Helping education institutions step up

Erasmus+ capacity building for higher education projects aim to address the diverse challenges facing us in the world today.

They are based on partnerships between organisations (usually higher education institutions) from the EU and other associated European countries, and from other countries or regions of the world.

Global challenges

Across the world, policy-makers and educators recognise the role of education to address the many challenges that face us – the climate emergency, recovery from the COVID pandemic, the need for re-skilling.

Since Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, we can add to this list of challenges the need to safeguard and rebuild education in Ukraine, and to address the worldwide impact on economies and education stemming from the invasion.

Zero-carbon to health education

This year, the 159 projects proposed for funding include the participation of 2,500 higher education stakeholders from almost 130 countries worldwide.

All will work together to modernise and internationalise higher education.

Examples from this year’s selection include

• universities in the Western Balkans working on zero-carbon solutions for maritime transport and logistics
• professionalisation of trainers for maths and English teachers in Central Africa
• courses for transformative change in health education in South-East Asia
• equity and equality law for university studies in Latin America for vulnerable groups
• curricula for sustainable blue economy in the Southern Mediterranean

In Ukraine

The 2023 the selection also provides support to a large scale project which will help strengthen the digital environment for higher education in Ukraine.

The project will develop a high-performance digital ecosystem for Ukraine’s universities that will help continuity in higher education for students enrolled at Ukrainian higher education institutions, and for those who have fled the country, or are internally displaced.

Total budget

Over the 2021-27 period, €613 million is budgeted under Erasmus+ to support annual calls for Capacity Building for Higher Education projects.

Interested in applying? The Funding & tender opportunities portal is also the place to apply – the 2024 call will open in November 2023, with deadlines in February 2024.