Erasmus+ Staff Mo­bil­ity for Train­ing

In order to enable as many HNU employees as possible to benefit from Erasmus+ mobility, the HNU combines a phase of financial support with a phase without financial support (so-called zero grant days). In total, a maximum of 4 days per stay are financially supported.

The financial support consists of daily rates and travel support (funded from project 2023).

The daily rates are based on the different cost of living in the host countries:

The travel support is based on the real distance between the starting point and the destination, which is calculated with the distance calculator (opens in a new window) of the European Commission. Erasmus+ aims to reduce the environmental footprint generated by mobility abroad. Therefore, participants who use a means of transport classified as sustainable by the Erasmus+ Programme for their staff mobility can receive a supplement to the regular travel allowance. These are: Train, long-distance bus, carpool (min. 2 persons/car), bicycle. For tips on alternative travel options and sustainability, please visit the Green Erasmus Portal (opens in a new window).

One focus of the Erasmus+ Programme is social participation and equal opportunities. For this reason, access to the programme is made financially easier for participants with special needs.

Participants with a degree of disability of 20 or more or a proven disability / a chronic illness, that will lead to additional costs during the stay abroad, as well as participants starting their mobility abroad with child(ren), are entitled to apply for the assumption of real costs. In this case, the application amount (max. 15,000 .- EUR / mobility) is calculated according to personal needs and paid out in addition to the regular Erasmus+ funding.

For more information on the Erasmus+ additional funding, please visit the NA DAAD website (opens in a new window).

5-day Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training in Oulu, Finland

Travel support: 360.- EUR (distance: 2,062 km)

Accommodation support: 720.- EUR (4 subsidized days with 180.- EUR / day)

Total funding: 1.080.- EUR

The suitable stay abroad

• Find out about your further education and training opportunities in European countries - this could be, for example, a language course, participation in a seminar or a Staff Mobility Week, or an individual visit to a partner university.
• The International Office provides information on the intranet about current offers from partner universities and other institutions, and will be happy to assist you in contacting your desired host institution.
• If you have found an interesting offer, please discuss the details with your manager and, if necessary, clarify whether participation makes sense in terms of content in relation to your current job.

Application for financial support

• Apply online to the International Office of the HNU.
• After your application has been reviewed, you will be notified whether and how much financial support you can receive. After your application has been checked, you will be informed whether and to what extent you can receive financial support. However, the Erasmus+ funding is always only a partial funding.

Planning your mobility

• Apply to participate in a Staff Mobility Week or a language course or contact a partner university in consultation with the International Office to plan an individual stay.
• As soon as you have received an official acceptance, please inform the International Office of the HNU.

Travel Booking

• Once all the necessary Erasmus+ documents have been submitted, the promised subsidy amount can be used directly when booking the trip via the Finance Department. If the trip is cheaper, the difference will be paid out to you. This amount must be taxed accordingly. If the trip is more expensive, the difference must be financed from another source (usually the department, unit or faculty). If the trip is cancelled, any Erasmus+ funds already used must be repaid or offset by the travel expenses budget of your work unit.
• For the organizational procedure of travel bookings please have a look at the information provided by the Finance Department on the intranet. As a rule, the "Reiseorganisation" in the Finance Department assist you with all organizational preparations such as train or flight and hotel bookings. The International Office is not involved in the travel bookings. Please also enquire whether you need to apply for and carry an A1-Bescheinigung for your business trip. You can find more information on this on the intranet under Reiseorganisation.
• Please also note the information provided by the provider of your training abroad.

Erasmus+ documents and commitments

• Before you start your stay abroad, your HNU travel application, the Mobility Agreement and the Grant Agreement must be completed and signed by all parties and submitted to the International Office of the HNU.
• At the end of your stay, you must submit a Certificate of Attendance signed by the host organisation and complete the EU online survey on your experience abroad.

• Language course in Galway, Ireland
• Language course in Malta
• Staff Training Week in Bilbao, Spain

What was your main motivation for taking a language course?

My motivation was to hear British English in the UK and to use it myself. As I need English in my daily work, it is very important for me to continuously improve and expand my vocabulary. I had heard about the language course provider York Associates from a colleague. She was particularly enthusiastic about the wide range of language courses on offer, but also about the impressive social programme (optional joint dinner, city tour, etc.).

What concerns did you have?

At the beginning, I was very worried about not being able to properly assess my language level. I was also worried about what the group and their language level would be like. And how the organisation at the language school is in general.

Were your expectations met?

All my expectations were exceeded by far. York is a beautiful small city in the Yorkshire region of the UK. It's all very manageable and pleasant for a short stay.

The welcome at the language school was very warm and welcoming. There was always a contact person available to answer questions. There was also a reception room where you could have a cup of tea or coffee with course participants and the team in a relaxed atmosphere. The range of courses is very varied and there are both individual and group lessons. The atmosphere at the language school is very informal.

Every day, several restaurants were suggested for lunch together. In the evenings, there were frequent offers to meet in the city for dinner, a pub visit or a joint visit to York Cathedral. The exchange among the participants of the courses was very intensive and directly enhanced their language skills.

What do you take away from the week for your everyday work at HNU?

Apart from very nice memories, I will take a new feeling for language with me for my everyday life. During this week, I had the chance to exchange ideas on many different topics (with participants from all over Europe), to expand my vocabulary and to become more confident in English overall. I can only advise everyone to take advantage of this opportunity. This experience will stay with me for a long time.

Would you recommend the stay abroad to others?

From my point of view, it is a great enrichment for everyone to spend time abroad for a language course. Not only professionally can you benefit from it by expanding your language skills and intercultural competence. Privately, too, it is a great benefit to embark on this adventure, to meet many new people and to exchange ideas with them.