The EU Erasmus+ Programme During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The article critically reflects upon various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the EU funded Erasmus+ academic cooperation programme. A complete or partial shutdown of academic mobility, imposition of quarantine, and forced introduction of digital teaching and learning technologies have become the most prominent consequences of the pandemic for the European universities. Numerous surveys among students, teachers and experts in higher education have shown many vulnerabilities of the Erasmus programme requiring improvement. Responding to the COVID-19 challenges, the EU and university community are updating the Erasmus programme for the period 2021‒2027, in order to strengthen it as a tool to promote European values and increase its resilience to withstand external threats.