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Erasmus+ project ‘PLAR-4-SIMP’: platform

and toolbox for inclusive mobility

The PLAR-4-SIMP (Peer Learning Activities and Resources for Social Inclusion in Mobility Programmes)
is a project co-funded by Erasmus+ KA3 support to policy reform. The consortium has launched the In-
clusive Mobility Platform and Toolbox, with the aim to support ministries of education, national agencies,
and higher education institutions in developing strategic plans and practices for more inclusive mobilities.

The self-assessment tools can support each stake-
holder to check their current practice against the
inclusive mobility framework and advise on action
points for improvement on the same themes.

The e-training package aims to make mobility
programmes more inclusive for students with fewer
opportunities and address the same structures and
Why aim for inclusive mobilities? themes as the framework but provide very practical
tips and advice on how to implement the inclusive
While the overall number of young people and students mobility framework and design inclusive mobilities.
experiencing international mobilities was increasing rap-
idly before COVID-19, the number of students with fewer The communication package consists of innovative
opportunities participating in mobility programmes has testimonials (videos) of disadvantaged/underrepre-
been almost stagnant over the past decade. According sented mobile students. This student ambassador
to the 2019 Erasmus+ annual report, about 21,000 stu- approach is aimed at promoting mobility opportu-
dents active in a mobility programme in higher educa- nities and is a great way to build the confidence of
tion were considered students with fewer opportunities, others who are considering mobility options. Fur-
which constitutes less than 7% of the overall participants thermore, the communication packages consist of
in the regular Erasmus+ programme. The proportion key communication content allowing the different
of the higher education student population receiving stakeholders to promote the benefits of mobilities in
financial support for special needs in the Erasmus+ an inclusive way.
programme (2009-2019) oscillated between 0.11 and The country, national agency, and institutional pag-
0.15 %, indicating that students with disabilities have es on the inclusivemobility.eu platform allow each
been further disadvantaged. stakeholder to register their information on national
or institutional inclusion measures and support
Collection of inclusion and support services
services. This information is extremely valuable for
The platform InclusiveMobility.eu is a unique platform students to better understand what their options are.
collecting all inclusion and support services offered by The tools are complementary. This way, the tools can
Higher Education Institutions, National Agencies and ensure that a European cooperation network arises
Ministries for Education in the European Higher Educa- promoting transparent and uniform sharing of informa-
tion Area to international students. The platform consists tion concerning the support and guidance of students
of hands-on materials that allow each stakeholder to of underrepresented groups in mobility programmes.
make their policies and practices more inclusive:

The inclusive mobility frameworks suggest a com- All the tools are freely available on
prehensive overview of objectives and action points inclusivemobility.eu
that each stakeholder should undertake in terms
of mobility strategies, awareness and cooperation,
information provision and communication, grants Valérie Van Hees, Support Centre Inclusive
and application procedures, and support services. Higher Education (SIHO), Belgium (Flanders)

Euroguidance Insight Magazine Issue 2/2022