European Commission study explores how to make learning mobility in Europe more balanced and inclusive
The European Commission has published the first study of its kind on balanced and inclusive learning mobility, examining how student mobility is distributed across Europe and what can be done to make learning mobility more balanced, inclusive and sustainable.
The study covers three types of learning mobility: degree mobility — students who enrol and intend to graduate in a country other than their country of prior education; credit mobility — temporary periods of study or traineeship abroad while remaining enrolled at a home institution; and inclusive mobility — participation by people with fewer opportunities, as defined by Erasmus+ and the Council Recommendation “Europe on the Move”.
The study includes an EU-level comparative analysis, 29 country reports, case studies on the Central European Exchange Program for University Studies (CEEPUS) and the “Bienvenue en France” label, as well as a foresight analysis exploring possible mobility scenarios up to 2030.
The main findings highlight the absence of a common definition of balanced mobility across European countries, the importance of national and regional contexts, and the need to look beyond mobility numbers. Balanced mobility should also consider how its benefits and costs are distributed among students, higher education institutions, regions and countries.
The study recommends developing a common operational framework for balanced degree mobility, including the strategic expansion of joint-degree programmes. It also underlines that increasing participation must go hand in hand with ensuring that learning mobility is sustainable and accessible to people with fewer opportunities.
The study follows up on the 2024 Council Recommendation “Europe on the Move”, which sets ambitious 2030 targets for increasing learning mobility and making it more inclusive among higher education learners.
Prepared using materials from the European Commission.