The Million of Erasmus Grants (MEGA) project’s ambition was to create and develop a digital tool that would simplify the management of Erasmus+ mobility grants at university level and secure the payment of these grants to the students concerned, both in terms of accuracy and calendar.
Active Years: 2022-2024
Funding: Erasmus+ Key Action 2
Project budget: 258,847 EUR
Length: 3 years
Partners: 8
Erasmus grant management has long been a challenging aspect of the programme, with each Higher Education Institution (HEI) responsible for organising its own grant payment system. This approach often results in inconsistencies across Europe, delays in payments, and undue difficulties for students, ultimately hindering their mobility experience. The growing number of grants offered by the Erasmus+ programme underscores the need for economies of scale and streamlined processes that reduce delays and complexity for beneficiaries.
The recently concluded MEGA project addressed these challenges with the aim of promoting fairness and efficiency in the payment of Erasmus+ grants. By facilitating and securing payment procedures, the project sought to enhance equal opportunities and ensure students fully benefit from their mobility experiences.
The MEGA project produced practical solutions and insights to address the above mentioned inefficiencies in Erasmus+ grant management. Its deliverables offer actionable tools and recommendations to improve fairness, speed, and transparency in grant distribution.
- Research on Grant Management Practices: The project surveyed how Erasmus+ grants are managed across various HEIs and European countries, uncovering significant delays, inefficiencies, and trigger points in the process. Findings highlighted the pressing need for a more streamlined and transparent grant distribution system that meets the early financial needs of mobile students.
- Blueprint for a Digital Grant Management Solution: The MEGA blueprint provides HEIs with a strategic guide to adopt innovative, secure, and modular digital solutions. It aims to enhance the speed and reliability of the grant payment process, offering actionable steps for implementation.
- Proof of Concept for a Grant Management Platform: A live demonstration of the digital Proof of Concept (PoC) showcased its ability to simplify grant payment processes, address student needs, and facilitate communication between mobility and financial managers. The platform’s features include clear instructions, transparent timelines, and partial automation of payments, significantly reducing delays.
- Benchmarking Report and Policy Recommendations: Insights from user experiences with the PoC informed a benchmarking report that evaluates the platform’s ability to overcome existing barriers. The project also delivered actionable policy recommendations targeting HEIs, National Erasmus+ Agencies, and European institutions, advocating for the integration of digital solutions to enhance Erasmus+ grant management.
For those interested in the project’s outcomes and discussions, the recording of the final conference is available here.
Partners: Université de Lorraine, Mendel University in Brno, Selcuk University, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Polythecnic Institute of Coimbra, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, European University Foundation.