Erasmus+ is the programme of the European Union for education, training, youth and sport for the period of 2014-2020. Education, training, youth affairs and sport may significantly contribute to tackling social and economic changes and the other major challenges Europe faces, as well as the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy focusing on growth, employment, social equity and inclusion. The aim of the Erasmus+ is to support the participating countries in the efficient use of European talent and social capital and reinforce the principle of lifelong learning in education, training and youth affairs by supporting formal, non-formal and informal learning.
The programme also supports vocational training and adult training mobility, the latter being very low in Hungary, however, participation in vocational training mobility shows a steady increase.
The aim of measure Erasmus+ KA1 is to support the development of learner competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) in order to encourage personal development, improve employability and chances at the European labour market. Additional benefits: the enhancing of foreign language competences and exploring other cultures.
The staff mobility measure aims to support the professional development of staff working in education or training in order to improve and modernise teaching, training and youth work.
The programme supports the apprenticeship training as well as training at a vocational school of pupils of vocational education and training. In case of staff, it supports education/training activities undertaken by them as well as training, work experience or job shadowing.
Learner Mobility
The aim of the Erasmus+ mobility projects is to support participants in developing their (key) competences, personality and employability. As a result of mobility: foreign language competences and intercultural awareness improve and a more active social- and European identity is formed.
The mobility programme of vocational education remains to be popular in VET: both the range of eligible applicants and the available funding have been increasing year by year. Of all forms of grant, pupil mobility is the most popular. In 2019, 156 vocational schools were supported with almost EUR 10 million. This amount provides funding for 5,459 participants, the majority (3,893 persons) of whom are pupils. This represents an increase of about 20% in both the number of departures and the total amount compared to the previous year.
Teacher and Trainer Mobility
The aim of the Erasmus+ mobility projects is to support the professional development of staff working in education and training and in this way to promote the development and modernisation of the sector. At the institutional level, mobility promotes different forms of learning (formal and non-formal), supports the recognition of competences acquired in mobility, and provides opportunities for co-operation between vocational training and business. Trend-data confirms that tenders are an integral part of institutional strategies.
Applications support teaching/training assignments, staff training, on-the-job training and job shadowing of trainers. As a result of the mobility, foreign language competences and the acquired knowledge about other cultures and countries improve.
Under the mobility programme of vocational education, the institutions may receive grants for travel and subsistence costs of participating staff. Altogether 129 institutions in VET received a grant in 2018, and this number reached 156 in the next year. In 2019, 981 teachers and 585 accompanying teachers participated in various mobility, which is remarkably increased compared to the previous year. The (Leonardo) mobility certificate launched in 2009 continues to exist in the new programme period. It enables eligible schools to get EU funding in a simplified procedure and predictable way for the implementation of their internationalisation strategies. Conscious planning ensures a competitive advantage for them: they will be able to make better use of international cooperation and synergies between projects, and they feed it into their curricula and operation. In 2019, out of 6 applicants, 4 were awarded the Mobility Certificate. A total of 29 institutions have vocational training mobility certificates.
The Erasmus+ programme also supports the adult learning sector, including the significant share of expert mobility and in-service trainings. This measure supports both education/training activities whereby the staff of adult training providers undertake training/teaching in a partner institution abroad and the professional development (training course, job shadowing, study visits, school visits) of staff working in adult education and training. The application can be submitted by adult education institutions and the grant amount depend on the mobility, but typically cover the travel and subsistence costs of the participants and also the cost of the in-service training.
The available funding and the number of participants have increased in the past few years - in 2018 the programme supported 133 mobilities of 15 institutions, in 2019 the number of participants in international adult learning more than doubled - 315 mobilities of 25 institutions were supported. From the activities of the mobility programmes, the teaching/training assignments are dominating with 196 mobility, then comes the job shadowing (119 participants) and the structured courses or training events abroad (23 participants).