Erasmus+: A necessity and a great potential

Swiss actors demonstrate the fact that international mobility and cooperation activities in the Swiss educational sector can be significantly increased in their respective sectors. The challenge does not frighten them, even though support measures are necessary.

Erasmus+ workshops: Zoom call on screen, large hall with participants.

The Swiss Federal Council has issued a mandate for negotiations for an association to the current generation of the Erasmus+ programme 2021–2027. By joining the programme, Switzerland has the opportunity to take a decisive step towards more international exchange, mobility and cooperation in the areas of education and extracurricular youth work. This is a goal that is shared by the Swiss Confederation and the cantons (Swiss federal and cantonal exchange and mobility strategy).

Against this background, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Public Education (EDK) and the Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV) wanted to hear from representatives from the affected sectors as to how joining Erasmus+ could help them to increase their activities and how great the potential increase would be if Switzerland were to join. This potential estimate is key for the dispatch on funding that the SERI will be presenting to the Swiss Parliament . For this purpose, Movetia organised six half-day workshops about Erasmus+ from 21 to 24 June: one for school education, vocational education and training, higher education and tertiary-level professional education, adult education, youth, and sports.

BEA-Expo site.
Presentation during workshop.
Classroom workshop.

The majority of the sectors and involved actors see Switzerland’s association to Erasmus+ as a basic prerequisite for a significant increase in international activities. Among other reasons, this is because it dismantles major hurdles. For example, if Switzerland were to join Erasmus+, the following would be possible:

  • Swiss institutions could be involved in international cooperations both in leadership and non-leadership roles
  • Swiss institutions would have access to online platforms for networking and cooperation
  • Student mobility could be administered using standard European digital solutions

The basic message was that if Switzerland were to join Erasmus+, various support measures (promotion, consulting, networking and services) would make it possible to significantly increase and expand international activities.

On the European side, educational actors are extremely interested in working together with Switzerland. The external speakers highlighted this fact during the workshops, as have other actors.

Erasmus+ 2021–27 is not merely “nice to have”, but rather the opportunity for Swiss institutions and organisations to significantly increase international activities and to bridge the gap compared to other European countries that has occurred as the result of Switzerland’s lack of association to the programme since 2014. Participants and actors within the Swiss educational system have all reiterated their support and commitment to Erasmus+ to the political authorities.

On the topic

  • Die Schweiz könnte sich 2027 Erasmus+ wieder anschliessen

    Die Schweiz könnte sich 2027 Erasmus+ wieder anschliessen

    Der Bundesrat hat an seiner Sitzung am 6. November den Grundsatzentscheid für die Beteiligung an Erasmus+ getroffen. Er wird dem Parlament den entsprechenden Finanzierungsbeschluss im Rahmen der Botschaft zum Gesamtpaket über die Verhandlungen mit der EU unterbreiten. Damit könnte die Schweiz 2027 dem europäischen Bildungsprogramm Erasmus+ wieder beitreten. 

  • Switzerland - Erasmus+: symbolic engagement on the Bundesplatz

    Switzerland - Erasmus+: symbolic engagement on the Bundesplatz

    On Friday 9 February, several student associations gathered on the Bundesplatz in Bern. Their aim: to mark the 10th anniversary of Switzerland's exclusion from the European exchange programme Erasmus+, following the acceptationof the initiative against mass immigration. After speaking in public, the organisers held a symbolic engagement ceremony between Switzerland and Erasmus+. They called on the Federal Council to press ahead with negotiations with the EU in the perspective of a re-association to the mobility programme.

  • Mobility is now opening up to the whole world

    Mobility is now opening up to the whole world

    As of 2023, Movetia will be supporting mobility worldwide, not just in Switzerland and Europe. This geographical opening up is in line with a political objective and with the logical development of Movetia’s activities. Following the expansion of cooperation projects, it is now time to broaden the scope of Movetia’s international activities. The new legal bases will offer more opportunities for exchange and mobility and will contribute to the development and quality of the Swiss education system.