The Erasmus Program started in 1987 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2012. It is one of the most notable actions of the European Community that focuses on higher education. It supports the establishment of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and reinforces the contribution of higher education and higher vocational training to innovation. Apart from academic benefits, it promotes cross-‑cultural dialogue and reinforces European citizenship and identity.
The social mobility aspect of the Erasmus program is characterized as a ‘social phenomenon’, since over 3.000.000 students from higher education institutions in participating countries have travelled within its framework and enjoyed contact with different cultures. Students describe this period of their higher education journey as an experience of a lifetime.
Within the Erasmus framework, the University of Crete has started into over 500 bilateral agreements, while also taking part in the following actions:
- Student Mobility for Education
- Student Mobility for Practical Training
- European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
- Diploma Supplement (DS)
- Academic staff mobility for the purpose of teaching
- Administrative and teaching staff mobility for the purpose of training
- Erasmus intensive language courses for incoming and outgoing students (EILC)
- Short-term intensive programs (IP)
- Interuniversity collaboration programs on issues of common interest (Thematic Networks)