed by voluntary staff 

153 Towards a revised European learning mobility framework: ACA vision and way forward 
154  The  Norwegian  Ministry  of  Education  and  Research's  input  to  the  development  of  a  Learning  mobility 
framework 

89 

 
 
 
and youth workers under different conditions and considered as an ‘add-on’ to their normal 
tasks.  

Working  together  and  sharing  of  experience  between  mobility  coordinators  should  be 
encouraged at transnational level. Member States can make use of existing structures or create 
other opportunities for transnational cooperation. 

Member States should also work on the creation of dedicated learning mobility information 
centres at the regional and local levels. Inputs from the public consultation (a statement from 
the  Lifelong  Learning  Platform155)  stress  the  key  role  of  actors  from  the  local  and  regional 
levels in administrative support and in the creation of adequate structures to support learning 
mobility. The statement supports the idea that learners experience different needs, while access 
to housing, health care, leisure, accessible learning conditions, access to scholarships becomes 
ever more difficult as a mobile learner. There needs to be sufficient resources and incentives 
to maintain such services in order to ensure that learning mobility is tailored to the specificity 
of the beneficiaries, especially the ones from disadvantaged backgrounds. Such centres should 
also  support  beneficiaries  of  learning  experiences  in  accessing  information  on  work 
opportunities, traineeships, and apprenticeships in other countries.  

As the SIEM Research Report156 demonstrates, “mobility promotion and preparation initiatives 
are key to convincing those learners who might not have considered taking part in a mobility 
opportunity, helping to overcome environmental and attitudinal barriers”. The Erasmus Student 
Network suggests that promotional and pre-departure strategies should be multi-layered and 
involve a variety of stakeholders, including learners.157 They suggest that such strategies should 
be embedded in the broader internationalisation strategies at institutional and national level and 
that  Member  States  should  put  in  place  measures  to  support  the  collaboration  between 
organisations  representing  learners  engaged  in  mobility  promotion  with  other  educational 
institutions  and  offer  them  visibility  in  institutional  spaces.  These  organisations  could 
furthermore  be  included  in  the  planning  of  promotional  strategies  and  pre-departure 
preparation. 

Local and national partnerships can also join together to provide valuable support to mobile 
participants of any type when it comes to support services such as registration in the country 
or  city  and  with  healthcare  providers.  The  Erasmus  Student  Network  points  out  that 
“Empowering local associations supporting learners through financial support and institutional 
recognition can improve the available support for incoming learners while helping to create a 
culture of learning mobility”158. 

lifelong 

learning  approach 

155  Learning  mobility  for  all:  a 
https://lllplatform.eu/lll/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WGINT_LLLP-Statement_Learning-mobility_-April-
2023.pdf 
156 Allinson K., Gabriels W. (2021). Maybe it will be different abroad; student and staff perspectives on diversity 
and inclusion in student exchanges. SIEM Research Report, siem-project.eu 
157 More mobility, better mobility, more accessible mobility. The Contribution of the Erasmus Student Network 
to the Council Recommendation on a new Learning Mobility for all. 
158 More mobility, better mobility, more accessible mobility. The Contribution of the Erasmus Student Network 
to the Council Recommendation on a new Learning Mobility for all. 

targets,  process  and  monitoring 

to 

90 

 
 
 
The  importance  of  having  students  involved  in  the  entire  communication  process  is  also 
highlighted by ACA, who mention  that “Student  networks are  crucial  partners in  the entire 
communication  process  and  should  be  empowered  and  supported  in  their  capacity  of 
information multipliers and reference points”159. According to the study, a lack of sufficient 
information and proper guidance was repeatedly highlighted in the reviewed literature as one 
of the main and most important obstacles.160 

(b) providing targeted information to learners on learning mobility opportunities throughout 
the  life-long  learning  cycle,  including  in  schools  and  youth  centres,  among  vocational 
education  and  training  and  adult  education  providers,  youth  work  and  volunteering 
providers, higher education institutions, and employers by building on learning mobility 
promoters and by integrating information about learning mobility opportunities in study 
and career guidance.  

In  the  study  ‘Supporting  learning  mobility:  progress,  obstacles  and  way  forward’  lack  of 
sufficient information and proper guidance was repeatedly highlighted as one of the main and 
most important obstacles. Information and guidance are necessary to raise awareness about the 
benefits  of  learning  mobility  and  overcome  psychological  barriers.  According  to  the  study, 
promoting the benefits of mobility can be one of the most effective drivers of learning mobility. 
This  calls for more inclusive and accessible information  tools and communication channels 
including  measures  to  address  different  target  groups  (e.g.,  pupils,  staff,  adult,  VET  and 
different learners with fewer opportunities).  

The Citizens Panel recommended to make use of ambassadors for a more mobile Europe. This 
would include the usage of ambassadors publicising and promoting existing learning mobility 
programmes for all types of target groups and in all types of organisations. Stakeholders in the 
school  education  suggested  supporting  mobility  culture  by  supporting  partnerships  between 
key mobility stakeholders (i.e. schools, youth information centres, school students unions, non-
profit  organisations  running  mobilities)  to  provide  pupils  and  parents  with  information  on 
learning  mobility,  especially  through  peer  interventions161.  Stakeholders  in  the  youth  field 
emphasised  that  more  needs  to  be  done  to  inform  young  people  of  the  wide  range  of 
possibilities for learning mobility, including in non-formal and informal settings. Reaching out 
through  local  youth  work  which  operates  at  the  community  and  grass-roots  level,  close  to 
young people in diverse situations, can be very effective here.  

In  a  survey,  VET  learners  and  stakeholders  pointed  out  the  lack  of  information  in  their 
educational institutions or working places, where they would expect to get guidance on their 
opportunities162.  It  is  therefore  also  necessary  for  institutions  to  be  supported  in  their 
awareness-raising  efforts  in  multiple  ways,  including  the  production  of  promotional 

159 Towards a revised European learning mobility framework: ACA vision and way forward 
160 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023) 
161 Joint Position Paper on the European Learning Mobility Framework in the school sector Contribution to the 
EU Public consultation April 2023 
162 In a study carried out in Austria, 69% of the trainers and 40% of the employers surveydresponded they little or 
no information on transnational mobility opportunity. Auslandsmobilität in der Lehrlingsausbildung, Institut für 
Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft, 2021 

91 

 
 
 
campaigns, informational materials or involving ambassadors that share their learning mobility 
experiences with interested individuals in schools.       

To  support  learning  mobility  of  apprentices,  stakeholders  in  the  field  (EAM)  promote  the 
financing of a full-time mobility coach position within apprentice training centres (the people 
in charge of mobility are generally not full-time and do not have the time to properly support 
groups or young people who wish to carry out a project abroad). Communication campaigns 
targeting  companies  and  networking  of  companies  willing  to  host  and  send  students  on 
apprenticeships are also recommended.  

(c)  promoting the benefits of a mobility period abroad and provide advice, tips and mentoring, 
in  particular  to  learners  with  fewer  opportunities,  including  by  making  best  use  of  the 
Erasmus+ App.  

Member States should encourage their organisations to make full use of existing platforms such 
as  inclusivemobility.eu  and  the  website  of  the  European  Agency  for  Special  Needs  and 
Inclusive Education (https://www.european-agency.org). 

(d) encouraging  hosting  organisations  to  ensure  a  smooth  reception  of  incoming  learners, 

including by the availability of information and relevant material; 

The attractiveness of a learning mobility destination and reputation of the education institutions 
can  be  increased  by  providing  specific  services  supporting  the  arrival  and  stay  of  mobile 
learners, and by making information easily accessible via the hosting organisations. 

(e)  Establishing a link between learning mobility and labour mobility by connecting learning 

mobility promoters to the EURES network’s mobility advisers; 

It is important to connect learning mobility promoters to the EURES advisers, a network of 
over 1000 professionally trained labour mobility specialists with presence nationwide in all EU 
and EEA countries plus Switzerland. 

(f)  providing  information  on  living  and  working  conditions  of  the  hosting  countries  by 
leveraging  on  the  information  available  in  the  EURES  portal  on  Living  and  Working 
Conditions in all EU and EFTA countries, including by linking this information to national 
portals of learning mobility; 

The  Living  and  Working  Conditions  database  on  the  EURES  portal  contains  details  on  a 
number of important issues such as finding accommodation, finding a school, taxes, cost of 
living,  health,  social  legislation,  comparability  of  qualifications,  etc;  the  section  also  gives 
information on traineeships and apprenticeships in the different countries 

3.2.5 Supporting transparency and recognition of learning outcomes 

(a)  boosting automatic recognition of the outcomes of learning periods abroad in education 
and training sectors at all levels, including for virtual and blended learning, by providing 
guidance and training for education and training providers and ensuring consistency of 
decision-making on recognition; 

92 

 
 
Recognition  of  qualifications  acquired  in  another  Member  State  and  outcomes  of  learning 
periods  abroad  is  essential:  without  it,  participants  in  mobility  may  lose  motivation  for 
mobility, as the outcomes would not be recognised in the other country. In such situations, the 
mobile learner may be asked to pass the credentials once again. Recognition of qualifications 
leads to access to education programmes in other countries (such as study cycles), whereas the 
recognition  of  outcomes  of  learning  periods  abroad  usually  leads  to  the  continuation  of  an 
education  degree  in  the  home  country.  Non-formal  and  informal  learning  outcomes,  those 
acquired outside of formal learning such as during youth exchanges, also need to be recognised 
and validated appropriately, as they will not be reflected within any education degree but give 
the participant valuable skills and competences for the education or career. Recognition and 
validation of skills is thus essential for fostering learning mobility and a fundamental building 
block of the European Education Area. 

Member  States  should  ensure  an  automatic  procedure  to  allow  for  the  recognition  of 
qualifications and outcomes of learning periods abroad. Furthermore, since the 2018 Council 
Recommendation  on  automatic  mutual  recognition  the  recognition  of  qualifications  and 
outcomes of learning periods abroad in higher education and upper secondary education and 
training (including VET) from any other EU Member State for further learning needs to be 
automatic.  The  report  from  the  Commission  to  the  Council  on  the  implementation  of  the 
Council Recommendation adopted in February 23 demonstrates progress in implementation of 
automatic recognition since the adoption of the Council Recommendation, however achieving 
full implementation by 2025 will require considerable additional efforts. 

Various  stakeholders  have  stressed  in  their  input  to  the  public  consultation  focusing  on 
recognition of the outcomes of learning periods abroad (LLP, OBESSU, EFIL, EAM, ESN, 
and more) that strategies need to be implemented to make progress towards recognition, and 
this was also identified as a barrier to mobility for various sectors in the study. 

All  recognition  is  based  on  trust  and  transparency  between  education  and  training  systems. 
Member States are invited to further implement existing transparency tools, quality standards 
and  quality  assurance  (such  as  the  EQAVET  framework),  a  framework  for  common 
competences,  reliable  learning  outcomes  for  mobilities  (through  the  use  of  learning 
agreements) as well as the use of appropriate tools  to this extent, such as Europass  and the 
European  Qualifications  System  (EQF163),  which  facilitates  the  transparency,  comparability 
and portability of qualifications of different national systems. Through referencing National 
Qualifications  Frameworks  to  the  EQF,  it  is  possible  to  compare  all  types  and  levels  of 
qualifications from the national systems.  

Having a recognition system in place is not sufficient. Currently, there is little evidence on how 
recognition happens and what the rate of successfully recognised qualifications and outcomes 
of learning periods abroad is. Only a few Member States and a few private mobility providers 
monitor this systematically. This knowledge is essential to evaluate whether recognition is fair 
and transparent. Member States are therefore advised to install monitoring systems and keep 

163 Council recommendation of 22 May 2017 on the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning and 
repealing  the  recommendation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  23  April  2008  on  the 
establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning - EUR-Lex - 32017H0615(01) - 
EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 

93 

 
 
 
records, in line with national legislation, of decisions on recognition of learning outcomes to 
ensure  consistency  of  decision-making  through  time  and  between  different  organisational 
structures of institutions. Stakeholders during the public consultation highlighted that funding 
needs to be available to implement recognition and validation systems that are easy to navigate 
for learners, parents and education providers.  

It is furthermore important, that Member States not only focus their efforts on outcomes of 
formal learning, but also of non-formal and informal learning abroad. For this reason, Member 
States  shall  support  organisers  of  youth  learning  mobility  activities,  youth  work  and 
volunteering,  in  systematic  use  of  national  or  EU  frameworks  and  instruments  to  identify, 
document and validate non-formal and informal learning outcomes acquired through learning 
mobility, via Youthpass, and other appropriate tools. 

(b) ensuring the full automatic recognition of qualifications and the outcomes of the learning 
periods abroad in higher education by making full use of the schemes and tools available, 
including ensuring through the external quality assurance system the full implementation 
of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) in line with the 2015 
ECTS Users’ Guide.  

(c)  Encouraging education institutions to keep record of decisions on recognition of learning 
outcomes  to  ensure  consistency  and  transparency  of  decision-making  through  time  and 
between different organisational structures of institutions and understanding of the concept 
and definition of automatic recognition; 

When it comes to automatic recognition of learning periods abroad, the only available data is 
the one from the Erasmus+ programme. The European average in 2020 was 84.4% of credits 
automatically recognised, with substantial differences between countries. The new Erasmus+ 
quality framework for the period 2021-2027 has been set in place to  achieve full automatic 
recognition  of  learning  periods  abroad  through  Erasmus+.  Automatic  mutual  recognition 
entails that the holder of a qualification from one Member State does not have to go through 
any separate recognition procedure in another and for outcomes of learning periods abroad to 
be recognised automatically as agreed beforehand in a learning agreement and confirmed in 
the Transcript of Records in line with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. 
Credits gained during the period of study in another Member State or during a virtual mobility 
are transferred without delay and counted towards the student’s degree without any additional 
work or assessment of the student (for upper secondary education: provided they are broadly 
in line with the national curriculum of the country of origin).  

For mobilities within Erasmus+ in higher education, this is one of the principles of the Erasmus 
Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). The ECHE provides the general quality framework for 
European and international cooperation activities a higher education institution may carry out 
within Erasmus+. By applying for and signing the ECHE, institutions commit to ensure full 
automatic recognition of all credits gained for learning outcomes satisfactorily achieved during 
a period of study/training abroad, including during blended mobility. According to the SIEM 
research  report  30%  of  non-mobile  higher  education  students  report  recognition  issues  as  a 
barrier to participation in mobility. According to the ESN survey – XIV edition (2022), 71.37% 
of students have full credit recognition of their mobility period. This is lower than the 84.4% 
reported by the progress report of the European Commission on the implementation of the 2018 

94 

 
 
Council  Recommendation  on  automatic  recognition.  As  stated  in  the  Council  Conclusions 
dated on 16 May 2023, Member States need to increase their efforts to make automatic mutual 
recognition a reality.  

(d) Supporting the full recognition of competences acquired through learning mobility in non-
formal  and  informal  learning,  youth  work  and  volunteering  settings,  through  promoting 
cooperation on validation arrangements among the relevant bodies across education and 
training sectors, non-formal learning providers and civil society organisations, so that non-
formal and informal learning outcomes can be more easily used in formal education and in 
the labour market.  

The  2012  Council  Recommendation  on  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning, 
recognises that informal, non-formal and formal learning complement each other. Validation 
of non-formal and informal learning outcomes is a crucial aspect of learning mobility in youth, 
youth work and volunteering settings, contributing to quality and providing educational value 
to  the  experiences.  Stakeholders  and  the  dedicated  study  have  also  stressed  the  role  of 
validation for the broader recognition of youth work in our societies.  

It is therefore important that the involved organisations can rely on validation processes and 
tools, such as Youthpass and Europass or national tools, to identify and document learning and 
competences  developed  by  participants  in  their  activities,  which  can  support  the  continued 
pathways of young people and youth workers and facilitate their entrance in the labour market 
or into formal education.  

However, as also highlighted in the 2023 updated European guidelines for validation of non-
formal and informal learning, there is a lack of connection between validation arrangements 
initiated by civil society, youth and youth work organisations and education and training or 
labour market initiatives. Therefore, Member States could envisage a strategic approach across 
policy  areas,  including  education  and  training,  labour  market,  youth,  social  inclusion  and 
migration  policies,  and  promote  cooperation  on  validation  arrangements  among  institutions 
and stakeholders, involving different actors, e.g. youth and volunteering organisations, youth 
workers, civil society organisations, education and training providers, employers, trade unions, 
chambers  of  industry,  commerce,  skilled  crafts,  national  entities  involved  in  professional 
qualifications recognition and employment services. 

To  make  validation  processes  better  connected  and  more  valuable,  Member  States  could 
support cooperation for instance, on exploring how common reference points and/or standards 
can  contribute  to  better  communicate  between  the  different  forms  of  learning  that  occurs 
through  learning  mobility,  and  to  facilitate  validation  across  geographical,  institutional  and 
sectoral borders. Cooperation is also essential for systematic and comprehensive dissemination 
of  information  and  effective  outreach  measures.  Civil  society,  youth  and  youth  work 
organisations are closer to young people and may have better access to those most in need of 
validation. 

(e)  supporting  education  and  training  providers,  and  organisers  of  youth  learning  mobility 
activities,  youth  work  and  volunteering  in  the  systemic  use  of  Union  frameworks  and 
instruments,  including  Europass,  the  multilingual  classification  of  European  Skills, 
Competences  and  Occupations  (ESCO),  European  Qualifications  Framework  (EQF), 

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Europass Mobility and Youthpass, and/or national frameworks to support the identification, 
documentation,  assessment,  and  as  appropriate  certification  of  competences  developed 
through learning mobility. 

The  EU  Youth  Strategy  underlines  the  need  for  recognition  of  non-formal  and  informal 
learning outcomes acquired through youth activities, youth work and volunteering, to which 
the Youthpass Strategy contributes.  Issues with recognition are also among the obstacles to 
learning mobility identified by the dedicated study and stakeholders. When continuing their 
follow-up  to  the  2012  Council  Recommendation  on  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal 
learning, Member States can support organisers of learning mobility activities in youth, youth 
work and volunteering, in the systematic use of national or EU frameworks and transparency 
instruments,  such  as  Youthpass  and  Europass,  to  promote  and  enable  the  identification, 
documentation,  and  where  appropriate,  assessment  and  certification  of  non-formal  and 
informal learning outcomes acquired through the activities. Member States can also promote 
cooperation and exchanges between validation arrangements across sectors so that Youthpass 
certificates,  and  other  certificates  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning  outcomes,  would  be 
better recognised and more easily used in other contexts, for example when accessing formal 
education, apprenticeships or applying for a job.   

The Europass Decision identifies volunteers as one of the target groups of individual end-users. 
It also highlights that the Europass platform is to provide tools for “documenting and describing 
skills and qualifications acquired through working and learning experiences, including through 
mobility  and  volunteering”,  in  particular  with  the  Europass  profile  and  CV  and  with  the 
Europass Mobility. 

(f)  taking steps towards the ratification of the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition 
of Qualifications concerning Higher Education and the relevant regional Conventions to 
improve fair and transparent recognition of third country qualifications, as well as partial 
and prior learning. 

The  Global  Convention  on  the  Recognition  of  Qualifications  concerning  Higher  Education 
came into force on 5 March 2023, becoming the first legally binding United Nations instrument 
on higher education, fostering international mobility and opening up increased opportunities 
for students  and qualification holders  worldwide. It  establishes universal  principles for fair, 
transparent  and  non-discriminatory  recognition  of  higher  education  qualifications  and 
qualifications  giving  access  to  higher  education  and  offering  avenues  for  further  study  and 
employment.  

With provisions on non-traditional learning modes, the Global Convention also facilitates the 
recognition of qualifications, prior learning and study periods earned remotely. With physical 
mobility  long  seen  as  a  mark  of  privilege,  the  Global  Convention  contributes  to  the 
diversification of mobile student, faculty and researcher populations, as well as the emergence 
of various mobility pathways, including virtual mobility, making international mobility a more 
inclusive concept and practice. 

For the countries that decide to be legally committed to the Convention’s text (States Parties), 
the Global Convention will be a strong instrument to prevent brain drain, since these countries 
are engaged in putting in place mechanisms to facilitate the recognition in their countries of 

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qualifications  obtained  abroad.  In  turn,  it  will  also  facilitate  the  return  home  of  academic 
diasporas who have obtained their qualifications abroad.  

While all EU Member States have ratified the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications 
concerning  Higher  Education  in  the  European  Region  (‟Lisbon  Recognition  Convention”), 
only seven have ratified the Global Convention. Ratification by all the EU Member States will 
send a strong signal towards the EU’s international partners regarding Europe’s intentions and 
ambitions in international learning mobility. It will also create a positive momentum for the 
ratification of the Global Convention, as well as of the Regional Conventions in other parts of 
the world, by other partner countries. 

(g) using policy cooperation, in particular, the Global Policy Dialogue of the Bologna Process 
and  cooperation  of  recognition  authorities  and  quality  assurance  agencies,  to  develop 
capacities  at  third  countries’  higher  education  institution  and  align  quality  assurance 
processes in order to maximise the learning outcomes of the mobility experience of third 
country students and to ensure full recognition of the mobility period towards the student’s 
degree in the home country. 

Policy cooperation of third countries in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme supports 
understanding of the European education systems in third countries and help aligning learning 
outcomes of higher education institutions in third countries and in the EU. 

The Global Policy Dialogue of the Bologna Process aims at developing continuous dialogue 
with other regions and international organisations on matters of common concern and relevance 
for higher education with respect to which cooperation and sharing of ideas and policies can 
be mutually beneficial. The Global Policy Forum, organised regularly back-to-back with the 
Ministerial  Conferences  of  the  European  Higher  Education  Area  is  the  main  forum  for 
discussion. Currently, the main aims of the Dialogue are to intensify focus on the societal role 
of higher education to foster effective inclusion of learners not only at the time of access to HE 
but also with respect to  retention, success and employability;  promote inclusive mobility as 
one of the most important keys to global understanding and excellence in higher education; 
promote  further  development  and  use  in  the  practice  of  the  transparency  and  quality  tools 
necessary  for  advancing  mobility  and  facilitating  recognition;  create  contacts  and  support 
reciprocal  referencing  of 
the  several  overarching  Qualifications  Frameworks  and 
Qualifications  Reference  frameworks  now  functioning  or  being  prepared  in  the  EHEA  and 
other macro-regions; promote student-centred learning and understanding of credit systems or 
credit reference systems based on Learning Outcomes and student time; develop dialogue about 
the challenges and opportunities offered by the shift towards digital learning environments, in 
part triggered by the pandemic. 

The  network  of  the  National  Academic  Recognition  Information  Centres  in  the  European 
Union (NARIC network), established in 1984, is a network of recognition authorities of the 
Erasmus+ Programme countries, and was established to support mobility within the EU. The 
parties of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, with the aim to advance its full implementation, 
established  the  network  of  National  Information  Centre  in  1997.  As  the  goals  between  the 
recognition  centres  are  similar,  the  joint  ENIC-NARIC  network  was  set  up  in  2004.  The 

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Commission is  supporting the secretariat of the  NARIC network, and supports its activities 
with an Erasmus+ grant. 

The network has developed cooperation with recognition centres in different regions (MERIC 
network  with  Mediterranean  Recognition  Information  Centres;  RecoAsia  with  Cambodia, 
Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, RecoLatin with Latin-America). Most of these 
cooperation initiatives were supported by EU grants (Erasmus+, Tempus). Building on these 
experiences  and  established  ties  with  recognition  authorities  in  third  countries,  the  ENIC-
NARIC  network  is  one  of  the  important  players  in  Europe  to  facilitate  fair  and  transparent 
recognition procedures of qualifications and learning periods of third countries. 

3.2.6 Supporting transition to labour market and work mobility 

(a)  facilitating the transition  from  learning mobility  to  work mobility  by supporting mobile 
learners as well as teachers, trainers, other educators and youth workers to access jobseeker 
support from public employment services and from EURES. 

Public  employment  services  (PES)  are  a  key  factor  in  implementing  active  labour  market 
policies in many Member States. PES provide services for the recruitment and placement of 
workers, career and vocational counselling or training, skills intelligence and analysis of labour 
and skills shortages, information on market conditions. PES have a central role in providing 
services to support young people in their transition between education and the labour market 
and in the outreach and activation of young people who are not in education, employment or 
training (NEETs). 

Engaging with employers and jobseekers to provide them with support during and after the 
recruitment  process  is  a  key  activity  of  the  EURES  network.  General  support  services  for 
workers and employers include matching and placing activities, provision of information and 
guidance,  post  recruitment  assistance  and  support  to  youth  (including  on  traineeships  and 
apprenticeships available in other Member States).  

These services are therefore available to mobile learners, youth workers, teachers who decide 
to make the transition from a learning experience to a work experience in another country or 
are looking for an opportunity to transition to employment in their country after an experience 
abroad. Member States should facilitate the access to services and information offered by PES 
and EURES, ensuring connection between learning mobility information promoters and labour 
market advisors and make such link part of the assistance to mobile learners. 

(b) supporting  learners,  including  recent  graduates  through  Erasmus+,  to  undertake 
traineeships abroad to develop their entrepreneurial, innovative, creative, and inter-cultural 
skills. 

The study found that enhancing career prospects was an incentive for mobility, especially for 
students undertaking traineeships abroad. According to the Erasmus+ Higher Education Impact 
study from 2019, 40% of participants who went on a traineeship were offered jobs with their 
hosting organisations or companies, and around 10% started their own companies, with more 

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(75%)  planning  to  do  so  in  the  future.164  As  mentioned  in  the  contribution  to  the  public 
consultation,  ESN  has  reported  that  there  is  a  higher  satisfaction  with  Erasmus+  mobility 
periods from students undertaking student mobilities for studies than those undertaking student 
mobilities for traineeships. ESN suggests this could be due to the lack of support systems for 
students on traineeships.165 While students on study mobility have a more structured support 
system,  both  at  the  sending  and  receiving  institutions  the  mobility  process,  timing,  and 
destinations are more varied for traineeship students. This can be improved by increasing the 
involvement  of  trainees  in  the  local  community  and  can  be  achieved  both  through  more 
engagement  by  local  educational  institutions,  but  also  other  stakeholders,  such  as  student 
unions and associations and local employers. 

(c)  encouraging  organisations  to  host  trainees  from  abroad,  including  through  investments, 

awareness building and accessible information. 

ESN  also  suggests  closer  cooperation  with  companies  to  ensure  a  quality  traineeship 
experience. This can for example be done by incentivising companies to support trainees and 
apprentices from abroad, with a focus on those organisations who provide financial support to 
the trainees.166 

Member States are therefore encouraged to foster more collaboration with organisations and 
enterprises when it comes to welcoming traineeship students from abroad, and explore ways of 
strengthening support measures for both outgoing and incoming traineeship students.  

3.2.7 Making learning mobility more inclusive and accessible 

(a)  setting inclusion targets in national and regional schemes for transnational or international 
learning mobility that would contribute to the achievement of the EU-level inclusion target 
set in this Recommendation, and developing dedicated measures to support the mobility of 
people with fewer opportunities. 

The  Commission  proposed  to  set  a  new  EU-level  target  stating  that  in  all  education  and 
training, and youth and sport sectors, people with fewer opportunities should account for at 
least 20% of all learners benefiting from learning mobility abroad. Member States are invited 
to encourage setting inclusion targets in the cross-border learning mobility schemes that would 
contribute  to  the  achievement  of  the  EU-level  target  and  developing  dedicated  measures  to 
achieve these targets.  

(b) ensuring learning mobility is accessible for persons with disabilities by removing barriers 
and addressing their needs from the early stage of the design of the learning activity;  

In the public consultation, the European Disability Forum recommended that organisations be 
in line with the EU legislation the EU Directive on Accessibility of Websites and Applications 

164  European  Commission,  Directorate-General  for  Education,  Youth,  Sport  and  Culture,  Erasmus+  higher 
education impact study: final report, Publications Office, 2019, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/162060 
165 Contribution of the Erasmus Student Network to the Council Recommendation on a new Learning Mobility 
for all 
166 idem 

99 

 
 
 
and the EU Accessibility Act, and that institutions should for example have their websites and 
applications respecting the Accessibility Standards.  

The Disability Forum suggests that organisations put in place mechanisms to link the Disability 
units of learning organisations with their mobility services, in order to provide an inclusive and 
accessible service 

(c)  provide the level of support needed to make learning mobility accessible to people with 
fewer opportunities, as well as support to organisations hosting such people, including by 
appropriate funding at national or regional level and by fostering synergies among different 
EU, international, national and regional funding instruments. 

Recommendation 10 of the Citizens Panel is to assure tailored financial support for all people 
going on learning mobility. 

Hosting countries, cities and organisations play a large role in making mobility opportunities 
more  inclusive.  While  participants  with  fewer  opportunities  might  get  additional  financial 
support due to their barriers to mobility, more support can be provided by receiving countries, 
cities  and  organisations.  This  can  for  example  take  the  form  of  subsidised  housing,  public 
transport support, cultural promotion support, and others in addition to direct financial support, 
as suggested by the Erasmus Student Network. Information on support from these actors should 
be gathered and shared with organisations that are involved in organising mobilities. 

(d) Providing precise and timely information on available learning mobility funding, the timing 

of payments and other available support for learners. 

Member States should encourage their organisations to make this information easily available 
for example on their websites, and if relevant to encourage them to include this information on 
any  national  information  platforms.  Member  States  can  encourage  their  organisations,  or 
organise joint efforts, to do targeted outreach to participants with fewer opportunities to present 
information  on  available  mobility  funding.  Having  accurate  and  up  to  date  information  on 
funding and support can encourage participation from non-mobile participants, especially those 
from disadvantaged backgrounds.  

(e)  encouraging full or partial pre-payments of grants and allowing the portability of grants 
and loans. In accordance with national law, encouraging to exempt those grants from any 
taxes and social levies and to treat grants awarded by public or private legal entities in the 
same  manner;  and  informing  mobile  participants  about  procedural  requirements  with 
regard to the income taxation. 

The  Erasmus  Student  Network  has  reported  that  the  timeliness  of  grant  payments  matters 
almost as much as the grant amount itself. According to the ESNsurvey - XIV edition (2022), 
almost  a  third  of  respondents  reported  receiving  their  grants  later  than  one  month  after  the 
beginning of their mobilities. While much of the decisions regarding grant payments lie with 
the institutions involved in the grant payments, Member States should encourage the timeliness 
of grant payments. Receiving mobility grants on time is also relevant to the issue of housing as 
participants might find it challenging to pay large deposits to secure their housing if they have 
not  received  their  grants.  The  Erasmus  Student  Network  would  encourage  pre-departure 
funding to be the norm for mobility activities, with a specific focus on those participants that 

100 

 
 
have fewer opportunities. Receiving this funding before the mobility will encourage mobile 
participants to undertake mobility activities, as it can reduce some stress related to the mobility 
process and reassure those who have financial concerns. 

(f)  facilitating learning mobility abroad by addressing student housing shortages for mobile 

learners, together with relevant national and local authorities. 

The study identifies the lack of appropriate accommodation options as a barrier to mobility.167 

As has been highlighted by the Erasmus Student Network, student housing is fundamental to 
ensure the quality of a mobility period. Housing problems are a barrier to mobility for many 
participants with the SIEM research report (2021) showing that 49% of both mobile and non-
mobile students fear facing problems with accommodation. By signing the Erasmus Charter 
for Higher Education, higher education institutions participating in the Erasmus programme 
commit to providing information about accommodation for incoming students. In the field of 
youth,  the  European  Youth  Forum  also  highlights  the  lack  of  adequate  financial  support  to 
cover the costs of housing as a key obstacle for young people to participate in learning mobility.  

As accommodation issues are not solved by one actor, more collaboration between national or 
local  authorities  and  education  providers  to  make  sure  that  adequate  housing  options  are 
available to mobile participants, at different times of the year and for different durations.   

(g)  ensuring, in accordance with EU and national legislation, appropriate protection of mobile 
participants, including apprentices, trainees, young researchers, and youth workers and in 
particular  of  minors,  in  terms  of  insurance,  labour  standards,  health  and  safety 
requirements, tax, social security including access to health care and, where relevant, the 
possibility to accumulate pension entitlements. 

Dealing with the administrative aspects is a cost for employers when organising both inward 
and outward mobility of apprentices. Dealing with contracts, taxation, healthcare and social 
security within different regulatory frameworks are complex tasks and employers, in particular 
small and medium sized companies do not always have a full picture of the entire process and 
would not have enough human resources to cover the administrative aspects. It is important to 
devise measures ensuring that the necessary standards for the health and safety of apprentices 
are  maintained during mobility. In cases where the apprentice has only student status, a social 
coverage scheme for the apprentice in mobility needs to be created. As apprenticeships often 
involve minors, regulations in this field are usually more restrictive and differences apply at 
the sector level.  

3.2.8 Making learning mobility more environmentally sustainable 

(a)  where appropriate, making travelling with more sustainable means of transport from and to 
learning mobility destinations and during mobility periods, an integral part of the learning 
mobility experience, and providing adequate funding for as well as guidance on sustainable 
travel. 

167 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023) 

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As proven by the evidence gathered through the study ‘Supporting learning mobility: progress, 
obstacles  and  way  forward’,  learning  mobility  participants  are  willing  to  plan  sustainable 
travels while participating in mobility activities but they lack of adequate financial support, 
information  and  guidance.  Moreover,  difficulties  related  to  the  infrastructures  and 
transportation means across Europe have been highlighted. 

Member States should encourage sustainable travels when greener alternatives are feasible and 
available. In addition, Member States should promote the use of sustainable means of transport 
by  setting  affordable  and  accessible  prices,  improving  infrastructures,  and  fostering  land 
connections between different countries. Additional financial support and dedicated measures 
should  be  provided  to  support  participants  to  offset  higher  costs  and  longer  duration  of 
sustainable travels. 

Member  States  should  provide  learning  mobility  participants  with  more  guidance  and 
information  on  the  available  sustainable  options  by  organising  informative  and  supporting 
actions and/or empowering organisations and networks operating in the field. 

Member  states  should  explore  ways  to  provide  additional  funding  for  those  who  select 
sustainable means of travel. This can take the form of additional funding for travel for those 
participants who select a sustainable way of travel to their mobility destination but this can 
furthermore  include  subsidising  train  or  bus  tickets  for  those  travelling  sustainably  to  the 
mobility destination, or for those who are already on mobility.  

Member states should support the sharing of good practices and guidelines on how to live a 
more sustainable lifestyle while on mobility, and sustainable practices for the organisation of 
mobility projects and in the promotion of mobility opportunities. This can include focusing on 
digital promotional  material  instead  of paper material.  The Green Erasmus  project  provides 
guidelines for students on how to act sustainably before, during and after their mobility, along 
with a handbook for higher education institutions on how to include sustainability principles in 
their internationalisation practices. 

(b) supporting education and training providers and civil society organisations that organise 
learning  mobility  activities  to  integrate  sustainability  practices  into  their  daily  activities 
through training, guidelines and exchange of good practice. 

In  order  to  promote  the  development  of  green  competences,  sustainable  practices  and 
strategies,  the  Erasmus+  Programme  gives  priority  to  projects  addressing  sustainability  and 
environmental issues as a thematic topic, or adopting approaches, methods, and actions in line 
with  the  green  dimension.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  all  these  aspects  are  taken  into  account  in 
assessment  of  the  project  proposals.  In  addition,  the  establishment  of  a  dedicated  resource 
centre  –  the  SALTO  on  green  transition  –  aimed  at  creating  and  animating  a  networking 
community and raising awareness among participants and stakeholders.  

Member  States  should  encourage  organisations  to  integrate  sustainability  practices  in  their 
daily activities and support them in making learning mobility more sustainable. Education and 
training  providers  and  learning  mobility  organisations  should  favour  projects  implementing 
sustainable practices and/or providing and improving green competences.  

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Networking  communities  focusing  on  the  exchange  of  practices,  training  and  supporting 
activities should be fostered, thanks to the support of the Member States. 

Member states should promote the development and improvement of tools and guidelines to 
accompany  organisations  in  adopting  more  sustainable  practices.  Thus,  organisations  are 
encouraged to make use of the different guidelines and tools available to orient activities to 
sustainability principles. 

(c)  supporting education and training providers in setting targets and monitoring arrangements 
at organisational level to cut greenhouse gas emissions from learning mobility travel. 

The  study  ‘Supporting  learning  mobility:  progress,  obstacles  and  way  forward’  provided 
examples  of  projects  such  as  Erasmus  Goes  Green,  the  Green  Erasmus  Project  and  the  Air 
Travel Project aiming to assess the carbon emission derived from international mobility and to 
raise awareness among the academic world about the environmental consequences caused by 
international cooperation travels. 

Member  States  should  encourage  organisations  to  develop  actions  and  conduct  analysis  to 
monitor and collect data on the environmental impact of mobility programmes. 

3.2.9 Making use of digital technologies to facilitate learning mobility 

(h) supporting  the  development  and  use  of  interoperable  IT  systems  based  on  common 
European  standards  for  learners,  educators  and  staff  to  manage  and  register  learning 
mobility  experiences,  and  for  organisations  to  provide  information  on  mobility 
opportunities,  manage  mobilities  and  reduce  the  administrative  burden,  including  by 
making full use of the features of the European Student Card Initiative and the tools offered 
by the Europass platform, inter alia through the digitalisation of learning credentials with 
the European Digital Credentials for Learning infrastructure. 

The Council Conclusions on a European strategy empowering higher education institutions for 
the future of Europe, adopted on 5 April 2022, are calling Member States and the Commission, 
in  cooperation  with  higher  education  institutions,  to  strive  to  simplify  administrative 
procedures for institutions, including by further widening the implementation of the European 
Student Card initiative. 

The  Council  Recommendation  on  building  bridges  for  effective  European  higher  education 
cooperation,  adopted  on  5  April  2022,  recommends  that  Member  States  support  the 
digitalisation of Erasmus+ mobility management within multilateral partnerships, in particular 
the standardisation and digitalisation of business processes for the signing of multilateral inter-
institutional  agreements,  including  through  the  widening  of  the  European  Student  Card 
initiative. 

An  efficient  management  of  cross-border  mobility  experiences  suppose  that  the  different 
systems used at national, regional or institutional levels can communicate with each other. This 
is  the  idea  that  led  to  the  implementation  of  the  European  Student  Card  Initiative  and  the 
Erasmus Without paper Network. The higher education community has widely embraced the 
need  to  continue  and  to  enhance  the  process  of  administrative  digitalisation  of  Erasmus+ 

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mobilities. The implementation of the Erasmus Without Paper Network has demonstrated the 
validity of the European Student Card initiative approach towards a streamlined and paperless 
programme management across higher education institutions and a greater mobility of students 
across borders and campuses supported by digital tools. 

Member States should support the development and use of IT systems to manage mobility at 
national, regional and institutional levels that are compatible with other European IT Systems 
sharing the same purpose, for all sectors of education and training, besides higher education. 
Member States should support the development and use of systems using common European 
standards  such  as  the  European  learning  Model  (ELM)  to  ensure  semantic  interoperability. 
Member States should also consider other initiatives such as the European Digital Credentials 
for  Learning,  the  European  Blockchain  Services  Infrastructure  and  the  future  EUDI  Wallet 
which offer common European models when building their own IT systems. 

(i)  Contributing  to  initiatives  supporting  mobility  of  researchers  and  providing  relevant 
information and support services, including EURAXESS and the upcoming ERA Talent 
Platform. 

EURAXESS  -  Researchers  in  Motion  is  a  one-stop  shop  for  researchers  and  innovators 
seeking to advance their careers and personal  development by moving to other countries. It  
provides  tailored  information  and  support,  free  of  charge,  to  researchers,  entrepreneurs  and 
research  performing  organisations.  The  web  portal  offers  job,  funding  and  hosting 
opportunities,  career  development  guidance  and  free  tools.  EURAXESS  network  counts  43 
European countries and 9 worldwide hubs 

The new ERA Communication outlines that EURAXESS services, network and portals will be 
broadened into an ERA Talent Platform, an online one-stop-shop, with improved structure and 
governance, exploiting links to Europass, the EU platform for people to manage their learning 
and careers and the EURES network of European public employment services.  

(j)  Providing financial and human resources support to education and training providers and 
civil society organisations, enabling them to effectively set up and utilize digital tools at 
their  level  when  necessary  and/or  to  use  existing  digital  tools  to  complement  physical 
mobility. 

A lack of financial and human resources can be significant barriers to mobility, as identified in 
the  study.  In  order  for  education  and  training  providers  and  civil  society  organisations  to 
provide quality support for mobile participants the digital tools they are using need to be up to 
date and suitable for the purposes of mobility management.  

Developing new systems, adapting to existing systems, or training staff in the use of existing 
tools takes time and requires both dedicated financial and human resources. Member States 
should therefore provide the required financial and human resources support needed to their 
mobility providers so that quality support for the mobile participants can be provided. 

(k) supporting the development of quality blended and virtual mobility formats by adapting 
existing national frameworks to further enable complementary innovative mobility formats 
making use of digital technologies. 

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Member states should investigate how they can support the development of quality blended 
and virtual mobility, including by adapting existing national frameworks, if necessary. Member 
States  are  encouraged  to  work  together  with  the  relevant  stakeholders  and  organisations  to 
further develop and enable innovative mobility formats utilising digital solutions. 

3.2.10 Promoting EU values through learning mobility 

(a)  encouraging  the  participation  of  learners,  educators  and  staff  in  the  life  of  hosting 
communities,  including  volunteering  activities,  during  their  learning  mobility  period 
abroad; 

Participating in the life of hosting communities exposes learning mobility participants to the 
local culture, traditions and way of life and a more intense language immersion. Engaging in 
volunteering activities is also an opportunity to interact with local residents, build relationships, 
and develop a deeper understanding  of the hosting community. This fosters mutual respect, 
tolerance and intercultural competences and can also contribute to exchanges of good practices 
and methodologies, as well as promoting a learning mobility culture.   

In the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes, some learning mobility formats 
explicitly include and promote active participation, connections with local communities and 
learning experiences through volunteering, e.g. DiscoverEU and youth participation activities 
in Erasmus+(Youth), volunteering and solidarity projects in the European Solidarity Corps.  

Stakeholder  feedback,  including  from  the  Erasmus  Student  Network,  has  stressed  that  the 
quality of mobility is enhanced by feeling integrated in the host country and organisation and 
that civic engagement can amplify the social impact of learning mobility beyond the individual 
participation. Encouraging and supporting learners, educators and staff in all sectors to actively 
engage with  the local  communities while on learning mobility,  can also contribute to  inter-
cultural understanding, promotion of EU values and active citizenship, including mobilisation 
for taking part in elections at European, national, regional and local levels.  

Member  States  can  encourage  and  facilitate  connections  and  engagement  with  hosting 
communities for all learning mobility participants, by promoting partnerships among education 
and training institutions, providers of non-formal and informal learning and youth work, local 
actors and civil society and volunteering organisations, which could encourage and foster the 
engagement of learning mobility participants with the local community.  

EU networks with a local and/or micro-local dimension like EUROPE DIRECT centres and 
BELC could play an important role in encouraging the participation of learners, educators in 
the life of hosting communities. In particular, they are well placed for improving the knowledge 
of  EU  issues  and  their  impact  on  the  hosting  community;  these  networks  can  engage  with 
people on the ground in discussions and promote the learners’ active participation to the local 
dimension of European democracy during the mobility experience. 

(b) enriching  learning  mobility  experience  with  training  in  intercultural  awareness,  civic 

engagement, digital and media literacy, EU values and fundamental rights; 

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The evidence gathered through the study  ‘Supporting  learning mobility: progress,  obstacles 
and way forward’ proves that mobilities within the EU context have a significant impact on 
participation in European issues. 

The  Erasmus+  Programme  gives  priority  to  projects  aiming  to  improve  participants’ 
knowledge of the EU values and to strengthen democratic participation and active citizenship. 
As reported by the Erasmus+ Annual  report,  learning mobility programmes can have a real 
impact in raising awareness about democratic principles and EU values as shown by the high 
percentage of Erasmus+ participants declaring they were more aware about EU values after 
having taken part in mobility activities. 

Member States should support their national organisations and institutions in the provision of 
information on the rights of mobile students when it comes to voting while on mobility. The  
ESNsurvey 2019 reports that even though “Erasmus+ Alumni have higher interest and are more 
likely to vote in European elections than the European average, students who are currently on 
exchange reportedly vote less, due to procedural barriers” .   

(c)  providing incoming learners, educators and staff with information relevant to local context 

and fostering a welcoming culture through mentors and administrative support; 

Providing relevant information to mobile participants is key to successful quality mobilities. 
This applies both to outgoing and incoming participants, especially those who go on mobility 
through less structured programmes or activities. 

(d) ensuring  that  mobile  students  and  staff  enjoy  the  highest  level  of  academic  freedom. 
Encouraging  education  institutions,  including  through  quality  assurance,  to  develop  a 
quality culture where full adherence to academic integrity principles is ensured also during 
mobility periods. 

Academic freedom and integrity are central to achieve both the European Education Area, the 
European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Research Area. In addition, the 
Communication  on  a  Global  Approach  to  Research  and  Innovation,  Europe's  strategy  for 
international  cooperation,  emphasises  the  role  fundamental  principles  and  values  in 
international cooperation.  

In  line  with  the  EHEA  Rome  Ministerial  communiqué  (Annex  I),  Academic  freedom  is  a 
distinct, fundamental democratic right in part grounded in the right to education, and shares 
elements with freedom of thought, opinion and expression. Academic freedom must be framed 
by  rigorous  scientific  and  professional  standards,  respect  for  the  rights  of  others,  ethical 
conduct and the awareness of the impact of research on humans and their environment. It is 
crucial to advance the standards of academic disciplines and fields of enquiry.  

Both higher education staff and student on mobility should benefit from academic freedom. As 
for students, this is also reflected in the Erasmus+ Student Charter which specifies that students 
on mobility are entitled to academic freedom in communicating or sharing ideas and facts, as 
well as in any potential research they might carry out throughout their mobility period. In line 
with the charter, students shall also respect the code of conduct of the receiving institution and 
respect the principle of academic integrity. 

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3.2.11 Promoting the EU as a learning destination 

(a)  cooperating closely in the Team Europe approach to increase the attractiveness of Europe 
as a learning destination, utilising the  existing range of national and regional initiatives, 
such as the Study in Europe EU project in higher education; 

Critical issues cannot be addressed by using the knowledge and resources of one actor, nation 
or  region  alone  but  require  working  together  –  internally  and  internationally.  Tackling 
challenges requires the adoption of a Team Europe approach, combining actions at Member 
State and EU level in order to maximize the impact on European and international level.  Since 
2015, the Study in Europe project has been a prime example of this approach, bringing together 
higher education stakeholders, which were only loosely connected before, and giving them the 
forum needed in order to take stock of their achievements and share good practices, but also to 
look together into the challenges for the sector in the future. 

Through the organisation of various online and face-to-face study fairs worldwide, the project 
aims at raising and strengthening the profile of the entire range of higher education on the world 
stage and building on Europe’s reputation and attractiveness as a study destination. At the same 
time, various networking events for higher education promoters help peer learning and allow 
the  different  actors  at  EU  and  national  level  to  assess  better  their  strategic  orientations  and 
planning, the coherence between their national strategies and EU objectives, and the level of 
complementarity of EU and MS activities.   

Member  States  are  encouraged  to  seek  synergies  between  their  national  and  regional 
promotional schemes and EU initiatives, as well as to use the existing know-how in the field 
of  higher  education  to  expand  the  attractiveness  of  Europe  as  learning  destination  in  other 
fields, e.g., vocational education and training, informal education via youth programmes. 

(b) facilitating learning mobility with other parts of the world, notably with countries with an 
enlargement perspective, through closer cooperation between their relevant authorities and 
education  and  training  institutions  and  those  in  the  Union.  Talent  Partnerships  and  the 
Talent pool can provide a framework for an enhanced cooperation partnerships with third 
countries  in  line  with  mutually  agreed  objectives  as  foreseen  in  the  Talent  Partnerships 
initiative, as can including bilateral agreements between organisations. Such cooperation 
can help ensure learning mobility indirectly contributes to addressing skills gaps in third 
countries and the EU, for example by targeting skills gaps in sectors affected by the green 
and digital transitions and improving the employability of learners.  

Talent mobility can promote the circulation of skills and transfer of knowledge between the 
EU  and  partner  countries.  This  approach  is  already  reflected  in  the  concept  of  Talent 
Partnerships, which aim to provide frameworks for reinforced cooperation between the EU, 
Member States and selected partner countries on talent mobility and skills development in line 
with mutually beneficial, tailor-made priorities168.  

While Talent Partnerships will be anchored in bilateral cooperation, they have the potential to 
allow economies of scale to be achieved as actions should simultaneously address the needs of 

168 COM(2022) 657 final. 

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all participating Member States, in cooperation with the partner country. The EU is currently 
launching Talent Partnerships with Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 

(c)  supporting the timely issuance of visas and residence permits for third-country nationals 
who  are  selected  for  a  learning  opportunity  in  a  Member  State,  in  accordance  with 
Regulation  (EC)  No  810/2009  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council169  and 
Directive (EU) 2016/801 801 of the European Parliament and of the Council170. 

A  recurrent  challenge  faced  by  third  country  nationals  choosing  Europe  as  their  learning 
destination concerns obtaining an authorisation to entry and reside in the EU (residence permit 
or  visa).  Various  factors  contribute  to  this  challenge,  e.g.,  lack  of  consulates  in  the  home 
country  of  third-country  applicants,  long  waiting  time  for  appointments  at  consulates,  long 
processing time of visa application (more than 90 days for long-term visas, as established by 
Directive 2016/801, and more than 15 days for short term visa). According to a recent survey 
of universities in third countries sending students to the EU and hosting universities conducted 
by EU Delegations and Erasmus+ National Agencies of the Member States on the topic of visas 
in April 2023, provisional results show that the above mentioned challenges are common to 
many  EU  Member  States  and  that  an  important  number  of  students  could  not  initiate  their 
learning mobility. Another common finding concerned the lack of objective justification  for 
the rejection of visa applications.  

The Commission’s Communication on a New Pact on Migration and Asylum was adopted on 
23 September 2020. It underlined the need to address the main shortcomings of the EU policy 
on legal migration, with the overall objective of attracting skills and talent the EU needs.  Inter 
alia, the Pact set the objective of making the short-stay visa procedure fully digitalised by 2025, 
with  a  digital  visa  and  the  ability  to  submit  visa  applications  online.  On  13  June  2023,  the 
Council  reached  a  political  agreement  with  the  European  Parliament  on  a  proposal  for  a 
Regulation to digitalise the visa procedure. 

Member States should continue to cooperate closely with the European Commission services 
on  the  communication  and  analysis  of  data  regarding  the  number  of  visa  authorisations,  as 
foreseen by Directive 2016/801 - Conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals 
for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or 
educational projects and au pairing. 

Member States should also continue their coordinated effort in the full digitalisation of visa 
procedures.  The  first  steps  towards  this  objective  are  very  relevant  for  short-term  learning 
periods either under EU-funded or national exchange programmes, while they will not facilitate 
administratively applicants that aim for a learning period longer than 3 months in the coming 
years. A broader positive impact from this first visa digitalisation phase can be expected as 
from 2028 onwards, in which Member States’ role will be crucial. 

Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing 

169 
a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code) (OJ L 243 15.9.2009, p. 1). 
170 
Directive  (EU)  2016/801  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  11  May  2016  on  the 
conditions  of  entry  and  residence  of  third-country  nationals  for  the  purposes  of  research,  studies,  training, 
voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing (OJ L 132 21.5.2016, p. 21). 

108 

 
 
 
3.2.12 Making implementation arrangements 

(a)  developing  by  May  2025,  action  plans  for  2025-2030  at  national  or  regional  levels  in 
cooperation with all relevant stakeholders and notifying them to the Commission, on how 
to implement this Recommendation in higher education, vocational education and training, 
school education and adult education sectors and in youth and sport systems addressing 
both outgoing and incoming learning mobility;  

Member States are invited to establish structural cooperation with stakeholders in the area of 
learning  mobility  in  view  of  the  implementation  of  this  Recommendation,  including  the 
contribution to the EU-level targets set in it. Action plans at national or regional level for 2025-
2030 should cover all education and training sectors – higher education, vocational education 
and  training,  school  education,  and  adult  education,  as  well  as  youth  and  sport  sectors  and 
should address both, outgoing and incoming learning mobility. 

Point 3.3.1 (a) provides more details on the implementation of this point. 

(b) fully  cooperating  with  the  Commission  in  respect  of  the  actions  it  intends  to  take  as 

explained in the recitals 27-39; 

The Commission intends to further supporting the implementation of this recommendation by 
building  on  existing  actions  and  tools,  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States.  Point  3.3 
provides details on the implementation of this point. 

3.2.13 A policy framework for teacher’s mobility 

Considering  the  European  Education  Area  policy  priority  on  enhancing  competences  and 
motivation in the education profession and  its challenges as stressed by the aforementioned 
Council  Conclusions,  in  particular  regarding  obstacles  to  mobility,  a  policy  framework  for 
teachers’ mobility is presented in the Annex I of the Commission proposal.  

More specifically, teacher mobility can contribute to the following challenges highlighted in 
the Council Conclusions for supporting mobility in initial and in-service teacher and trainer 
education and training systems: 

- 

- 

reinforcing the attractiveness of the profession, in order to address the shortages of teachers 
in many Member States; 
support teachers’ competences in: 

o  working  in  environments  transformed  by  technology,  digitalisation  and 
artificial intelligence, with attention to their pedagogical potential and ethical, 
safe and responsible use; 

o  working  in  linguistically  and  culturally  diverse  classrooms  and  learning 
environments, with learners from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and 
, with different needs, including special educational needs; 

o  using  various  research-based  teaching  methods  and  practices,  mainstreaming 
innovative and digital methods and approaches, with a focus on learner-centred 
and  competence-based  approaches,  in  line  with  the  evolving  and  individual 
needs of learners, in order to facilitate the learning process and support the co-

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creation  of  teaching  and  learning,  while  ensuring  that  such  practices  are 
inclusive, socially just and equitable; 

Developing transnational mobility  for teachers during their initial education and continuous 
professional  development  has  been  a  longstanding  priority  and  specified  in  the  Council 
Conclusions enhancing teachers’ and trainers’ mobility171. The Council conclusions stressed 
the benefits of mobility for the professional development of teachers themselves but also for 
the development of a European dimension in the activities and projects of their education and 
training institutions hence mobility of teachers, in addition to pupil mobility, has an impact on 
the whole education and training system. 
In order to mainstream learning mobility of teachers in Europe, the obstacles identified so far 
in EU Member States and elaborated under part 2 of this staff working document should be 
addressed by measures at system and local levels. 

•At  system  level,  it  is  recommended  to  integrating  mobility  in  initial  education  and 
continuous professional development of teachers 

Initial education 

Transnational  mobility  as  part  of  initial  teacher  education  has  many  long-term  benefits:  in 
addition to the benefit for the prospective teacher, such mobility also increases participation in 
mobility at later career stages (ibid.). 

In order to address obstacles to learning mobility in initial teacher education as highlighted in 
the  Eurydice  report  “Key  data  on  education  in  Europe”  and  the  Council  conclusions  on 
enhancing  teachers’  and  trainers’  mobility  as  well  as  the  Council  conclusions  European 
teachers  and  trainers  for  the  future  mentioned  above,  the  policy  framework  recommends  to 
embed mobility in initial teacher education as a part of the curricula (whatever be the main 
topics of such a curricula,  e.g not only curricula of future language teachers).  

To  do  so,  time  slots  -called  mobility  windows,  when  such  a  learning  mobility  period,  in 
particular teaching assignment, is easy to implement without prejudice to the future teachers 
study- should be earmarked in the academic year. Such mobility windows in the initial teacher 
education  system  should  be  consistent  with  mobility  windows  earmarked  in  the  school 
academic  year  (see  below)  to  facilitate  learning  mobility  periods  abroad  for  continuous 
professional development.  

In addition, it is recommended to  recognising learning mobility as being an integral part of 
initial teacher education.  

Furthermore, future teachers should be equipped with the right skills for carrying out learning 
mobility  periods  abroad,  not  only  during  their  initial  teacher  education  but  also  along  their 
career: modules dedicated to such skills, like language skills, intercultural mediation and digital 
skills are necessary to make the most of the learning mobility experience. 

171 Council conclusions on enhancing teachers’ and trainers’ mobility, in particular European mobility, during 
their initial and in-service education and training (2022/C 167/02) 

110 

 
 
 
 
Initiatives  such  as  the  European  Teachers  Academies,  facilitates  networking,  knowledge 
sharing  and  mobility  among  institutions  providing  teachers  and  trainers  with  learning 
opportunities  at  all  phases  of  teachers'  and  trainers'  careers,  sharing  of  best  practices  and 
innovative pedagogies, allowing for mutual learning at a European scale. The aim is to increase 
the number and quality of learning mobility of teachers in Europe based on their actual mobility 
needs. 

Continuous professional development  

Improving  the  visibility and  accessibility  of  opportunities  for  professional  development  has 
been identified as an important step in creating a profession that is attractive, motivating and 
fulfilling.  Transnational  mobility  contributes  to  the  development  of  a  wide  range  of 
competences among teachers. However, still only a minority of teachers in Europe have been 
abroad for professional purposes.  

Several measures need to be taken at system level to have learning mobility played an actual 
role in the continuous professional development of teachers:  

- 

embedding “mobility windows” in the school year, to earmark time slots when sending 
and hosting teachers and future teachers is appropriate and easy to implement; such a 
time slot should also facilitate the replacement of teachers;  

- 

-  providing incentives to teachers by formally recognising and valorising outcomes of 
learning periods abroad as a a legitimate and valuable part of the professional activities 
of  teachers;  recognition  of  outcomes  can  be  ensured  by  referring  to  European  tools 
available for ensuring transparency and comparability of skills; 
facilitating  the  replacement  of  teachers  by  allocating  resources  and  flexibility  in 
procedures to schools; 
clarifying  procedures  to  ensure  good  conditions  for  teachers  carrying  out  a  learning 
mobility  period  abroad,  from  an  administrative  point  of  view  (e.g  as  regards  social 
security, taxation, etc). 

- 

•At local level, it is recommended to enhancing cooperation with education and training 
authorities,  schools  and  any  relevant  partner  to  define  and  implement  a  strategic 
approach towards mobility of teachers with appropriate resources 

Mobility of teachers needs to be part of the overall strategic development of schools.  

To do so, it is necessary to involve all relevant stakeholders at local level, especially for pooling 
resources,  facilitating  replacement  of  teachers,  taking  benefit  of  the  local  ecosystem  of 
organisations involved in education and training to find partners abroad as well as establishing 
networks of organisations between Member States.  

Furthermore, promotion is necessary to raise awareness of decision makers and school 
leaders about the benefits of teacher mobility at individual, school and local levels.  
In this context, school leaders should be supported by specific training and be rewarded for 
their involvement in learning mobility projects in the context of their school development.  

111 

 
 
 
 
The  pivotal  role  of  education  and  training  leadership  should  be  taken  into  account  when 
developing  good  environments  and  conditions  for  the  development  of  competences  and 
motivation of teachers, trainers and educational staff, thus ensuring that education and training 
institutions operate as learning organisations172. 

In order for some teachers to benefit from mobility activities, some staff have to act as project 
managers and mobility coordinators: preparing project applications, finding partners abroad, 
managing EU funds and reporting. These are novel tasks for staff who encounter obstacles in 
receiving  appropriate  training  and  having  their  work  recognised.  Tackling  these  issues  is  a 
crucial element in making mobility opportunities a standard in European schools. 

Teaching staff at all levels, including school leaders, would benefit from increased learning 
mobility and networking, given the important role these have played in enhancing the quality 
of  education  and  training  systems  and  institutions,  as  well  as  in  making  such  systems  and 
institutions more open, more outward-looking, more accessible and more efficient173. 

3.2.14 A policy framework for mobility of apprentices 

Apprenticeships  based  on  strong  partnerships  can  bring  benefits  to  the  training  and 
employability of young people, to company workforce skills, and to society as a whole. VET 
learner mobility, short and long duration, has proven to improve the employability of all VET 
students,  including  apprentices.  Nevertheless,  as  presented  in  Chapter  XX,  structural 
constraints limit the chances of apprentices to participate in mobility activities.  

In  order  to  ensure  equal  access  to  apprentices  to  the  benefits  of  mobility  experiences,  the 
proposal invites Member States to apply a strategic approach based on strong social partnership 
and involving all the levels and actors concerned.   

Elements of Annex II explained 

1.  System level requirements for facilitating apprentice mobility 

(a)  Including mobility of apprentices as part of national internationalisation strategy 
for education and training and of sectoral (economic) strategies – this can include 
an  incremental  approach  building  on  short-duration  mobility  in  cross-border 
regions/selected sectors or  through fostering short-duration collective /  rotation 
mobility scheme; 

Specificities of and interest in apprentice mobility vary across sectors. While some sectors (for 
example  the  construction,  automotive  and  crafts  sectors)  push  strongly  for  mobility,  others 
seem to be less interested. It may depend on the level of internationalisation of  the sectors: 
some  sectors  have  a  stronger  tradition  in  apprentice  –  and  worker  –  international  mobility, 
others may involve occupations that are perceived by stakeholders as characterised more by 
country specific cultural elements and values. Certain sectors are more exposed to seasonality 
(e.g. tourism) also impacting the implementation of apprentice mobility.  Nesting apprentice 

172 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training 
towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030), (2021/C 66/01) 
173 Council conclusions on the professional development of teachers and school leaders (2009). 

112 

 
 
 
mobility in international and sectoral strategies, involving social partners to support employers 
and developing broad-scale, sector-specific measures and networks can help to address sectoral 
needs and specificities.  

Policies can also focus on certain geographic area by piloting apprenticeship mobility first in 
cross-border  regions  to  gradually  expand  it  building  on  good  practices.  Building  (sectoral) 
cross-border networks can allow introducing rotation schemes, where a sending company can 
become a receiving one too, helping employers with limited exposure to internationalisation 
and administrative capacity, in particular small and medium sized enterprises, to participate in 
mobility schemes. The option of developing reciprocal circular-type exchange arrangements 
between  two  countries  may  eliminate  fears  that  the  apprentice  will  not  return  due  to  an 
attractive job offer abroad.  

Promoting regional cross-border mobility (internationalisation on a ‘small scale’) probably on 
a daily (or weekly) basis would have the additional advantage that the apprentice would reside 
at or be close to home and not miss peers/friends/family.  

(b) Fostering  internationalisation,  by  building  on  the  know-how  of  the  Centres  of 
Vocational  Excellence,  which  connect  reference  VET  providers  across  Member 
States, foster cooperation, including with stakeholders, and strive to develop high 
quality curricula and qualifications focused on sectoral skills needs and societal 
challenges.  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  act  as  drivers  of  excellence  and 
innovation and promote a proactive role for VET in local and regional economic 
development; 

Creating an international environment for VET learners and teachers brings benefits to all VET 
stakeholders  including  business,  industries  and  the  society  as  a  whole:  it  results  in  more 
motivated teachers/trainers and students, a more relevant training provision with skills of newly 
qualified learners meeting the needs of employers and overall an increased attractiveness of 
VET.  Both  the 2020 Council Recommendation on vocational  educational  and training and 
Osnabrück Declaration explicitly call for the promotion of the international dimension of VET. 
The European Citizens’ panel also highlighted the need for a deeper integration of the VET 
sector  in  Europe.  The  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  provide  a  proven  model  for 
internationalisation by developing joint activities and exchanges among partners which could 
contribute to reduce barriers to access and improve the trust and the quality of VET.  

(c)  Allocating  dedicated  staff  (ambassadors,  focal  point,  mobility  coordinators)  at 
local  and  national  levels  for  raising  awareness  of  and  facilitating  mobility  of 
apprentices  as  regards  the  various  national  and  regional  schemes;  mobility 
coordinators  support  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  mobility  projects 
and activities, including mentoring apprentices, supporting hosting and sending 
institutions and dealing with logistics and administrative procedures; 

‘Lack of support or information’ was ranked amongst the top three obstacles preventing VET 
learners from engaging in learning mobility according to the preparatory study.  In addition to 
availability, the quality of information services is also important. The need for organisational 
support being offered to companies, regardless of size was also identified by the study as a 
necessary incentive. Such structures are needed both in the sending country and in the receiving 

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country. Their role could include matching apprentices with in-company placements, defining 
the training plan and related mobility objectives before the apprentice leaves, providing know-
how  and  support  to  address  the  many  logistical  and  practical  aspects  related  to  organising 
mobility (accommodation, social security and residence permits, housing and utilities,  bank 
accounts). Allocating human resources or support personnel to coordinate learning mobility 
activities of apprentices can significantly enhance the awareness of the parties concerned and 
the quality and safety of the implemented projects. 

d)  Fostering an ecosystem for apprenticeship mobility, inter alia, by establishing new 
networks  or  strengthening  existing  ones  between  employers,  VET  providers, 
public  employment  services  and  social  partners,  taking  advantage  of  existing 
initiatives like the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA);   

The  multi-stakeholder  character  of  vocational  education  and  training  requires  structures  of 
broad  cooperation  among  stakeholders.  As  part  of  their  recommendation  for  a  deeper 
integration of the VET sector in Europe, the European Citizens’ panel stressed the importance 
of the incentivisation and inclusion of all the stakeholders in VET.  European initiatives as the 
EAfA   offer a platform for members, including networks, to cooperate on learning mobility of 
apprentices, among other topics, and offer the possibility  for connecting relevant actors at all 
levels.  

(e)  Having  curricular  arrangements  that  facilitate  mobility  of  apprentices  without 
negative  impact  on  completion  of  their  studies  and  recognition  of  the  learning 
outcomes acquired abroad (for example by including a dedicated mobility module 
in the curricula or by introducing distant courses, where needed and possible); 

VET  qualifications  and  apprenticeship  schemes  can  be  fundamentally  different  in  countries 
which results in difficulties to communicate training objectives to employers in other countries 
and  in  their  limited  comparability  hampering  the  possibility  for  recognition  of  the  learning 
outcomes achieved. Building on learning outcomes and competence-based approaches as well 
as  curricula,  and  designing  transparent  and  flexible  training  pathways  and  qualifications, 
including training packages/modules of what has to be done and taught during mobility stays 
can help to alleviate this problem. 

To overcome the differences in alternance structure, distance courses could be introduced for 
those apprentices that also need to undertake theoretical training.   

(f)  Ensuring easy access to legal and administrative requirements for apprenticeship 

mobility related to compensation and legal status of mobile apprentices;    

Dealing with the administrative aspects is a cost for companies when organising both inward 
and outward apprenticeship mobility. This is cumbersome for medium and large companies, 
and even more for small and micro companies that would not have enough human resources to 
cover the administrative aspects. Companies are confronted with the complexity of differences 
in  administrative  procedures  and  regulatory  frameworks  among  the  hosting  and  sending 
countries. Guidelines, tips, checklists and other practical tools that help structure and manage 
apprentice mobility experiences would make the job of all involved parties easier and increase 
the willingness to engage. 

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(g) Facilitating the work permit procedures for incoming apprentices where relevant; 

When it comes to extra-EU mobility flows, the EU aims to attract some of the best talents to 
study  in  the  EU.  Countries  offering  strong  incentives  for  students’  retention  (such  as 
exemptions  from  labour  market  checks,  work  permits)  are  still  an  exemption  than  the  rule. 
Facilitation of the issuance of work permits, where applicable, amongst others for third country 
national apprentices, can promote the participation of companies and learners in apprentices’ 
mobility. 

(h) Encouraging  bilateral  agreements  with  other  Member  States  (or  regions  if 
applicable) to remove any persisting barriers and for the recognition and comparability 
of skills acquired (e.g. through a common quality framework). 

Across the EU countries, the status of apprentices varies from one of employee (or equivalent) 
to one of learner. The former is covered by the social security system, regulations for safety 
and health as well as for overtime/ shift work (especially for minors), while the latter is not. 
This raises concerns about the legal protection of apprentices during periods of apprenticeship 
mobility  in  countries  where  apprentices  do  not  enjoy  the  status  of  employee  or  equivalent. 
Additionally,  social  security  regulations  may  differ  between  countries  and  that  might  pose 
problems for apprentice mobility. Bilateral agreements concluded with other Member States or 
third countries can reduce uncertainties and provide clear instructions for stakeholders on the 
issue  of  the  overall  employer  liability  for  mobile  apprentices  while  abroad  for  example  by 
envisaging a secondment agreement without putting the employment contract on hold, or the 
clarification of the employer’s liabilities in the event of work-related accidents. 

Bilateral agreements can also include structured work on the comparison of skills included in 
qualifications  available  in  the  apprenticeships  schemes,  facilitating  their  transparency,  the 
communication  of  expected  learning  outcomes  and  the  recognition  procedures  between  the 
sending and the host organisations. 

(i)  Involving social partners at all stages of the design, implementation and follow-up of 

apprentice mobility;  

Involvement  of  professional  branches  and  social  partners  is  necessary  to  improve  clarity, 
coherence and comparability of apprenticeship competence standards, and to build transparent 
and flexible qualifications and curricula based on a learning outcomes and competence-based 
approach. Social partners could work towards aligning occupations, comparing standards, and 
enhancing  trust  between  stakeholders.  Involving  VET  institutions  and/or  other  supporting 
organisations is equally important, both in the sending country and receiving country. Their 
role  could  include  matching  apprentices  with  in-company  placements,  defining  the  training 
plan  and  related  mobility  objectives  before  the  apprentice  leaves,  providing  know-how  and 
support  to  address  the  many  logistical  and  practical  aspects  related  to  organising  mobility 
(accommodation, social security and residence permits, taxation issues, housing and utilities, 
bank accounts).  

2.  Support to apprentices  

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(a)  Implementing mobility in an accessible and inclusive manner providing specific 

support for people with fewer opportunities and with disabilities; 

While  the  Erasmus+  programme  allows  for  specific  provisions  for  the  participation  of 
individuals ‘with fewer opportunities’ also including apprentices, actual implementation can 
be difficult. Disadvantages can range from access, i.e. practical, legal or administrative barriers, 
but they can also be intrinsic, such as psychological barriers due to low skills levels174.   

Success demands a professional approach to the way mobility programmes are structured, with 
systems  designed  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  target  group.  Length  of  stay,  mode  of  sending, 
preparation, debriefing and integration upon homecoming, etc. must all be designed for this 
target group and learning mode. 

(b) Complementing  Erasmus+  grants  with  additional  funding  to  cover  the  costs  of 

apprentices’ mobility;  

Cost is an important disabler of apprenticeship mobility. It consists of several elements, making 
it  comparatively  higher  than  in  case  of  other  target  groups.  Apprentices  are  often  young 
therefore accompanying staff is needed to participate in the exchanges. Apprentice salaries or 
social security costs also have to be covered while abroad. Employers have to face the loss of 
productive work while the apprentice is abroad. To cover living costs of the apprentice abroad, 
Erasmus+ funding often needs to be topped up. 

Government or sectoral funding would be necessary to cover the relative costs, protecting both 
employers  and  apprentices.  While  it  might  take  time  to  set  up  such  funding  mechanisms, 
discussions  could  start  at  national  level  by taking inspiration from  existing  practices in  this 
domain.  

Exempting employers from paying apprentice salaries while abroad, with government and/ or 
hosting companies covering the relative direct and indirect costs can be a solution to 
overcome this barrier. 

A good example is Denmark, where the OPU programme reimburses some of the costs for 
students as well as employer.  

(c)  Promoting pedagogical arrangements and tools to support mobility of apprentices 

for example through distance courses;  

Evidence suggests that even when curriculum is in theory flexible and the training regulations 
foresee the possibility of learning abroad, in practice there are issues with the recognition of 
learning  outcomes  acquired  abroad.  For  instance,  recognition  of  theoretical  subjects  in  the 
sending  country’s  curriculum  cannot  always  be  validated  if  they  have  been  completed  in 
another country. To overcome the differences in alternance structure, distance courses could 
be introduced for those apprentices that also need to undertake theoretical training. This could 

174 Microsoft Word - 5155 EN text.doc (europa.eu) 

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prevent  apprentices  from  losing  time  of  study  progress  and  having  trouble  returning  to  the 
regular timing and alternance of company training and part-time vocational schooling.  

(d) Providing increased support and outreach to apprentices including on language 
preparations support (developing specific language learning materials for certain 
occupations in English and the language of receiving countries); 

Apprentices often have comparatively poor foreign language skills, or for some learners, it is 
their lack of confidence in their foreign language skills which is a significant barrier, as it makes 
them think they would not be capable of living and working abroad and would be unable to 
make  a  success  of  the  opportunity.  Investing  in  language  training  at  the  beginning  of  the 
apprenticeships would address a major constraint of why apprentices are reluctant to undertake 
cross-border mobility (both short- and long-term).    

(e)  Devising  accompanying  measures  for  apprentices  going  abroad  for  example  by 
developing  a  mentoring/buddy  system  for  the  preparatory  phase,  by  offering 
virtual mobility in the preparatory phase (to complement the physical mobility) 
and when being abroad or by supporting apprentices upon return to reintegrate 
into their working environment and use their newly acquired skills; 

The  Erasmus  Quality  Standards  also  applicable  to  VET  clearly  describes  the  minimum 
requirements during the phase of preparation, participation and follow up phase of mobility 
experiences. They call for identifying a mentor or a similar key person such as a buddy who 
should be following the participant during their stay at the hosting organisation.  Tasks can 
include  the  support  of  the  incoming  apprentice  to  take  care  of  the  logistical  aspects 
(accommodation, the internet, etc.) and to help them to achieve the desired learning outcomes. 
To better prepare apprenticeship mobility, the beneficiary organisations are expected to make 
maximum use of the digital tools, online platforms, and other digital opportunities. In order to 
make  best  use  of  the  skills  and  competencies  gained  abroad,  assessment  and  recognition 
procedures have to be in place upon return. Issuing a stackable, preferably digital credential on 
the learning outcomes achieved is  a crucial  step in  the process.  Following up activities can 
include career planning building on the learning outcomes acquired abroad by the individual.  
On organisational level, monitoring and the collection of evidence on the benefits and lessons 
learned is necessary to further improve the quality and relevance of future apprentice mobility 
experiences.  

(f)  Promoting  widely  opportunities  for  apprentices  in  VET  schools,  including 
Erasmus+  opportunities  and  international  mobility  schemes,    via  a  dedicated 
network of advisors and social media.   

One of the key obstacles for apprentices is the lack of information, administrative support to 
submit their application, and executive support before and after the mobility. Many apprentices 
are still not well-informed about mobility opportunities available for them and the benefits it 
can bring. Setting up a dedicated network of mobility advisor or mobility coordinators to raise 
awareness by building on good experiences and promoting existing opportunities is essential 
to reach out to learners and companies. 

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(g)  Promoting  widely  the  opportunities  for  apprentices  offered  on  EURES  online 
portal in order to assist mobile learners in their transition into the labour market 

In  addition  to  an  overview  of  available  apprenticeships  around  Europe,  all  the  EURES 
countries have a separate overview, in the section of Living and Working Conditions of the 
portal,  of  the  country’s  definition  of  apprenticeships,  eligibility  furthermore  targeted 
information for both employers and jobseekers on all aspect the topic, including for example 
what rights and allowances apply.   

3.  Support to companies 

In countries where an apprentice is an employee or equivalent, the contract remains valid even 
during the mobility of the apprentice and employers are generally obliged to pay apprentice 
salaries and are also legally liable from an employment perspective. This might raise questions 
for employers in relation to whether, how and at what cost they can let the apprentice leave 
(e.g.  should  they  keep  paying  the  apprentice  while  abroad?).  Apprenticeships  nested  in 
employment  contracts  are  associated  with  a high  degree  of  apprentice  dependency  on  the 
employer. This may also translate into less flexibility to fit mobility in the training programme 
and  define  the  relative  learning  outcomes.  Envisaging  specific  legal  provisions  e.g. 
a secondment agreement without putting the employment contract on hold can be beneficial.  

For  example,  as  of  January  1,  2023,  the  Slovak  Parliament has  approved  an  amendment  to 
the Act on Health Insurance No.580/2004 Coll., regulating the public healthcare insurance for 
general  healthcare  provision  in  Slovakia.  Accordingly,  all  international  scholarship  holders 
funded  by  national  mobility  scholarships,  EU  funded  mobility  scholarships,  and  mobility 
scholarships based on international agreements will be fully covered, for free, by the Slovak 
public health insurance if they are awarded the scholarship for a period of more than one month. 
The eligible mobility programmes include Erasmus+, the National Scholarship Programme of 
the Slovak Republic (NŠP), CEEPUS, Scholarships of the Government of the Slovak Republic, 
and Fulbright Slovakia.  

(a)  Financial incentives are provided to employers to compensate them for the period 
apprentices are abroad as well as to apprentices who complete their qualification 
upon return to their sending employer; 

Mobility at system level can be facilitated with a funding scheme which reimburses some of 
the costs for students, including the differences in remuneration (where it applies), as well as 
employers to make up for their loss of production while the apprentice is abroad. It is important 
to ensure that such costs are taken care of, without placing the financial burden on the employer 
or the VET provider. 

(b) Targeted assistance is provided to employers, in particular for small and medium 
sized  enterprises,  for  example  by  supporting  the  establishment  of  intermediary 
networks among receiving and sending countries, preferably on a sectorial basis 
to  assist  companies  with  organisational  issues  and  with  dealing  with  legal 
requirements; 

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To engage more employers, in particular small and medium sized companies, in apprenticeship 
mobility,  it  is  necessary  to  devise  solutions  addressing  company  concerns  over  loss  of 
productive  work,  high  administrative  burden,  brain  drain  and  abuses.  The  establishment  of 
training alliances/networks (ideally at the sectoral level) seem crucial for the establishment of 
relations of trust needed to scale up apprenticeship mobility. Public Employment Services have 
an important role to play, considering their role in labour market intelligence and direct support 
to matching offer and demand. Though this may vary across countries, PES have an important 
role  to  play  in  monitoring  shortage  occupations,  making  this  information  available  to 
stakeholders.  They  also  play  a  specific  in  matching  offer  and  supply  of  apprenticeships,  in 
particular those supported by Active Labour Market Policies. 

(c)  Promoting  Erasmus+  opportunities  and 

for 
Apprenticeships amongst companies highlighting the benefits of hosting and sending 
apprentices on mobility. 

the  European  Alliance 

Given  the  tangible  evidence  on  the  lack  of  sufficient  information  on  Erasmus+  and  other 
opportunities  for  apprentices,  Member  States  should,  through  National  Agencies,  VET 
providers, and intermediary organisations, enhance the quantity, quality, and inclusiveness of 
the information and guidance services offered to staff in relation to both nationally and EU-
funded  mobility  programmes.  Information  and  guidance  for  companies  (especially  those 
hosting apprentices in cross-border long-term mobility) on the process, legalities, and benefits 
of sending and/or hosting apprentices should be offered and/or enhanced. Such support should 
ideally cover topics such as concluding contracts, managing taxation, and managing healthcare 
and social security coverage, which would contribute to alleviating the administrative burdens 
that represent a key barrier to the participation of companies in apprentice mobility. Member 
States  should  also  promote  knowledge  on  the  European  Alliance  of  Apprenticeship  and  its 
services to support apprenticeship mobility.  

3.3 Actions of the Commission 

3.3.1 Supporting the implementation of the Recommendation 

(a)  developing guidelines for the preparation of actions plans referred to in point 12 of the 
recommendation and drafting an overview report of these plans to support peer learning 
opportunities and exchange of good practice. 

As specified in the point 3.2.12 (a), Member States are invited by May 2025 to develop action 
plans for 2025-2030 at national or regional levels in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders 
and  notify  them  to  the  Commission,  on  how  to  implement  this  Recommendation  in  each 
education  and training sector  and in youth  and sport systems  addressing  both  outgoing and 
incoming learning mobility.  

These  one-off  action  plans  will  help  to  consolidate  the  efforts  of  Members  States  and  all 
relevant stakeholders in the promotion of learning mobility opportunities for everyone. With 
the  facilitation  of  the  Commission,  these  action  plan  will  also  serve  for  peer  learning  and 
exchange of good practice. The Commission will propose guidelines to the Member States on 
drafting the action plans. 

119 

 
 
 
 
 
 
(b) further  supporting  the  implementation  of  this  recommendation  by  building  on  the 
cooperation  and  co-creation  of  expert  groups  under  the  European  Education  Area 
governance. 

The European Education Area strategic framework was put in place to promote and structure 
collaboration between European Union Member States, the European Commission and other 
key stakeholders of the EEA to achieve a series of common goals. Policy cooperation includes 
a  whole  range  of  peer  learning  methods  for  mutual  learning,  technical  exchanges  and  the 
identification of good practices, among others. 

Commission  expert  groups  are  at  the  service  of  the  strategic  framework  with  the  aim  of 
benefiting  the  Member  States  and  the  Commission  in  their  work  on  furthering  policy 
development  at  the  technical  level.  They  are  composed  of  experts  from  Member  States, 
EEA/EFTA and  candidate countries (e.g. in  the case of EEA Strategic framework Working 
Groups) or independent experts, international organisations, stakeholders, as appropriate. 

This would include the seven EEA strategic framework Working Groups, five sector-focused 
(on  early  childhood  education  and  care,  on  schools,  on  higher  education,  on  vocational 
education and training and the green transition and on adult learning), and two issue-focused 
(on digital education and on equality and values), as well as other Commission expert groups 
contributing to European cooperation in education and training and to building the European 
Education  Area  (such  as  the  Standing  Group  on  Indicators  and  Benchmarks  or  the  Expert 
Group on Wellbeing and supportive learning environments at school). 

(c)  encouraging  and  supporting  youth  participation  in  designing  and  implementing 

learning mobility strategies and programmes at local, national and European levels. 

As demonstrated in the Conference on the Future of Europe 2021-2022, the European Year of 
Youth  2022  and  the  Citizen’s  Panel  for  this  learning  mobility  initiative, encouraging  youth 
participation instils a sense of civic responsibility and engagement, empowering young people 
to  form  their  contribution  and  learning  experiences,  which  also  supports  their  growth  and 
development. Ultimately, participatory and co-creation approaches benefit society as a whole 
by fostering a generation of informed, engaged,  and motivated young citizens who actively 
contribute to shape learning mobility opportunities and to strengthen local communities and 
the broader European society. 

It  is  therefore  key  to  involve  and  consult  young  people  when  designing,  implementing  and 
monitoring learning mobility strategies and programmes to ensure that these initiatives adapt 
and  cater  to  the  actual  needs  and  aspirations  of  youth,  fostering  a  sense  of  ownership  and 
engagement. As emphasised by stakeholders, including  the European Youth  Forum and the 
Erasmus Student Network, by actively involving young people and organisations working with 
and for them, public authorities at all levels from local to European, can gain valuable insights 
into  their  challenges  and  preferences,  thereby  tailoring  strategies  and  learning  mobility 
programmes  to  be  more  relevant  and  effective.  Furthermore,  such  involvement  promotes 
inclusion  and  diversity  as  it  allows  for  a  broader  representation  of  perspectives  and 
backgrounds in the planning and programming processes. 

120 

 
 
Programmes and instruments such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, the EU 
Youth  Dialogue,  the  EU  Youth  Coordinator,  stakeholder  platforms,  alumni  networks  and 
initiatives, flagship events including the Erasmus+ Days and the European Youth Week, will 
continue to be mobilised to encourage and support youth participation. Involvement of learners 
and  stakeholder  engagement  should  also  be  promoted  at  local  and  national  levels  in  the 
development and implementation of learning mobility strategies and programmes.  

(d) further  developing,  promoting  and  providing  support  through  the  Erasmus+  and 
European  Solidarity  Corps  programmes  for  the  use  of  EU  tools  that  support  the 
implementation of learning periods abroad, like the European Student Card Initiative, 
Online Language Support, the European School Education Platform, the European Youth 
Portal, General Online Training, Youthpass and Europass. 

Preparatory work is undertaken to bring together the three components of the European Student 
Card initiative (Erasmus Without Paper, Erasmus+ App, European Student card project) into a 
coherent and integrated ecosystem, bringing the maximum benefits to users. The objective is 
to  develop  a  system  that  will  remove  most  of  the  current  causes  of  interoperability  issues 
ensuring  a  streamlined  and  efficient  exchange  of  data  and  documents  between  education 
institutions and mobile learners and staff. 

In  the  public  consultation,  ESU  highlighted  the  need  to  continue  to  offer  language  courses 
beyond  upper-secondary  education  (preferably  for  free),  and  that  institutions  must  also  pay 
attention to the language proficiency of staff involved in mobile student support. The Citizen 
panel also recommended improving language learning through new technologies. 
The Erasmus+ programme offers language learning support to all mobile participants via the 
Online Language Support (OLS) platform.  

As the lack of language skills remains one of the main barriers to the participation in European 
education,  training  and  youth  mobility  opportunities,  the  OLS  platform  makes  language 
support  accessible  in  a  flexible  way,  allowing  participants  to  access  online  course  before, 
during  and  after  their  learning  mobility.  The  aim  is  to  help  participants  improve  their 
knowledge of the language in which they will work, study or volunteer abroad so that they can 
make the most out of their experience. 

(e)  further  developing,  promoting  and  providing  support  for  the  use  of  EU  tools  that 
support the transparency and validation of outcomes of learning periods abroad and 
credentials,  in  particular  Youthpass  and  the  Europass  platform/Europass  Mobility, 
including through semantic interoperability through the European Learning Model and the 
European Digital Credentials for Learning. 

To  facilitate  recognition  of  outcomes  of  learning  periods  abroad  and  enable  automatic 
recognition  within  EU  Member  States,  the  Commission  is  exploring  synergies  between  the 
Erasmus+  learning  agreements  and  Europass  Mobility  documents  for  upper  secondary 
education  and  training  needs,  allowing  for  a  smooth  transition  from  agreed  to  recognised 
learning  outcomes.  This  will  allow  sending  and  hosting  institutions,  together  with  the 
participant of the learning mobility, to agree upon learning outcomes before the mobility and 
have  them  easily  certified  afterwards  for  an  automatic  recognition,  if  the  conditions  agreed 
upon before the mobility were met. The Commission is also exploring the digitalisation of the 
Europass Mobility under the European Digital Credentials for Learning infrastructure. 

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(f)  Further  developing  and  providing  support  to  the  European  Universities  alliances, 
including  through  the  Erasmus+  programme  and  policy  support,  allowing  them  to 
realise their full potential and act as role models for the higher education sector by fostering 
seamless and embedded mobility in European inter-university campuses, promoting the use 
of micro-credentials, and paving the way towards a possible joint European Degree. 

European Universities alliances work towards establishing European higher education inter-
university  ‘campuses  ‘where  students,  doctoral  candidates,  and  staff  benefit  from  seamless 
mobility opportunities (physical, blended mobility or virtual learning) to study, train, teach, do 
research, work, or share services in any of the partner institutions. Embedded mobility at all 
levels, including at Bachelor, Master and Doctoral levels, is a standard feature. They strive for 
at least 50% of the students within the alliance to benefit from such mobility, be it physical, 
virtual,  or  blended.  Acting  as  trailblazers  for  the  entire  higher  education  sector,  European 
Universities  develop  flexible  learning  opportunities  and  alternative  learning  pathways  for 
example through the use of micro-credentials, and play pivotal roles in paving the way towards 
a  possible  joint  European  degree  by  actively  contributing  to  the  ongoing  Erasmus+  pilot 
projects on the joint European degree label. 

The  Erasmus+  programme  will  continue  to  support  the  further  roll-out  of  the  European 
Universities initiative through calls for proposals, covering education and the link with research 
and  innovation,  all  at  the  service  of  society.  Under  the  budgetary  period  of  2021-2027, 
Erasmus+ assigns a record of around EUR 1.1 billion to the European Universities initiative. 
This means up to EUR 14.4 million available for each European Universities alliance covering 
4 years, which is almost 3 times more than the amount offered during the 2019-2020 piloting 
phase. Alliances may be able to extend this period of 4 years of funding with 2 extra more 
years, to be confirmed under the 2026 and 2027 Erasmus+ work programmes. Next to these 
dedicated  funding  streams  for  European  Universities,  they  can  also  access  other  Erasmus+ 
funding opportunities, linked to for example student and staff mobility and innovation. 

The Commission is committed to support the long-term engagement of the Erasmus+ European 
Universities alliances. As announced in  the European strategy  for universities,  Commission 
services are working on an investment pathway for European Universities alliances to provide 
the alliances with continuous support also beyond 2028-2029. The objective is to facilitate a 
more  comprehensive  funding  approach,  complementing  the  educational  dimension  with 
support  across  all  alliances’  missions,  and  seeking  for  synergies  with  national  and  regional 
funding.  

The  Commission  also  works  together  with  the  Member  States  and  relevant  stakeholders 
towards the implementation of the Council Recommendation on building bridges for effective 
European higher education cooperation. The Council Recommendation aims to foster greater 
coherence and compatible policy priorities, and create appropriate conditions at national level 
for  enabling  closer  and  sustainable  transnational  cooperation,  such  as  for  European 
Universities.  Such  favourable  conditions  enhancing  seamless  cooperation  also  intends  to 
benefit the entire higher education sector. Aiming to take transnational cooperation to a new 
level of intensity and scope and to directly benefit the students, the Recommendation has the 
ambition to improve students’ skills and employability by getting easier access to modern and 
innovative transnational campuses, to mobility abroad, and to transdisciplinary learning. 

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(g) providing  further  support  from  the  Erasmus+  Programme,  by  encouraging 
cooperation and mutual learning of Member States in ensuring automatic recognition 
of  qualifications  and  the  outcomes  of  the  learning  periods  abroad  carried  out  in 
education and training sectors at all levels, including for virtual and blended learning. 

The  Erasmus+  programme  will  continue  to  support  the  implementation  of  the  Council 
Recommendation on automatic mutual recognition of qualifications and outcomes of learning 
periods abroad in higher education and upper secondary education and training among others 
through its bi-annual targeted calls for NARICs. These calls have recently been focused on 
automatic mutual recognition and put an increased focus on upper secondary education and 
training,  encouraging  and  enabling  NARICs  to  work  together  on  joint  projects  and  make 
serious progress in the field. 

Erasmus+ funds and structures will also be used to provide further training to prepare school 
heads  and  teachers  in  fostering  automatic  recognition  of  the  outcomes  of  learning  periods 
abroad as part of training and cooperation activities (TCA). 

The Commission is committed to supporting Member States in developing mutual trust among 
education systems and adapting national legislation as needed. For this, the cooperation with 
National Academic Recognition and Information Centres, peer learning and exchange of best 
practices and the implementation of a learning outcome approach for recognising outcomes of 
learning periods abroad will be supported by the Commission. 

As  stressed  by  various  stakeholders  in  their  input  to  the  public  consultation  focusing  on 
recognition  of  the  outcomes  of  learning  periods  abroad  (LLP,  OBESSU,  EFIL,  EEE-YFU, 
EAM),  structures  and  cooperation  at  EU  level  are  required  for  advancing  support.  For  this 
reason, additional information on automatic recognition will be provided via existing online 
platforms,  creating  transparency  and  increasing  the  level  of  awareness  of  all  involved 
stakeholders as well as participants. 

To  facilitate  recognition  of  outcomes  of  learning  periods  abroad  and  enable  automatic 
recognition  within  EU  Member  States,  the  Commission  is  exploring  synergies  between  the 
Erasmus+  learning  agreements  and  Europass  mobility  documents  for  upper  secondary 
education  and  training  needs,  allowing  for  a  smooth  transition  from  agreed  to  recognised 
learning outcomes. 

(h) Continue to support Member States towards a comprehensive approach to the teaching 
and learning of languages, notably through peer learning activities, promotion of initiatives 
and  events  like  the  European  day  of  languages  and  cooperation  with  stakeholders  and 
international  organisations  like  the  Council  of  Europe  and  the  OECD  for  developing 
innovative tools for language learning. 

In  2019,  the  Council  Recommendation  on  a  comprehensive  approach  to  the  teaching  and 
learning of languages175 highlighted that multilingual competence lies at the heart of the vision 
of a European Education Area and can support increasing mobility and cooperation within the 
Union.  The  study176  and  the  Citizen  Panel  confirmed  this  by  highlighting  lack  of  foreign 

175  Council  Recommendation  of  22  May  2019  on  a  comprehensive  approach  to  the  teaching  and  learning  of 
languages. 
176 Supporting learning mobility: progress, obstacles and way forward (2023). 

123 

 
 
 
language  skills  as  one  of  the  main  barriers  to  learning  mobility  activities  across  all  fields. 
Following  the  adoption  of  the  aforementioned  Council  Recommendation,  the  European 
Commission  engaged  in  a  number  of  activities  supporting  its  implementation,  notably  peer 
learning  activities.  Actions  like  the  European  Language  Label  and  the  European  Day  of 
Languages also provide further opportunities for Member States to promote language teaching 
and learning. In this Recommendation, the Council also invites the Commission to strengthen 
cooperation with the Council of Europe, and the European Centre for Modern Languages, to 
enhance innovative methods in teaching and learning of languages and increase awareness of 
the crucial role of language learning in modern societies. In addition, the Commission has been 
collaborating  with  the  OECD  in  the  development  of  a  module  for  testing  foreign  language 
competences, that will be ready for general roll-out on voluntary basis as a component of PISA 
2025. 

The 2023 edition of Eurydice’s Key data on the teaching of languages in schools in Europe 
contained some indicators to monitor progress from 2019 Recommendation showing that the 
number  of  teachers  going  on  mobility  is  increasing.  There  is  however  still  a  need  for 
development of language awareness by promoting study periods abroad for students studying 
towards a teaching qualification and mobility for all teachers.  

(i)  fostering  the  building  of  synergies  and  complementarities  between  the  EU 
programmes  addressing  learning  mobility,  such  as  Erasmus+  and  the  European 
Solidarity Corps, and other funding instruments at EU, international, national and regional 
level, such as Cohesion policy funds, in particular the European Social Fund Plus, and the 
European Regional Develoment Fund programmes, to maximise the impact of the actions 
fostering learning mobility opportunities, including by supporting the implementation of 
tools and strategies to enhance the participation of people with fewer opportunities. 

Synergies and complementarities are an important objective in the 2021-2027 programming 
period in order to solve common challenges, address the needs of particular target groups or 
specific policy objectives, using different EU, international, national, regional programmes as 
instruments  while  maximising  the  impact  of  the  investment  performed  under  a  single 
instrument.  
A  strategic  approach  for  synergies  implementation  implies  the  identification  of  ‘win-win’ 
situations whereby programmes (at EU, international, national or regional level) work together 
in achieving common policy objectives, which can be: 

•  high quality, effective, inclusive and relevant education and training,  
•  equal access to lifelong learning,  
•  boosting competences and skills levels relevant for the future of work and to face 

• 

the digital and green transition and address youth employability,  
increasing  the  capacity  of  teachers,  educators,  trainers,  youth  workers,  sport 
coaches providing them with the tools – at personal and professional level – to deal 
with multi-cultural and inclusive societies and educational systems 

•  up-skilling and re-skilling of workforce, including adult learners, 
•  enabling a more active participation in society,  
• 

increasing  the  effectiveness  and  performance  of  education  systems,  including 
formal, informal and non-formal learning. 

In the context of Erasmus+ and Cohesion policy programmes funded under the European Social 
Fund  Plus  (ESF+),  developing  synergies  and  complementarities  could  help  foster  learning 

124 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
mobility, notably for people with fewer opportunities and less mobile learners177, support the 
digitalisation process of education and training systems, support structure aiming to facilitate 
access to learning mobility for skills enhancement 178, support the upscale of projects testing 
innovative  approaches  to  digital  and  inclusive  education  in  view  of  their  mainstreaming. 
Complementarities  with  programmes  funding  infrastructures  (e.g.  ERDF  programmes)  for 
schools, higher education institutions, educational providers are be equally important in order 
to ensure better mobility experiences for learners.  

The  fostering  of  synergies  and  complementarities  with  other  funding  instruments  is  a  key 
objective of the Erasmus+. As from 2023, Erasmus+ supports a more structured approach to 
the  development  of  synergies  with  Cohesion  policy  programmes,  in  particular  the  ESF+ 
programmes, by piloting the Seal of Excellence 179 through Erasmus+ flagship actions, such as 
the  European  Universities  and  the  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence.  Notwithstanding  the 
voluntary uptake of this tool from other funding authorities, the Seal of Excellence facilitates 
the building of synergies between programmes, by allowing win-win strategic investments on 
projects that meet common objectives.  

A  more  extensive  development  of  effective  synergies  and  complementarities  with  other 
funding sources at national or regional level is also fostered through specific additional support 
to the National Agencies. In this context, National Agencies are required to develop a set of 
activities aiming to set up the basis for an effective cooperation with the authorities managing 
other  funding  instruments  to  e.g.  facilitate  the  upscaling  of  successful  projects,  top-up 
mobilities, develop complementary projects meeting the objectives of more than one funding 
sources,  set  up  a  longstanding  cooperation  with  the  bodies  managing  other  funds  and 
programmes.  

(j)  helping Member States to reform and enhance learning mobility systems at national 

and multi country level. 

The Technical Support Instrument stands ready to support Member States, upon their request, 
to design and enhance learning mobility systems, notably in the context of the Flagships on 
Public  Administration  Cooperation  Exchange  (PACE)180,  talent  attraction181,  skills182  and 

177 The German authorities have agreed to transfer a share of the national allocation under ESF+ to Erasmus+, for 
a total of EUR 57 Mio to be distributed along the programming period, starting from 2022. In accordance with 
the  Partnership  Agreement  of  Germany,  the  transferred  resources  are  allocated  to  Higher  Education  learning 
mobility  and  will  target  students  with  fewer  opportunities.  The  funds  are  managed  and  implemented  by  the 
German National Agency for higher education under indirect management and are spent for the benefit of the 
Member State. 
178 In 2014, the city of Gijón decided to set up a local Youth Employment and Activation Agency. This was first 
established as a pilot project funded by the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), and has now become a permanent 
structure.  The  project  aimed  to  initiate  a  collaboration  between  local  and  regional  stakeholders  to  offer 
personalised orientation and guidance to young NEETs. The main actions are covered by the municipal budget, 
complemented by ESF/YEI. Participants in the programme have the option to join a mobility project (activation 
pathways), using Erasmus+ to enhance their intercultural integration skills and ultimately support labour market 
integration back home. In addition, the programme implemented at local level also uses Erasmus+ for the mobility 
of teachers and learners from second chance schools, and for cooperation between schools. 
179 See Article 32(3) of the Erasmus+ Regulation and 73 of the Common Provisions Regulation. 
180  PACE, Public Administration Cooperation Exchange (europa.eu) 
181 Migrant integration and talent attraction (europa.eu) 
182  Skills: Fostering skills development systems better adapted to the labour market (europa.eu) 

125 

 
 
 
 
 
youth183.  Support  can  be  provided,  upon  request,  on  a  bilateral  or  multi-country  basis.  
Additionally,  Member  States  may  benefit  from  the  measures  foreseen  in  the  Commission 
Communication on “Enhancing the European Administrative Space (ComPAct)”, to help build 
better and more skillful public administrations.184 

(k) Mapping  existing  resources,  tools  and  good  practices  implemented  at  EU, 
international,  national  or  regional  level  to  raise  awareness  of  the  respective  areas  of 
intervention and potential actions to support an effective synergetic approach across the 
relevant stakeholders and disseminating good practices. 

To  support  the  objective  of  building  effective  cooperation  among  the  bodies  implementing 
different funding instruments in view building effective synergies and complementarities, it is 
necessary to raise awareness of the role that each actor can play to support learning mobility. 
Currently, the Commission is collecting, in cooperation with National Agencies, examples of 
projects implemented in synergies with other funding instruments with the aim of:  

•  collecting evidence of successful synergies implemented so far, 
•  disseminate across National  Agencies success  stories that may inspire  both National 
Agencies and project promoters of the effects that cooperation with other instruments 
may produce in terms of impact and optimisation of resources,  

•  developing  a  peer-learning  process  across  National  Agencies  in  view  of  further 
supporting  their  activities  to  promote  synergies  and  cooperation  with  other  funding 
instruments, 
facilitate the mapping of areas of potential synergies with other funding instruments. 

• 

A more systematic mapping of the areas of intervention of the EU funding instruments that 
may support different aspect of learning mobility will be carried out in cooperation with other 
Commission’s services. 

3.3.2 Strengthening the evidence base on learning mobility 

(a)  working  with  the  Member  States  and  relevant  stakeholders  towards  further 
improving the quality and availability of data and developing EU-level methodologies 
for  data  collection  and  analysis,  including  surveys,  for  example  the  European  graduate 
tracking survey, on learning mobility in all education and training, and youth sectors, that 
can also account for inclusiveness and territorial diversities, in full compliance with EU 
data protection legislation; 

Capturing the complex, multidimensional nature of learning mobility necessitates development 
of  robust  monitoring  arrangements.  The  evidence  gathered  through  the  dedicated  study 
‘Supporting  learning  mobility:  progress,  obstacles  and  way  forward’  indicates  a  wealth  of 
monitoring data that are available for different sectors. According to the study’s mapping of 
available  statistical  data  and  indicators  at  national  and  cross-national  level,  the  data  are  at 
various  levels  of  quality,  comprehensiveness,  and  accessibility,  however185.  Moreover,  an 

183 YOUTH FIRST – supporting children and youth wellbeing, education, training, social protection and labour 
prospects (europa.eu) 
184 Communication_Enhancing the European Administrative Space.pdf (europa.eu) 
185 See section 2.1 for an overview of data availability and mobility trends.  

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overarching  learning mobility  monitoring system that integrates data from  different  sources 
and across different sectors appears to be lacking.  

The Commission intends to support Member States and relevant stakeholders in developing 
EU-level  methodologies  for  data  collection  and  analysis  on  learning  mobility  in  school 
education, vocational education and training, adult education, youth and sport systems and on 
participation of people with fewer opportunities in learning mobility abroad, and work towards 
further improving the quality of data used for higher education. Strengthening the quantitative 
evidence base on learning mobility will enable more accurate monitoring of the implementation 
of  the  proposed  Council  Recommendation,  complementing  the  qualitative  monitoring 
framework envisaged through a revamped Mobility Scoreboard. 

(b) Revamping  the  Mobility  Scoreboard,  in  close  cooperation  with  experts  from  the 
Member States, to follow up the implementation of this Recommendation and to enlarge 
it to cover all education and training, and youth sectors.  

The new recommendation needs a new monitoring framework, taking into account  the new 
priorities, and the focus on all the sectors. The European Commission will build on the existing 
experts groups and networks  to develop this new framework.  

The Commission will rely on the experiences gained during the previous monitoring exercise 
in  order  to  gather  recommendations  on  how  the existing  indicators  in  higher  education  and 
initial  vocational  education  and  training  can  be  revised  and  adapted  to  the  new 
recommendation. EACEA and Cedefop will provide the necessary input for these discussions. 

The Commission will also analyse the potential information sources for the sectors currently 
not covered by the Mobility Scoreboard. It will gather recommendations on how to coordinate 
monitoring across the different sectors and based on different information sources. 

As outlined in the European Strategy for Universities the European Commission is setting up 
a European Higher Education Sector Observatory that  will combine  in  one single place  the 
current EU data tools and capacities on higher education (at system, institutional and individual 
level, including for the Erasmus+ programme). This will allow to monitor student and staff 
mobility  and  institutional  transformation  through  a  European  Higher  Education  Sector 
Scoreboard and will further enhance their use and relevance for policy makers, universities, 
students and researchers. Further synergies with the mobility portal are envisaged in the context 
of the design of a student observatory. 

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Annex: Stakeholder consultation synopsis report 

a) Introducing the consultation strategy 

The  objective  of  the  consultation  strategy  was  to  inform  all  interested  parties  about  the 
upcoming Commission initiative and to gather relevant evidence and feedback from them. The 
Commission aimed to collect citizens’ and stakeholders’ views on learning mobility, to identify 
possible gaps and to define solutions. 

Evidence was collected through a range of sources, including the call for evidence and the open 
public consultation that were accessible online for 12 weeks from 8 February to 3 May186, and 
targeted consultations. The Commission also engaged 150 citizens in the European Citizens’ 
Panel on Learning Mobility which deliberated in March and April 2023. 

In line with the Commission’s Better Regulation policy to develop initiatives informed by the 
best available knowledge, scientific researchers, academic organisations, learned societies, and 
scientific  associations  with  expertise  in  the  policy  fields  linked  to  the  initiative  were  also 
invited to submit relevant published and pre-print scientific research, analyses and data.  

The consultation activities were promoted on the Commissions’ web pages and social media, 
and  by  the  Erasmus+  national  agencies  and  national  authorities  through  their  existing 
communication channels. 

b) Targeted information and consultation of stakeholders 

Targeted  consultations  were  carried  out  by  the  Commission  and  by  an  external  contractor. 
Consultations  included  focus  groups  to  check  and  discuss  the  outcomes  of  the  public 
consultation, multilingual focus groups with learners and staff who have not been on learning 
mobility  to  find  out  about  their  incentives  and  impediments,  and  dedicated  meetings  and 
targeted interviews with key stakeholders. 

The  Commission  has  consulted  with  stakeholders  at  large  events  such  as  the  Erasmus+  35 
Years  event  (December  2022),  the  European  Year  of  Youth  event  (December  2022),  the 
National  Agencies  event  (January  2023),  the  Erasmus  Generation  Meeting  (April  2023). 
Dozens of stakeholders were also consulted at various steering group meetings, expert group 
meetings,  working  groups,  including  the  hearings  with  social  partners  (January  2023),  the 
Higher Education Working Group (February 2023), and in meetings of Directors General for 
Schools.  

c) Public Consultation and Call for Evidence 

Public consultation 

The public consultation attracted a total of 666 respondents. A total of 572 respondents (86.0%) 
identified  themselves  as  learners,  educators,  or  staff.  Out  of  those,  the  majority  (60.0%) 

186 
learning-mobility-abroad-in-Europe-for-everyone_en  

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13563-Learning-opportunities-

128 

 
 
 
 
indicated that they were schoolteachers or staff, followed by VET teachers or staff at 11.4%. 
In  relation  to  the  field  of  professional  activity,  the  majority  (58.3%  of  total  respondents) 
indicated their affiliation to school education. Meanwhile, also 59.65% of the total respondents 
indicated their affiliation to academic/research institutions.  

Around 60% of respondents were women and 36% were men. When it comes to their level of 
education, most of the respondents were highly educated with around 41% having a master’s 
degree or equivalent, 37% with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and 13% with a doctoral 
degree or equivalent.  

When it comes to respondents’ experience with learning mobility, around 91% indicated that 
they had experience staying abroad for learning, training, traineeship,  apprenticeship,  youth 
exchanges, youth work or teaching activities, and 92% indicated that they were mobile within 
the EU compared to 8% of respondents with international mobility experience. Moreover, 80% 
of respondents had experience organising mobility activities as a representative of a sending 
organisation. 

The majority of the 666 respondents to the online public consultation indicated Spain as their 
country of origin (71.5%), followed by Italy (6.3%), Germany (3.8%), Greece and France (both 
at 2.7%), and Croatia (2.3%). The remaining countries combined (24 countries) accounted for 
10.8% of the respondents.  

Call for evidence 

The  408  respondents  to  the  Call  for  Evidence  consultation  spanned  different  categories 
including  EU  citizens  (41.7%),  academic/research  institutions  (24.8%),  non-governmental 
organisations  (NGOs)  (6.7%),  public  authorities  (5.9%),  companies/businesses  (2.7%), 
business associations (2.2%), non-EU citizens (1.7), trade unions (0.5%), and others (13.7%).  

Examining organisational respondents to the call (222) shows that organisations that offered 
inputs  in  the  area  of  school  education  represented  the  highest  share  of  responses  at  42%, 
followed by vocational education and training (27%), higher education (22%), adult education 
(9%), and youth (3%). In addition, 7% of the responses were cross-sectoral.  

Spanish  organisations  offered  the  highest  share  of  responses  (41%),  followed  by  German 
(16%), Belgian (9%), and French organisations (9%). Organisations from all other countries 
accounted for 25% of the responses, combined. 

Responses to the Call for Evidence spanned 33 countries. Out of 408 responses, 34% came 
from Spain, followed by Germany (12%), France (10%), Greece (7%), Italy and Belgium (both 
at  6%),  then  Portugal,  Croatia,  and  Estonia  (each  representing  3%).  All  other  countries 
combined (24 countries) accounted for 16% of the total responses.  

Obstacles to learning mobility 

In  the  public  consultation,  obstacles  to  learning  mobility  were  structured  under  six  broad 
categories: 

129 

 
 
- 

lack  of  awareness  and  motivation:  This  affirms  the  important  role  of  adequate 
information and guidance in incentivising learning mobility; 

-  difficulties to prepare for departure: This highlights the need for improving the support 
offered  by  sending  and  hosting  organisations  and  countries  in  relation  to  the 
practicalities/logistics of spending periods abroad; 
lack of funding, and socio-economic obstacles: This shows that availing adequate and 
inclusive funding for learning mobility is highly critical for motivated individuals who 
cannot afford going abroad without sufficient external funding; 

- 

-  difficulties  in  ensuring  quality  and  recognition  of  skills  and  competences  acquired 
abroad: This affirms the need to fully implement the 2018 Council Recommendation 
on  promoting  automatic  mutual  recognition  of  qualifications  and  learning  periods 
abroad; 
administrative and legal obstacles: This indicates that understaffed schools find it very 
difficult to send teachers abroad; 
incoherent systems and actions implemented by different Member States and at the EU 
level:  This  again  affirms  the  key  role  availability  of  funding  plays  in  incentivising 
learning mobility. 

- 

- 

Higher Education 

In  higher  education,  the  most  common  obstacle  identified  was  financial  barriers.  Mobility 
programmes, including Erasmus+, do not cover all expenses and the monetary support received 
is often insufficient as it does not account for all individual circumstances. 

Incomparability  of  curricula  was  identified  as  the  second  most  common  obstacle.  Complex 
application process was the third most mentioned obstacle.  

The  call  for  evidence  stressed  that  individuals  are  often  unaware  of  the  learning  mobility 
opportunities or cannot participate due to personal circumstances.  

Vocational education and training (VET) 

The most common obstacles in VET sector learning mobility are length of apprenticeships and 
finding companies willing to participate, lack of interest from trainees, legal and administrative 
barriers and recognition of acquired skills.  

The lack of motivation by apprentices to participate in learning mobility was indicated as an 
important obstacle. Apprentices are often unmotivated to participate as their main aim is  to 
finish as soon as possible and sign a permanent work contract.  

The  differences  in  the  Legal  and  administrative  frameworks  around  apprenticeships  across 
Europe. For example, in some countries apprentices are part of employment relationship and 
other social security related provisions and if apprentices decide to go on longer mobilities, 
they lose their apprentices status as their contracts are put on hold by employers. 

Feedback  from  the  call  for  evidence  also  emphasises  concerns  that  skills  acquired  during 
periods abroad are not recognised at their true value.  

130 

 
 
 
School education 

The most common obstacle identified was the complex and lengthy application process and 
financial obstacles. It was stressed that it requires tremendous efforts from participants to fill 
out  the  application  forms,  collect  the  needed  documents,  and  find  partner  organisations.  In 
addition, learning mobility coordinators are often not paid any extra so they perceive mobility 
as a burden.  

The call for evidence feedback have also stressed the lack of recognition of learning outcomes 
acquired during mobilities to be an important obstacle in the school sector. 

Adult education 

Lack of organisational capacities was identified as one of the key obstacles to learning mobility 
in adult education as organisations do not have dedicated staff that could coordinate learning 
mobility projects.  

Adults face more time constraints to engage in learning mobilities due to their personal and 
professional constraints.  

The  feedback  also  suggested  that  limited  budget  and  restrictive  eligibility  criteria  have  a 
negative effect on the accessibility of Erasmus+ programme in adult education. 

Youth 

Both  the  call  for  evidence  and  focus  groups  stressed  that  scarcity  or  lack  of  funding  for 
organisations and participants is an important obstacle to learning mobility.  

Insufficient promotion and awareness have been outlined as a common obstacle. Often, young 
people are not aware of mobility opportunities.  

Also, personal and individual obstacles are important obstacles to mobilities. These include 
insufficient language skills, lack of motivation to engage with mobilities and the overall lack 
of trust in institutions, including the EU institutions and programmes.  

Sport 

Feedback provided by participants of the focus group suggests that sport community does not 
usually associate its activities with learning or mobility. Other important obstacles are lack of 
awareness  about  mobility  opportunities,  time  constraints  of  volunteers  and  organisational 
capacities. 

Horizontal priorities 

Both the call for evidence and focus groups have stressed that insufficient attention is being 
given to individuals with mental and physical disabilities.  

Main obstacles for green mobility are lack of sufficient financial support for green travel and 
uneven infrastructure for sustainable travel.  

131 

 
 
The  call  for  evidence  emphasised  that  virtual  and  blended  mobilities  require  additional 
administrative  workload  and  coordination,  sufficient  competencies  of  staff,  sufficient 
equipment, thus sometimes making it difficult to implement.  

The call for evidence feedback showed that obstacles to balanced mobility are mainly related 
to the lack of language skills as well as choosing more well-known and countries.  

Recommended actions to incentivise learning mobility  

When asked to assess which of the six broad groups of obstacles the European Commission 
should  address  right  away,  59%  of  the  respondents  to  the  public  consultation  indicated 
addressing ‘incoherent systems and actions implemented by different Member States and at the 
EU level’ as the first immediate priority towards removing obstacles and incentivising learning 
mobility.  The  other  groups  of  obstacles  highlighted  as  a  priority  for  the  Commission’s 
immediate action are administrative and legal obstacles (42%), difficulties in ensuring quality 
and  recognition  of  skills  and  competences  acquired  abroad  (33%),  shortage  of  funding  and 
socio-economic obstacles (30%), and difficulties to sufficiently prepare for departure (13%).  

Regarding  the  actions  to  be  undertaken  by  the  Member  States  and  the  EU,  the  respondents 
prioritised promoting a ‘mobility culture’ in all education, training and youth and youth work 
sectors  (60%);  acting  to  simplify  administrative  procedures  to  access  learning  mobility 
activities  (52%);  encouraging  the  Member  States  and  institutions  providing  education  and 
training  to  embed  the  opportunity  for  learning  mobility  in  all  education  and  training 
programmes and youth work systems (52%); increasing the accessibility of people with fewer 
opportunities  to  learning  mobility  activities  (41%);  and  promoting  more  linguistic 
support/foreign language training (40%). On the other hand, the issues that were emphasised 
the  least  were  improving  qualitative  and  quantitative  monitoring  (9%),  promoting 
virtual/blended mobility for learning purposes (8%), and improving cross-border verification 
of social security coverage (8%). 

The European Commission has the political ambition of ensuring that future learning mobility 
is more inclusive, greener, better utilises digital and blended approaches and tools, and better 
contributes to fostering European identity, active citizenship and participation in democratic 
life. In relation to these political priorities, 89% of the respondents to the public consultation 
(strongly)  agreed  that  a  bigger  share  of  funding  and  administrative  resources  should  be 
provided for making learning mobility more accessible and attractive to learners with fewer 
opportunities.  Moreover,  while  78%  of  respondents  (strongly)  agreed  that  any  mobility 
activity/process must, to the extent possible, be climate friendly. 

There was also agreement that the EU should invest more in digital technologies, tools and 
pedagogies that are used to facilitate the learning mobility experience and process.  

Higher education 

The most common suggestions on how to improve learning mobility in higher education sector 
were focused on funding. Another prevalent recommendation across consultation activities was 
the simplification of the application process. 

132 

 
 
The call for evidence feedback stressed that universities should strengthen the promotion of 
short-term mobilities and enhance flexibility of mobility duration.  

Vocational education and training (VET) 

Allowing  more  flexible  mobility  timeframes,  harmonising  legal  status  of  apprentices, 
providing more support to companies and encouraging reciprocity were the most mentioned 
recommendations in the call for evidence feedback. 

Harmonisation of the status apprentices would also positively impact long-term mobilities and 
remove some of the administrative and legal obstacles.  

Financial  compensation  for  companies  that  agree  to  send  their  trainers  and  trainees  on 
mobilities could also support and incentivise learning mobility in VET. Otherwise, a reciprocal 
mobility  should  be  encouraged  that  companies  who  agree  to  send  their  apprentices  to 
compensate for the loss of workforce. 

School education 

The most commonly mentioned recommendations included the need to provide economic or 
other type of recognition for the learning mobility coordinators in schools, establish a database 
for schools and school staff to easier find partners and training opportunities and increase the 
overall funding for school education within the Erasmus+ programme. 

There were recommendations in the call for evidence to prioritise schools with no prior learning 
mobility experience and simplify the application process. 

Some inputs have also  highlighted the need to  include the topic of learning mobility  in  the 
training of teachers, and the need to solve issues around the availability of substitute teachers 
were also mentioned. 

Adult education 

Feedback from the call for evidence suggested that there is a need to raise awareness about 
learning mobility’s benefits for adults.  

It was stressed that it is essential to offer targeted support measures for adult learners, which 
could  include  flexible  learning  schedules  or  support  related  to  childcare.  Moreover,  it  was 
suggested that a right to paid training leave should be guaranteed and available to all adults. 
Adults should be able to go on mobilities without incurring a loss of their income. 

It was suggested to set common objectives and targets for learning mobility in adult education 
sector and to include adult mobility in the European Commission’s Mobility Scoreboard.  

Youth 

Feedback from both the call for evidence and the focus group emphasised the need to simplify 
the application process by having easily accessible and more readable programme guidelines 
and application forms.  

133 

 
 
It  was  also  suggested  to  invest  more  in  the  promotion  and  awareness  campaigns  by 
strengthening  multiplier  and  ambassadors’  networks.  It  was  noted  the  need  to  increase  the 
funding for youth organisations that struggle to cover the increasing costs of their activities. 

The  call  for  evidence  feedback  advocated  for  the  further  involvement  of  experts  and  civil 
society organisations in the planning, evaluation and implementation of mobility programmes.  

Horizontal priorities 

Substantial  number  of  responses  to  the  call  for  evidence  stressed  the  need  to  increase 
inclusiveness  of  mobility  programmes,  especially  for  people  from  disadvantaged  socio-
economic backgrounds and individuals with disabilities. This could be done by strengthening 
the support services and ambassador networks. 

The call for  evidence has also  emphasised the need to  further  raise awareness  and promote 
green travel options. In order to encourage green mobility, more substantial financial support 
needs to be provided and green travel top-ups need to be increased. Moreover, there needs to 
be better consideration on the regions that cannot easily enjoy green mobility, especially the 
ones not connected to the mainland. 

The  call  for  evidence  feedback  emphasised  that  virtual  exchanges  should  not  be  used  as  a 
substitute for physical mobilities. However, blended mobility is seen as a useful tool in some 
situations  and  there  are  suggestions  to  provide  adequate  support  and  funding  for  blended 
mobility that would mitigate the administrative burden when implementing blended mobilities. 

Even though balanced mobility has not been substantially addressed by the call for evidence, 
there was a suggestion to address the underlying reasons to mobility imbalances rather than 
trying to create an artificial balance between countries. Focus group respondents have noted 
that balanced mobility is one of the least important aspects. 

d) Citizens’ Panel recommendations 

Building  on  the  success  of  the  Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe,  the  Commission  has 
decided  to  use  the  European  Citizens’  Panels  to  engage  citizens  in  its  policy  making.  The 
purpose of the citizens’ panels is to deliberate and make recommendations ahead of certain key 
proposals. Through their participatory and deliberative democratic process, they improve the 
quality  of  the  policy  by  considering  citizens’  concerns  and  increase  visibility  and 
communication  opportunities  for  the  initiative.  In  addition,  they  help  to  build  trust  in  an 
inclusive democratic manner. 

150 citizens of different age and background from 27 Member States were randomly selected 
to form the European Citizens’ Panel on learning mobility. The participants came together to 
discuss the future of learning mobility in three sessions in March and April 2023  aiming to 
provide  recommendations  on  how  to  make  learning  mobility  opportunities  a  reality  for 
everyone.  

134 

 
 
Based  on  these  deliberations,  the  Citizens’  Panel  made  21  recommendations187  that  the 
Commission  took  into  consideration  when  defining  its  policy  proposal.  In  particular,  the 
Commission’s proposal is well aligned with the recommendations to develop inclusive learning 
mobility opportunities that enable learning mobility for people with fewer opportunities; the 
provision  of  targeted  and  timely  information  at  the  level  closest  to  people  through  learning 
mobility promoters (such as alumni, ambassadors, mentors, and information centres); increased 
focus  on  work-based  learning  mobility;  strengthening  language  learning  at  all  stages  of 
education and training; the recognition of the role of educators in organising learning mobility 
and environmental sustainability of mobility. 

A more detailed overview on how the Commission has addressed the recommendations of the 
Citizen’s Panel is presented in the citizens’ report. 

187 European Citizens’ Panel on learning mobility, final recommendations, https://citizens.ec.europa.eu/learning-
mobility-panel_en.  

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