Erasmus+ for higher education and higher vocational education
The Federal Council is seeking to associate Switzerland with Erasmus+ from 2027 onwards. To ensure that Swiss universities and higher education institutions can participate successfully in the proposed association, we are supporting you in preparing for the transition. This page shows information on the general timeline, applying for ECHE accreditation and Erasmus+ mobility and cooperation opportunities.
If the planned association with Erasmus+ goes ahead, international mobility and cooperation would no longer be funded by Swiss grants but by Erasmus+ from June 2027 onwards.
This requires various preparatory steps at the structural and operational level at universities and higher technical colleges. An important step is for interested Swiss universities and higher technical colleges to apply for a Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).
The «ticket» to Erasmus+: ECHE accreditation
Any Swiss university or higher technical college wishing to apply for Erasmus+ funding from 2027 onwards must hold a valid Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). This charter sets out the basic principles and minimum requirements that must be met when applying for and implementing activities under Erasmus+. An ECHE Charter is a prerequisite for all Erasmus+ mobility activities and cooperation projects.
Swiss higher education institutions must submit their application for an ECHE by 24 March 2026 in order to participate in Erasmus+ from Call 2027 onwards. More information on the application and process can be found here.
Structure of the programme
In order to successfully apply for an ECHE, it is important to have a general understanding of the Erasmus+ programme structure. This will demonstrate that you are familiar with the programme and have familiarised yourself with its structure and offerings.
Erasmus+ is structured around three key actions (KA). Each key action has a different focus. Here you will find a summary of these key actions and their objectives for higher education and higher vocational education and training.
Key Action 1 (KA1) – Learning mobility of individuals
This key action focuses on the mobility of individuals. In higher education and higher vocational education and training, this key action covers the mobility of students, lecturers and staff. In Switzerland, this mobility is currently funded bythe Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP). Within the framework of this key action, Erasmus+ supports the same types of mobility as SEMP, with additional offers for short-term and/or virtual mobility and comprehensive support for sustainable travel and inclusion. More information on learning mobility for individuals and the corresponding offers can be found here.
Key Action 2 (KA2) – Cooperation among organisations and institutions
This key action focuses on institutional cooperation between different institutions and/or organisations. It promotes higher education cooperation in the form of partnerships and projects. In Switzerland, cooperation has so far been funded by the Swiss programme for Erasmus+ and the International Programme (IP). Instead of parallel funding from Swiss sources and participation as associated partners, institutions will in future be able to participate as full partners in the entire range of cooperation partnerships within the framework of Erasmus+. More information on cooperation and the corresponding offers can be found here.
Key Action 3 (KA3) – Support to policy development and cooperation
This key action accompanies educational policy developments at European level. It promotes political dialogue, synergies and knowledge transfer in order to advance national and European educational policy. This has not been funded in Switzerland to date. Higher education institutions should also be able to participate in Key Action 3. Information on Key Action 3 can be found on our page on the topic of cooperation , following the cooperation offers.
Information and events
Our newsletter «On the Road to Erasmus+» provides regular updates on the most important preparations for the planned association and gives you an initial insight into what Erasmus+ has to offer.
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Events
In order to prepare for the accreditation process for Swiss higher education institutions and colleges of higher education for Erasmus+ in the best possible way, a webinar on the topic of ECHE took place on 30 September 2025. Representatives of the European Commission and Movetia explained the exact procedure at this webinar. You can find the recording of the webinar on the event page.