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Erasmus+ worldwide is of major strategic importance for international exchange – Part 3

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” (KA171) funding line celebrated its tenth anniversary (see our article 10 years of Erasmus+ worldwide – learning and teaching together). This funding line, known internationally as “International Credit Mobility” (ICM), enables worldwide mobility for students and university staff. This has helped Erasmus+ to evolve into a global success story. 

Structural added value for all involved

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

In the third, final part of the series, you will find out which partner countries the higher education institutions work with more intensively thanks to ICM, which special experiences the protagonists associate with the funding line, which advantage their partner institutions have gained from the cooperation, and what this funding means for the internationalisation strategy of their institution. 

Click on the links to access the first part and second part of the series.

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Additional insights from members of higher education institutions

With which partner countries do you work more intensively thanks to Erasmus+?

“After the introduction of the programme line, long-standing partners in Eastern Europe and Central Asia were incorporated into the Erasmus+ activities first, as well as partners in the Balkan countries, which led to an expansion of many cooperation projects, for instance, in Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina. HSWT then expanded its regional focus in KA171 to South East Asia and particularly to countries in Africa. In this way, key cooperation with higher education institutions in Thailand, Uganda and Kenya could be established and strengthened.”

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)

After the introduction of the programme line, long-standing partners in Eastern Europe and Central Asia were incorporated into the Erasmus+ activities first, as well as partners in the Balkan countries, which led to an expansion of many cooperation projects, for instance, in Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Michaela Ring, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences

“At present, the University of Kassel maintains a total of 40 partnerships in 21 countries, predominantly outside of Europe, and seven global regions. As part of KA171, cooperation was especially intensive with India, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia, as well as with Bosnia and Herzegovina.” 

Dr Randolf Oberschmidt - Section for Internationalisation and International Cooperation, University of Kassel

As part of KA171, cooperation was especially intensive with India, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia, as well as with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Dr Randolf Oberschmidt, University of Kassel

Which special experience do you associate with the funding line?

At one of the first meetings of the funding line in 2015 in Dubrovnik, I got to know a professor of finance from Banjaluka in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In November 2015, she came to Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society as teaching staff. Aside from the period during the pandemic, she has taught a European finance course at the HWG every semester, and has been a true friend to the entire international office team for these past ten years.”

Kerstin Gallenstein - Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals – KA131, Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals with Partner Countries – KA171, International Affairs, Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG LU)

At one of the first meetings of the funding line in 2015 in Dubrovnik, I got to know a professor of finance from Banjaluka in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In November 2015, she came to Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society as teaching staff. Aside from the period during the pandemic, she has taught a European finance course at the HWG every semester.
Kerstin Gallenstein, Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society

To what extent do your partner institutions express themselves about the cooperation?

“We hear only positive feedback from the institutions in the partner countries. In some regions, colleagues in the international fields are outright grateful.”

Kerstin Gallenstein - Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals – KA131, Coordinator for Mobility of Individuals with Partner Countries – KA171, International Affairs, Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG LU)

How do you measure the success of the KA171 funding line in the context of your institution?

“Freie Universität Berlin does not just measure the success of Erasmus+ KA171 based on the amount of funding or mobility figures, but also on the structural added value for all involved. In addition to quantitative indicators, such as a recent funding commitment of just under two million euros and over 80 active partnerships in more than 40 countries and ten regions, qualitative effects are also a focus: new cooperation initiatives, joint applications for third-party funding, long-term networks and institutional learning.

Thanks to the incorporation of all higher education groups in internationalisation and the combination of study, teaching and training mobility, a holistic internationalisation effect has developed which goes beyond individual experiences of mobility. Therefore, KA171 does not just contribute to the academic further development of individuals; it strengthens the global capacity for action of our university and its partner institutions in the long term.”

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

Therefore, KA171 does not just contribute to the academic further development of individuals; it strengthens the global capacity for action of our university and its partner institutions in the long term.
Stefanie Ritter, Freie Universität Berlin
higher education institution cooperations among higher education institutions international office internationalization strategy International Mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme (KA171) Mobility of Individuals (KA 131) staff mobility student mobility

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