What’s in the name
Why is Erasmus + called Erasmus +? Let’s start with Erasmus. Erasmus is named after Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536). Desiderius Erasmus was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher and theologian. He studied in different cities throughout all of Europe, such as Paris, Leuven and Basel. That’s why the organization is called Erasmus because it all started with a student’s exchange program in 1987.
Now that we have Erasmus clear, we have to discover the meaning of the plus in Erasmus +. In 2014 the old program of Erasmus has change to Erasmus + (2014-2020). It’s a six-year program that’s simpler than the old program. It contains all the seven existing programs and put it in to one program. The Erasmus+ program receives 40% more money than before and revolves around 3 key actions. The plus in Erasmus + stands for a simpler and more efficient program.
History
The Erasmus Program (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) is a European Union student exchange program established in 1987.
The Erasmus Program, together with a number of other independent programs, was incorporated into the Socrates program established by the European Commission in 1994. The Socrates program ended on 31st of December 1999 and was replaced with the Socrates II program on 24th of January 2000, which in turn was replaced by the Lifelong Learning Program 2007–2013 on 1st of January 2007.
Erasmus+, or Erasmus Plus, is the new program combining all the EU’s current schemes for education, training, youth and sport, which was started in January of 2014.
Key actions Erasmus +
The Erasmus + project revolves around three key-actions.
- Learning mobility’s
- Strategic partnership
- Policy reform
Key Action 1: Learning mobility’s
Learning Mobility is about providing the opportunity to improve a person’s skill and knowledge. These opportunities will increase an individual’s cultural awareness and make them more desirable for employers.
Organizations who work within key action 1 can start mobility projects that can offer work experience, training, non-formal education and teaching opportunities to an individual. Those working within key action 1 are able to spend a certain amount of time in a different participating country. They will be able to study, work and experience life abroad so they can increase their chances later on in life.
Learning Mobility is the largest part of the Erasmus + program, with 63% of its budget focused on supporting its cause.
Key Action 2: Strategic Partnership
Within Strategic Partnership different organizations are able to work together to improve their methods and techniques. Organizations can apply for funding under key action 2 for this kind of partnership.
The goal of the Strategic Partnership is to share, develop and transfer methods between participating countries in subjects such as education, training and youth provision. The benefits will be for the individuals, organizations and countries involved. The fields it covers are the five fields of higher education, vocational education and training (VET), schools, adult education and youth.
Key action 3: Policy Reform
The final key action is focused on any type of activity that supports of facilitates the modernization of education and training systems within the Erasmus + program. Policy Reform will occur thanks to the funding of certain strategic activities.
While most opportunities within key action 3 happen outside of the annual Call for Proposals, they will be discussed in specific Calls for Proposals or directly started by the European Commission.
The National Agency
The National Agency (official title: Agentia Nationala pentru Programe Comunitare in Domeniul Educatiei si Formarii Profesionale) is the highest organ within Romania for European Voluntary Service and Erasmus+ activities.
040205, Bucharest
Romania
www.anpcdefp.ro
The role of Wild Carpathia in Erasmus Plus context
Sending, Hosting and Coordinating Organization
Wild Carpathia selects, recruits and deploys volunteers, while also hosting volunteers from other countries and benefitting from their work.
A sending organization will select, recruit and deploy volunteers, while a hosting organization will receive them and benefit from their work.
Organizations need to prove that volunteers will have a sustainable impact on their host environment, and then identify candidate volunteers to be trained according to any unusual circumstances in the host country prior to deployment.
Sending organizations will fall in one of the following categories:
- non-governmental not-for-profit organisations formed in accordance with the law of a Member State and whose headquarters are located within the Union;
- public law bodies of a civilian character governed by the law of a Member State;
- non-governmental not-for-profit organisations established in the countries referred to in Article 23 of Regulation 375/2014 under the conditions laid down in that Article and the Agreements mentioned;
- public law bodies of civilian character established in the countries referred to in Article 23 under the conditions laid down in that Article and the Agreements mentioned;
- the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
To be able to host volunteers, the following requirements need to be met:
- non-governmental not-for-profit organisations operating or established in a third country under the laws in force of that country
- public law bodies of a civilian character governed by the law of a third country
- international agencies and organisations
