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Skills for Life - What Erasmus+ truly offers

Three impulses: Skills at a personal level (Part 2)
In Conversation
Reading time: 3 min.
Text: Valentina Basenach

Impact studies by the DAAD show that the Erasmus+ programme offers participants far more than just academic knowledge. Around two-thirds of them report significant improvements in key competencies such as resilience, adaptability and intercultural awareness. These skills not only ease the transition into the workforce but also empower individuals to navigate challenges and make informed decisions throughout their lives. In the second instalment of the DAADeuroletter video series, "Skills & Values," the focus shifts to the individual perspective, exploring what Erasmus+ truly means for those who take part in the programme.

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Erasmus+ equips students with lifelong skills. The ability to see the world from new perspectives, greater personal maturity and an openness to diversity can shape individuals long after their experience abroad. Above all, these qualities empower young people to navigate an increasingly complex world with confidence, take on responsibility and experience Europe first-hand.

Placements abroad are truly 'life-changing experiences', and Erasmus+ makes this possible in a very unique and special way. Thousands of young people across Europe are given the opportunity to discover this for themselves. At a pivotal stage in their lives, the programme fosters courage, independence and an openness to the world.
Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär

The art of changing perspectives

Intercultural competence involves much more than improving language skills or simply spending time in another country. It means engaging with others' lived experiences, recognising differences and critically reflecting on one's own assumptions. Erasmus+ provides an environment in which this kind of development is not only possible, but actively encouraged, fostering genuine shifts in perspective.

Political scientist and anthropologist Charlotte Bechert highlights how time spent abroad can reveal subtle yet significant differences, even between countries that are often perceived as culturally similar, in areas such as political culture, academic discourse and everyday social interaction. Such experiences sharpen the ability to contextualise diverse viewpoints and to approach complex issues from multiple angles.

Personal development

An Erasmus+ placement broadens geographical horizons and deepens personal development. Living in an unfamiliar environment and experiencing new social contexts as well as different educational and working cultures presents challenges that foster independence, self-confidence and strong decision-making skills.

Charlotte Bechert explains:

This mix of different influences and broadening of horizons represents an expansion of what one perceives as possible - it has helped me immensely in refining and building my own vision and path.
Political scientist and anthropologist Charlotte Bechert

This kind of growth has a lasting impact. Participants report a greater ability to define their goals, shape their futures intentionally, and embrace change. The skills they develop extend beyond their professional lives, influencing their social interactions and strengthening their engagement in society.

Powerful inspiration

Erasmus+ has an impact that reaches far beyond individual learning journeys, serving as a source of inspiration and a point of orientation. Encounters, networks and role models demonstrate the wide range of paths available and show how international experiences can shape careers. In this context, Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär points to prominent Erasmus+ alumni such as ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer to illustrate the programme’s far-reaching influence. At the same time, she underscores its social dimension: Erasmus+ fosters understanding, builds trust and strengthens European cohesion. These are values that are becoming ever more important in times of global uncertainty.


The third and final part of the series turns to another key dimension: Living European values – Erasmus+ as a democratic project.

Further links

internationalization strategy Mobility of Individuals (KA 131) cooperations among higher education institutions European Higher Education Area (EHEA) interview student mobility

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