At the end of 2013 some significant changes will take place to current European Commission funding programmes. This means that the current set of programmes under the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) and Youth in Action banner will come to a close. Here you can find information as it relates specifically to the Erasmus programme. For further information on the other programmes within LLP, please visit the joint National Agency Website

Erasmus University Charter

For the future programme for education, training and youth, which will start during the academic year 2014-2015, a new 'Erasmus for All' Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) will be required for any higher education activity under 'Erasmus for All'.

The 'Erasmus for All' programme aims at supporting the European modernisation and internationalisation agenda in higher education. By applying and signing the new Charter, the HEI confirms that its participation in Erasmus for All is part of its own strategy for modernisation and internationalisation. This strategy acknowledges the key contribution of student and staff mobility and of participation in international cooperation projects, to the quality of its higher education programmes and student experience. The programme 'Erasmus for All' aims in particular at reinforcing the quality of students and staff mobility and the monitoring of the institutions involved in it.

The new charter will be valid for the full period 2014-2020 and will replace the current Erasmus University Charter that will end with the academic year 2013-2014. All HEIs will have to fill in the application form that will be used for the selection and/or the monitoring of the HEI compliance with the Charter over the lifetime of the programme.

More details will be provided at the publication of the call (foreseen in February 2013).

Bilateral Agreements

For bilateral agreements the minimum requirements will also be revised to better reflect the new objectives of the future programme, which aims at reinforcing the impact at individual, institutional and systemic level. The new template will be published early in 2013 to allow HEIs to have the time to sign them with all their future partners before the first call foreseen to be published in October 2013. HEIS SHOULD WAIT FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THIS NEW TEMPLATE BEFORE RENEWING ANY BILATERAL AGREEMENT BEYOND THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2013- 2014.

HEIs from non-participating countries will not be required to apply to the new Charter. However the minimum requirements of the bilateral agreements will be strengthened as compared to intra-EU mobility to integrate most of the requirements of the Charter. A template will also be provided in due time (early 2013).