ERASMUS at the CAU

With a budget of nearly € 7 billion (2007-2013), the EU-Programme Lifelong Learning funds a range of programmes including exchanges, study visits and networking activities. Projects are intended not only for individual students and learners, but also for teachers, trainers and anyone else involved in education and training. There are four sub-programmes funding projects at different levels of education and training: COMENIUS for schools, ERASMUS for higher education, LEONARDO for vocational education and training, GRUNDVIG for adult education.

ERASMUS is the successful EU's flagship education and training programme and it has been a great success. It has been funding cooperation among higher education institutions across Europe since 1987. It supports students, professors and business staff who want to go abroad, and it helps university staff pursue additional training. 2,2 million students and approximately 250,000 lecturers have organised their stay in other countries through ERASMUS.

ERASMUS Centralised Actions (mulilateral projects, academic networks and accompanying actions) are administrated by the Executive Agency of the European Commission in Brussels.

The student exchange is based on bilateral agreements reached by the faculty of the individual academic departments of the CAU with partner institutions abroad. For the academic year 2011/12 a total of 385 ERASMUS-contracts are available at the departmental level (with 208 partner institutions). Nearly 600 exchange placements are available to CAU students, while the CAU is providing 700 placements to incoming students. At the moment 93 faculty members (departmental coordinators) are involved in the ERASMUS-programme, whereas the contractual agreements provide for 222 teaching assignments.