{Last Update: 24.12.2025}
Mobility programs for students and employees in the direction of higher education
General description
In the field of higher education, the mobility program serves physical and mixed mobilities for higher education students, in any educational field and period (short-term, bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels). Within the framework of the mobility program, students can study at a partner higher education institution, or undergo training in various organizations. It is possible that students can also combine their study period with an internship abroad, which will further improve learning outcomes and the development of transversal skills. While long-term physical mobility is encouraged, this activity recognizes the need to offer more flexible durations of physical mobility to ensure the program is accessible to students of all backgrounds, circumstances, and fields of study.
The programme also supports higher education teaching and administrative staff to participate in professional development activities abroad, as well as staff from the field of work to teach and retrain students or staff in higher education institutions. These activities may include teaching and/or training mobility (such as shadowing, attending training courses, etc.).
In addition, this action supports blended intensive programmes, which allow groups of higher education institutions to jointly develop blended mobility curricula and activities for students, as well as academic and administrative staff.
Program Objectives
The purpose of the mentioned program is to promote the "European educational space" and present it on the global stage in order to deepen the cooperation in the direction of education and research.
More specifically, the program has the following objectives:
- To enable students to become familiar with different perspectives, knowledge, teaching and research methods, and working practices in their field of study at the European and global levels;
- Develop skills such as communication, linguistic critical thinking, problem-solving, intercultural exchange, and research skills;
- Develop far-sighted digital and green skills that will help them solve not only today's problems, but also those of the future;
- To promote personal development, adaptation to new environment and self-confidence.
These objectives also provide an opportunity for any employee, including entrepreneurs, to teach or train abroad as part of their professional development to:
- share knowledge;
- experience a different learning environment;
- acquire innovative pedagogical skills and/or both curriculum design and other digital skills;
- Liaise with their counterparts across borders to plan and implement joint activities to achieve program objectives;
- Exchange good practices and strengthen cooperation between higher education institutions;
- to better prepare students for the job market.
How to participate in the program? (as an institution)
The applicant organization must be registered in an EU Member State or in a third country associated with the programme and hold a valid higher education accreditation.
Interested organizations apply to the Erasmus+ National Agency of their country.
International mobility involving countries not associated with the program
It should be noted that mobility in the higher education sector is oriented to support mobility between EU member states and third countries associated with the program. However, the mobility program may involve third countries that are not associated with the program worldwide, one strand of which (mobility programs – strand 1) covers all third countries (regions 1-14) and for which funding is allocated from the "EU Internal Policy Fund" ". And, the second direction (mobility programs – strand 2) finances mobility activities with third countries, excluding the 13th and 14th regions and which is financed by the "External Activity Instruments of the European Union".
The two funding streams mentioned above serve different but complementary purposes and reflect different political priorities.
International outgoing mobility supported by internal policy funds
The programme aims to promote the development of future-oriented and other related skills among students and higher education staff from the EU or third countries associated with the programme. International mobility activities with third countries not associated with the programme are financed from the budget allocated to mobility programmes. Grant beneficiaries may use a maximum of 20% of the final grant to carry out an outward mobility in third countries associated with the programme. To develop outgoing mobility activities with several third countries not associated to the Programme, covering as wide a geographical area as possible. (Regions 1-14).
International outgoing and incoming mobility supported by external policy funds
This means of financing corresponds to the foreign policy priorities of the European Union on the scale of regions 1-12.
Eligible activities within the program
Higher Education Institutions have the opportunity to carry out one or more of the following activities:
- mobility of students for study;
- mobility of students for internships;
- mobility of employees for training;
- employee mobility for trainings;
- Intensive, mixed programs (does not include mobility funded from the "Foreign Policy Fund")
Higher education students and staff cannot apply independently for a grant for mobility purposes. To participate, they must represent a higher education institution.
Description of activities
Mobility of students
Mobility activities, whether mobility for study or internship, should be related to the academic degree and the field the student is pursuing.
Mobility for study – at a foreign, partner university. The study period abroad must be part of the student’s study program in order to obtain the corresponding academic degree. The study period abroad may also be combined with an internship. (In terms of workload, one academic year in countries that are considered part of the “European Higher Education Area (EHEA)”) is equivalent to 60 ECTS credits.
Internship - in an organization, research institute, laboratory or other relevant institution abroad. The internship period is preferably combined with the study mobility period. (In terms of workload, beneficiaries are assumed to work full-time at the recipient organization's standard).
Employee mobility
Staff mobility programs can be used by any type of permanent or visiting staff of a higher education institution. For a mobility program to be effective, mobility activities must be aligned with the professional development needs of the staff.
Employees may perform any of the activities described below:
- A period of study abroad at a partner institution. During the mobility period, relevant teaching may be carried out by employees of the university and/or relevant enterprise at a partner university abroad. Teaching is permitted in any field of study.
- An internship period abroad at a partner higher education institution, enterprise, or other relevant workplace. A traineeship abroad allows any higher education institution staff member to participate in a learning activity abroad that is related to their daily work at the higher education institution. It can take the form of training events (excluding conferences) or periods of on-the-job observation and observation.
Categories of countries participating in the program (except applicants)
- Any EU member state or third countries associated with the program.
- Third countries not associated with the program
Number of participating organizations
In the process of implementing the mobility program, at least two participating organizations (min. one sender and one recipient) must be involved. And for those mobility programs that are financed through the "Foreign Policy Fund", Min. One organization must be involved from a third country not associated with the programme.
Duration of the project
Projects financed by the "Internal Policy Fund": 26 months
Projects financed by the "Foreign Policy Fund": from 24 to 36 months
Participation criteria for participating organizations
Any higher education institution, both receiving and sending, from third countries not associated to the programme must be authorised/accredited by the national decision-making authority in their country and Before carrying out the mobility, sign inter-institutional agreements with their partner from an EU Member State or a third country associated with the programme.
An accreditation/authorization decision must be made before the mobility program begins.
შენიშვნა: Unlike the EU and countries associated with the program, third countries that are not associated with the program do not need to have ECHE status granted at EU level.
Duration of activities
Mobility of students
For studies or internships: from 2 months to 12 months.
Duration of permitted participation in mobility programs
During one academic cycle, one student with the mobility program may benefit from a total of max. for 12 months.
შენიშვნა: During the period of physical mobility, there may be a break in mobility. The break period will not be considered as a mobility activity. (During the internship period, holidays are not considered as a break in the mobility period).
other conditions
Visiting staff who, within the framework of mobility, must teach at the Higher Education Institution can be represented - from public and/or private organizations (without ECHE assignment) operating in the EU or in countries associated with the program or in third countries that are not associated with the program but are active In the employment market, educational, training, youth, research and innovation.
For example:
- Public or private, small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprise)
- public institution at local, regional and national level;
- Social partner or representative in other respects – of trade chambers, professional associations and trade unions;
- research organization;
- Foundation;
- School/institute/educational center (regardless of the level of education (kindergarten, secondary, professional education and adult education)
- non-profit organization, association; Non-governmental organization
- An institution that provides career guidance, professional counseling, and information services
შენიშვნა: The host organization must be
Mobility period for employees from third countries not associated with the programme.
The duration of the employee mobility period may be from 5 to 60 days (excluding travel time).
The duration of teaching should be min. 8 hours a week.
შენიშვნა:
- There is no minimum number of training hours for staff invited from enterprises.
- If teaching and training activities are combined, during the mobility period, in this case, the minimum number of teaching hours is 4 hours.