CD (Curriculum Development projects): At least three establishments from different countries pool their resources to develop a programme of study, a module or a masters programme. This can be done in all academic subject areas. The financial support is for a maximum of three years.
Coordinator: In short, the university’s representative that deals with all the papers and duties connected with the implementation and running the Erasmus programme inside the university. When the Erasmus activities are quite evolved, then there can be a coordinator for incoming students, or another one for outgoing students, or one for developing agreements with new universities, etc. etc.
EUC (Erasmus University Charter): The awarding of an EUC gives a university the right to participate in Erasmus and to apply to its National Agency for funding for decentralised activities (SM, TS, OM, ECTS), and to the European Commission for centralised activities (CD, IP).
ESC (Erasmus Student Charter): The ESC outlines the basic entitlements of the Erasmus students, such as free tuition and full recognition of studies abroad. The Charter also specifies the main obligations of the Erasmus students, providing them with a concise idea of their duties in respect to both their home and host universities. It is issued to all Erasmus students by their home universities before they leave for their study period abroad.
ECTS (Erasmus Credit Transfer System): a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education across the European Union. For successfully completed studies, ECTS credits are awarded. One academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS-credits in all countries irrespective of standard or qualification type and is used to facilitate transfer and progression throughout the Union.
SM (Student Mobility): Erasmus gives students (up to and including doctorate, except for students enrolled in their first year of Higher Education) the opportunity to study for a period of 3-12 months at a university or higher education establishment in another participating country in the framework of agreed arrangements between universities. The time spent in the other country is fully recognized in the originating university, thanks to ECTS. Students also receive an Erasmus Student Charter which outlines their rights as visiting students and the obligations which they must fulfill at their host institution.
TS (Teaching Staff Mobility): Erasmus provides support for teachers giving, generally short courses, as part of the official curriculum of a partner university in another European country. The grants are intended as a contribution to the additional costs arising from teaching in another country.
OM (Organisation of Mobility): Erasmus provides support to higher education institutions for the creation of optimal conditions: a) for students, to undertake recognised periods of study at partner institutions in other participating countries; b) for teachers, to organise fully integrated teaching assignments of short duration; c) for implementation of ECTS and Diploma Supplement (DS). These optimal conditions include information, infrastructure and facilities, guidance, follow-up, involvement of local partners and facilities, guidance, follow-up, involvement of local partners and associations, etc.
IP (Intensive Programmes): Community funding may be allocated to universities organising short courses (10 days to 3 month) provided they have a European dimension. Financial support is available for one, two or three consecutive years on the understanding that every year the group of participants must be different and/or the themes involved must be different.