6 Erasmus+

6.1 About Erasmus+

Erasmus+ is the European Commission’s programme to support education, training, youth and sports for the period 2014–2021. Erasmus+ is a merger of previous EU programmes for education, training, youth and sports. Norway has participated in several of these programmes since 1992.

The programme covers the entire course of education and comprises three main initiatives or “key actions”: mobility, cooperation and policy reform. There are individual actions under each of these areas covering one or more sectors. The programme is managed decentrally through national agencies in the programme countries, with some central management from the European Commission. The Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku) is Norway’s national agency for elements pertaining to education, training and sports. The Directorate of Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) is Norway’s national agency for the Youth component of the programme.

Through Erasmus+, Norwegian academic communities can compete nationally and internationally on education and thus be measured up against other countries. Around 90 per cent of the funds from Erasmus+ are allocated nationally. When the programme celebrated its first 30 years of existence in 2017, 9 million pupils, apprentices, students, youth workers and teachers had received grants from Erasmus+ or one of its predecessors. Of these, 83,000 were Norwegian. In the period 2014–2018, Diku awarded NOK 843 million to Norwegian universities and university colleges through the programme. In addition, Norwegian institutions receive funding directly from the European Commission through centrally managed projects and funds through partnerships with institutions in other countries. Funding has been granted to almost 4,500 projects with Norwegian participation through Erasmus+. Norwegian partners participate in European projects that together have been awarded more than NOK 5 billion.1 This amount includes funds for mobility and cooperation projects. Norwegian institutions do not receive all the funding when it comes to the cooperation projects, but the figures illustrate that Norwegian pupils, students and institutions that participate in mobility and cooperation projects bring substantial sums of money home to Norway. At the same time, the Storting estimated that the total cost of Erasmus+ in the period 2014–2020 was NOK 3.3 billion (cf. Recommendation no. 153 to the Storting (2013–2014) and Proposition no. 43 to the Storting (2013–2014))2.

The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs is responsible for the Youth section of the programme. The main goal of the Youth section of the programme is to give young people the opportunity to participate actively in society and increase international understanding, tolerance and solidarity. The Youth section of the programme also has measures within the three key actions. In the current period (2014–2020), the Directorate of Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) has awarded NOK 224 million to 685 projects and 18,000 Norwegian participants in mobility projects3.

Erasmus+ has an international part that includes almost all countries outside the programme countries (the EU member states, the three EEA/EFTA countries, Türkiye, North Macedonia and Serbia). Almost a fifth of Erasmus+ funding goes to cooperation with these countries outside the programme countries, including both exchanges and partnerships. Much of the funding for Erasmus+ is transferred from the EU’s budget for foreign policy and development aid and is earmarked for specific regions. A particularly large part of the funding is specifically earmarked for the EU’s neighbouring countries to the south and the east and Asia.

Erasmus+ is the largest and most important programme for achieving the Government’s long-term goal that half of Norwegian graduates should have participated in a learning period abroad. Erasmus+ targets young people, pupils, students, employees, society, employers, and national authorities. Erasmus+ is also based on institutional cooperation between higher education institutions, which is essential for the realization of the Government’s target for international student mobility in higher education.

6.2 The Government’s goals for Norway’s participation in Erasmus+ in the period 2014–2020

6.2.1 Overarching objectives and results of Erasmus+ 2014–2020

Overarching objectives

The focus of this white paper is international student mobility in higher education; however, since Erasmus+ covers the entire course of education, targets and results for the entire field of education are also discussed below, in addition to youth.

Norway’s participation in Erasmus+ shall contribute to the attainment of the goals for Norway’s education policy, ensure quality development in the education sector, and strengthen international education cooperation at all levels. Erasmus+ helps make education relevant and increase the employability of pupils, apprentices and students, while providing the individual with opportunities for academic and personal development. Excellent international cooperation is important to ensure the quality of Norwegian education and training, and Erasmus+ is the main instrument in this respect.

The budget for Erasmus+ grew by 40 per cent for the period 2014–2020, compared with the previous budget period. The Ministry of Education and Research developed a strategy in 2016,4 where ambitious targets were set for the period, reflecting the increase in the budget. The former Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU), now the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku), then prepared a national action plan that specified the objectives in more concrete terms.

Results of Erasmus+ 2014–2020

In October 2019, Diku published a report analysing and documenting the effects of Erasmus+ for the period 2014 to 2018–2019.5 The review of the results below is based on Diku’s report. The report presents the results of Erasmus+ in respect of the goals of increased mobility, cooperation on joint projects, regional development, innovation and competitiveness. In general terms, Erasmus+ also contributes to enhanced European integration and provides access to a broad international network and important international knowledge. Diku’s review of the results shows that the targets for Erasmus+ 2014–2020 have been reached or are expected to have been reached by the end of 2020.

The report from Diku concludes that Erasmus+ helps enhance the quality of Norwegian education as a result of the following:

• mobility, in that students spend time abroad and gain experience and expertise from overseas institutions and/or workplaces in the form of different courses and different knowledge than they would have access to in Norway. They also gain international experience, as well as developing foreign language and general skills

• contribution to teaching, through the development of learning materials and by Norwegian institutions conducting teaching programmes and methods, academic supervision or study programmes in cooperation with international partners

• development of policies, regulations and systems that contribute to quality enhancement and enable pupils, students and staff to study and teach across national borders

• knowledge sharing through participation in international networks

In the white paper Report no. 16 to the Storting (2016–2017) Quality culture in higher education, the Government outlines its understanding of quality as meaning that students shall achieve the best possible learning outcomes and personal development, have access to relevant education to prepare them for active participation in a democratic and diverse society and for a future professional career, and complete their education as efficiently as possible. The white paper also outlines quality challenges in higher education related to, among other things, digitalisation, career relevance, connection to research, active learning methods, and continuing and further education. There is a large overlap between the goals for education in Norway and other European countries, and Erasmus+ serves to further unite them.

With regard to primary and secondary education and training, key objectives are to equip the individual and society with the skills, attitudes and values needed to ensure the future basis for welfare, growth, wealth creation and sustainability. There is extensive academic cooperation between kindergartens, primary schools, and lower and upper secondary schools in a wide range of areas. Participation in Erasmus+ also helps schools achieve the objectives in the overarching section of the curriculum related to the foundational values in the teaching (such as identity and cultural diversity) and interdisciplinary topics such as democracy, citizenship, and sustainable development.

In addition, Erasmus+ provides opportunities that help ensure lifelong learning for all, by both facilitating mobility stays where individuals get to improve their skills and competencies, and through the development of courses and services aimed at adults, both in adult education and in higher education.

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Source: Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku)

The mid-term evaluation of Erasmus+ in Norway concludes that the programme has a positive impact, at both the individual level and the institutional level.6 At the individual level, participation in mobility projects is reported to contribute to increased cross-cutting competencies, improved foreign language skills and increased cultural understanding. At the institutional level, reported benefits include improved teaching skills among educators, with international projects highlighted as a unique opportunity to develop new methods and work on long-term quality enhancement. The European study of the impacts of Erasmus+ within higher education finds that cooperation between universities supported by Erasmus+ leads to enhanced quality, greater relevance, increased innovation, and greater accessibility in higher education in Europe.7 Below are the results achieved in different areas of the Erasmus+ programme.

Goal of increased mobility

The Ministry of Education and Research set the following quantitative targets for the period 2014–2020:

• increase in the number of Norwegian students who have a study period or practical training with an Erasmus+ grant, from approximately 1,700 in 2014 to 3,000 in 2020

• increase in the number of administrative and academic employees who have an overseas stay, from approximately 700 in 2014 to 1,000 in 2020

• increase in the number of teachers and other personnel in schools and kindergartens who have an overseas stay, from 270 in 2014 to 350 in 2020

• increase in the number of teachers in adult education who have an overseas stay, from 60 in 2014 to 80 in 2020

• increase in the number of teachers and instructors in vocational education and training who have an overseas stay, from approximately 320 in 2014 to 420 in 2020

Figures 6.1 and 6.2 show the results obtained within higher education and primary and secondary education and training, respectively. In 2017, 2,684 students went overseas on an exchange through Erasmus+. In 2019, 3,436 study and practical training stays were allocated in Europe, and 3,185 students were on a study or practical training stay, meaning that the target of 3,000 students a year was achieved. The decline in the number of study and practical training stays allocated in 2020 is due to COVID-19. In addition, the figures for 2019 have not yet been fully reported, so the final figure for 2019 may be higher. When it comes to employee mobility in higher education, the Ministry of Education and Research has set a target that from 2020, each year 1,000 employees will have a teaching or training stay abroad. A total of 902 employees in the higher education sector had a mobility stay abroad in 2018, up from 691 in 2014. In 2019, 1,224 grants were awarded for outgoing employee mobility in Europe, however the figures for 2019 have not yet been fully reported. It is therefore unclear whether this target has been met.

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KG: kindergarten

VET: vocational education and training

Source: Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku)

The Erasmus Impact Study (2014)8 found that across Europe students with international experience did much better on the job market than others. Students in this group were half as likely to experience long-term unemployment compared with students who have not studied or trained abroad and, five years after graduation, their unemployment rate was 23 per cent lower. They had made new contacts, had new experiences and gained new knowledge that they could use in their job or studies. New inspiration and ideas and improved foreign language skills were also highlighted as positive effects of overseas stays.

In respect of kindergartens and schools, figure 6.2 shows that the target of 350 employees going abroad on a mobility stay each year from 2020 has been reached, despite a decline in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. The corresponding target of 80 employees in adult education has also been reached. Within vocational education and training, the target of 420 teachers and instructors having an international mobility stay has almost been reached. In respect of pupils and apprentices, the figure shows that the target in Diku’s work programme of 1,300 has been reached.

Within vocational education and training, overseas stays for pupils, apprentices and staff are very popular and receive many applications. A study of a sample of Norwegian upper secondary schools shows that a training stay abroad has a huge impact on the pupils’ motivation and personal development, as well as providing them with valuable international experience. The schools also benefit through the international network they develop through the work on exchange programmes. In addition, international cooperation boosts the school’s reputation and is a source of new inspiration for teachers.

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KG: kindergarten

HE: higher education

C: coordinator of a project

P: partner in a project

VET: vocational education and training

Source: Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku)

International mobility in education is primarily aimed at individuals, but employee mobility also has benefits for the institutions. A study of employee mobility among schools with data from Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Poland shows that teachers are satisfied with the outcome in terms of professional development and that mobility makes them more open to innovations in teaching.9 Mobility also affects the activities in the schools, with a greater focus on internationalisation. As regards the impact of employee mobility for activities in the schools, it is also highlighted that employees who go on a mobility stay abroad make new personal contacts, which can in turn provide a basis for schools to develop new forms of cooperation and new international projects.

Joint projects for innovation, relevance and increased quality

The purpose of Norwegian higher education institutions’ participation in joint international projects is to promote innovation, relevance and quality in the education, both in primary and secondary education and higher education. This includes both strategic partnerships and centralised measures. Erasmus+ has provided funding for more than 700 projects since 2014. Figure 6.3 illustrates Norway’s participation in strategic partnerships, broken down by sector. Both cases where the Norwegian institution is the coordinator and cases where it is a partner have been included. To date, the budgets for strategic partnerships have remained relatively stable during this programme period. This is demonstrated by the fact that participation has been relatively stable – with one exception for the category of partnerships aimed at kindergartens and schools. This is due to the European Commission lowering the threshold for participation in this type of partnership during the period. The decline in school development partnerships in 2020 is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strategic partnerships are collaboration projects that exist in all parts of the education sector and are the most common type of collaboration in Erasmus+. So far, Norwegian actors have participated in just over 650 strategic partnerships, as either the project coordinator or a partner. Together with some 3,600 partners in and outside Europe, the projects have received almost EUR 115 million for quality development work. Almost 1,100 products have been launched and used in teaching, for example in courses, learning programmes or a new syllabus. The projects have also resulted in the development of more than 100 examples of new digital learning technology and the publication of twenty-odd policy recommendations and an equal number of scholarly articles.

The topics in the projects are closely related to both European education policy and Norway’s national education policy. For example, there are 150 projects that deal with inclusion and integration, and 57 projects on sharing and developing methods to prevent drop-out. Almost 14 per cent of the projects are related to the use of ICT in teaching, and a similar number focus on language learning. Entrepreneurship is another common topic.

Centrally-managed cooperation programmes

Cooperation programmes are managed by the European Commission and its subordinate body the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). These are large and prestigious programmes where applicants must compete for funding, with high demands on both the management and the academic communities at the participating institutions. Some actions are particularly high priority. For example, “Knowledge Alliances” are transnational projects which bring higher education institutions and business together to foster innovation in higher education, while “Sector Skills Alliances” are collaborations between the higher education sector and industry related to vocational education and training. Capacity building projects are intended to strengthen the education sector in the partner countries.

Overall, there has been an increase in the number of Norwegian institutions participating in centralised actions during the programme period, albeit with variation between the different types of projects. For example, Norway has gone from having no participation in the first call for knowledge alliances to having Norwegian project coordinators in two out of the 33 projects that were granted funding in 2019 (the University of Stavanger and the company Edtech Foundry). In addition to this, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is coordinating the first Norwegian-led sector skills alliance Lean 4.0, which was granted funding in 2018.

Erasmus Mundus is a programme within Erasmus+ that supports universities and university colleges that develop joint master’s programmes for students from all over the world. The programme has faced a number of challenges since it started in 2004, primarily linked to administrative and financial aspects. Despite these problems, academic staff have given very positive feedback on the benefit of joint programmes and joint degrees, as have the students. They are high-quality degrees that attract exceptional students. During the project period, Norwegian institutions have been granted a total of 19 joint master’s degrees under the Erasmus Mundus programme, either as a partner or coordinator.

The European Commission’s new flagship initiative European Universities has attracted great interest among higher education institutions in Europe, and five Norwegian institutions have been awarded “European University” status in the first two pilot calls in 2019 and 2020 (cf. the more detailed discussion in chapter 4).

Instrument for regional development

The mid-term evaluation of Erasmus+ from 2017 shows that Erasmus+ has made significant contributions to how schools and school owners address the issue of drop-out among pupils, which is a high priority in both Norway and the EU.10 Several Norwegian counties have worked systematically in recent years to coordinate the schools’ participation in Erasmus+ within vocational education and training. This also contributes to competence raising and development of the schools in the counties, and to closer ties between the schools and industry. Erasmus+ prioritises collaboration across sectors, and several project categories include these kinds of projects. There are numerous examples of county authorities or schools that have worked closely with local business players to devise projects to improve the competitiveness of local industry. Now that the county authorities have been given a broader mandate to develop skills and expertise in the regions, there is great potential to make even more systematic use of the Erasmus+ programme to underpin this work. For example, Blått kompetansesenter in Trøndelag has developed a system for validation of non-formal and informal learning and training modules within the aquaculture industry.

Innovation capacity and competitiveness

Erasmus+ has actions aimed at building closer links between academia and business. In some of the schemes it is a requirement that businesses participate on an equal footing with higher education institutions. Since 2014, innovation and entrepreneurship have been in particular focus in Erasmus+, as a response to the EU’s strategy for growth and employment, Europe 2020. Strategic partnerships, traineeships abroad for upper-secondary pupils and students, and not least Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances are all measures that encourage, or require, educational institutions to cooperate with businesses and other parties outside the education sector. Edtech foundry is an example of a Norwegian company that is coordinating an Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance. In the alliance it coordinates, companies and higher education institutions from six European countries will use artificial intelligence and chat technology to help make students feel less lonely and thus reduce drop-out in higher education.

The Youth component of Erasmus+

The component of Erasmus+ targeting young people between the ages 13 and 30 years and youth workers is called Youth in Action. As mentioned above, the main objectives of this part of the programme are giving young people the opportunity to participate actively in society and to increase international understanding, tolerance and solidarity. Active participation encompasses both active citizenship and participation in democratic and political life, and participation in education and work, so that young people are better equipped to live good lives and become self-sufficient adults. The main agenda of the Erasmus+ is Youth in Action to promote equity and inclusion, and activities by and for young people with fewer opportunities are a priority. The programme also aims to strengthen youth work, contribute to the development of youth policy, and promote European cooperation in the youth field.

The methods and content of the projects within this section of the programme are based on non-formal learning. The educational goals are to be achieved through the involvement of and co-management by the young people themselves. An important goal for Youth in Action is to facilitate recognition of the learning and skills obtained through volunteering activities and organisations.

The programme is effective in respect of increasing young people’s involvement in the local community and their ability to present ideas and express their opinions. The mid-term evaluation11 of the programme concludes that Erasmus+ is a good tool for stimulating participation in democratic and political life among young people. These findings are supported by the RAY surveys conducted by the RAY Network, which is the open research network of National Agencies of the European youth programmes and their research partners.12 Participation in the programme also appears to motivate young people to take education and boost their employability. The programme has also been relatively successful in including young people with fewer opportunities. Some 18 per cent of the Norwegian participants perceive that they have fewer or slightly fewer opportunities than their peers, according to the RAY surveys. Of the applications granted under Youth in Action, 30 per cent are inclusion projects.

The municipalities and county municipalities use the Youth component of Erasmus+ to create better services for young people locally. They use the programme strategically to improve the youth work skills of their employees. Youth Work Norway (“Ungdom og Fritid”), the national association of youth clubs, uses Erasmus+ to strengthen the recognition of youth work and has, for example, collaborated in the Professional Open Youth Work in Europe (POYWE) network to create a strategic partnership to strengthen ties between research, politics and youth work.

6.3 The Government’s ambitions for Norway’s participation in Erasmus+ in the period 2021–2027

In June 2018, the European Commission presented its proposal for the EU’s next programme to support education, training, youth and sport (Erasmus+13). The Government has great ambitions for Norway as a knowledge nation, and Erasmus+ is the main international instrument in the field of education. Erasmus+ helps raise the standard of Norwegian education and training across the board. It is essential that Norwegian universities and university colleges participate in international networks in order to gain access to knowledge as a basis for developing Norwegian society. There is a large overlap between the objectives of Erasmus+ and the objectives of Norway’s policy for education and training. Erasmus+ is the most important instrument in the work towards the Government’s goal of a cultural change in Norwegian higher education such that study or training periods in another country is integrated into all study programmes. During the current programme period, Erasmus+ has provided a broad spectrum of players in every part of the field of education with access to extensive international networks. This has helped strengthen the quality, relevance and attractiveness of the Norwegian education system, as well as contributing to increased cultural understanding and language proficiencies and greater tolerance and respect for other people. These are values that are very important both for society in Norway as a whole and for the ability of Norwegian businesses to function in a globalised world and an open world economy.

The new programme for education, training, youth and sports is set to be significantly more ambitious and far-reaching than the current programme. The final budget for Erasmus+ is not expected to be adopted until Germany takes over the presidency of the EU in autumn 2020, but it seems likely that the financial contribution of the EEA/EFTA states for participation in the next programme period will be higher. Primarily, this means that more people will be able to benefit from the programme, but it will also commit those who currently use Erasmus+ to increase their efforts and mobilisation. The proposed new programme is essentially a continuation of the existing programme; however, the new programme will be simpler to use and more inclusive, meaning new groups will have access to Erasmus+.

The Government’s ambitions for Norway’s participation in Erasmus+ in the period 2021–2027

The Government proposes that Norway participate in the EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport (Erasmus+) in the period 2021–2027, but will not make a final decision on this until the EU’s long-term financial framework has been adopted.

Increased mobility in higher education

Erasmus+ is the most important instrument to achieve the Government’s ambition of a cultural change in higher education. The goal is that international student mobility shall be an integral part of all study programmes and that students will have to actively opt out of taking part of their education abroad. In order to ensure that the internationalisation of higher education helps raise the quality, relevance and attractiveness of Norwegian higher education institutions, it will be important that student mobility is integrated into and rooted in cooperation between Norwegian and foreign institutions. Erasmus+ ensures this. Institutions that participate in Erasmus+ sign an Erasmus Charter, which regulates all aspects of student mobility, before, during and after the mobility stay, as well as cooperation on joint projects between the participating institutions.14

The Government wants the internationalisation work at Norwegian higher education institutions to be fully integrated with the other tasks at the institution. This can be achieved in many different ways. The management of the institution, together with the academic and administrative staff, should convey an expectation to the students that all courses of study ought to include a learning period abroad. As stated in the white paper Report no. 16 to the Storting (2016–2017) Quality culture in higher education, key elements to ensure internationalisation include student and staff mobility, teaching collaborations, collaboration on the development of educational opportunities, and collaboration on degree programmes such as double or joint degrees. Erasmus+ facilitates all these elements. Erasmus+ is also the main instrument to ensure we achieve the long-term goal that at least half of all students who take a Norwegian degree will have had a study period abroad. In 2017, approximately 40 per cent of the Norwegian students who had a study or training period abroad received an Erasmus+ grant, and with the expected increased budget, Erasmus+ will contribute to the realisation of the Government’s ambition that at least half of all students who take a Norwegian degree have a study period abroad.

Cooperation on joint projects and new initiatives in higher education and vocational education and training

At the end of the current programme period, the European Commission has established two major new initiatives. One is called European Universities and is a new initiative to strengthen cooperation between European higher education institutions (cf. the more detailed presentation in section 4.3.5). The other is Centres of Vocational Excellence, which is a new initiative to strengthen cooperation between vocational training institutions and businesses with the aim of further developing quality and relevance in vocational training. These new initiatives will be fully implemented in the next programme period, which starts in 2021.

Increased synergy between research and education and other programmes

In the current programme period, there has been little focus on the connection between research and education in the EU programmes. As reported by Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku), even if individual researchers are involved in research, innovation and educational activities, the interfaces between them are still underdeveloped: politically, organisationally and financially – nationally and at the European level. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Research Council of Norway and Diku have called for stronger synergies between the Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe15 programmes in the next programme period16.

It is already entirely possible to create synergies between the programmes. Erasmus+ can finance student and staff mobility in connection with Horizon 2020 projects, and Erasmus+ projects can be a platform for preparing applications for Horizon 2020 funding. For example, a knowledge alliance can help prepare the alliance partners to participate in future KIC projects17 within Horizon 2020, since the two schemes have parallel and partially overlapping goals. Moreover, findings from Horizon 2020 can be incorporated into the education offered through the follow-up of an Erasmus+ project. For example, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has developed a Jean Monnet module18 within European studies. They are also participating in a major European research and innovation project on the same topic. It is the Government’s ambition that there will be more synergies in the next programme period.

Potential synergies are not limited to higher education. There are also examples of synergies between school projects in Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020. Together with other partners, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) has participated in school projects under Erasmus+, in Horizon 2020 and in schemes funded by the EEA and Norway Grants related to creative approaches to teaching natural sciences in schools.

The Government’s ambitions for greater synergy effects are not limited to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. National schemes for global education cooperation build on the Panorama strategy for cooperation on higher education and research (cf. section 2.2.2) or Norway’s priority areas in foreign and development policy. Schemes under the latter also include a number of schemes administered by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku) and some administered by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). Stronger synergies can be achieved between the international dimension in Erasmus+ for cooperation with countries outside Europe on the one hand and Norwegian schemes on the other, since they largely encompass the same countries.

Education and training are a priority sector for the EEA and Norway Grants. Through dedicated educational programmes, the grants can support, among other things, partnerships between institutions on all educational levels and scholarship schemes within vocational education and training and higher education. Many of the priorities coincide with those set for Erasmus+, and it ought to be possible to generate increased synergies. During this programme period, one of the objectives of the research programmes funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is to help strengthen internationalisation and project experience among recipients of the EEA and Norway Grants, putting them in a better position to participate in Horizon 2020.19 It is the Government’s ambitions that the same will apply to the education funds, i.e. that funds distributed through the education programmes will help strengthen the recipients’ participation in Erasmus+. In Norway, the educational programmes funded by the EEA and Norway Grants are managed by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku). The Government would also like to see greater synergies between Erasmus+ and Nordplus funds. For example, Nordic project schemes can be used as a platform for recruiting participants to major Erasmus+ projects. National funds such as NOTED must also be assessed in view of opportunities for synergies with other programmes (see section 4.6).

Increased opportunities for mobility in primary and secondary education and training

Erasmus+ is by far the most extensive instrument in Norway to make primary and secondary education and training more international. When the new Erasmus+ programme comes into force from 2021 for Norway (assuming Norway participates), upper secondary pupils in the education programme specialisation in general studies will have the opportunity to take advantage of individual mobility in Erasmus+ mobility schemes, and pupils in vocational education and training will be able to participate in the global mobility initiatives, for the first time. This will contribute to the work towards the goal of internationalisation being accessible to all, and it will be an important factor in the efforts to achieve increased mobility in higher education, when the pupils eventually become students.

Connection to businesses and the sphere of work

One of the aims of the current Erasmus+ programme is to strengthen cooperation between business and education. Organisations from the sphere of work can participate in and coordinate projects on an equal footing with actors in the education sector in Knowledge Alliances and Sector Skills Alliances, but also within new initiatives such as European Universities and Centres of Vocational Excellence.

Training mobility is an underused instrument in Erasmus+. Mobility in the form of a work placement etc. abroad have an added value far beyond the value of the practical work experience itself. The students experience a different work culture and are exposed to different norms and values, both formal and informal, that regulate working life in another country. In an increasingly international business and social landscape, where the demand for intercultural understanding and international perspectives is growing, having work experience in another country will be able to provide added value in the form of international knowledge and contacts. Norwegian students ought to take greater advantage of this opportunity, in the same way as Norwegian businesses ought to accept more student interns from other countries.

Facilitate youth participation

Assuming Norway participates in Erasmus+, the Youth component will serve to strengthen the work aimed at young people carried out by civil society organisations, local authorities and county authorities. The Youth in Action programme will include an opportunity for international mobility and cooperation that is highly inclusive and has a low threshold. The Government expects that this kind of work will be very important for the young people who participate and will have a positive impact for them in the short term and in the longer run.

Increased engagement and new participants

Norwegian participation in Erasmus+ 2021–2027 will be a major priority for the Government in the policy areas of education, training, youth and sports. Although the new programme is largely a continuation of the current programme, it will be somewhat simpler and more inclusive. This will allow even more students, pupils, young people, employees and others to participate.

Erasmus+ has a very wide impact area, with effects that reach far beyond the areas covered by the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture. Actors in areas such as international cooperation, development cooperation, integration and local and regional development, trade and industry, and NGOs ought therefore to get actively involved in Erasmus+. For local authorities and county authorities, an increased budget for Erasmus+ will provide greater opportunities to get involved both in their capacity as school owners and as the agency responsible for developing regional policies for competencies and education and industrial and business development.

Better utilisation of the Erasmus+ financial contribution

Approximately 10 per cent of Norway’s financial contribution to Erasmus+ is distributed centrally by the European Commission through competitions. In order to stimulate Norwegian actors to apply for this type of funding, the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku) offers project establishment support that potential applicants can use to prepare applications and for travel and meetings in connection with their application. Experience indicates that this support has been positive, despite the fact that it is nowhere near the level of that of similar support mechanisms under Horizon 2020. The Government will assess the level of support for establishing projects20 in Erasmus+ in future national budgets.

Assuming Norway decides to participate, the increased budget in Erasmus+ will result in increased activity and more work for the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku). Increased budgets will lead to more application processing, guidance, financial management, auditing, checks and follow-up of projects, among other things. There will also be more work related to information, communication and dissemination of results, and more work to develop knowledge and document results from participation in the new programme period. The Government will consider compensating the national offices for this additional work.

6.3.1 Conclusions and measures

• The Government proposes that Norway participate in the EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport (Erasmus+) in the period 2021–2027, but will not make a final decision on this until the EU’s long-term financial framework has been adopted.

• In the event of a final decision to participate in Erasmus+ from 2021, the Government will present a proposition of consent to the Storting on participation in Erasmus+ with a view to incorporation into the EEA Agreement no later than July 2021. The Government will return to the budgetary implications in the annual national budgets.

• In the event of a final decision to participate in Erasmus+ from 2021, the Government will assess the need for increased administrative funding for the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku) and the Directorate of Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) to deal with the increased budget and level of activity related to Erasmus+ in future national budgets.

• In the event of a final decision to participate in Erasmus+ from 2021, the Government will assess the need for any stimulation funds to increase participation in Erasmus+ and the need for supplementary funds21 to increase the impact of Norway’s participation in the programme in future national budgets.

• In the event of a final decision to participate in Erasmus+ from 2021, the Government will develop a new strategy for the entire programme period 2021–2027, based on the adopted programme.

• Assuming Norway decides to participate in these programmes in the future, the Government expects a greater degree of synergies between the various mobility programmes and other international programmes such as Horizon Europe, Nordplus, educational programmes funded by the EEA and Norway Grants, NOTED, UTFORSK and INTPART.

• In the event of a final decision that Norway will participate in Erasmus+, the Government expects active participation by the universities, university colleges and other relevant stakeholders.