All institutions participating in the Erasmus programme have a contractual responsibility to promote Erasmus.

We can support institutions by providing soft copies of leaflets and case studies and some printed materials, such as posters, that can be used in mailings, open days or freshers' fairs. Please visit our promotional material page for soft copies of new publications. Printed items will be limited and only issued to participating institutions on a biannual basis.

Your institution’s own returning Erasmus students are the ideal promoters of the programme, so ensure you get them involved in talking to their fellow students about the programme and its many benefits. We are also trying to reach school students before they move on to Higher Education Institutions. If you have links with local schools, you should encourage your returning Erasmus students to visit and give a talk on their Erasmus experience to reach the next Erasmus generation. You could also use this as an opportunity to promote your own institution, so get your recruitment team involved.

Here are a few other ideas that might work for you:

• Ensure you have clear, easy-to-find information about Erasmus on your website and in your prospectus
• Create a Facebook Page for general promotion and engagement in your institution and a Facebook Group for all Erasmus students at your institution to join.'Like' the British Council Erasmus Facebook Page
• Place an Erasmus banner advert on your website
• Include postcards/flyers in first year students packs
• Include an Erasmus module on your Moodle or Blackboard – with forums and videos
• Have Erasmus screen-savers, adverts or weblinks on all university PCs
• Posters, library bookmarks, carrier bags, calendars
• Work with Erasmus societies/former Erasmus students – encourage Word of Mouth Marketing – the best form!
• Display film/multimedia/powerpoint on foyer TV screens. Share your films on the British Council Erasmus Youtube page
• Write case studies of former staff and students for website and local press
• Ask students to do a write-up and blog on their host city/town with useful, ‘inside’ hints and tips
• Hold Staff briefing evenings (offer a glass of wine!) and have staff who have taken part in Erasmus attend to spread the word.

The European Commission has also produced a handy toolkit guide to marketing and promotion. It is based around the Study in Europe programme but you will find much of the information is relevant to the promotion of Erasmus. This new tool, aimed principally at European higher education institutions that are looking to internationalise their activities, contains expert advice on the following themes:

Effective Marketing

Key Messages

Effective Planning for Cultural Diversity

Working with Education Agents

Supporting Alumni Relations

Media Relations

Press Releases

Higher Education Fairs

Use of the Internet

Use of the Study in Europe Promotional Tools

Download your copy here

If you have any other good ideas about publicising Erasmus that you would like to pass on and share with your colleagues, please let us know at erasmus.enquiries@britishcouncil.org

Good luck with all your promotional work!