1,345 students from all over the world have been awarded an Erasmus Mundus scholarship in 2017. Students from Brazil, India and Iran are the top beneficiaries.

New Delhi, 12 May, 2017: Indian students, with 63 scholarships, were the second largest beneficiary of the EU-funded Erasmus Mundus Programme, to study a Joint Masters degree in Europe. The grants will cover all the costs of their study, most of them lasting two years. Around 5,000 Indian students from all parts of India have already received Erasmus Mundus Masters scholarships between 2004 and 2016, making India the single largest beneficiary of the Programme.

The awardees for 2017 were selected from nearly 24,000 applicants. 25% of scholarships go to students from the EU and five other countries that have signed up and pay to take part in the Erasmus programme, with the other 75% going to students in partner countries.  Students from over 120 countries will benefit from the EU-funded scholarships.

Commissioner Navracsics cited the Erasmus Mundus degrees as "great examples" of universities working together across borders. "As we celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Erasmus, it is inspiring to see the international outlook that this EU funding programme has helped to foster in universities, students and staff."

Leading the ranking of sending countries is Brazil, with 79 scholarships, followed by India (63), Iran (59), Bangladesh (58) and Mexico (49). The US, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Philippines and Ukraine also figure prominently.

Currently, there are 100 Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters degree programmes on offer,  involving 513 institutions. Each programme is offered by a consortium of at least three higher education institutions, though most are larger, and participants study in at least two of the organising institutions.

New programmes on offer from this summer

Some 40 new Masters programmes will be added to the Erasmus Mundus catalogue this summer, enlarging the choice available future scholarship applicants. The existing offer already covers a wide range of subjects, from astrophysics and nanotechnology to economics and business. The application period for the next selection round will run from October 2017 to January 2018.

Launched in 2004, the Erasmus Mundus Masters external scholarships have already benefited more than 21,000 students. Since 2014, they have formed part of Erasmus+, which now supports not only higher education students but also volunteers, apprentices, teachers and athletes, as well as organisations in the field of education, training, youth and sport.

Links:

Erasmus Mundus

Erasmus+

Erasmus@30:http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-83_en.htm; https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/anniversary_en

BACKGROUND NOTES

Erasmus is one of the most successful programmes of the European Union. For three decades, it has been offering in particular young people opportunities to gain new experiences and broaden their horizons by going abroad. What started as a modest mobility scheme for higher education students back in 1987, with only 3,200 students in its first year, has developed over the last 30 years into a flagship programme benefiting almost 300,000 higher education students per year. At the same time, the programme has become much broader, providing opportunities for study periods and traineeships/apprenticeships for both higher education and vocational education and training,, youth exchanges, volunteering and staff exchanges in all fields of education, training, youth and sport. Erasmus+ is also more open to people from disadvantaged backgrounds than any of its predecessors.

The geographical scope of the programme has expanded from 11 countries in 1987 to 33 currently (all 28 EU Member States as well as Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

The current Erasmus+ programme, running from 2014 to 2020, has a budget of €14.7 billion and will provide opportunities for over 4 million people to study, train, gain work experience and volunteer abroad. The programme also supports transnational partnerships between education, training and youth institutions as well as actions in the area of sport to contribute to developing its European dimension and tackle major cross-border threats. Moreover, the programme promotes teaching and research activities on European integration through Jean Monnet actions.

Erasmus+

• Erasmus+ is the European Union's main programme supporting education, training, youth and sport for the period up to 2020. India was the largest single beneficiary outside of the EU. Between 2004 and 2016 around 5,000 Indian students from all parts of India have received Erasmus scholarships. New opportunities are now being offered, primarily for higher education institutions (HEIs), staff and students, meaning that doors are open to even more Indian participation.

• Erasmus+ has a budget of €14.7 billion with an additional €1.68 billion reserved for third country beneficiaries via the EU’s external action budget, in which Indian higher education institutions is expected to be the biggest beneficiary. 

Erasmus+ and India

• India is a Partner Country of the Erasmus+ Programme, which means that most actions, particularly in the fields of higher education, are open to India, Indian students and Indian higher education Institutions. A central focus of Erasmus+ funding will be cooperation projects to improve the quality of higher education as well as mobility for individuals.
• Information on available courses and funding opportunities can be obtained from the Erasmus+ website http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/index_en.htm.

Scholarships programmes and their criteria

Joint Master Degrees Programmes in cooperation with European HEIs: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) collaborate to form a consortium offering a Joint Master Degree Programme in which students study in at least two of the participating HEIs and receive a joint or double/multiple degree. Students apply directly to the consortium, and there is a competitive, worldwide selection for these scholarships. HEIs have a unique opportunity to develop major new courses with top-flight partners, attracting the best talent from around the world.

1. Credit mobility for students and staff mobility: By concluding an inter-institutional agreement with European HEIs, Indian institutions can send their own students or doctoral candidates for short-term mobility (up to 12 months) to partner institutions. The HEI must recognise the credits earned by their students while in Europe as counting towards their degree at home. Staff can receive grants for teaching or training assignments (5 days to 2 months) at the European HEI. Under the same agreement, the HEI can host European doctoral candidates or staff for short-term mobility.  Institutions from Erasmus+ Programme Partner Countries must submit their mobility project applications  to the National Agency in their country. HEIs from Partner Countries interested in taking part in credit mobility should therefore begin by contacting a partner university in a Programme Country, which will be able to apply for funding. 

1. Capacity building in higher education: HEIs can take part as the ‘Applicant’ in capacity-building projects involving a consortium of HEIs, with at least three coming from Erasmus+ Programme Countries. These projects can be joint projects to help HEIs from Partner Countries to develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, as well as  boost quality assurance and governance; or. Structural projects to develop and reform HEIs and systems in Partner Countries, enhance their quality and relevance, promote regional cooperation and increase convergence with international developments in higher education.

1. Jean Monnet Actions: Jean Monnet Actions support academic teaching and research (Chairs, Modules and Centres of Excellence), cooperation projects, conferences and publications in the field of EU studies. The establishment of postgraduate-level courses on European Union issues or promotion debate and exchanges on EU policy priorities are examples of activities that can be supported in this action. HEIs, as well as organisations and associations from all over the world can apply for Jean Monnet activities.