An Intensive Programme (IP) is a short programme of study (two to six weeks of subject related work) which brings together students and staff from higher education institutions in at least three participating countries in order to:

• Encourage efficient and multinational teaching of specialist topics which might otherwise not be taught at all, or only in a very restricted number of universities;
• Enable students and teachers to work together in multinational groups and so benefit from special learning and teaching conditions not available in a single institution, and to gain new perspectives on the topic being studied;
• Allow members of the teaching staff to exchange views on teaching content and new curricular approaches and to test teaching methods in an international classroom environment.

An IP can be a one-off activity or repeated over a limited number of years (maximum duration of funding three consecutive years, annual application). It may not consist of research activities or conferences, but should provide something new in terms of learning opportunities, skills development, access to information, etc. for the participating teachers and students. Applications are submitted to the National Agency in the country coordinating the IP, by the institution coordinating the IP on behalf of all the partners. All higher education institutions participating in the IP must hold the Erasmus University Charter. You can view the chart for UK Erasmus IP projects, institutions who participated and grant amounts for 2008/09.

Institutions interested in undertaking an IP should have completed an application form which you can find on our Apply page by 9 March 2012.

For further information please read the new IP leaflet, consult our IP FAQs and view the IP Presentation

Read a case study from St Mary's Belfast on their Intensive Programme on social inclusion in education.