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Erasmus+ worldwide is of major strategic importance for international exchange – Part 2

Video series with statements on 10 years KA171 funding line
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Text: Marco Stenzel

Erasmus+ Beyond Borders: In 2025, the “Erasmus+ Mobility with Partner Countries” funding line celebrated its tenth anniversary (see our article 10 years of Erasmus+ worldwide – learning and teaching together). This funding line, known as "International Credit Mobility" (ICM), enables worldwide mobility for students and university staff. This has helped Erasmus+ to evolve into a global success story. 

Funding line enables greater participation and network-building

The significant role played by International Credit Mobility for German higher education institutions is highlighted in the enthusiastic statements below, which were collected from Erasmus+ coordinators in autumn 2025 to mark the anniversary. 

This second part of the series provides insight into the specific benefits that KA171 funding can offer higher education institutions and the projects and initiatives it has made possible. The concluding third part of the series includes reports from institutional coordinators on the countries and regions with which their institutions are now able to cooperate more intensively thanks to KA171, and the impact this has had on their internationalisation strategies.

(Click here to access the first part of the series.)

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Additional insights from members of higher education institutions

What specific benefits does funding under KA171 offer your institution?

"The introduction of the Erasmus+ KA171 funding line marked a crucial step toward involving partner institutions and networks outside the EU/EEA in Erasmus+ activities. It has enabled the targeted inclusion of students for whom mobility programmes were previously largely inaccessible. Many HSWT Erasmus+ alumni go on to assume key positions in companies, ministries or the higher education sector in their countries of origin after graduation. Drawing on their experience in Germany and Europe, they remain actively engaged in international exchange, strengthening cooperation between different stakeholders and establishing new joint projects.

In the area of staff mobility, HSWT places a strong emphasis on targeted training courses and workshops. These benefit staff at both partner institutions and HSWT by facilitating the mutual exchange of experience and providing practical insights into innovative, digitally supported teaching methods. Multilateral exchange formats have proven to be highly effective in bringing together professionals from various partner institutions to collaborate on specific issues, such as agricultural training in rural regions".

Michaela Ring – Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals (KA131), Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals with Partner Countries (KA171), International Office, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT)

Many HSWT Erasmus+ alumni go on to assume key positions in companies, ministries or the higher education sector in their countries of origin after graduation.
Michaela Ring, Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf

Are there any specific KA171 projects or initiatives that are particularly important for your institution?

"One project that is particularly close to our hearts is the ‘International Staff Training Week’ at Freie Universität Berlin, which has been held annually since 2012. This year it comprises eight thematic tracks, ranging from ‘Gender & Diversity’ and ‘Collaborative Online International Learning’ (COIL) through to ‘Career Services’, ‘Onboarding’ and ‘Postdoc Support’. Although the Staff Week has been established for more than ten years, its current strategic significance has emerged in particular through the active involvement of partner institutions from KA171 partner countries and its deliberate thematic expansion. It now serves both as a platform for capacity building and professional development and as a catalyst for institutional network-building. Each year, at least half of the 150 to 200 participants come from KA171 partner institutions and play an active role in shaping the programme, for example through keynote contributions, workshops or peer-to-peer exchanges of experience. These encounters frequently give rise to new ideas for cooperation, notably in areas such as postdoctoral support, virtual teaching or student services.

At the same time, the funding line is often used to develop professorial initiatives as a starting point for broader institutional cooperation. What often begins as an interest in teaching or research can, through targeted funding, extend to other areas and develop into long-term partnerships. This approach has proven highly effective, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, facilitating the formation of new partnerships and strengthening existing collaborations."

Stefanie Ritter – Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals with Partner Countries (KA171), International Office, Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin)

What often begins with an interest in teaching or research can, through targeted funding, be extended to additional areas and developed into long-term partnerships.
Stefanie Ritter, Freie Universität Berlin
international office internationalization strategy higher education institution cooperations among higher education institutions International Mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme (KA171) student mobility staff mobility Mobility of Individuals (KA 131)

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