ENHANCE Advocates for the Inclusion of Third-Country Universities in Erasmus Without Paper
The ENHANCE Alliance is proud to join forces with other leading European University Alliances in advocating for increased inclusivity within the Erasmus Without Paper (EWP) network. Together with Una Europa, 4EU+, Circle U, CIVIS, EUTOPIA, EUonAIR, and UNITA, we have co-signed a joint statement calling on the European Commission to enable full participation for higher education institutions (HEIs) in third countries that are not currently associated with the Erasmus+ programme, including universities from the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
As European Universities, we are committed to enhancing international student mobility and fostering deeper global collaboration. The EWP platform has been instrumental in digitizing and streamlining mobility management for HEIs within Europe. However, many of our partner institutions outside the Erasmus+ programme face challenges in accessing this critical tool, limiting their ability to fully participate in cross-border academic exchanges.
In our joint statement, we emphasize the need for:
- Opening the EWP network to third-country HEIs, allowing them to manage student mobilities efficiently and contribute to a global academic network.
- Reducing administrative burdens by creating unified processes for handling international student data and agreements, benefiting both students and staff involved in these exchanges.
- Fostering a flexible and inclusive approach that acknowledges the diversity of HEIs worldwide, ensuring a robust and adaptable framework that reflects the realities of global partnerships.
The ENHANCE Alliance firmly believes that greater access to EWP will facilitate seamless cooperation between European and international universities, enabling students to benefit from a truly interconnected higher education experience. By opening the doors to third-country institutions, we can create more opportunities for future-proof skills development and digital innovation in the academic community.
We remain committed to working closely with the European Commission and Erasmus+ National Agencies to refine the EWP network and ensure that it serves the needs of all students, regardless of geographic location.
📄 Read the full joint statement here.
