UP Press Releases - University of Potsdam

The University of Potsdam was successful in its application for the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), thereby creating the conditions for participation in funding programs of the new generation of Erasmus programs from 2021-27. The Potsdam alma mater received 100 of 100 possible points for its application. With the ECHE 2021-2027, the University of Potsdam commits to adhering to the quality standards and obligations of the Erasmus+ program. For the new generation of programs, this includes transparency, inclusion, and anti-discrimination strategies in funding for people from underrepresented groups. There is also a focus on digital mobility management, such as the introduction of the Erasmus+ mobile app for students. Within the framework of the “Green Erasmus” initiative, measures mitigating or compensating for the negative effects of mobility on the environment are to be developed.

“This is an important milestone for further applications to the EU!” said Vice President for International Affairs and Fundraising, Prof. Florian J. Schweigert. “Over the years, the Erasmus program has proven to be an important driver for the advancement of mobility and internationalization. The next generation of programs will be more inclusive, digital, and sustainable, aligning perfectly with the goals that the UP has set for itself in the years to come with its European partners in the Higher Education Alliance EDUC.”

The university is currently working on blended learning and the International Student ID Card within the framework of EDUC, for example. The Erasmus project “Online Pedagogical Resources for European Universities” (OpenU), from the Policy Support field, deals with the creation of a network of digital infrastructures and online learning platforms between European universities. The goal of sustainability was firmly anchored in the university’s administration in 2020 with a Climate Protection Management unit, and will also be given special emphasis in teaching and research in the future as part of the “Global Topics” focus. With its “Sustainable Development Academy”, the University of Potsdam will offer summer schools from 2021 for international students who want to exchange ideas on climate and sustainability across disciplines.

To obtain an ECHE, European universities are required to apply and commit to the program’s respective goals. The Erasmus program does not only consist of the well-known mobility programs for students and instructors, but also of programs for transnational cooperation and policy support. It is the most important program for European student exchange with a current budget of around €26 billion. Every year, approximately 200,000 students participate in the program. At the University of Potsdam, more than 300 students received Erasmus funding to study abroad in 2019.

Contact:
Pia Kettmann, International Office
Phone: +49 (0)331 977-4055
E-mail: pia.kettmannuuni-potsdampde

Media information 12-01-2021 / No. 004

Back