EAIE 2026: KSU joined the discussion on the future of Erasmus+ and international education

The first day of the Ukrainian delegation's work at EAIE 2026 is underway in Glasgow. Kherson State University, at Europe's largest Conference and Exhibition of the European Association for International Education – EAIE 2026 (European Association for International Education), which will take place from September 8 to 11, is represented by Professor Alla Tsapiv, Vice-Rector for International and Scientific-Pedagogical Affairs.

The program for the first day was extremely intensive. Among the European Commission's events were a hands-on workshop on the joint European degree, as well as a discussion on the future of international research cooperation under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Horizon Europe.

Special attention was given to the session "Empowering the future: Transforming higher education through Erasmus+". For a university actively engaged in international projects and expanding academic mobility opportunities, this was one of the conference's key topics. The discussion had already turned to the future of Erasmus+ for 2028–2034. The scale of the plans is impressive: the proposed budget stands at 40.82 billion euros for this track, alongside additional funding opportunities through Global Europe.

Key changes include a new accreditation cycle, strengthened quality control, improved monitoring of the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education, and an expanded role for national agencies.

As Rector Oleksandr Spivakovskiy emphasized, the international dimension of the new program and the expansion of mobility opportunities are particularly vital for Kherson State University (KSU). The proposal is to unite International Credit Mobility and European mobility into a single mechanism. The international component is set to become a cross-cutting theme across mobility, partnerships, and policy dialogue. A separate discussion focused on closer alignment with EU candidate countries and new options for full or partial association for third countries.

"This is an important signal for Ukrainian universities. Mobility is not just a student or faculty trip abroad. It offers access to a different academic environment, new knowledge, and technology, fosters professional connections, and integrates our university community into the European Higher Education Area. The survey results among session participants were also telling: 47% already use Erasmus+ simultaneously for mobility and cooperation with non-EU countries, while another 34% use it for student and staff mobility. Several highly intensive days of EAIE 2026 lie ahead. The program features dedicated discussions on cooperation with Ukraine and its future participation in Erasmus+. Additionally, the educational exhibition opens today, featuring a Ukrainian stand alongside university presentations, including KSU's," noted Oleksandr Spivakovskiy.

KSU Press Center