International openness and globalisation challenges - key factors in the development of the Erasmus for All programme

Abstract

For the past five years the priorities of international activities for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been changing rapidly in content and geographical area: the spectrum of activities is changing and new forms of these are emerging. European HEIs increasingly are facing the need to create a more diverse range of international activities. During the evolution of international activities, from mobility to international education hubs, universities are searching for new internationalisation tools to implement those activities more effectively in terms of finance and time. There is an obvious trend of moving from Euro-centred towards global-centred for HEIs in Europe. The programme, Erasmus for All (European community action scheme for the mobility of university students) is analysed in this paper as an emerging platform by which to boost European HEI visibility in the global arena and to respond to the contemporary needs of European universities. This should facilitate a qualitative leap in the internationalisation practices of European HEIs, particularly by strengthening ties with non-European institutions and forging global multilateral partnerships.