SocialErasmus+

Many higher education institutions (HEIs) are still seen as ivory towers that are disconnected from the wider community. While problems such as social exclusion and unemployment do not stop at the gates of a campus, a better connection between HEIs and their surroundings is needed. SocialErasmus+ allows European exchange students to do voluntary work and connect with their local communities.

To support this end, project partners have developed different outputs including:

• An educational framework for volunteering during mobility that brings clarity on how to build stronger connections between the EU’s flagship mobility programme – Erasmus+ – and community service learning methods;
• Guidelines for local coordinators to support the organisation of volunteer activities and community engagement of international students during their mobility as well as a toolkit for schools to know how to host Erasmus+ students in class;
• A charter and policy recommendations for all stakeholders, namely the European Commission, universities, local student organisations and schools, to better integrate the social dimension into Erasmus+ mobilities and widen the engagement of students within their host local communities.

Finally, a one-stop-shop for Erasmus in Schools activities was created to allow any interested parties to submit, organise or participate in volunteer activities across Europe.

Project partners: Erasmus Student Network, European University Foundation, Youth exchange Umbrella Associação Juvenil, ESN Besançon, Universidad de Vigo, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Scholengroep Vlaamse Ardennen, Universitait Wien