The National Erasmus+ Indire Agency has registered a significant increase in applications for cooperation projects in the School (+64%), University (+29%) and Adult Education (+59%) areas.

“The data – Flaminio Galli, Director General of the Indire’s Erasmus+ Agency stated – highlight the desire to move forwards in cooperation and the added value of working together in the European context. Despite the health emergency, the lockdown and the limits to mobility, there is a desire to look ahead, plan, work on the future, imagine, and find new strategies. There is a strong need to create networks, start exchanges of good practices and share educational resources on a broad context that crosses national borders to continue promoting the sense of belonging to Europe. Erasmus+ has managed in recent years to create communities of teachers, educators, learners, young people, children, citizens who share the values ​​of a common home. It remains a very important programme to improve the quality of education, inclusion, solidarity, skills, and opportunities for young people. An essential investment for the future “.

SCHOOL

The exchange partnerships between schools allow schools of all levels to collaborate with other European educational institutions in a project, on a topic of common interest, and to organize exchanges and European mobility of students, teachers and staff. This year the applications for this action reached 401, recording +64% increase compared to 2019. Among the most active regions are Sicily, Campania and Lazio.

Applications for strategic partnerships for innovation and for the exchange of good practices are also growing: the Indire’s Erasmus+ Agency received 198 applications, an increase of 22.9% compared to 2019. This action offers the opportunity for institutions active in various sectors of education, schools, universities, businesses, public bodies, civil society organizations, NGOs, etc. to cooperate in order to implement and transfer innovative practices at local, regional, national and European level. The regions that sent the largest number of projects are, in order: Lazio, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Tuscany.

Positive results also come from the European eTwinning community for teachers and the world of school. The electronic platform of the Erasmus+ Programme in the last two months has played a crucial role in supporting distance learning in European contexts, for the sharing of good practices, teaching resources and reflections of the teachers involved. In the last two months there has been a strong growth in the number of users: in March 2,300 Italian teachers (over 300% more than in March 2019) registered with the community, while in April enrolments still increased by 350% compared to last year, with 1,000 new teachers registered on the platform. Among the most active regions: Campania, Lombardy and Sicily.

See the list of applications in the Results section

UNIVERSITY

Despite the difficulties due to the emergency, many Higher Education Institutions (Universities; Higher Education in Art, Music and Dance; and Higher technical institutes) have submitted a candidacy by the deadline of 23 April for cooperation partnerships in the field of Higher Education.

There has been a 29% increase in applications compared to 2019. These are structured and long-lasting cooperation projects between Higher Education Institutions and other organizations, public or private, active in the university education sectors, which aim to support the development, transfer and or implementation of innovative practices at organizational, institutional, local, regional, national and European level.

See the list of applications in the “Results” section

EDUCATION OF ADULTS

Also, in this area there is a strong increase in applications for projects dedicated to adult learning: 257 applications and an increase of 58.6% compared to 2019. Among the themes proposed by the centres and organizations engaged in adult learning, the following emerged: the improvement of digital skills, the activation of new learning paths and the sharing of innovative practices and resources. The most active regions are, in order: Sicily, Lazio and Emilia-Romagna.

Further support also comes from the electronic platform EPALE – European Platform for Adult Learning which is an integral part of the Erasmus+ Programme and for years has been the European meeting point for professionals working in the world of adult education. Since the beginning of 2020, the platform has registered over 500 new Italian members.

See the list of applications in the “Results” section