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Call key data
Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges in Neighbourhood East
Funding Program
Erasmus+ - Key Action 1 – Learning Mobility of Individuals
Call number
ERASMUS-EDU-2025-VIRT-EXCH-NE
deadlines
Opening
05.12.2024
Deadline
29.04.2025 17:00
Funding rate
95%
Call budget
€ 1,830,870.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
max. € 500,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
Virtual exchanges projects consist of online people-to-people activities that promote intercultural dialogue and soft skills development. They make it possible for every young person to access high-quality international and cross-cultural education without physical mobility. While virtual debating or training does not fully replace the benefits of physical mobility, participants in virtual exchanges ought to reap some of the benefits of international educational experiences. Digital platforms represent a valuable tool in partially answering the global constraints on mobility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual exchanges also help spreading European values. Moreover, in some cases, virtual exchanges can give ideas and prepare the ground for future physical exchanges not funded under this action.
Call objectives
Virtual exchanges in higher education and youth take place in small groups and are always moderated by a trained facilitator. They should be easily integrated into youth (non-formal education) projects or higher education courses. Virtual exchanges can draw participants from both sectors, even if, depending on specific projects, they could involve participants from either only one of them or from both. All projects under this call will involve organisations and participants coming from both EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme in eligible regions.
The action will aim to:
- encourage intercultural dialogue with third countries not associated to the Programme and increase tolerance through online people-to-people interactions, building on digital, youth-friendly technologies;
- promote various types of virtual exchanges as a complement to Erasmus+ physical mobility, allowing more young people to benefit from intercultural and international experience;
- enhance critical thinking and media literacy, particularly in the use of internet and social media, such as to counter discrimination, indoctrination, polarization and violent radicalisation;
- foster the digital and soft skills development of students, young people and youth workers, including the practice of foreign languages and teamwork, notably to enhance employability;
- promote citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education;
- strengthen the youth dimension in the relations of the EU with third countries.
The Virtual Exchanges should be organised in one or more of the following thematic areas, which correspond to the priorities of the Erasmus+ Programme:
- Inclusion and diversity;
- Digital transformation;
- Environment and fight against climate change;
- Participation in democratic life, common values and civic engagement.
Within this broad framework, since virtual Exchanges are a bottom-up initiative, participating organisations are free to choose the topics on which they will focus, but proposals must demonstrate their expected impact in relation to one or more of the objectives mentioned above (see also ‘Expected impact’ section below). Gender aspects should be taken into account as needed, depending on the projects’ scope and themes (e.g. by introducing gender sensitivity aspects in the trainings). Special attention needs to be given to the inclusion of socially and economically vulnerable people and persons unable to apply for physical mobility.
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Expected effects and impacts
The activities and outputs of the different projects will aim at reaching a positive impact in relation to the objectives of the call that, while varying in accordance with the projects’ specificities, should be closely connected to the learning dimension of the virtual exchanges.
Each project proposal should include information on this expected impact. Applicants are encouraged to foresee feedback from participating individuals and organisations, particularly as for the learning value, when reporting about the projects’ impact.
Expected results
Projects will be funded based on work plans that integrate online cooperation activities, including:
- Online-facilitated discussions between young people of youth organisations based in different countries as part of youth projects. They could include role playing simulations;
- Training for youth workers willing to develop a virtual exchange project with colleagues from other countries;
- Facilitated online discussions between students of higher education institutions based in different countries as part of higher education degrees;
- Training for university professors/staff willing to develop a virtual exchange project with colleagues from other countries;
- Interactive open online courses including traditional course materials such as filmed lectures, readings, and problem sets (like the well-known MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses, but putting an emphasis on interactive user forums in small groups to support community interactions among students, professors, teaching assistants, young people and youth workers).
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Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Armenia (Հայաստան), Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Liechtenstein, North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна)
eligible entities
Education and training institution, International organization, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 4 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions:
- Minimum 4 independent entities (no affiliated entities) from 4 different eligible countries;
- Minimum 2 higher education institutions or youth organisations from 2 EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and 2 higher education institutions or youth organisations from 2 eligible third countries not associated to the Programme belonging to the same eligible region;
- Organisations from different eligible regions cannot participate in the same project. Cross-regional projects are not eligible;
- The number of organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme must not be higher than the number of organisationsfrom third countries not associated to the Programme.
Only beneficiaries (not affiliated entities) count for the consortium composition. Associated partners do not count for the consortium composition.
The applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities, if applicable) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) and may fall under the following categories:
- Entities active in the field of higher education or youth (non-formal education),
- Youth organisations,
- Higher education institutions, associations or organisations of higher education institutions, as well as legally recognised national or international rector, teacher or student organisations.
These entities must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- An EU Member State,
- A third country associated to the Programme, or
- A third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region. The eligible regions covered by this action are Regions 1, 2, 3 and 9.
The coordinating organisation must be a youth organisation or higher education institutation and be legally established and located in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. The coordinating organisation applies on behalf of all participating organisations involved in the project. It cannot be an affiliated entity.
Organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme cannot be coordinators.
Other entities may participate in other consortium roles, such as associated partners. Exception: organisations from Belarus and Russia are not eligible to participate in this action as associated partners.
Activities must take place in the countries of the participating organisations.
other eligibility criteria
This action follows a lump-sum funding model. The amount of the single lump-sum contribution will be determined for each grant based on the estimated budget of the action proposed by the applicant.
The maximum EU grant per project is EUR 500 000. Beneficiaries can receive at most EUR 200 per Virtual Exchange participant (i.e., young participant or facilitator). For example, beneficiaries receiving the maximum grant of EUR 500 000 must involve at least 2 500 participants in virtual exchanges. The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.
Financial support to third parties in the form of grants or prizes is not allowed.
Costs for financial audits are not allowed.
Volunteer costs are allowed. They shall take the form of unit costs as defined in the to the Commission Decision on unit costs for volunteers.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
project duration
36 months
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
To submit an Erasmus+ project, applicants must follow the four steps described below.
- Registration. Each applicant must be registered as follows:
- For actions managed by the Executive Agency, applicants, affiliated entities, and associated partners must register in the Funding & Tenders Portal and receive a Participant Identification Code (PIC). Organisations/groups that have already obtained a PIC through their participation in other EU progrommes do not need to register again. The PIC obtained from this previous registration is valid also for applying under Erasmus+;
- For actions managed by National Agencies, applicants must, if not already done, register through the Organisation Registration system for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps and receive an Organisation ID.
- Check the compliance with the programme criteria for the relevant Action/field;
- Check the financial conditions;
- Fill in and submit the application form.
Applications (Part B) are limited to 40 pages for calls for low value grants (EUR 60 000 or below), 120 pages for calls with high value grants (EUR 4 000 000), and 70 for all other calls. The following actions make exception to this rule: 40 pages for “Capacity Building in Higher Education” (CBHE) and 70 pages for the action Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters. Evaluators will not consider any additional pages.
Call documents
Erasmus + Programme Guide 2025Erasmus + Programme Guide 2025(5820kB)
Contact
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