Mobility of individuals in adult education (Key Action 1)

Mobility of individuals in adult education (Key Action 1) is sponsored by European Commission (Erasmus+). This action provides opportunities for adult learners and staff in adult education to participate in learning mobility activities abroad, promoting personal and professional development and fostering intercultural awareness.

Mobility for learners and staff in adult education - Erasmus+ Mobility for learners and staff in adult education This action supports adult education providers and other organisations active in the field of adult education that want to organise learning mobility activities for adult learners and education staff.

The action is open to a very diverse range of organisations, such as adult education schools and learning centres; civil society, non-governmental and volunteering organisations; counselling centres, libraries, museums, cultural, community and social centres; as well as other organisations working for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, persons at the risk of poverty or social exclusion, etc. A wide range of activities are supported, including individual and group mobility of adult learners, job shadowing and professional development courses for staff, invited experts, and other activities as explained below.

Adult learners can include any persons benefitting from activities and services provided by organisations active in adult education.

Projects can organise activities focusing on citizenship, learning about Europe, community services, volunteering, intergenerational exchanges, critical thinking, active aging, etc. This action aims to provide learning opportunities to individuals and to support internationalisation and institutional development of adult education providers and other organisations active in the field of adult education.

The action will contribute to the implementation of the Skills Agenda and to the creation of the European Education Area.

Specifically, the objectives of this action are: 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 and less experienced organisations, as well as community-based grassroots organisations strengthening the European dimension of teaching and learning promoting values of inclusion and diversity, tolerance, and democratic participation promoting knowledge about shared European heritage and diversity supporting development of professional networks across Europe 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 extend and diversify adult education offer through professionalisation of educators and building capacity of adult education providers simplifying the implementation and accessibility of high quality teaching and learning programmes in all forms of adult education, and making them relevant to the needs of individual and the society at large building the capacity of adult education providers to carry out high quality mobility projects How to access Erasmus+ mobility opportunities?

Adult education providers and other organisations active in adult education can apply for funding in two ways: Short-term projects for mobility of learners and staff – these projects provide applicants with an opportunity to organise various mobility activities over a period of six to eighteen months.

Short-term projects are the best choice for organisations applying to Erasmus+ for the first time, or for those that wish to organise only a limited number of activities. Accredited projects for mobility of learners and staff – these projects are open only to organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation in the field of adult education.

This special funding strand allows accredited organisations to regularly receive funding for mobility activities that contribute to the gradual implementation of their Erasmus Plan. Erasmus accreditations are open to all organisations that seek to organise mobility activities on a regular basis. Previous experience in the Programme is not required to apply for an accreditation.

To find out more about this opportunity, please read the chapter of this guide on Erasmus accreditation in the fields of adult education, vocational education and training, and school education.

In addition, organisations can join the Programme without submitting an application by: Joining an existing Erasmus mobility consortium led by an accredited consortium coordinator in their country that is accepting new members in their consortium. Hosting participants from another country : any organisation can become a host for participants coming from a partner organisation abroad.

Becoming a hosting organisation is a valuable experience and a good way to create partnerships and learn more about the Programme before applying yourself. The applicant organisation is the key actor in a Key Action 1 project. The application process for both short-term projects and Erasmus accreditations focuses on the needs and plans of the applicant organisation (or its consortium).

The applicant organisation drafts and submits the application, signs the grant agreement, implements the mobility activities, and reports to their National Agency. Once the grant agreement enters into force, the applicant formally becomes the ‘beneficiary’ of an EU grant. Mobility activities in a mobility project can be outgoing and incoming.

Most types of available activities are outgoing mobility activities. This means that the applicant organisation will act as a sending organisation (the beneficiary): it will select participants and send them to a hosting organisation abroad. In addition, there are special types of activities that allow applicant organisations to invite experts, teachers and educators in training to their organisation.

The purpose of incoming activities is not to create two-way exchanges, but rather to bring in persons who can help develop and internationalise the applicant organisation. Implementation of all activities supported under this Action must follow the Erasmus quality standards .

The Erasmus quality standards cover concrete implementation practices for project tasks such as selection and preparation of participants, definition, evaluation and recognition of learning outcomes, sharing of project results, etc. Language learning is an important part of every mobility project: beneficiary organisations should provide their participants with language learning support before and during the mobility activities.

For this purpose, Erasmus+ funds the Online Language Support platform which is free and open for use by all Erasmus+ participants. How to find partners for your mobility activities? Erasmus+ provides various tools and opportunities to find partners for your mobility activities: EPALE - the Electronic Platform for adult learning in Europe - offers an online partner-finding tool .

By registering your organisation on the platform you can post partner-finding announcements and search through announcements made by other organisations. Training and Cooperation Activities are regularly organised by Erasmus+ National Agencies. They include contact seminars, online events and other partner-finding opportunities for Erasmus+ applicants and beneficiaries.

Information about TCAs is available on relevant National Agency websites and the SALTO Education & Training TCA Resource Centre website . The Erasmus+ Project Results Platform allows you to search for all accredited organisations and approved projects. All mobilty projects should integrate the following dimensions common to the whole Erasmus+ programme.

In line with the Erasmus quality standards, organisations that receive support from the Programme must ensure that they offer mobility opportunities in an inclusive and equitable way, to participants from all backgrounds. The selection of learners that will take part in project activities should take into account key factors such as motivation, merit, as well as personal development and learning needs of the participants.

Similarly, selection of staff participants should ensure that benefits of their professional development are available to all learners in the organisation. Throughout the preparation, implementation and follow-up of mobility activities, the sending and hosting organisations should involve the participants in key decisions to ensure maximum benefits and impact for each participant.

Beneficiaries and other participating organisations that provide education and training are encouraged to actively create and facilitate mobility opportunities, for example by establishing mobility windows in their academic calendar and defining standard re-integration steps for returning participants.

Environmentally sustainable and responsible practices In line with the Erasmus quality standards, organisations that receive support from the Programme must promote environmentally sustainable and responsible behaviour among their participants, raising the awareness about the importance of acting to reduce or compensate for the environmental footprint of mobility activities.

These principles should be reflected in the preparation and implementation of all Programme activities, especially by using specific funding support provided by the Programme to promote sustainable means of travel. Organisations providing education and training should integrate these principles in their everyday work, and should actively promote a change of mind-set and behaviour among their learners and staff.

Digital transformation in education and training In line with the Erasmus quality standards, the Programme supports all participating organisations in incorporating the use of digital tools and learning methods to complement their physical activities, to improve the cooperation between partner organisations, and to improve the quality of their learning and teaching.

In addition, participants can benefit from Digital Opportunity Traineeships: mobility activities allowing them to acquire digital skills and letting staff build their capacity to train, teach and complete other tasks with the help of digital tools. Such activities can be organised with any of the available mobility formats.

Participation in democratic life The programme aims to help the participants discover the benefits of active citizenship and participation in democratic life. Supported mobility activities should reinforce participatory skills in different spheres of civic society, as well as development of social and intercultural competences, critical thinking and media literacy.

Wherever possible, projects should offer opportunities for participation in democratic life, social and civic engagement through formal or non-formal learning activities.

They should also improve participants’ understanding of the European Union and the common European values, including respect for democratic principles, human dignity, unity and diversity, intercultural dialogue, as well as European social, cultural and historical heritage.

Development of key competences The programme supports life-long development and reinforcing of key competences needed for personal development and fulfilment, employability, active citizenship and social inclusion.

Participating organisations should offer training and learning activities adapted to the specific needs of learners, helping them to achieve economic independence and dismantling barriers they face in education and social contacts. This section presents the types of activities that can be funded by Erasmus+, within short-term projects as well as in accredited projects.

All learning mobility activities must be: Educational : intended for participants to improve or gain new knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes Transnational : involving interactions between people from different countries with the purpose of mutual exchange and learning Structured : having a clear methodology, learning programme and planned learning outcomes Strategic : contributing to a wider set of project or accreditations objectives All learner and staff mobility activities must be hosted at an organisation abroad, with hosting organisations’ staff in the lead role (hosting organisations are also referred to as ‘receiving organisations’).

Sending organisation’s subsidiaries or other entities related to the sending organisation cannot act as hosting organisations if they do not fulfil the requirement for transnational activities. For any activity, additional financial support can be provided for persons accompanying participants with fewer opportunities. Accompanying persons can be supported for whole or part of the activity’s duration.

Job shadowing (2 to 60 days) Teaching or training assignments (2 to 365 days) Courses and training (2 to 10 days) In addition to physical mobility, all staff mobility activities can be blended with virtual learning activities. The minimum and maximum durations specified above apply to the physical mobility component.

Implemented activities must fulfil the following qualitative requirements: Job shadowing : participants can spend a period of time at a hosting organisation in another country with the aim of learning new practices and gathering new ideas through observation and interaction. Job shadowing requires a clear identification of the main mentor at the hosting organisation – the person who is being shadowed by the participant.

A maximum of two participants can be shadowing the same mentor at the same time. Teaching or training assignments : participants can spend a period of time teaching or providing training to learners at a hosting organisation in another country, in order to learn by completing their tasks and exchanging with peers.

Courses and training : participants can benefit from a structured course or a similar kind of training provided by qualified professionals, based on a pre-defined learning programme and learning outcomes. A maximum of three persons from the same sending organisation and a maximum of ten persons from the same mobility consortium can receive funding for attending the same course together.

Each person can participate in only one course per project. The training must involve participants from at least two different countries and must allow participants to interact with other learners and with the trainers. Entirely passive activities such as listening to lectures, speeches or mass conferences are not supported.

The training must include a clear transnational component, for example by fostering learning interaction between participants from two different countries and by integrating other elements of transnational transfer of practices, such as strong involvement of adult education staff from the hosting country to interact with and demonstrate their practices to colleagues coming from abroad.

The content of courses and training must be relevant for professional skills of the participating staff and the objectives of the project or accreditation.

For example, supported activities can include courses and training organised by public institutions or volunteer organisations, activities organised as part of an exchange of practices between organisations in different countries, as well as commercially available courses and training. Entirely passive activities such as listening to lectures, speeches or mass conferences are not supported.

Conferences and similarly titled events can be considered for funding only if participants spend most of their time in structured training, workshops, practical exercises, exchange of practices with colleagues, or other forms of active learning. Applicants should be aware that all course providers are entirely independent from the Erasmus+ programme and are acting as service providers in a free market.

The choice of courses and training is therefore a responsibility of the beneficiary organisation. The following quality standards are available as support to guide the applicants in their choice. Eligible participants include teachers, trainers, and all other non-teaching experts and staff in adult education.

Eligible non-teaching staff includes staff working in adult education, either in adult education providers (e.g. management staff, Erasmus+ coordinators, etc.) or in other organisations active in adult education (e.g. volunteers, counsellors, Erasmus+ coordinators, policy coordinators in charge of adult education, etc.).

Participants must be working in the sending organisation, or must be regularly working with the sending organisation to help implement the organisation’s core activities (for example as external trainers, experts, volunteers, board members, inspectors, etc.).

In all cases, the tasks that link the participant to the sending organisation must be documented in a way that allows the National Agency to verify this link (for example with a work or volunteer contract, task description, or a similar document). The National Agencies shall establish a transparent and consistent practice on what constitutes acceptable working relationships and supporting documentation in their national context.

Staff members working remotely from abroad cannot take part in activities in the country they are working from. Activities must take place abroad, in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme. Activities must take place in the country where the host organisation is legally established.

Each mobility activity can take place in only one country Documentation of learning outcomes Requirements for documentation of learning outcomes are established in the Erasmus quality standards and further elaborated in the project grant agreement.

Before the mobility activity, the sending organisation, hosting organisation, and the participant must agree on a learning agreement (or a similar document) specifying the participant’s expected learning outcomes. For courses and training, a course programme can be used in place of a learning agreement.

After the activity, the participant’s achieved learning outcomes must be recognised by issuing a Europass Mobility or a similar document. The beneficiary organisation must keep a copy of the issued document as proof of having completed the activity. In addition, the National Agency may require that the beneficiary signs a grant agreement with the participant and keeps it as part of supporting documentation.

This requirement must be stated in the grant agreement. Group mobility of adult learners (2 to 30 days, at least two learners per group) Short-term learning mobility of adult learners (2 to 29 days) Long-term learning mobility of adult learners (30 to 365 days) In addition to physical mobility, all learner mobility activities can be blended with virtual learning activities.

The minimum and maximum durations specified above apply to the physical mobility component.

Implemented activities must fulfil the following qualitative requirements: Group mobility of adult learners : a group of adult learners from the sending organisation can spend time in another country to benefit from innovative learning organised through cooperation between the sending and hosting organisations (purchase of commercially available training services is not supported).

Activities may include a combination of various formal, informal and non-formal learning methods and techniques, such as peer learning, work-based learning, volunteering, and other innovative approaches. Qualified trainers from the sending organisation must accompany the learners for the entire duration of the activity and take part in the implementation of the learning programme.

The content of group mobility activities should focus on key competences of adult learners or the inclusion and diversity, digital, environmental sustainability and participatory dimensions of the programme. Short-term learning mobility of adult learners : adult learners can spend a period abroad at a hosting organisation to improve their knowledge and skills. An individual learning programme must be defined for each participant.

The learning programme may include a combination of various formal, informal and non-formal learning methods. Long-term learning mobility of adult learners : adult learners can spend a longer period abroad at a hosting organisation to improve their knowledge and skills. An individual learning programme must be defined for each participant.

The learning programme may include a combination of various formal, informal and non-formal learning methods. Please note that the difference between group and individual activity formats is not based on travelling and accommodation arrangements, but rather on requirements for collective or individual learning programmes, as described below under ‘Documentation of learning outcomes’.

Accordingly, a different level of organisational support is provided for group and individual activities, as defined in the funding rules presented at the end of this chapter.

The group mobility format is recommended for simple activities that make use of existing resources and content, while individual formats are better suited for activities that require specific investment from the sending and receiving organisations (including in cases where several participants will be travelling and staying together).

Eligible participants are learners benefitting from adult education programmes or activities at the sending organisation. When selecting participants, all projects should aim for an inclusive and balanced mix of participant profiles and significant involvement of participants with fewer opportunities, in line with the objectives of the action.

Activities must take place abroad, in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme. Activities must take place in the country where the host organisation is legally established. Each mobility activity can take place in only one country Group mobility of adult learners must take place at the hosting organisation.

Exceptionally, activities can take place at another venue in the country of the hosting organisation, if justified by the content and quality of the activity. In this case, travel of participants from the hosting organisation to the venue will not be considered as a transnational mobility activity. Additional funds therefore cannot be requested for this purpose.

In addition, group mobility of adult learners can take place at a seat of an Institution of the European Union if the activity is organised at or in cooperation with an EU institution Documentation of learning outcomes Requirements for documentation of learning outcomes are established in the Erasmus quality standards and further elaborated in the project grant agreement.

Individual mobility activities: before the activity, the sending organisation, hosting organisation, and the participant must agree on a learning agreement (or a similar document) specifying the participant’s expected learning outcomes. After the activity, the participant’s achieved learning outcomes must be recognised by issuing a Europass Mobility or a similar document.

The beneficiary organisation must keep a copy of the issued document as proof of having completed the activity. In addition, the National Agency may require that the beneficiary signs a grant agreement with the participant and keeps it as part of supporting documentation. This requirement must be stated in the grant agreement.

Group mobility activities: a learning programme must be defined for the whole group (individual learning agreements are not required). After the activity, beneficiary organisation must keep the learning programme and a participants list (including accompanying persons) as proof of having completed the activity.

Other supported activities Invited experts (2 to 60 days) Hosting teachers and educators in training (10 to 365 days) Implemented activities must fulfil the following qualitative requirements: Invited experts : organisations can invite trainers, teachers, policy experts or other qualified professionals from abroad who can help improve the teaching, training and learning at the receiving organisation.

For example, invited experts may provide training to the receiving organisation’s staff, demonstrate new teaching methods or help transfer good practices in organisation and management. Hosting teachers and educators in training : applicant organisations can host teachers in training who want to spend a traineeship period abroad.

Invited experts can be any persons from another EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, who can provide expertise and training relevant for the needs and objectives of the organisation that invites them.

Hosting teachers and educators in training is available for participants who are enrolled in or recently graduated from a teacher education programme (or a similar kind of education programme for trainers or educators) in another EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. Funding support can be provided for their participation if a grant for the same purpose is not provided by the sending institution.

Preparatory visits can take place in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme. The venue for invited experts and teachers in training is always the beneficiary organisation (including consortium members). Documentation of learning outcomes For invited experts, the learning programme that the expert will deliver must be agreed with the hosting organisation before the activity.

After the activity, the beneficiary organisation must keep the executed learning programme as proof of having completed the activity. For hosted teachers and educators in training, requirements described for individual learner mobility activities are applicable. What is a preparatory visit?

A preparatory visit is a visit to a prospective hosting organisation by staff from the sending organisation with the purpose of better preparing a learner or staff mobility activity. When can a preparatory visit be organised? Each preparatory visit must have a clear reasoning and must serve to improve inclusiveness, scope and quality of mobility activities.

For example, preparatory visits can be organised to better prepare mobility of participants with fewer opportunities, to start working with a new partner organisation, or to prepare longer mobility activities. Preparatory visits can be organised in preparation for any type of learner or staff mobility, except ‘courses and training’. Who can take part in a preparatory visit?

Preparatory visits can be carried out by any persons eligible for staff mobility activities and involved in the organisation of the project. Exceptionally, learners who will take part in long-term learning mobility and participants with fewer opportunities in any type of activity can take part in preparatory visits for their activities. A maximum of three persons can take part in a preparatory visit.

Where can preparatory visits take place? Preparatory visits take place at the premises of the prospective hosting organisation, or any other venue where mobility activities are planned to take place. Rules applicable to venues of staff and learner mobility activities apply also to preparatory visits linked to those activities.

Only one preparatory visit can be organised per hosting organisation. Short-term projects for mobility of learners and staff in adult education Short-term projects for mobility of learners and staff are a straightforward and simple way to benefit from Erasmus+. Their purpose is to allow organisations to set up a few activities in an easy way and to gain experience in the Programme.

In order to stay simple, short-term projects include a limit on the number of participants and the duration of the project. The format is open only to individual organisations and not to consortium coordinators. Accredited organisations cannot apply for short-term projects since they already have permanent access to Erasmus+ funding.

The application for short-term projects includes a list and description of activities that the applicant organisation plans to organise. Eligible organisations: who can apply?

The following organisations are eligible Organisations providing formal, informal and non-formal adult education Local and regional public authorities, coordination bodies and other organisations with a role in the field of adult education Organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation in adult education cannot apply for short-term projects.

Applicant organisations must be established in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme Country. Applications are submitted to the National Agency of the country where the applicant organisation is established. Round 1 (for all National Agencies): 19 February at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time) Round 2: National Agencies may decide to open a second deadline (Round 2).

In this case, the National Agency will inform the applicants through its website. For Round 2 applicants have to submit their applications by 1 October at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time) .

Projects can choose the following start dates: Round 1: between 1 June and 31 December of the same year Round 2 (if open): between 1 January and 31 May of the following year Per selection round, an organisation may apply for only one short-term project in the field of adult education.

Organisations that receive a grant for a short-term project under the first round of applications may not apply for the second round of the same call for proposals. Within a period of any five consecutive call years, organisations may receive a maximum of three grants for short-term projects in the field of adult education. Grants received in the 2014-2020 period do not count towards this limit.

All types of activities for adult education. For a detailed list and rules, see section ’Activities’. To be eligible, applications must include at least one staff or learner mobility activity.

An application for a short-term project can include a maximum of 30 participants in mobility activities. Preparatory visits and participation of accompanying persons will not count towards this limit. A supporting organisation is an organisation assisting a beneficiary organisation in practical aspects of project implementation that do not concern core project tasks.

Core project tasks include financial management of the programme funds, contact with the National Agency, reporting on implemented activities, as well as all decisions that directly affect the content, quality and results of the implemented activities (such as the choice of activity type, duration, and the hosting organisation, definition and evaluation of learning outcomes), etc..

Involvement of a supporting organisation is subject to approval of the National Agency. The role and obligations of supporting organisations must be formally defined between them and the beneficiary organisation. The supporting organisation acts under the supervision of the beneficiary organisation, who remains ultimately responsible for the results and quality of implemented activities.

All contributions of supporting organisations must comply with the Erasmus quality standards. In case of poor implementation of quality standards or other form of failure to comply with these requirements, the National Agency may request that the beneficiary stop receiving assistance for certain tasks and implements them itself. If the beneficiary does not comply, the National Agency may terminate the grant agreement.

Hosting organisations that provide learning content and mentoring to the beneficiary organisation’s participants are not considered supporting organisations, unless they are at the same time supporting the beneficiary in other project management tasks that are normally performed by the sending organisation.

Selection criteria, exclusion criteria and rules on original content and authorship Applicants must have sufficient operational and financial capacity to implement the proposed project. Applicants must submit a signed declaration on their honour, certifying that they are not in any of the situations referred to in the exclusion criteria listed in Part C of this Guide .

In addition, by signing the declaration, the applicants will certify that the submitted application contains original content authored by them, and that no other organisations or external individuals have been paid for drafting the application. Please read Part C of this Guide for more information about the selection criteria, exclusion criteria and rules on original content and authorship.

Submitted applications will be assessed by assigning points out of a total of 100, based on the below criteria and scores.

To be considered for award, applications must pass the following thresholds: at least 60 out of the total 100 points, and at least half of the maximum points in each of the three award criteria categories below Relevance (maximum score: 20 points) the applicant’s profile, experience, activities and target population of learners are relevant for the field of adult education the project proposal is relevant for the objectives of the action the proposal is relevant for the respect and promotion of shared EU values, such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as fighting any sort of discrimination the project proposal is relevant for the following specific priorities: ­supporting newcomers and less experienced organisations ­supporting participants with fewer opportunities Quality of project design (maximum score: 50 points) the proposed project objectives address the needs of the applicant organisation, its staff and learners in a clear and concrete way the proposed activities are appropriate for the achievement of the project objectives the operational and logistical aspects of the project design (such as proposed venues) are appropriate and cost-effective the project incorporates environmentally sustainable and responsible practices the project incorporates the use of digital tools (particularly EPALE) and learning methods to complement their physical mobility activities, and to improve the cooperation with hosting partner organisations Quality of follow-up actions (maximum score: 30 points) the applicant has clearly defined the tasks and responsibilities for delivery of activities in accordance with Erasmus quality standards the applicant has proposed concrete and logical steps to integrate the results of mobility activities in the organisation’s regular work the applicant has