A recent impact study by the National Agency for Erasmus+ University Co-operation within the DAAD (NA DAAD) shows that the Erasmus+ programme is having positive effects: The programme made a significant contribution to the internationalisation of German universities and the personal development of students between 2014 and 2020. With over 350,000 funded stays abroad and a satisfaction rate of over 90 per cent, Erasmus+ is a key programme for the future of Europe.

"Erasmus+ is a driver of academic mobility and cross-border understanding in the European Union. The programme has demonstrated resilience, flexibility and adaptability in the difficult times of the covid pandemic and is therefore rightly very popular. Erasmus alumni also state that their stay abroad has significantly improved their labour market skills. Erasmus+ therefore has an impact at a personal, university and pan-European level," emphasised DAAD President Prof. Dr Joybrato Mukherjee.

The results of the study underline the lasting importance of Erasmus+ as a central EU education programme: "Our alumni, who have received excellent international and intercultural training, are not only ambassadors for the European idea, but also for the importance of education and science in a European and global context. Former Erasmus+ students also benefit from their stay abroad in the long term in their professional careers and are also an asset to their employers," says Dr Stephan Geifes, Director of the National Agency at the DAAD. The DAAD is committed to continuing the success story of Erasmus+ and enabling even more young people to gain formative experiences abroad in the future. 

Mobility figures and follow-up survey

In the Erasmus programme generation from 2014 to 2020, 314,859 students and 38,607 university members from Germany received funding for stays abroad. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, mobility figures rose steadily, with additional budget funds and flexibility in the organisation of stays abroad making a significant contribution. The NA DAAD also surveyed over 19,000 Erasmus alumni a few months to a few years after their stay abroad in order to gain insights into the satisfaction and skills gained by participants.

Career benefits and skills development

The survey of Erasmus alumni confirms the impact of the programme in three areas in particular:

• Career opportunities: Two thirds of respondents consider their Erasmus+ stay to be (very) important for their professional development. Internships abroad also contributed to the improvement of professional skills.
• Improved skills: 93% of alumni report increased intercultural competence, 89% improved their language skills, 88% felt they had improved their communication skills, 86% were more independent and 85% were more open to new ideas.
• Long-term perspective: Alumni with internship experience are more likely to work abroad later than students without this experience. 

Destination countries and mobility rates

Spain, France and the UK were the most popular destination countries for study visits between 2014 and 2020. Internships took place more frequently in the UK and Austria. Students at small universities and universities of art and music had above-average mobility rates. Satisfaction with the organisation and support during the stay abroad was particularly positive: Less than two per cent of students were dissatisfied with the support they received.

Positive impetus despite major challenges

The coronavirus pandemic posed major challenges for the Erasmus programme, particularly due to travel restrictions. Nevertheless, the introduction of innovative formats, such as the mixture of physical and virtual mobility, known as "blended mobility", continued to enable many students to have an international experience.

Background

In the last programme generation from 2014 to 2020, the National Agency within the DAAD provided German universities with around 641 million euros for the mobility of students and university staff. The NA DAAD subsequently analysed the reports of all funding recipients from these years. The data shows that mobility funded by Erasmus+ has increased continuously. There was no slump in the higher education sector due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, the study also took a comparative look at mobility at different types of higher education institutions  The last data was analysed in 2024.