For over 25 years, Europe has funded the Erasmus
programme, which has enabled over 3 million European students to spend part of
their studies in another higher education institution (HEI) elsewhere in
Europe. Erasmus+ now opens up these opportunities to students and staff from
other parts of the world.
Under international credit mobility, a HEI in a Partner
Country can send its students, doctoral candidates or staff to a partner HEI in
a Programme Country, and vice versa. Students or doctoral candidates are able
to study abroad for a limited period of 3 to 12 months for which credits are
obtained. After the mobility phase, the students return to their sending
institution to complete their studies. Similarly, staff can spend a teaching
and/or training period abroad for up to 2 months.
The Erasmus+
programme refers to 'Programme Countries' and 'Partner Countries'.
Programme
Countries are those
countries participating fully in the Erasmus+ programme. To do so, they have
set up a National Agency and contribute financially to the programme. The 33
Programme Countries are:
- The 28 EU
Member States, and;
- Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey.
Partner Countries are all the other countries in
the world, grouped together in different regions. Not all Partner Countries are
eligible for international credit mobility. Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San
Marino, the Vatican City State, as well as Iran, Iraq, Yemen and the countries
of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and
United Arab Emirates) are not eligible for international credit mobility.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/education/opportunities/international-cooperation/documents/mobility-faqs_en.pdf
