The framework aims to bring a comprehensive overview of strategic objectives and action points that the respective stakeholder could undertake to install a sustainable inclusive mobility strategy at institutional and/or national level. Each framework focuses on student mobility between higher education institutions. Explore the objectives and related actions by clicking on the buttons.

What is your perspective ?

The framework for higher education instiutions consists of five main areas, 17 objectives and 42 action points. Installing these action points will allow you to install an inclusive mobility strategy at institutional level. In the guidelines for higher education institution you can discover more tips and tricks to ensure an inclusive mobility experience for students with disabilities. 

Which area would you like to focus on?

Choose an objective for 'Inclusion in mobility strategies' to view possible action points

The higher education institutions gives a central place to inclusion in both its institutional strategic plan and its internationalisation plan.

  • The higher education institution takes an institutional broad-based dialogue approach for the development and realisation of an internationalisation strategy that addresses inclusion.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Ensure institutional leaders commit the development of an internationalisation strategy that addresses inclusion. Most institutions have a student mobility or internationalisation strategy which lays out the institution’s plan to promote and deliver international mobility. And yet, most institutions do not make any specific commitments on actions to promote the mobility of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students within these strategy documents. Equally, general institutional strategic plans or inclusion/equity strategies rarely make specific commitments to widening participation on mobility programmes. It is vital to get both top down and bottom-up support for inclusive mobility
     strategies. Include therefore institutional leaders in the dialogue as early as possible. Their responsibilities may include providing institutional support and resources to deliver on the strategy and ensuring there is sufficient institutional backing for targets set within it. To ensure senior buy-in
    , it’s useful to align inclusive mobility
     outcomes with wider institutional and national strategic priorities concerning equity, inclusion and universal design.     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Take an institution-wide dialogue for the development of your inclusive mobility
     strategy. By involving a diverse student body, colleagues and trusted external partners, your institution gets the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives to form inclusive mobility
     strategies and create buy-in
     from staff who will be executing it. Opportunities to feed into this discussion could include the creation of a dedicated steering group, the conducting of staff and student focus groups, the running of consultation workshops or institutional surveys. In terms of how to approach beginning an institutional dialogue, it is a good idea to bring relevant stakeholders together to first establish what data and procedures already exist, what formal and informal practices are already in place, what is already working well and what areas can you collectively identify for improvement.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Involve a diverse student body actively when developing new programmes and policies. Responding to the requirements of the student community is crucial to effectively expand the mobility offer. It is important to specifically take into accounts the voices of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. They are the experts in their lived experience and have the greatest understanding of the potential impact of diversity on mobility and the barriers that may exist. In terms of the individual mobility experience, they should be actively included in planning conversations between the sending and receiving institutions from the outset. More generally, their voice and experiences should also be central to any consultation exercises around building an institutional strategy.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution takes specific measures to ensure inclusion and to increase the opportunities for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students in incoming and outgoing mobility programmes.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Set up institutional mobility targets (incoming and outgoing mobility
    ) to close the current participation gap. Targets prioritising mobility as an important area of activity enable institutions to reflect on progress made and evaluate the effectiveness of activities, allowing mobility programmes to adapt according to success measures such as participation levels and student feedback. Do not only introduce an institution-wide target for mobility, but also aim for mobility rates to reflect the make up of the institution’s student body, supporting efforts to close the current participation gap. orts to close the current participation gap.     		 Before
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Provide a variety of mobility programmes to suit different needs and aspirations of a diverse student body (short term mobilities, virtual exchanges, joint study programmes at different levels, summer and winter schools, etc.). There is no one-size-fits-all solution to widening access to mobility, and students’ differing circumstances require varying approaches. Offering more flexible, short mobility opportunities are highly valued by disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Short mobilities can often act as a first step and build student confidence to participate in longer mobility experiences at a later date. General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Establish a needs-based and individualised approach to support the wider participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students in international student mobilities at three important stages. In the pre-mobility stage, with need for accessible information, communication between actors, respectful procedures, support in the application process and encouraging mobility (positive activities/incentives). During mobility, with need for support services for diverse needs, tools to become independent, access to accommodation, health care, leisure and accessible learning conditions and portals. And post-mobility, with need for support in providing feedback, accessible/clear assessment tools, evaluation of inclusivity and reintegration support. General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Define a set parameters around inclusion as a precursor to engaging in new inter-institutional mobility agreements (e.g., agreement around base levels of support provided to students between institutions, a common definition of disability, etc.) or related agreements with third-party providers. General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution has a standardised methodology to monitor the participation and experiences of students in all types of mobility programmes, while also specifically focusing onto the participation and experiences of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Agree on definitions and criteria to identify disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students to be gathered in the data set. Align definitions with national legal or regulatory definitions or those used to gather national data on disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students more generally. Connect inclusive mobility
     actions in the institution’s mobility strategy to wider institutional and national goals around equity and inclusion contained in the general institutional strategic plan or inclusion strategy, or similar national strategies.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Install a systematic and robust approach to gathering data about the participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students in different mobility programmes (incoming and outgoing mobility
    ). Only collect data which is likely to be relevant in tracking progress and identifying areas of underrepresentation or need for improvement. This may include tracking age, diversity category, field of study, mobility programme type, country of sending institution (for incoming students) or type of support required. Also gather qualitative data on the experiences of students of staff and ensure that this data is reviewed and analysed periodically, with recommendations feeding directly intoin to the update of policy and practice. Qualitative data collection could take the form of post mobility interviews or focus groups. Ensure that students give informed consent for the collection of any data and are informed of the intended subsequent use of such data. Ensure access to data is given only to staff members who need it to carry out their roles.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution has a systematic approach to evaluate the impact of mobility and to optimise and update the mobility strategies procedures, while specifically focusing onto the feedback and experiences of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Evaluate the participation of students in all mobility programmes, and monitor the participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students at institutional level. Gather and analyse feedback from all students, and specifically from disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students about their mobility experiences and experiences with procedures and delivered support. Ensure that data analysis offers both a ‘big-picture’ view of institutional progress on inclusive mobility
     and opportunities to look at potential areas of underrepresentation at a more granular level (e.g., by disability type, mobility programme type, field of study, etc.). Make a specific overview of the obstacles disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students face related to their participation in mobility.     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Use data gathered from students and the overview of obstacles disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students face related to their participation in mobility to inform a wider institutional dialogue with relevant staff about how to improve and update the institution’s mobility strategy and associated procedures to optimise them for inclusion and participation of all students. This in turn will support institutions to increase participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students and provide the most inclusive experience possible for all students.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Awareness and cooperation' to view possible action points

The higher education institution ensures that necessary cooperations and structures are in place to ensure an inclusive mobility experience for all students.

  • The higher education institution ensures that necessary staff, internal cooperations and structures are in place to ensure an inclusive mobility experience for all students
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Ensure roles and responsibilities of staff in delivering on inclusive mobility
     practices and procedures are explored and clearly outlined. Once good relationships have been established between the relevant staff, the institution should go about developing written procedures to improve mobility experiences and collaboratively draw up a plan of staff responsibilities in relation to the mobility of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. This plan should contain the details of the personnel responsible for carrying out both general tasks associated with inclusive mobility
     (e.g., targeted promotion to disadvantaged students) and the more specific tasks associated with supporting individual students pre, during and post mobility (e.g., needs assessment, financial planning etc).    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Building relationships between relevant departments and faculties on campus is vital to effectively promote inclusive mobility
     practices and build sustainable procedures which ensure that all students have a smooth and successful mobility period. Some of the key internal stakeholders in delivering inclusive mobility
     at a strategic and a practical level are senior leaders, international offices, inclusion offices, departmental mobility coordinators/champions, carreer department, marketing and communications departments, students and student unions. Fostering relationships between these relevant professionals is vital but the most important internal relationship of all is the one between staff in the inclusion support and international offices, and in particular – how they collaboratively engage with incoming/outgoing students and external institutions to achieve inclusive mobility
     experiences for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Staff working in these areas need to take time to work together, organising regular meetings, not only to gain insights into the challenges of mobility programmes but also to share what works for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution provides inclusive mobility awareness, capacity building and training to staff directly involved in delivering mobility programmes.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Provide institutional awarness and capacity building on the key criteria of inclusive mobility
     and the specific needs of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. There are many challenges and potential barriers to participation in mobility programmes for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Many institutional staff will be unaware of these challenges. It is not possible for all staff to have a full understanding of the challenges faced, but it is helpful for staff directly involved in delivering mobility programmes to have a basic awareness of the barriers, so they can engage with their role in an informed manner.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Provide more tailored training and peer-learning
     for staff with specific roles to play in delivering mobility programmes. Institutions should work with staff to identify knowledge gaps in relation to studying abroad and provide training under their Continuing Professional Development programme/plan. In many cases, the expertise to deliver this training may already exist within the institution (e.g., in the Access Support Office or Teaching and Learning Centre), while in some cases, hiring external training providers may be necessary.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution ensures that necessary external cooperations are in place to ensure an inclusive mobility experience for all students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Engaging with national agencies and state bodies is important to highlight that the responsibility for widening participation in mobility is shared by institutions with regional, national and European agencies. Staff should ensure at a minimum alignment with targets and policies around participation in mobility set by national and regional agencies, and seek to bring issues encountered to the attention of relevant agencies where appropriate e.g., gaps in funding provision, areas of low participation regarding specific fields of study or disability type etc. In this way, institutions can contribute to the national dialogue about inclusive mobility
     and impact on national policy and practice. Building strong relationships between institutional staff and those in relevant national agencies and state bodies, also ensures that individual issues for students regarding funding for mobility or other relevant topics can be explored and resolved quickly and efficiently.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Ensure inclusion is central within your Inter-institutionalis agreements. Inter-institutional agreements are signed between two or more higher education institutions to facilitate the mobility of students between the institutions through programmes like Erasmus+. These agreements outline the terms of engagement between the institutions and the responsibilities of each institution in facilitating the mobility. The agreement offers a great opportunity to establish basic requirements and commitments around inclusive mobility
     to be adhered to by partnering institutions. Include a set parameters around inclusion in the inter-institutional mobility agreements (e.g., agreement around base levels of support provided to students between institutions, a common definition of disability, etc.)     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Seek to build strong working relationships between the inclusion and international offices of partner institutions. You should agree on general processes to actively engage with disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students considering an exchange between the institutions in a three-way conversation involving all parties to explore the possibilities and plan the exchange. Agree also on processes around communication of needs between students and the institutions and the delivery and funding of supports, and facilitate the possibility of pre-visits to the host institution
     for interested disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Seek valuable connections which can enhance the experience of disadvantaged, vulnerbale and underrepresented students. These student organisations might be available to provide peer to peer advice for students or engage them in interesting social experiences and activities. National NGO organisations or other third-party providers might also be able to advise students about their legal rights, relevant medical services in their locality or to connect them to peers with similar experiences, or deliver support or related services. Develop a database of relevant external agencies and foster relationships with them as appropriate. General
    Incoming, Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Information provision and promotion' to view possible action points

The higher education institution informs and sensitizes students about mobility programmes, procedures and support measures, including targeted information for disadvantageds, vulnerable and underrepresented students in an accessible format.

  • The higher education institution provides a concise overview of information about mobility opportunities and support for students, with additional information for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Seek valuable connections which can enhance the experience of disadvantaged, vulnerbale and underrepresented students. These student organisations might be available to provide peer to peer advice for students or engage them in interesting social experiences and activities. National NGO organisations or other third-party providers might also be able to advise students about their legal rights, relevant medical services in their locality or to connect them to peers with similar experiences, or deliver support or related services. Develop a database of relevant external agencies and foster relationships with them as appropriate. General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Make sure to integrate positive statements and messages about mobility opportunities in the information overview, by emphasising the added value of mobility. This will help to show disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students that mobility experiences are available to them and are a great opportunity for them.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Ensure information of available programmes, grants
    , and other funding sources and support services that both incoming and outgoing disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students can apply is published on your institutional website and in other information materials (leaflet, targeted email). Create a dedicated page on your institution’s website about the support services and grants
     students can receive or apply for at your institution and in your country. Make sure this page is also available in English. And publish the information on inclusivemobility.eu Make sure to publish the information as well in powerpoints for information days and leaflets. You can also ensure that the information reaches disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students directly, sending it for example through the disability/inclusion office, through the students services or any other service/department at your institution who may have contacts with disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Consider also providing information also to parents and care-takers whenever needed.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution promotes mobility opportunities towards each and every student through a variety of accessible and inclusive formats.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Market mobility through different and diverse channels and activities. Effective marketing goes beyond traditional media such as flyers, posters and email campaigns. Create a communication campaign to raise awareness of the value of outward mobility through videos, social media campaigns, interactive web portals, ambassador programmes. Encourage disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students to write for blogs and vlogs etc.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Use accessible inclusive resources and activities to provide information and promote mobility opportunities. Ensure the provided information about mobility opportunities is accessible and targeted towards disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. The Inclusive Information Chart provides you an overview of inclusive actions (eg. alt-text, sign language) you should take when planning and designing communications to ensure accessibility, and some further options which you can provide for students with specific needs as an alternative or on request. When organising promotional events either in person or online, make sure the venue is physically/virtually accessible and that a range of access needs have been planned for.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution builds a network of student ambassadors and schemes to promote mobility opportunities to other disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Recruit disadvantaged, vulnerbale and underrepresented students to share their previous experiences of mobility programmes and to act as role models and ambassadors for inclusive mobility
    . These leadership opportunities are often valued by students and staff alike. Encourage participation in a variety of ways (e.g. blogs on the institution's website, promotional videos, social media campaigns or contributions to events). The ambassador approach is a great way to build the confidence of others who are considering their options. Connecting disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students with their peers helps to make a mobility programme feel more achievable and offers a valuable chance for students to ask questions to someone who has really experienced what it is like.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Set up a structural strategy and cooperation between the communication, international and inclusion department to recruit previous students to help promote mobility programmes by sharing their experiences and ‘buddying up’ with students considering their options. This is vital to ensure a diverse team of student ambassadors. General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The higher education institution promotes itself as an inclusive destination, where disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students feel welcome to study. 
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Actively ‘call’ for incoming disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students and staff to consider a mobility period at your institution through information on your institution website and through the various social media channels used by your institution. Promote your higher education institution as an inclusive destination by highlighting available supports and key contacts for more information on your website and in other promotional materials and events (e.g. study abroad markets). By publishing your institutional information on the platform inclusivemobility.eu you make available crucial information that is often difficult to find for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students from abroad, and you give a clear sign that your institution is able to provide them with the best conditions for learning.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Applications, grants and funding' to view possible action points

The higher education institution provides clear information and advice to students on their funding options, offers clear and user-friendly applications and provides assistance in the application process and targeted financial support.

  • The higher education institution provides clear information and advice to students on their funding options.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Promote information about (additional) support services and grants
     for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students, as well as their portability
     status, including the responsible organisations and a contact person. A lack of information about the transportability of grants
     and support services abroad represent significant barriers for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Therefore it is vital that institutions provide clear information on eligibility for grants
    , what is covered by each grant, evidence required to demonstrate disadvantaged status (if relevant), other key information required to apply for the grant and where to find grant application and submission information. It’s also important to gather information about which national support grants
     are transferrable to study in other jurisdictions. Having this information also enables institutions to effectively promote grant availability, provide quality assistance in the application process, analyse gaps in the funding provided and use this information to develop targeted institutional grants
    .     		 Before
    Outgoing

  • The higher education institution offers clear and user-friendly applications and provides assistance in the application process to disadvantaged, vulnerbale and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Create user-friendly and accessible applications. Ensure that the application process is easy to navigate, and where possible simplify the process by removing unnecessary paperwork or steps in the procedure. Ensure students are encouraged to disclose a disability or specific condition from the beginning of the application process. One key step is to include an opportunity to disclose within the mobility application form by including a question asking the applicant if they have a disability/medical condition and provide invitation to disclose their situation. Institutions should develop a procedure around what happens once an applicant discloses a disability or medical condition as part of a mobility application and who has responsibility for which actions. Provide named contact in your international/disability office for students to ask for support with applications. Present a timeline of the process that highlights key milestones and deadlines which students need to meet. Provide alternative format application forms (e.g paper, braille) on request.  Before
    Outgoing
    Consider to include an interview processes and drop-in sessions where students can seek advice and can be supported to complete the necessary documentation and procedures. Provide guidance for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students throughout the enquiry and application process for both the mobility itself and the related grants
    . Areas of support offered through the application and grant management process could include provision of alternative format application forms on request, support with the organisation and funding of a pre-mobility visit to the host institution
    , working in tandem with the student and the home/host institution
     to develop an accurate estimation of added access costs required for some grant applications such as the Erasmus+ Special Needs Supplementary Grant. This may involve collaboration in the development of an outline Support Mobility Plan to determine required supports and/or a pre-visit to the host institution
     to explore possibilities – particularly where students with complex support needs are concerned. Students with complex support needs may also need support to record and document expenditure related to additional support grants
     so that they can provide evidence to the grant provider that funds were spent appropriately.     		 Before
    Outgoing

  • The higher education institution provides targeted financial support for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students which address gaps in the national and regional grant provision. 
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Institutions can demonstrate their commitment to increasing the numbers of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students on mobility by providing targeted institutional grants
     and bursaries for incoming and outgoing disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students which address gaps in the national and regional grant provision. Disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students often finance their mobility through loans, as grants
     do not cover all costs. Ensure that scholarship programmes at institutional level employ selection criteria that take note of the reality of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Adapt the scholarships selection criteria to the specificities of these target groups, to prevent discrimination and underrepresentation. Provision of such targeted grants
     should be included as a priority in the development of an institutional mobility strategy. Any gaps in the national/regional provision of mobility grants
     identified by the institution when examining its own grant provision should be brought to the attention of relevant regional/state agencies.     		 Before
    Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Support services' to view possible action points

The higher education institution provides qualitative support services before, during and after mobility, to ensure a qualitive mobility experience to both incoming and outgoing disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.

  • The higher education institution assessess the needs of students with specific needs pre-departure and equips them with knowledge and skills to give them the best chance of a successful mobility experience. 
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Provide a needs assessment to identify the support needs and reasonable adjustments
     of outgoing students with specific needs. A needs- assessment can be described as a systematic process for the collection of information and data to accurately reflect the strengths and needs of a particular individual. This process of gathering information in an objective and comprehensive way is important as it forms the basis for planning the provision of support. The supports and agreed actions should be developed and agreed between the student, home and host institution
     and staff from both the inclusion and international office should be involved in the dialogue. the supports and agreed actions should be documented in a specific Support Mobility Plan. The information derived from the assessment and the development of the plan can also be used to inform the grant application (i.e. the estimated costs of support). Reflect on what the mobility experience would be like for them and what they would do if they found themselves in crisis. This might be an important exercise particularly for students who are not independent and may need to be independent while on mobility.    		 Before
    Outgoing
    Ensure opportunities for students with specific needs to previsit the host institution
     before the mobility takes place. Ideally, a preparatory visit
     will take place before the student has made a final decision and the outcome of the visit can inform the support grant application and the Support Mobility Plan. If a preparatory visit
     is recommended and desired, then there needs to be a discussion and an agreement between the student and home and host institution
     in relation to who needs to travel with the student (if anyone) and how the trip is financed. Some institutions and national agencies offer and finance preparatory where beneficial to the student. Joint or reciprocal funding arrangements for these trips can also be included in inter-institutional agreements concerning mobility.    		 Before
    Outgoing
    Provide information and assistance where needed to students related to insurance, visa, accommodation, funding, reasonable adjustments
    , disclosure
    , (international) travel, etc. Going to live abroad is a daunting prospect for anyone, but with the right preparation, international students can settle in quickly and thrive. There might however be extra considerations for disadvantaged, and by providing pre-mobility assistance or a workshop or more tailored training to students in advance of their mobility, you can support them to personally plan for a successful experience. Topics covered in a workshop or specific training could include intercultural awareness, language classes – delivered in an accessible manner and taking intoin to account individual students needs e.g., sign language, budgeting for a successful mobility experience, getting involved in local life – tips on how to make the best of the mobility and meet like-minded individuals abroad, managing your wellbeing on mobility and what to do if you encounter a problem.    		 Before
    Outgoing
    Create a premobility network to enable students to prepare for their mobility by linking them to any students who have been on a mobility in the region/institution they are considering or to any students who are also considering going on a mobility to the same region/institution. It also works to connecting students with similar specific needs who have more generally had a mobility experience before, or those who are currently on mobility in the institution, may be benefical. This should be done prior to the mobility when students are considering their application or planning their mobility so that they can ask questions and seek advice about mobility experiences generally, or Connecting students to each is other is vital to build a student’s confidence in going on mobility. Before
    Outgoing

  • The higher education institution provides qualitative supports both for incoming and outgoing students during mobility.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Deliver on the Support Mobility Plan for students with specific needs. This mobility plan has been ideally developed in collaboration between the student, and the home and host institutions during the needs-assessment. Ideally, this plan is crafted well before the student arrives, with necessary arrangements put in place in advance. For coordinating staff in the international and inclusion office of the host institution
    , delivering on the plan may involve engagement with a range of internal and external stakeholders such as faculty, facilities staff, departmental coordinators, the examinations office, student accommodation and external support providers. It should be noted that often, disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students may only make the decision to disclose their situation while on mobility itself.     		 During
    Incoming
    Make students feel at home and build their confidence in making the transition to their mobility experience by offering them a comprehensive welcoming experience and connecting them to other students in the institution. Allow the possibility to arrive earlier so that each student can be given a preparation and orientation session. Provide a comprehensive tour of the campus, highlighting key rooms where their lectures will take place, the library and other useful study areas, any existing quiet spaces for students with sensory overload difficulties, the student restaurant, bar, gym and other key non-academic areas. If relevant, wheelchair accessible routes/entrances, the location of accessible bathrooms etc. Be sure to provide a specialised orientation for the visually impaired which involves their personal assistant/guide dog if relevant. And introduce key support staff and provides assurances that students can contact them to ask any relevant questions or ask for help.  During
    Incoming
    Develop a buddy system by recruiting volunteer students from the institution (including disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students) to offer peer support to incoming students with specific needs. Volunteer student buddies should be connected via email or text message (with permission of both) to the incoming in advance of arrival and offer the opportunity to show incoming students around, be a point of contact for them and connect them to social opportunities. Organise the buddy of the incoming student to meet the incoming student at the airport/relevant bus stop and help them find their new accommodation. During
    Incoming
    Ensure that incoming students have clear information on who to contact for advice or help with academic supports, accommodation issues or social opportunities. It’s useful to establish a single key point of contact for students with complex needs in the inclusion or international office who they can build a rapport with and raise any relevant issues. Schedule periodic email/phone check-ins with incoming and outgoing students with specific needs. These check ins build student confidence and trust, and help to catch any potential issues early. Arrange to review the Support Mobility Plan for incoming students after a period of a few weeks of academic study – particularly important for students with complex needs. Offer personal and tailored reactive support to help students navigate crisis situations such as travel issues (e.g. when an accessible transport provider has not collected as planned at the airport, leaving the student stranded, or they have unexpectedly been denied entry to the country or for medical issues (e.g. when specialist medical assistance is unexpectedly required, or hospitalisation occurs).  During
    Incoming

  • The higher education institution provides actions and supports after mobility.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Check in a re-orientation meeting in with disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students on their return from mobility and capture their experience to inform their future practice and policy. Create a safe space for students to address positive and negative experiences. Encourage students to share their concerns. Check if their support needs or expectations have changed as a result of their mobility experience. If necessary, conduct a revised needs assessment. Use the resulting data to inform the development of policy and practice. Evaluation tasks could also include student surveys and/or qualitative exercises such as focus groups with returning disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students and staff involved in the planning for mobility. Evaluations should cover the personal experience of the students and their insights into the process of planning and delivering support, from the application phase right through to the end of their mobility experience.  After
    Outgoing
    Provide tailored support to disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students through the careers service to help them to best showcase their mobility experience on their CV. Prepare them how best to use their mobility experiences at interview and link their experiences to typical employment competencies in their field. After
    Outgoing
    Recruit disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students to share their previous experiences of mobility programmes and to act as role models and ambassadors for inclusive mobility
    . These leadership opportunities are often valued by students and staff alike. Encourage participation in a variety of ways (e.g. public speaking practice and opportunities to write blogs and film vlogs)(e.g. blogs on the institution's website, promotional videos, social media campaigns or contributions to events). The ambassador approach is a great way to build the confidence of others who are considering their options.     		 After
    Outgoing

The framework for national agencies consists of four main areas, 12 objectives and 22 action points. Implementing the action points will allow you to install an inclusive mobility strategy at agency level. 

Which area would you like to focus on?

Choose an objective for 'Inclusion in mobility strategies' to view possible action points

The national agency gives a central place to inclusion in its work programme, inclusion and diversity plans and general strategy.

  • The agency takes a broad-based dialogue approach to develop a work programme, inclusion and diversity plans, and its general strategy that addresses inclusion.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Leadership commitment: Ensure leadership commit to the development of a work programme and strategy that both address inclusion. It is vital to get both top down and bottom-up support for inclusion strategies. Include therefore your agency leaders in the dialogue as early as possible. Their responsibilities may include providing structures and resources to deliver on the strategy and work programme. To ensure buy-in
     from leadership, it’s important to align inclusion strategies with the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and with wider national and European Strategies. The Erasmus+ Programme 2021-2027 seeks to promote equal opportunities and access, inclusion and fairness across all its actions. To implement these principles, an Inclusion and Diversity Strategy has been devised to support a better outreach to participants from more diverse backgrounds, in particular those with fewer opportunities facing obstacles to participate in European projects. This Strategy aims to help addressing the barriers different target groups may face in accessing such opportunities within Europe and beyond.    		 General
    Outgoing
    Take a broad-based dialogue for the development of your inclusion and diversity plans, strategy and work programme. In the process of creating strategies, there should be a broad-based dialogue between public authorities, higher education institutions, student and staff representatives and other key stakeholders, including social partners, non-governmental organisations and people from vulnerable, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. It creates a fruitful environment for implementation of the strategies and policies. By involving a diverse group of dialogue partners, your agency gets the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives towards an inclusive strategy and as well to create buy-in
     from the partners who will be executing it. A dedicated task force or steering group could be set up to discuss the incorporation of the inclusion topic into the strategy. Involve students when developing new strategies and policies. It is important to specifically take into accounts the voices from vulnerable, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. They are the experts in their lived experiences and have the greatest understanding of the potential impact of diversity on mobility and the barriers that may exist. Create common ownership of the strategy through dialogue. The broad-based dialogue is also needed to ensure the creation of inclusive internationalisation strategies at institutional level.     		 General
    Outgoing

  • The agency takes specific measures to ensure inclusion and to increase the opportunities for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students in mobility programmes.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Identify and jointly agree on relevant and achievable mobility targets for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students with your Ministry government and higher education institutions under KA1 mobilities. Establishing targets will enable your agency, higher education institutions and governemnt to reflect on the progress made and evaluate the effectiveness of activities. It will also allow mobility programmes to adapt according to success measures such as participation levels and beneficiary feedback. General
    Outgoing
    Supply a needs-based and individualised approach to support the wider participation students with disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented in mobility programmes. Support higher education institutions in the application process for additional costs directly related to participants with fewer opportunities. In particular these costs aim at covering the extra financial support required for participants with physical, mental or health related conditions to allow their participation in the mobility, as well as in preparatory visits and for accompanying persons (including costs related to travel and subsistence). There is no one-size-fits-all solution to widening access to mobility, and students' differing circumstances require varying approaches. Define clear and low threshold procedures and encourage higher education institution to conduct a needs assessment. General
    Outgoing
    Provide a scheme to incentivise your institutions to reaching predefined targets (e.g. by conditioning a percentage of the budget allocated to reaching certain targets, by recognising the most inclusive institutions in mobility with an award, etc). General
    Outgoing

  • The agency has a standardised methodology to monitor the participation of students in all types of mobility programmes, while also specifically focusing on the participation and experiences of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. 
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Agree on definitions and criteria to identify students with fewer opportunities. The Erasmus+ Programme Guide has spelt out a non-exhaustive list of potential barriers. These barriers can hinder their participation both as a stand-alone factor and in combination among them. Align definitions and criteria with national legal or regulatory definitions and those used in your higher education institutions on disadavantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.  General
    Outgoing
    Install a systematic and robust approach to gathering data about the participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students in different mobility programmes. Reliable data is a necessary precondition for an evidence-based improvement of the social dimension of higher education. Only collect data which is likely to be relevant in tracking progress and identifying areas of underrepresentation or need for improvement. This may include tracking mobility programme type, country of host institution
     or type of support required. Also gather qualitative data on the experiences of beneficiaries and ensure that this data is reviewed and analysed periodically, with recommendations feeding directly into the update of policy and practice. Qualitative data collection could take the form of post-mobility interviews or focus groups. Ensure that students give informed consent for the collection of any data and are informed of the intended subsequent use of such data. Ensure access to data is given only to staff members who need it to carry out their roles.     		 Before
    Outgoing

  • The agency has a systematic approach to evaluate the impact of mobility and to optimise and update the mobility strategies procedures, while specifically focusing on the feedback and experiences of disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Evaluate the participation of students in all mobility programmes, and monitor the participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students specifically on agency level. Support higher education institutions in gathering and analysing feedback from all stakeholders, and specifically from disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students about their mobility experiences and experiences with procedures and delivered support. Ensure that data analysis offers both a ‘big-picture’ view of progress on inclusive mobility
     and opportunities to look at potential areas of underrepresentation at a more granular level (e.g. mobility programme type, field of study, etc.). Make a specific overview of the obstacles disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented beneficiaries face related to their participation in mobility.     		 General
    Outgoing
    Use data gathered and the overview of obstacles disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students face related to their participation in mobility to improve and update the strategies and policies and associated procedures. This in turn will support higher education institutions to increase participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students and provide the most inclusive experience possible for all students.  General
    Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Awareness and cooperation' to view possible action points

The agency ensures that necessary awareness, staff capacity, cooperations and structures are in place to ensure inclusion in its work programme work programme, inclusion and diversity plans and general strategy.

  • The agency ensures that necessary staff, internal and external cooperations and structures are in place.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Engage a ‘social inclusion officer’ who takes on inclusion-specific tasks like developing an inclusion and diversity plan and inspirational materials towards - potential - beneficiaries, helps raise awareness and help facilitate cooperation between relevant staff within the NA and institutions with expertise in inclusion and diversity. General
    Outgoing
    Ensure roles and responsibilities of agency staff in delivering on inclusion practices and procedures are explored and clearly outlined. Once good relationships have been established between the relevant staff, develop procedures to improve mobility experiences and how to support and guide higher education institutions on the topics. This plan should contain the details of the personnel responsible for carrying out both general tasks associated with inclusive mobility
     (e.g. targeted promotion to disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students) and the more specific tasks associated with supporting institutions pre, during and post mobility (e.g. applications, crisis response planning etc).    		 General
    Outgoing
    Build cooperation between relevant organisations at national level. Strengthening the social dimension in international mobility should be regarded as a continuous commitment. Engage at regular time with higher education institutions and state bodies (regional, national and European agencies). A learning network between public authority
     staff, higher education institutional staff and those in relevant national agencies and state bodies, ensures that inclusion issues regarding procedures, application and funding or other relevant topics can be explored and resolved quickly and efficiently. It can facilitate the process of redesigning processes.    		 General
    Outgoing

  • The agency provides inclusive mobility awareness, capacity building and training to staff directly involved in delivering mobility programmes.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Provide information and awareness sessions and training under a Continuing Professional Development programme/plan for staff with specific roles in the field of inclusion and internationalisation. Identify knowledge gaps in relation to inclusive mobility
    .     		 Before
    Outgoing
    Guide and support higher education institutions to ensure their commitment of equal access in mobility programme by informing them regularly on funding options and procedures available for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. A learning network between national agency staff, higher education institutional staff and those in relevant state bodies, ensures that inclusion issues regarding procedures, application and funding or other relevant topics can be explored and resolved quickly and efficiently. It can facilitate the process of redesigning processes. General
    Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Information provision and promotion ' to view possible action points

The agency informs and sensitizes higher eduction institution, beneficaries and relevant stakeholders about mobility programmes, procedures and support measures to widen the participation of disadvantaged students in mobily programmes.

  • The agency provides a concise overview of information about mobility opportunities and support for students, with additional information for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Create a concise overview of available grants
    , and other internal and external funding sources – and support services that students can apply for. Provide a clear list of examples of what the special needs support can be used for. Provide clearly information on eligibility for grants
    , what is covered by each grant, as well as on the evidence required to demonstrate disadvantaged status (if relevant), other key information required to apply for the grant and where to find grant application and submission information. Make information on eligibility easy to understand.     		 General
    Outgoing
    Make sure to integrate positive statements and messages about mobility opportunities in the information overview, by emphasising the added value of mobility. This will help to show disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students that mobility experiences are available to them and are a great opportunity for them.  General
    Outgoing

  • The agency promotes mobility opportunities and support through a variety of accessible and inclusive formats.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Promote the mobility support opportunitities to higher education instutions, benificiaries and relevant organisation through different and diverse channels and activities. Involve disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students by providing testimonials.  Before
    Outgoing
    Use accessible inclusive resources and activities to provide information and promote mobility opportunities . Ensure the provided information about mobility opportunities is accessible and targeted towards disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. The Inclusive Information Chart provides you an overview of inclusive actions (eg. alt-text, sign language) you should take when planning and designing communications to ensure accessibility, and some further options which you can provide for students with specific needs as an alternative or on request. When organising promotional events either in person or online, make sure the venue is physically/virtually accessible and that a range of access needs have been planned for.  Before
    Outgoing

  • The agency builds a network of student ambassadors and schemes to promote mobility opportunities to other disadvantaged students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Cooperate with your higher education institutions to recruit disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students from all backgrounds and all ways of life, to include testimonies in a variety of ways (on your website, on your blog/vlog, through promotional videos, in your social media campaigns or contributions to events), that show both the diversity of profiles in student mobility and the diversity of mobility formats. Sharing their experiences is a great way to build the confidence of others who are considering their options. Connecting them with their peers helps to make a mobility programme feel more achievable and offers a valuable chance for students to ask questions of someone who has really experienced what it is like. General
    Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Applications, grants and funding ' to view possible action points

Het agentschap verstrekt duidelijke, gebruiksvriendelijke toepassingen en biedt hulp bij de aanvraagprocedure en gerichte financiële steun.

  • The agency provides clear and user-friendly procedeures and applications to apply for (additional) national scholarships and grants.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Ensure user-friendly applications and procedures to apply for inclusion support. Ensure that the application process is easy to navigate, and where possible simplify the process by removing barriers in the documentation procedure. Examine how the number of questions and accompanying documents could be limited to ensure that disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrpresnted would not be overwhelmed to apply for additional grants
     and support. Ensure that feel safe to disclose a specific condition from the beginning of the application process. Provide alternative format application forms (e.g paper, braille) on request.     		 Before
    Outgoing

  • The agency ensures targeted financial support and support services for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Allocate additional grants
     to disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students to ensure a qualitative mobility experience. Ensure the grants
     are covering the extra financial support required for participants with physical, mental or health related conditions to allow their participation in the mobility as well as in preparatory visits and for accompanying persons (including costs related to travel and subsistence). There is no one-size-fits-all solution to widening access to mobility, and students' differing circumstances require varying approaches.     		 Before
    Outgoing

  • The agency provides comprehensive assistance to higher education institutions throughout the enquiry and application process for both the mobility itself and the related grants.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Provide comprehensive assistance to higher education institutions throughout the enquiry and application process for both the mobility itself and the related grants
    . Areas of support offered through the application and grant management process could include provision of alternative format application forms on request, support with the organisation and funding of a preparatory visit
     to the host institution
    , support to develop an accurate estimation of added disability-related costs required for some grant applications such as the Erasmus+ additional inclusion Grant. Support higher education institutions to have a crisis response plan in place to ensure that students receive the right support in the immediate aftermath, and also following any incident.     		 Before
    Outgoing

The framework for public authorities consists of four main areas, 10 objectives and 21 action points. Implementing the action points will allow you to install an inclusive mobility strategy at national level. 

Which area would you like to focus on?

Choose an objective for 'Inclusion in mobility strategies ' to view possible action points

The public authority gives a central place to inclusion in its internationalisation strategy and policies.

  • The public authority takes a broad-based dialogue approach to develop internationalisation strategies and policies that include inclusion.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Ensure leadership commitment to the development of an internationalisation strategy and/or policies that address inclusion. It is vital to get both top down and bottom-up support for inclusion strategies. Include therefore your government leaders in the dialogue as early as possible. Their responsibilities may include providing structures and resources to deliver on the strategy and policies. To ensure buy-in
     from leadership, it’s useful to align inclusion strategies with the Principles and Guidelines (PAGs) to Strengthen the Social Dimension in Higher Education in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. Principle eight of the PAGs specifically focuses on the social dimension in international mobility programs. International mobility programmes should be structured and implemented in a way that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion and should particularly foster participation of students and staff from vulnerable, disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Undertake a broad-based dialogue to support the development of your national internationalisation strategy and policies. In the process of creating strategies there should be a broad-based dialogue between public authorities, higher education institutions, student and staff representatives and other key stakeholders, including social partners, non-governmental organisations and people from vulnerable, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. It creates a fruitful environment for implementation of the strategies and policies. By involving a diverse group of dialogue partners, your authority gets the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives towards an inclusive strategy and as well to create buy-in
     from the partners who will be executing it. A dedicated task force or steering group could be set up to discuss the incorporation of the inclusion topic into the strategy. Involve students when developing new strategies and policies. It is important to specifically take into accounts the voices from vulnerable, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. They are the experts in their lived experiences and have the greatest understanding of the potential impact of diversity on mobility and the barriers that may exist. Create common ownership of the strategy through dialogue. The broad-based dialogue is also needed to ensure the creation of inclusive internationalisation strategies at institutional level.     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The public authority takes specific measures to ensure inclusion and to increase the opportunities for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students in mobility programmes.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Set up national mobility targets (incoming mobility
     and outgoing mobility
    ). Strategic commitment to the social dimension should be translated into concrete targets that should aim at widening access in mobility. Targets enable all parties to reflect on progress made and evaluate the effectiveness of activities, allowing mobility programmes to adapt according to success measures such as participation levels and student feedback.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Provide a variety of mobility programmes and scholarships to suit different needs and aspirations of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students (long-term and short-term mobilities, blended and virtual exchanges, joint study programmes at different levels, summer and winter schools, etc.). There is no one-size-fits-all solution to widening access to mobility. Offering more flexible, short mobility opportunities are highly valued by vulnerable, disadvantaged and underrepresented students. They can often act as a first stepping stone and build student confidence to participate in longer mobility experiences at a later date. Besides further support to physical mobility, the use of information and communications technology (ICT) is important to support blended and virtual mobility
     and to foster internationalisation at home by embedding international online cooperation into courses. blended mobility
     can be used to extend the learning outcomes and enhance the impact of physical mobility, for example by bringing together a more diverse group of participants, or by offering a broader range of mobility options. In this regard, blended mobility
     can help offer additional opportunities that may be more suitable for some individuals or student groups.     		 Before
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Ensure a needs based approach. Mobility programmes and financial support systems should aim to be universally applicable to all students, however, when this is not possible, the public student financial support systems should be primarily needs-based and should make mobility affordable for all students. Provide additional support measures for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students like additional top-up grants
    , preparatory visits and ensure a fair system to allocate them towards disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Provide sufficient and sustainable funding and give enough financial autonomy to higher education institutions in order to enable them to build adequate capacity to embrace diversity and contribute to equity and inclusion in internalisation. General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Provide a scheme to incentivise higher education institutions and national agencies to reaching predefined targets. Higher education funding systems should facilitate the attainment of strategic objectives related to internationalisation in higher education. Support and reward higher education institutions for meeting agreed targets in widening access, increasing participation in mobility programmes, in particular in relation to vulnerable, disadvantaged and underrepresented groups (e.g. by conditioning a percentage of the budget allocated to reaching certain targets, by recognising the most inclusive institutions in mobility with an award, by organising exchange of good practices among institutions, provide support on national level on how to improve inclusion, etc). Mechanisms for achieving these targets should not have negative financial consequences for higher education institutions’ core funding.  Before
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The public authority has a standardised methodology to monitor the participation and experiences of beneficiaries in all types of mobility programmes, while also specifically focusing on the participation and experiences of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Agree on definitions and criteria to identify disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students and students with fewer opportunities. Align definitions and criteria with European, national legal or regulatory definitions and those used in higher education institutions to gather data on disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students more specifically. Reliable data is a necessary precondition for an evidence-based improvement of the social dimension of higher education.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Install adequate lesgislation and capacities to collect, process and use data to inform and support the inclusion in international mobility. In order to develop effective policies, continuous national data collection is necessary. Install a systematic and robust approach to gathering data about the participation of disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students in different mobility programmes. Only collect data which is likely to be relevant in tracking progress and identifying areas of underrepresentation or need for improvement. This may include tracking mobility programme type, duration, purpose (study, internship, research, ...), country of host institution
     or type of support required. In order to make such data collection comparable internationally, indicators that are relevant for the social dimension should be developed at the EHEA level through Eurostudent or similar surveys and data collection processes. With the aim to rationalize the process and avoid administrative burden on public administration and higher education institutions, this development should take account of existing national practices and relevant data collection processes.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The public authority has a systematic approach to evaluate the impact of mobility and to optimise and update the mobility strategies procedures, while specifically focusing on the feedback and experiences of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Monitor and evaluate the participation of students in all mobility programmes, and monitor the participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students specifically on national level. Support higher education institutions and national agencies in gathering and analysing feedback from all stakeholders, and specifically from disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students about their mobility experiences and experiences with procedures and delivered support. Ensure that data analysis offers both a ‘big-picture’ view of progress on inclusive mobility
     and opportunities to look at potential areas of underrepresentation at a more granular level (e.g. by disability type, mobility programme type, field of study, etc.).     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Appoint and/or supply a national body to study the impact of mobility on disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. A research project analysing the impact of student mobility at national level helps to communicate the benefits of mobility programmes and motivate more students with disabilities
     to take the initiative to be mobile to another country throughout their education.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Use data gathered and the overview of obstacles disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students face related to their participation in mobility to improve and update the national mobility strategies and policies and associated procedures. This in turn will support higher education institutions and national agencies to increase participation of disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students and provide the most inclusive experience possible for all students. General
    Incoming, Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Awareness and cooperation' to view possible action points

The public authority ensures that necessary awareness, staff capacity, cooperations and structures are in place to ensure the execution of its internationalisation strategy.

  • The public authority ensures that necessary staff, internal and external cooperations and structures are in place.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Build cooperation between relevant departments/organisations at national level. This is vital to align policies and regulations in different fields. Engage at regular time with higher education institutions and state bodies (regional, national and European agencies). Strengthening the social dimension in international mobility should be regarded as a continuous commitment. A learning network between public authority
     staff, higher education institutional staff and those in relevant national agencies and state bodies, ensures that inclusion issues regarding procedures, application and funding or other relevant topics can be explored and resolved quickly and efficiently. It can facilitate the process of redesigning processes.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Provide information and awareness sessions and training under a Continuing Professional Development programme/plan for staff with specific roles in the field of inclusion and internationalisation. Identify knowledge gaps in relation to inclusive mobility
    . A learning network between public authority
     staff, higher education institutional staff and those in relevant national agencies and state bodies, ensures that inclusion issues regarding procedures, application and funding or other relevant topics can be explored and resolved quickly and efficiently. It can facilitate the process of redesigning processes.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Information provision and promotion' to view possible action points

The public authority provides and promotes information on national mobility grants, scholarships, procedures and specific measures to widen the participation in mobily programmes.

  • The public authority provides a concise overview of information about mobility opportunities and support for students, with additional information for disadvantaged, vunerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Provide a concise overview of information about (additional) support services and grants
     for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students, as well as their portability
     status, including the responsible organisations and a contact person. A lack of information about the transportability of grants
     and support services abroad represents significant barriers for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Therefore it is vital that publica uthorities provides clear information on eligibility for grants
    , what is covered by each grant, evidence required to demonstrate disadvantaged status (if relevant), other key information required to apply for the grant and where to find grant application and submission information. Make information on eligibility easy to understand. It is also important to gather information about which national support grants
     and loans are transferrable to study in other jurisdictions.     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Make sure to integrate positive statements and messages about mobility opportunities in the information overview, by emphasising the added value of mobility. This will help to show disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students that mobility experiences are available to them and are a great opportunity for them.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The public authority promotes mobility opportunities through a variety of accessible and inclusive formats, including information on additional support for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Use accessible inclusive resources and activities to provide information and promote mobility opportunities. Ensure the provided information about mobility opportunities is accessible and targeted towards disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students. Involve disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students by providing testimonials. The Inclusive Information Chart provides you an overview of inclusive actions (eg. alt-text, sign language) you should take when planning and designing communications to ensure accessibility, and some further options which you can provide for students with specific needs as an alternative or on request. When organising promotional events either in person or online, make sure the venue is physically/virtually accessible and that a range of access needs have been planned for.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing

Choose an objective for 'Applications, grants and funding' to view possible action points

The public authority installs clear and user-friendly procedures and applications for the targeted financial support and services. 

  • The public authority provides clear and user-friendly procedeures and applications to apply for (additional) national scholarships and grants.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Promote mobility and additional support opportunitities through different and diverse channels and activities to higher education instutions, national agencies and relevant organisation. Appoint and/or supply a national body to create communication campaign to raise awareness of the value of outward mobility, while specifically focusing onto the experiences of disadvantaged, underrepresented and vulnerable students. This will help to show disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students that mobility experiences are available to them and are a great opportunity for them.  General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Ensure user-friendly applications and procedures to apply for (additional) national scholarships and grants
    . Ensure that the application process is easy to navigate, and where possible simplify the process by removing barriers in the documentation procedure. Examine how the number of questions and documents could be limited. Ensure that disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrpresnted feel safe to disclose a specific condition from the beginning of the application process. Provide alternative format application forms (e.g paper, braille) on request.     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing

  • The public authority ensures targeted financial support and support services for disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students.
  • Action Point Stage Flow
    Allocate additional top-up grants
    , preparatory visits to disadvantaged, vulnerable and underrepresented students to ensure a qualitative mobility experience. Ensure the grants
     cover a substantial amount of costs obtained by students and are paid on time.     		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing
    Ensure full portability
     of grants
     and loans during the mobility period. A lack of transportability of grants
     and support services abroad represent significant barriers for disadvantaged, vulnerbale and underrepresented students. Therefore it is vital that public authorities ensure full portability
     of grants
     and loans to ensure the full participation of disadavantaged students, vulnerbale and underrepresented students.    		 General
    Incoming, Outgoing