Erasmus+ mid-term evaluation

Results of EUA’s membership consultation

Erasmus+ mid-term review (DG EAC)Assessment of:• Effectiveness & efficiency• Continued relevance of objectives• Further simplification• Impact previous programme generations

20162015 2017 2018 2019+

Evaluation 4Q 2015 – 4Q 2017

Public Consultation3/2017

National Agency Reports Proposal for a

new programme

EC report

Erasmus +: all education sectors and actions under one programme

• KEY ACTION 1 – MOBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS Students and staff

• International Mobility – Third Countries Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees Erasmus+ Master Loans

• KEY ACTION 2 – COOPERATION FOR INNOVATION AND THE EXCHANGE OF GOOD PRACTICES Strategic Partnerships Knowledge Alliances – enterprise Capacity-building – third countries (Neighbourhood, Development)

• KEY ACTION 3 – SUPPORT FOR POLICY REFORM

EUA member consultation on Erasmus+• General E+ questionnaire• Specific questionnaires on each action & sub-action• 65% from international office staff• 218 institutions• 36 countries • Evaluation by countries & size of institutions

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 79 10

1921 22 23

31

Sample distribution

EUA member non-member n= 218

General attitudes towards E+

It has less administrative burden

It is easier to implement

The programme rules are easier to follow

The new programme structure makes things easier

It is easier to apply

It is more flexible in the use of the grants (allocation and reallocation to different purposes within the budgets)

It offers better opportunities for collaboration with European university partners

It offers better opportunities for collaboration and exchange with partners outside of the higher education sector (industry, schools, NGOs …)

It offers better opportunities for mobility

It offers better opportunities for collaboration and exchange with partners outside of Europe

12%

17%

18%

30%

31%

35%

37%

55%

56%

73%

16%

38%

37%

22%

41%

27%

47%

19%

32%

9%

65%

38%

38%

40%

22%

27%

9%

3%

7%

6%

7%

8%

7%

8%

7%

10%

7%

23%

6%

12%

Compared to the previous LLL programme 2007-2013, the new Erasmus+ programme…

Yes About the same No I do not known=218

General attitudes towards Erasmus+

•International credit mobility•Capacity building actions (rather than different regional programmes)•Strategic partnerships – open & flexible re topic and partners

Positive More opportunities for mobility & collaboration with non-university and international partners

•Student mobility: up to 12 documents to be submitted at home university•Knowledge Alliances for enterprise cooperation: an action with its own admin & funding rules

Negative Increased

administrative burden,

no real simplification.

Draft Recommendations1. Improve, rather than revamp

2. Simplification and streamlining

3. Improve funding

4. Better balance of political, social and sector needs

5. Ensure the European dimension

Erasmus+ awards in 2014Action Applications Awarded % awarded Total budget

Mill EUR% of total

budget

KA 1      1191  

Higher education student and staff mobility 3,765 3,620 71% 600.82 50%

Erasmus+ Joint Master Degrees 61 11 18% 21.24

KA2      346  

Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education 917 154 16.79% 42 12%

Capacity Building in the field of Youth          Knowledge Alliances 230 10 4% 8.43  

Source: Erasmus+ annual report 2014

Funding: Insufficient total funding – low success rates

• more grants needed, for Strategic Partnerships, Erasmus Joint Masters, and also for International Credit Student Mobility

Success rate

KA1 - Erasmus+ Joint Master Degrees 18%KA2 - Strategic Partnerships 16.79%

KA2 - Knowledge Alliances 4%

Source: Erasmus+ annual report 2014

Funding: Programme requires considerable amount of co-funding

60-70% respondents: obstacle for mobility and cooperation participation

Impact of socio-economic situation and also cost awareness.

Better cost coverage of staff costs (currently 294-39 EUR per day)

more flexibility for managing project budgets is needed, e.g. to fully cover travel cost (currently: fixed through distance calculator)

Old co-funding mechanism (75%) easier to apply

Better balance of political, social and sector needs

• KA 1 mobility: chances for better equity? Increase top-up for disadvantaged students (currently

100-200 EUR)• KA 1 International Student Mobility

Maintain Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood focus Create more grants for Latin America and industrialised

countries.

• Erasmus for refugees Create a multi-annual grant for a full study course (Bachelor,

Masters)?

October 2016: €10 million for Erasmus+ students and staff between Tunisia and Europe

Maintain/enhance the European dimension

• No further decentralisation

• Centralise KA2 Strategic Partnerships

• European added value

• international visibility

Systematic consultation and involvement of the ERASMUS+ higher

education community

University staff working with ERASMUS+ is highly committed. They should be systematically consulted on the improvement of the programme, e.g. for suggestions on the further development of the Programme Guide, the Mobility Tool etc.

Next steps• EUA member consultation report published in

November 2016 http://

eua.be/Libraries/publications-homepage-list/eua-membership-consultation-2016-mid-term-review-of-erasmus.pdf?sfvrsn=4

• Development of EUA’s recommendations include preliminary recommendation from report Input from NRCs (National level rectors’ conferences),

university members (tbc) To be published in time for public consultation (EC)

• EC consultation: tentatively March 2017

Links & further information

EUA’s member consultation on Erasmus+ survey reporthttp://eua.be/Libraries/publications-homepage-list/eua-membership-consultation-2016-mid-term-review-of-erasmus.pdf?sfvrsn=4

European Commission’s Erasmus+ mid-term evaluation roadmap & scope http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/roadmaps/docs/2015_eac_014_evaluation_erasmus_en.pdfES (ACA, 2016): ACA’s Study on National Agencies - for Cult Committee - Erasmus+: Decentralised Implementation-first Experience http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/585877/IPOL_STU(2016)585877_EN.pdf

Parliament’s DRAFT REPORT on the implementation of Council Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC. 2015/2327(INI) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+COMPARL+PE-587.695+01+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN