Erasmus+

The Erasmus+ program was launched at a time when the in the EU out of work were almost 6 million people – in some countries youth unemployment has exceeded 50%. At the same time, there were more than 2 million vacancies and a third of employers said they found it difficult to find workers with the right skills. This shows that there are significant skill gaps in Europe. Erasmus+ solves these gaps by giving people the opportunity to study, train, gain work experience or volunteer abroad.

Supporting the improvement of teaching and learning methods, new curricula, the professional development of education staff and those working with young people and fostering greater cooperation between businesses and educational institutions the quality and relevance of European education, training, youth institutions and systems is increasing.

What is Erasmus+?

Erasmus+ is the new 2014-2020 European Union program for education, training, youth and sport. It replaces several previous EU programs covering all sectors of education: the Lifelong Learning Program (Erasmus for Higher Education, Leonardo da Vinci for Vocational Training, Comenius for School Education and Grundtvig for Adult Education), as well as Youth in Action and five transnational programs (Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alpha, Edulink and the Industrialized Countries Program). Erasmus+ also supports sporting activities (especially amateur activities).

What is Erasmus+? An excuse to party in a foreign country? Nope, Erasmus stands for European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of Students. It’s a Higher Education exchange programme for students, teachers and institutions. Over two million students have done Erasmus since it first started in 1987. That’s a lot of mingling. Of course it isn’t all about socialising; Erasmus gives students the chance to study, do a work placement or work as a language assistant in another European country.

Erasmus+ aims to modernise education, training and youth work across Europe. It is open to education, training, youth and sport organisations across all sectors of lifelong learning, including school education, further and higher education, adult education and the youth sector. It offers exciting opportunities for UK participants to then study, work, volunteer, teach and train abroad in Europe.

Erasmus+ Policy Statement
Erasmus+ presentation

A New Phase of the Erasmus+ Programme
Over three decades, more than 10 million people have benefited from Erasmus+, almost half of them between 2014 and 2020. The new programme period, starting in 2021, has been allocated almost twice the previous budget and aims to provide opportunities for another 10 million people over the next seven years. The total Erasmus+ budget exceeds €26 billion.

Erasmus+ is considered one of the most successful initiatives in the history of the European Union. Since its launch in 1987, it has expanded to cover all education sectors, from early childhood education and schools to vocational education and training, higher education, non-formal learning and sport.

Panevėžio kolegija has been awarded the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021–2027. This enables us to continue offering valuable and engaging Erasmus+ mobility opportunities, allowing students and staff to gain knowledge and learn from good practices in other countries.

Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021–2027

What are the key actions to be taken to achieve the objectives of the Erasmus + program?

Key Action 1 (KA1) – Learning Mobility – to promote the mobility of students, trainees, teachers and other educational staff, young people in youth exchanges, youth workers and volunteers.
Key Action 2 (KA2) – Cooperation for innovation and the sharing of good practice – building and improving partnerships between education, training and youth institutions and organizations.
Key Action 3 (KA3) – Supporting policy reforms – to support dialogue and gather the information needed to reform education, training and youth systems.

Which countries can participate in Erasmus+?

The program is open to all Member States of the European Union, candidate countries to the EU, countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which have signed the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), the Swiss Confederation, provided that it has signed an international agreement; countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy, subject to a bilateral agreement. All countries participating in the program are divided into two groups – Program Countries and Partner Countries.

Erasmus+ Partners list (2026-10-05)

What is supported by Erasmus+?

The Erasmus+ program is aimed at students, teachers, trainees, volunteers, youth leaders, youth workers and amateur sports workers. It also supports partnerships between educational institutions, youth organizations, businesses, local and regional authorities and non-governmental organizations, as well as reforms in Member States to modernize education and training, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and increase employability. IT platforms connecting schools and other training providers online, such as e-Twinning.

Is it possible to fill in the application in Lithuanian?

Yes, the application can be completed in both Lithuanian and English.

Incoming exchange programs

Erasmus+ Student Experiences

Useful links

Information Before Your Arrival

The Erasmus Student Charter – an official document that defines students’ rights and responsibilities when participating in a mobility program, ensuring a transparent and high-quality study experience abroad.

The Erasmus Student Charter

The Erasmus+ app – a convenient digital platform that helps students plan, organize, and smoothly carry out their mobility experience all in one place.

The Erasmus+ app

European Student Card Initiative – this is a European Union initiative aimed at digitizing mobility processes in higher education to ensure more efficient administration, recognition of student status, and a smoother study experience across Europe.

European Student Card Initiative

More about the Erasmus+ program:

Erasmus+