Research Newsletter – Issue 95: Erasmus Feature

Erasmus+ Mid-Year Update

Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth, and sport in Europe. First established in 1987 as an exchange programme for higher education students, it now provides a wide range of opportunities to many different organisations to apply for funding through its calls for transnational collaborative projects. Its budget for 2021-2027 is approximately €26.2 billion.

DCU continues to be a leading Irish HEI in Erasmus+ projects, collaborating with many European and international partners in widely diverse areas. Erasmus+ is the 6^th largest source of external research funding awarded to DCU during the 5-year period 2019-2023.

At this mid-year point in the Erasmus+ calendar, while we wait in anticipation for the results of proposals submitted so far in 2024 under E+ calls, we prepare for the launch of the 2025 Call in the autumn.

2024 Applications and Awards

Evaluation of the proposals submitted in 2024 are underway. The first results of the 39 applications submitted  by DCU so far this year are those under the Jean Monnet action. These are calls which specifically support teaching, learning, research, and debates on various aspects of the European Union. Congratulations to Professor Federico Fabbrini and his colleagues at the Brexit Institute for their successful application for funding to lead a Jean Monnet Network, and to Professor Christian Kaunert and Dr Sarah Leonard (School of Law & Government), who are partners in a successful Jean Monnet Network. Further details are available in the Good News section of this newsletter. 

Among DCU’s other applications in 2024 are two proposals coordinated by DCU with consortia developed with ECIU partners: a KA3 proposal led by Dr Mairead Nic Giolla Mhichíl (Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge/DCU Studio) for Policy Experimentation in the field of micro-modules, and an Erasmus+ Teacher Academy led by Professor Charlotte Holland (Institute of Education). Twenty-five Cooperation Partnership proposals were also submitted –- five of which coordinated by DCU –- covering the field of Higher, School, and Adult education. Funding for the continuation of the School of Law and Government’s long-standing Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters IMSISS has been applied for; and PIs have participated in four Capacity Building proposals –- collaborations supporting developments in HE outside of the EU –- and an Alliance for Innovation supporting workplace-based development of skills in the health sector.

Successful projects share their results

In the past few months, the exciting results of three Erasmus+ projects awarded to DCU coordinators in 2021 have been showcased. At the final event of the AHEAD project, coordinated by Dr Daniela Lehwaldt (School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health), the partners from four countries gathered on the Glasnevin campus and showed how self-assessment and peer- assessment can be supported by innovative technologies. 

The EEEFCOM consortia, led by Dr Liam MacGabhann (School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health), came together for an online event to demonstrate the outstanding success of their work embedding an emancipatory educational framework in communities for people marginalised and excluded because of mental health and substance misuse issues. 

At the final event of the BeFore project, a trans-sectoral consortium, led by PIs in DCU’s Anti-Bullying Centre, shared the results of their project designing and implementing anti-bullying training for sports coaches.

How to apply in 2025: Find out more

The 2025 Erasmus+ call for proposals will be launched in November. Now is a great time to begin to shape ideas for a project and to develop networks for preparing a proposal in the coming year. 

Guidance and information on the Erasmus+ programme is provided by DCU’s Erasmus+ Development Officer Dr Sophie Ball. 1-1 meetings can be arranged at any time of the year to discuss ideas for a project, for support with finding partners, or for a general overview of the Erasmus+ programme. She runs events throughout the year to support staff to submit successful funding applications. Past presentations and other resources are on DCU’s Erasmus+ webpage . 

A series of monthly Grant Writing Workshops is currently being run by the Research Development Officers (RDOs); for details and to register for forthcoming sessions, please see the Events section of the newsletter, or contact your Faculty RDO.

For further information please contact Dr Sophie Ball, Erasmus+ Development Officer at Sophie.ball@dcu.ie