As a European funding programme, Erasmus+ offers our university a wide range of opportunities in worldwide higher education cooperation with Erasmus+ Partner Countries and Programme Countries. The Erasmus+ programme has given rise to a number of partnerships. Experience abroad for students, lecturers and university staff is at the heart of the funding programme, which supports international university cooperation in teaching and study.

Erasmus+ generation 2021 to 2027

The EU is stepping up funding, earmarking more than €26 billion for Erasmus+ in the multiannual financial framework, 2021 to 2027.

The Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021 to 2027 (ECHE) entitles our university to participate in the Erasmus+ programme from 2021 to 2027. Our specific programme objectives are set forth in an Erasmus policy statement for Higher Education 2021–2027.

At our university, the International Centre is responsible for the central coordination of the programme. Our Erasmus+ university coordinator is Anne Vorpagel.

There are three Erasmus+ Key Actions, which is the collective name for activities and projects that can be funded in the area of higher education:

  • Funding of mobility
  • Promotion of cooperative projects
  • “Erasmus+ policy support”

The Key Actions are complemented by Jean Monnet Activities and funding for sports projects

  • Erasmus+ Programme Countries are the 27 EU Member States, Turkey, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Republic of Macedonia and Serbia.
  • Partner Countries are the neighbouring countries of the EU, countries of the regions of Asia, Central Asia, Latin America, the ACP countries (African, Caribbean and Pacific states) and other industrialised countries.
  • The UK (mobility funding through Erasmus+ and Turing Scheme) and Switzerland (mobility funding through Swiss European Mobility Programme - SEMP) are among the partner countries.

Promoting Mobility

Within Key Action 1: “Learning Mobility of Individuals” we support the academic exchange of staff between our university and institutions in Partner and Programme Countries. Browse international exchange places to study as well as teach abroad.

As part of Erasmus+ "Credit Mobility between Programme Countries", we can support our students and our teaching and university staff during periods abroad at institutions in Programme Countries.

Our university’s International Centre is responsible for central coordination of the Erasmus+ programme.

Student mobility

In this Erasmus+ programme generation, funding is available not just for long-term individual mobility, but also for short-term stays in the form of a "mixed learning fomat" (combination of virtual and physical mobility). For example "Blended Intensive Programmes" (BIP) provide for joint curricular offerings with European partner universities that combine short face-to-face teaching-learning activities with a virtual component. Due to limited functionality of the digital tools and the great administrative effort for all parties involved, our university will not be coordinating new Erasmus+ BIPs. As soon as the conditions in terms of functionality and effort are met, new calls will be made.
The physical short stays can last from five to 30 days. A maximum of 7 funding day-rates is allocated per participant. Participation in BIPs coordinated by partner universities will be possible for students on a very limited basis if

  • these take place within the Arqus Alliance;
  • students cannot complete long-term mobility due to financial, health and study structure reasons.

Staff mobility

Spending time at our university

Given our institutional links with partner institutions in the Programme Countries, under Erasmus+ members of international universities have the opportunity to stay with us in return:

Inter-institutional agreement

Mobility can be funded if an inter-institutional agreement is in place with a higher education institution in a Programme Country. Agreements are prepared by the Erasmus+ coordinators at the faculties and institutes in consultation with the foreign cooperation partners and digitally finalised by our university’s International Centre. Arrangements on the mutual recognition of academic achievements and on the integration of teaching stays into the curriculum at both institutions form the basis of such agreements.

Erasmus+ coordinators

Dedicated Erasmus+ coordinators are authorised by the deans to assume organisational responsibility for Erasmus+ mobility. They are responsible for

  • the conceptual design of the Erasmus+ cooperation for student and staff mobility (except for mobility cooperations within joint study programmes, which are managed through the responsible person of the degree programme)
  • the subject-related arrangements for acaemic mobility in an inter-institutional agreement
  • selecting participants

Erasmus+ "International Credit Mobility between Programme and Partner Countries" means that it is also possible to provide financial support for study, teaching and training visits to selected partner institutions in the Erasmus+ Partner Countries.

Currently the following insitutions of Higher Education are eligible for funding:

  • Ethiopa (University in Addis Abeba)
  • Benin (IRGIB Africa)
  • Bosnien and Herzegovina (University of Sarajevo)
  • Ghana (KNUST)
  • Israel (Universities in Jerusalem, Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv, Bar Ilan, Haifa)
  • Jordan (Jordan German University in Amman)
  • Cameroon (UniversityYaoundé 1)
  • Kenia (Mount Kenia University)
  • Kosovo (University Prishtina)
  • Republic of Moldau (Universities Balti, Cahul, Chisinau)
  • Montenegro (University Podgorica)
  • Mozambique (Universities Rovuma and Maputo)
  • Nigeria (University in Ibadan)
  • Ruwanda (INES Ruhengeri)
  • South Africa (University in Stellenbosch)
  • Tansania (University in Dar es Salaam)
  • Ukraine (Universities in Kiew, Lviv, Akademy Kiew-Mohyla)

In the previous programme generation (2014 – 2020), Leipzig was among the highest funded universities in Germany. Since 2015, we have been promoting exchanges with a total of 60 partner universities outside Europe in 29 countries worldwide. Students, doctoral candidates and employees, especially in the philological and social sciences, in theology, chemistry, pharmacy, computer science and theatre studies, can benefit from Erasmus+ all over the world.

Our International Centre is in charge of applications and implementing Erasmus+ funding projects for subject-based exchanges.

One special feature of this part of Erasmus+ is our university’s responsibility for supporting stays by members of the foreign partner institutions at out faculties and institutions.

Support is available for academic stays at institutions in eligible Partner Countries

as well as for academic stays at our university

We provide further information on the intranet.

enlarge the image: Foto: Eine Gruppe internationaler Studierender betrachtet eine Weltkugel und zeigen sich gegenseitig ihre Heimatländer
Studying together at our university can connect students across the globe. Photo: Christian Hüller

Promoting cooperative projects

Within Key Action 2: “Cooperation among organisations and institutions”, the European Union supports partnerships and collaborative projects with institutions in Programme and Partner Countries.

Erasmus+ offers various funding lines for this purpose, which can be used to support and fund partnerships and collaborative projects on request.

Erasmus+ “Cooperation Partnerships” promote structured cooperation between European organisations to support their internationalisation activities.

  • Horizontal priorities:
    • inclusion and diversity
    • digital transformation
    • environment and fight against climate change
    • common values, civic engagement and participation
  • Sector specific priorities in the field of higher education:
    • promoting inter-connected higher education systems
    • stimulating innovative learning and teaching practices
    • developing STEM/STEAM in higher education, in particular women participation in STEM
    • rewarding excellence in learning, teaching and skills development
    • building inclusive higher education systems
    • supporting digital and green capabilities of the higher education sector

Information about the programme and the application procedure is available on the Erasmus+ website of the European Commission.

Current examples of Cooperation Partnerships are presented on the Project funding page.

Since 2004, the EU’s Erasmus Mundus excellence programme has been encouraging European universities to pursue the internationalisation of their degree programmes. The so-called Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMD) are now part of the EU’S wider Erasmus+ programme.

The aim is to internationalise curricula within the European Higher Education Area in cooperation with Partner Countries. This goal is achieved by implementing integrated master’s programmes in a consortium of at least three European partner universities, including:

  • the awarding of degrees together in the form of joint double or multiple degrees, and
  • support for qualified student mobility through scholarships integrated into the programme for the mandatory period abroad.

This selection process is highly competitive and the inclusion of a degree programme in the Erasmus Mundus funding framework is a special distinction in terms of curricular quality. This presupposes the successful establishment of a degree programme prior to application.

The Erasmus+ Programme (2021 – 2027) offers two funding lines for higher education cooperation under the Erasmus Mundus programme to support transnational courses of excellence for highly qualified students:

  • Erasmus Mundus Joint Master: Transnational degree programmes of excellence for highly qualified students leading to a multiple or joint degree make the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master (EMJM) programme line an attractive funding instrument for European higher education institutions.
  • Erasmus Mundus Design Measures: This funding line supports preparatory measures for the development of a transnational joint Master's degree programme.

Information about the programme and the application procedure is available on the European Commission's Erasmus+ website and from the Executive Agency of the EU Commission (EACEA).

Current examples of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees are presented on the Project funding page.

Capacity building projects support the relevance, quality, modernisation and responsiveness of higher education in third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme for socio-economic recovery, growth and prosperity through joint projects in the following areas:

  • modernising higher education administration and management
  • promoting innovation and strengthening the connection of higher education institutions with society
  • quality and relevance of education
  • inclusion
  • structural reforms

Information about the programme and the application procedure is available on the European Commission's Erasmus+ website and from the Executive Agency of the EU Commission (EACEA).

Jean Monnet Actions support teaching and research in the field of European Union studies worldwide. By EU studies it is meant the study of Europe in its entirety, with particular emphasis on the EU dimension, from an internal but also from a global perspective. 

The following forms are supported:

  • Modules
  • Chairs
  • Centres of Excellence

Information about the programme and the application procedure is available on the European Commission's Erasmus+ website and from the Executive Agency of the EU Commission (EACEA).

Current examples of Jean Monnet Activities are presented on the Project funding page.

The European Commission's Erasmus+ website provides information on further funding lines.

You may also like

Teaching, research and training abroad

Read more

University and faculty partnerships

Read more

Project funding

Read more

Alumni International

Read more