Erasmus Mundus

Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education for:

• the enhancement of quality in European higher education;
• the promotion of the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world;
• the promotion of intercultural understanding through cooperation with third countries as well as for the development of third countries in the field of higher education.

Erasmus Mundus provides a response to the challenges of globalisation faced by European higher education today, in particular the need to adapt education systems to the demands of the knowledge society, to enhance the attractiveness and visibility of European higher education worldwide and to stimulate the process of convergence of degree structures across Europe. These themes are central to current national reform processes in higher education taking place in Member States.

In addition it provides an important vehicle for the promotion or intercultural dialogue between the European Union and the rest of the world. The programme continues and extends the scope of the activities already launched during its first phase (2004-2008) and includes the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window scheme, which was launched in 2006 as a complement to the original programme.

Erasmus Mundus Programme

The decision establishing the second phase of the Erasmus Mundus Programme was adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 16.12.2008 (Decision No 1298/2008/EC).1 The programme covers the period 2009-2013. The Commission has entrusted the implementation of the Erasmus Mundus Programme 2009-2013 to the Education, Culture and Audiovisual Executive Agency (hereinafter “the Agency” or “EACEA”). As a result, the Agency is responsible for the management of this programme – including drawing up Calls for Proposals, selecting projects and signing project agreements, financial management, monitoring of projects (assessment of intermediate and final reports), communication with beneficiaries and on-the-spot controls – under the supervision of the Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC).