What is an Erasmus+ Learning Agreement?

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Find out all about the Erasmus+ Learning Agreement in this brief guide. The OLA (Learning Agreement) is used by students participating in an Erasmus+ mobility abroad. It is between the students and learners and the Higher Education Institutions that hold the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).

The Learning Agreement is a key document in order for an Erasmus+ mobility to take place. Beginning with the planned 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme, the online Learning Agreement will become an essential part of all mobilities. You can access the Online Learning Agreement here.

Over the last few years, we have observed how digital Learning Agreements can drastically reduce the administrative workload and make it easier for Erasmus+ students to enjoy a high-quality mobility experience.

 

What’s In an Erasmus+ Learning Agreement?

The Learning Agreement should include all the learning outcomes the Erasmus+ student is expected to acquire during the exchange. All three parties signing the Learning Agreement commit to complying with all the agreed arrangements. This ensures that the student will receive recognition for studies, or the traineeship carried out abroad, without any further recognition requirements.

As part of the European Student Card Initiative and the efforts to promote environmentally friendly practices in Erasmus+, Learning Agreements are switching from a paper format to a digital format. The digital Learning Agreements are referred to as the Online Learning Agreements (OLAs) and they are progressively being rolled out, starting with Online Learning Agreements for student mobility for studies, to be followed by digital Learning Agreements for student mobility for traineeships at a later stage.

For student mobility for Erasmus+ studies, the Online Learning Agreement is becoming the industry-standard, in line with the European Student Card Initiative. The OLA should detail the learning outcomes that will contribute to the student’s degree upon successful completion of the study programme abroad.

For Erasmus+ student mobility for traineeships, the Learning Agreement should set out how the learning outcomes will be recognised, depending on whether it counts towards the student’s degree, is taken on a voluntary basis (not obligatory part of the degree) or is being carried out by a recent graduate.

For more information on Learning Agreements, please get in touch with us.

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