Erasmus University Rotterdam is the first Dutch university to become a member of the European University Foundation (EUF) in 2019. The aim of this network of twenty universities is to accelerate the modernisation of higher education in Europe. Diversity and social justice are at the heart of EUF, which works closely with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Investment Bank.
Modernisering hoger onderwijs
The members of EUF want to be at the forefront of shaping EU policy in higher education, in particular for digital higher education, student mobility and employability and policy innovation. Many of the innovations in the Erasmus+ programme can be traced back to work carried out by the EUF. This mainly concerns the idea of studying abroad once per study cycle. The online language learning system introduced in Europe is also modelled on the EUF.
Student exchange
Erasmus University has been working with EUF since 2016, in the 'Online Learning Agreement' (OLA) project. The OLA is a digital tool that makes the preparation of the student exchange easy to manage, reduces paperwork and makes it easier for students and staff to apply for an Erasmus + grant. The EUR is also a project partner in the OLA +, which focuses on developing an 'Erasmus Dashboard' and connecting and integrating different services within the Erasmus + programme.
Erasmus+ 2021
As a member of the EUF Steering Group, the EUR is involved in the development of the new Erasmus + programme, which will start in 2021. Membership also provides an opportunity to get involved in education-related issues in Brussels.