Training opportunities abroad through the Erasmus programme

As an employee at Linnaeus University, you can apply for scholarships for training opportunities abroad, or so called learning mobility or staff training.

The purpose of Erasmus+ Staff Training

Staff Training of Individuals is part of the European Union’s Programme Erasmus+. Its aim is to increase the quality and strengthen the European dimension of higher education.

What is Staff Training?

Training periods abroad can consist of shadowing, observation periods, professional development courses or specific competence-building events.

The aim of the activity should be to learn new and innovative learning, teaching, administrative or management practices which afterwards can be applied by the staff participants at their home institution. An example is if you as a teacher would like to develop learning tools or virtual mobility projects with another university. It is important that learning mobility takes place within your own area of work and not linked to one's own research or research collaboration.

Conferences or any type of event only dedicated to a specific academic discipline are not eligible.

Teaching staff can also combine teaching and staff training activities during the same mobility. Read more about a teaching assignment here.

Where can Staff Training take place?

Erasmus+ supports training both at education institutions and at relevant organisations operating outside the sector. Eligible countries are the 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. Great Britain is no longer in the Erasmus programme.

Staff training does not require an exchange agreement (Erasmus agreement) with the receiving institution, however if it is a higher education institute, it should have an Erasmus Charter.

If you are interested in carrying out a staff training at one of Linnaeus University Erasmus partner universities and need a contact, kindly address the person at your faculty who is responsible for managing the agreements. Choose the heading "Administrative contact at faculty level" to the right.

Who can apply?

Opportunities to take part in professional development activities are available to staff working at all levels of education, both academic and non-academic staff. Doctoral students the same possibilities as other employees to apply for an Erasmus Learning Mobility, as long as the activities are connected to their future professional careers or ongoing professions at the university. Doctoral students can also apply for a teaching assignment within the Erasmus Programme. Read more about a teaching assignment here.

Conditions for applying

Staff Training exchange must be a minimum of 2 workdays and a maximum of 2 months (excluding travel days).
The period must be carried out in one and the same place.

Travel policy, rules and safety

When choosing a destination and mode of travel, Linnaeus University's travel policy shall be considered. Where the destination is not crucial for the work-related benefit, sustainable close alternatives shall be chosen to reduce the climate impact. Erasmus+ provides extra support for green travel.

The local and state framework agreements that exist shall be utilized when purchasing/booking business travel. See Linnaeus University's travel procedures for domestic and international work-related travel.

Always consider the Lnu guidelines for personal safety for abroad travel.

Application procedure

Applications are received and funds are allocated continuously.

Before the mobility:

Complete and submit the online form on this link. In the application you need to state the the overall aim, objectives and added value of the visit, content of program and expected results; that is to say, what you expect to learn during your visit.
After having submitted the application, kindly print it out and sign it.
Arrange signature/approval from the head of your department/office.
Send the form to the host university for approvement (scanned signature is sufficient).
Send the signed mobility agreement to Lena Kulmala the at the Office of external relations.
When approved by ER, your mobility agreement will be returned as you will need to bring it to the host institution for verification that the mobility has been carried out. Approved applicants will be offered a grant towards certain expenses such as travel and accommodation.

Erasmus Grant
The Erasmus funds are a contribution to the institution to cover some of the costs arising from a teacher exchange. It is important that the exchange is supported by the head of department. Allocated funds are based on a rate for travel and working days and the sum varies depending on host country and number of working days. A maximum of two travel days can be counted as working days. You keep your salary from Linnaeus University.

Special needs support
Additional funding is available for participants with physical, mental or health-related conditions via the Erasmus+ special needs support.

After the mobility:

Send the verified mobility agreeement to the ER office (with the final signature from the receiving institution) together with documentation showing the dates of travel.
Report your expenses through the Primula system.
Fill out the online-report. A link to the report is sent to you from Erasmus Mobility Tool after your return.
When all documenation has been received the grant will be transferred to the home department.

Related links