Since 2014, Erasmus+ Key Action 2 (KA2) Cooperation Partnerships have been essential for fostering institutional cooperation across Europe. While Erasmus+ Key Action 1 has facilitated student mobility for over thirty years, KA2 has been critical in enabling bottom-up internationalisation initiatives in higher education. These interactions have nurtured institutional relationships, spurred innovation, and often served as the initial step toward international cooperation for academics.
At the beginning of each programming period, the European Commission shares some broad budget projections, which typically reflect a steady increase of funding over the seven-year period for the various actions and strands. However, the reality for Cooperation Partnerships is rapidly changing in the opposite direction, leading to calls for projects in Erasmus+, which are unprecedentedly competitive and almost on par with Horizon Europe project calls (though these are much more generously funded). We witnessed success rates hovering as low as 10%, which means that even exceptional applications scoring between 80 and 90 points are being left unfunded, representing significant wasted potential and resources for the institutions involved. This troubling trend has intensified with the 2024 call, where success rates have plummeted compared to previous years, as seen in the examples below:
- Slovakia: in 2024, the call success rate was 13.5%, down from 77% in 2022.
- Portugal: in 2024, the call success rate was 11.5%, down from 30% in 2023.
- Greece: in 2024, the call success rate was 7.5%, down from 16% in 2023.
Other countries, such as Spain, Latvia, and Czechia, also reported low success rates in 2024: 16,8% for Spain, 15% for Latvia, and 12.5% for Czechia. Larger countries such as Italy and France fare better (19.8% and 36.4%, respectively); however, both countries also experienced substantial declines in success rates, with the success rate being halved in both cases between 2022 and 2024.
Understanding the causes
The current predicament can be attributed to two opposing trends. First, interest in Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships has surged, exemplified by the number of applications submitted in Italy, rising from 57 in 2022 to 121 in 2024. The Netherlands saw an even sharper increase, with applications doubling from 20 in 2023 to 47 in 2024.
In principle, a growing number of applications would be matched by a growing financial envelope for this action. As noted above, in 2021, the European Commission set ambitious funding goals, announcing significant year-on-year increases. However, the reality is that funding for these partnerships has dramatically decreased, with the available budget plummeting from 121 million euros in 2023 to just 85 million euros in 2024 and a further reduction to 73 million euros in 2025 – the lowest since 2018. Had the KA2 Cooperation Partnership budget seen a mere 10% annual increase, it would have been nearly 75% higher in 2024 than what was allocated. This improvement would have allowed for better alignment with the increased demand, which is, in itself, a welcome outcome of EU policies such as the European Strategy for Universities. This includes greater awareness among universities and more staff invested in international cooperation.
The need for transparency and governance
This volatility prompts pressing questions about the future of Erasmus+ and the governance of the programme, where higher education institutions continue to play a negligible role:
- Why is funding for Cooperation Partnerships being reduced when the number of applications increases?
- Where are KA2 Cooperation Partnership resources being redirected?
- Is the European Parliament aware of and supportive of these cuts?
This structural shift in the Erasmus+ programme has not been announced to the community, let alone discussed openly and transparently. Is it in the sector’s interest that the Erasmus+ KA2 Cooperation Partnerships become as competitive as Horizon calls or other E+ Key Action 2 calls while providing significantly lower funding? Surely not.
Cooperation Partnerships has a proven record of helping the academic community engage with internationalisation and achieve key objectives related to inclusion, active participation, green transition, digitalisation, and the overall modernisation of European higher education. The bottom-up nature of these projects has significantly contributed to the EU agenda of strengthening the internationalisation of higher education at the system level from both a cross-sector and grassroots perspective. By facilitating the necessary framework conditions, these projects have become key trailblazers for the growth of Erasmus+ KA1 mobilities. As a vital instrument for maintaining a cohesive EEA, they should be cherished and supported rather than discreetly phased out. Without decisive intervention, this gradual disappearance will likely become a reality, undermining their value and significance.
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