Erasmus+ places particular emphasis on providing participation opportunities for all. To this end, its budget was significantly increased for the 2021-2027 programming period. The inclusion and diversity priority encompasses and is closely related to all remaining horizontal priorities governing the Programme and is pertinent to all Programme actions, aiming to create a digital, more environmentally sustainable Erasmus+, closer to the needs of the society.
Barriers to participation in Erasmus+ may be linked to disabilities/serious health problems, learning difficulties/school failure, social and economic barriers, barriers linked to discrimination as well as cultural and geographical barriers. It is noted that certain people may be facing a combination of the above difficulties, a fact which further hinders their participation in the Programme.
For a detailed definition of the term “people with fewer opportunities”, please refer to the Programme Guide / Implementation guidelines – Inclusion and Diversity Strategy.
It is strongly recommended to include measures for the participation of people with fewer opportunities in all projects, i.e. in projects for mobility (KA1) as well as in cooperation projects (KA2). It is noted that the provision of measures for inclusion and diversity is also assessed during the application assessment stage.
Read also the Guide for Assessors on Inclusion and Diversity.