Virtual exchange projects consist of contact-based online activities that promote intercultural dialogue, strengthening critical thinking and media literacy, promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, and developing soft skills. They provide access to quality international and intercultural education (both formal and non-formal) without physical mobility.

Exchanges take place in small groups and are always moderated by a trained facilitator. They may include participants from higher education only or only from the youth sector, but ideally combine both groups.

What are the types of activities and how to get involved?

Projects will be funded on the basis of work plans, which can incorporate a range of online collaboration activities, such as:

• online discussions between young people from youth organisations or between students from higher education institutions from different countries;
• training of youth workers or higher education staff who want to set up a virtual exchange project with colleagues from other countries;
• Interactive open online courses including traditional course materials such as recorded lectures, readings, etc., but always with an emphasis on interactive user forums in small groups to encourage interaction between students, professors, young people, youth workers, etc.

All projects will involve participants from EU countries and third countries associated to the Programme as well as from third countries not associated to the Programme and must offer virtual activities for persons between the ages of 13 and 30 residing in one of the participating countries.

Terms of Engagement

• Any institution active in the field of higher education or youth established in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme can apply for a three-year project.
• Organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme as well as from third countries not associated to the Programme (Regions 1, 2, 3 and 9, see Regions 1, 2, 3 and 9) can be project partners. Programme Guide – Part A, section “Eligible countries”)
• The partnership must involve at least 4 partners from 4 different countries, including at least two higher education institutions or youth organisations from two EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme and at least two higher education institutions or youth organisations from two third countries not associated to the Programme. In the case of third countries not associated to the Programme, they must always be in the same region.
• The number of organisations from EU Member States and countries associated to the Programme shall not exceed the number of organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme. In the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, applicants are encouraged to involve participants from a wide range of countries, including least developed countries and/or partners with less experience with the programme.
• The maximum grant is EUR 500 thousand (at the same time the maximum EUR 200 per participant, i.e. the project in the maximum grant amount must involve at least 2.5 thousand participants), while the financing takes place in the form of a lump sum.
• Applicants must describe the budget in detail in the application and organise it into individual work packages (for example, divided into ‘project management’, ‘training’, ‘organisation of events’, ‘preparation and implementation of mobility’, ‘communication and dissemination’, ‘quality assurance’, etc.).

How to apply?

The application process takes place via the portal Funding and Tenders Opportunities (FTOP). Current calls and deadlines, necessary documents, forms, model grant agreements and other requirements are published here.

The application can be found on the Portal directly by the code ERASMUS-EDU-2023-VIRT-EXCH.