More than 102 million euros for Poland from Erasmus+ in 2014

The EU programme Erasmus+ runs from January 2014. It replaced several existing educational programs, including " Learning for Life" (Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Comenius and Grundtvig) and "Youth in Action". It will run until 2020. In Poland, it is carried out by three ministries: of science and higher education, national education, and sport and tourism.

" The seven-year Erasmus+ budget is over 14 billion 700 million, which represents a 40 percent increase compared to the previous edition of the EU educational programmes" - said at a press conference in Warsaw Mirosław Marczewski, Director General of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System, whose tasks include distribution of the Erasmus+ funds in Poland.

Erasmus+ budget provided for the year 2014 will amount to 1.8 billion euros, including 102 million euros for Poland. Over the seven years of the programme, Poland will have the amount of one billion euros for the implementation of this programme.

Over 11 percent of the amount earmarked for Poland is intended for activities related to school education, 22 percent for vocational education and training, 10 percent for youth, 5 percent for the education of adults and 33.3 percent for on higher education. As a result, universities will be able to offer international student exchange, to maintain the mobility of researchers, invite foreign lecturers.

"The package associated with Erasmus is perhaps the most important stimulus for the development of Polish higher education, and in part also science" - Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education Dr. Daria Lipińska-Nałęcz said at a press conference. In her opinion, we have Erasmus to thank for courses taught in English at Polish universities.

She told PAP that the scale of the program will expand in the new financial perspective. Financial aid for the less affluent is included so that the cost of going abroad does not exclude them from using Erasmus - explained Lipińska-Nałęcz.

Another new feature in Erasmus+ is greater support for joint programs carried out by Polish universities with other universities. "We\'re moving away from a random student exchange. They should go for a specific purpose, within the framework of partnership agreements between institutions that are already doing something together, not just exchange students. This is a strategic partnership, which involves not only the exchange of youth, but also genuinely substantive cooperation and the possibility of inclusion of businesses in the educational process" - told PAP Lipińska-Nałęcz.

Erasmus+ will benefit more than 4 million people - students, pupils and adults. "The new program has another very important element, sports. In the previous edition it was only marginally present" - said Mirosław Marczewski. As a result, the Erasmus funds can be used to finance non-commercial European sporting events.

Marczewski emphasised that in addition to 1 billion euros guaranteed for Poland there is still a big pool of money, which will be distributed by the European Commission. "These funds will be distributed in competitions announced at the European level. Our universities will have to fight for them with the competition in Europe. There could be a lot more money, if we are active" - stressed Marczewski.

The first ideas and proposals for Erasmus+ projects related to educational mobility, can be submitted until March 17. Last week in the conference centre of the National Stadium workshops were organised to prepare for submitting such proposals. The event benefited more than 1,5 thousand participants. "Those who do not submit the project now, will be able to apply for funds in the coming years, because the competitions will be repeated" - assured Marczewski.

Information for institutions wishing to submit their Erasmus+ projects is available at http://erasmusplus.org.pl/

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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