Erasmus+ provides teaching opportunities and training opportunities for the staff of higher education institutions and the staff invited from enterprises. An Erasmus period provides staff with a chance to expand their language skills, pick up new ideas and practices and the chance to build a relationship with a new institution
Staff who go abroad on an Erasmus+ placement typically take part in one of two mobility programmes:
- Teaching periods allow HEI teaching staff or staff from enterprises to teach at a partner HEI abroad. This teaching can be in any subject area/academic discipline and can take place at any HEI that has an Erasmus charter.
- Training periods support the professional development of HEI teaching and non-teaching staff in the form of training events abroad (excluding conferences) and job shadowing/observation periods/training at a partner HEI, or at another relevant organisation abroad.
Staff placements typically last between two days to two months, with those on teaching placements preforming a minimum of eight hours teaching per week. Support is available for staff travel and subsistence while on Erasmus exchange.
Further Information on Exchanges in Europe
Learning opportunities in Europe
Career Guidance - Euroguidance
Promotional Presentation for Staff - Letterkenny Institute of Technology
Staff Teaching
Erasmus+ offers an opportunity for academic staff to teach at a partner institution in either one of the 33 programme countries or in on of the programme’s associated partner countries. These short visits allow staff to contribute to, and learn from, best practice, find out first-hand the workings of another European education system and contribute to teaching a course with European colleagues. Erasmus+ Teaching Mobility is intended to allow for the further development of links between European higher education institutions and to encourage further mobility of staff and students.
Are you eligible?
Staff seeking to take part in a mobility for teaching must be employed in a higher education institution, which is currently in receipt of an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), or a public or private organisation employed in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth. Doctoral candidates employed by higher education institutions are included in this category. The mobility can last anywhere from 2 days to 2 months (excluding travel time). In all cases, a teaching activity has to comprise a minimum of 8 hours teaching per week (or any shorter period of stay).
Staff which qualify and are wishing to take part in an Erasmus should contact the international/placement officer at their university to see what programs and institutions are available.
Financial Support
Financial support for staff mobilities is typically divided between indivdual support and travel support. Individual support is designed to cover the subsistence costs of the participent, while travel support is intended to contribute towards the travel costs associated with a mobility.
Individual Support
The amount granted to staff for individual support depends significantly on the destination of the participant.The Programme Countries are divided into the four following groups:
Group 1: Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom
- €80-160 per day
Group 2: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Greece, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Romania, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey
- €70-140 per day
Group 3: Germany, Spain, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- €60-120 per day
Group 4: Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia
- €50-100 per day
Funding will continue at the prescribed level until the 14th day of any mobility, after which it will be reduced to 70%. Individual support is based on the duration of the stay per participant (if necessary, including also one travel day before the activity and one day following the activity).
Travel Support
Erasmus+ also makes a significant contribution towards the costs of travel, the extent of which depends on the travel distance per participant. Travel distance must be calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission. The applicant must indicate the distance of a one-way travel to calculate the amount of the EU grant that will support the trip.
The contribution to travel expenses is as follows
- For distances between 100 and 499 KM: €180 per participant
- For distances between 500 and 1999 KM: €275 per participant
- For distances between 2000 and 2999 KM: €360 per participant
- For distances between 3000 and 3999 KM: €530 per participant
- For distances between 4000 and 7999 KM: €820 per participant
- For distances over 8000 KM: €1100 per participant
Staff with Special Needs
To ensure that staff with special needs can take full advantage of the European mobility arrangements, Erasmus+ pays particular attention to guidance, reception, physical accessibility, pedagogical and technical support services, and, especially, financing of the extra costs.
On a case by case basis, additional funding and support is available to staff with special needs. This can be used to cover the extra expenses incured to engage in the mobility programme, such as a carer or study-aid support, accessible accomodation or return consultancy visits. It is important that the application for additional funding and/or support is made well in advance of the intended travel to ensure the recieving institution or organisation is fully equipped to handle the needs of the students.
How to Apply:
- Ask the Disability Officer in your new college to request a Fund for Staff with Disabilities application form from the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
- The Disability Officer should then complete and return the form to the HEA.
- If the application is successful, the HEA will send funds to the student’s hosts university.
- The host university should then put the supports in place.