Yesterday, today, tomorrow - how does Erasmus+ work at German universities?
More than 300 university representatives met at the Erasmus+ Annual Conference of the National Agency in the DAAD (NA DAAD) at our university on September 19 and 20, 2023. They discussed the status of the Erasmus+ program under the title "Erasmus+ at my university - State of Play, Opportunities and Challenges". The EU program Erasmus+ stands for education and exchange in Europe. It is the European Union's success program in all areas of education: Over 13 million young people - pupils, trainees, students or university employees - have participated in it over the past 36 years. One million of these come from German universities alone - and the number increases by almost 50,000 every year.
ERASMUS has long since ceased to be a niche program
Dr. Stephan Geifes, Director of the NA DAAD, explained the idea of the annual conference in this context as follows: "The Erasmus+ program is offered at all German universities. Students, lecturers and university staff use it to set out across Europe and the world to learn and exchange with people in other countries. With a budget of 200 million euros this year for mobilities alone, it is the largest internationalization program at German universities. In addition, there are numerous project sponsorships, for example the funding of so-called European university alliances, such as EU GREEN is one. The great growth of the past years as well as the qualitative changes, especially the worldwide opening, have increased the importance of the Erasmus program at universities. It has long ceased to be a niche program of mobility in undergraduate studies, but addresses the entire university. The new opportunities go hand in hand with growing tasks in designing the program at the universities, i.e. coordination between the international offices and the faculties is becoming increasingly important. The same applies to the entire university: from the university management for the strategy to the IT for the technical implementation. Using successful practical examples, the Erasmus+ coordinators, who are responsible for implementing the program at the universities, showed how they enable the mobility of 50,000 people. At the same time, they pointed out the necessary support for their work from the program and their own university. The Erasmus program stands on two strong pillars: academia, which implements it, and politics, which supports it. Both were present at the meeting."
Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Strackeljan opened the event together with DAAD Vice President Dr. Muriel Helbig, who is also President of the TH Lübeck. Both underlined the importance of the Erasmus program, for the internationalization of their universities as well as the overall societal and global value, due to the influence in the universities. Finally, Helbig noted that Erasmus+ is a brand that stands for internationalization in higher education like no other.
The importance of the program was also underlined by Dr. Jens Brandenburg, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, in his video greeting. He praised the work of the universities and the results of Erasmus+ as an "unparalleled success story" that stands for broadening horizons, international exchange, equal opportunities and peaceful coexistence. He made clear: "Erasmus+ depends on good cooperation with the universities, as only they can fill the program with life." Brandenburg sees the annual conference as "a platform for a joint exchange of ideas and experiences" and called for people to seize this opportunity and be inspired for new impulses for the future of Erasmus+. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is responsible for the Erasmus+ program at the federal level and finances, among other things, the National Agency for Erasmus+ University Cooperation in the DAAD to manage EU funds and pass them on to German universities.
From theory into practice
On both days, NA DAAD as well as project managers from the universities additionally presented their practical experiences in 14 thematically different sessions to inform colleagues, motivate them, break down hurdles and discuss questions. An offer that was very gladly accepted. For example, one session provided insights into the strategic use of various funding opportunities with tips for creating synergies, or in another, one learned what the digitization trends in administration and teaching mean for the strategies of universities. The recognition of achievements in the Erasmus+ semester, the significance of Macron's European Universities or, for example, internal communication for information about the program as well as its opportunities and successes were also addressed in corresponding offerings. One topic was common to all sessions, the possibilities to integrate the program advantageously into the strategy of the university and to create synergies with the different areas and service departments. In these rounds, the conference guests also had the opportunity to agree on future formats of the European exchange program and to discuss current developments and challenges in European university cooperation. They also discussed how urgently needed resources for the now very complex program can be acquired in the future.
After two days of intensive discussion of the opportunities and challenges of the program, it became clear that the continued success of Erasmus+ requires the support of all stakeholders in the universities. The heart of the Erasmus coordinators beats for the educational program for "understanding people" within the EU; they support it through an above-average, personal commitment in the academic international offices of the universities. The meeting acknowledged this role and at the same time emphasized the need to further support the coordinators.
Susanne Reich