Erasmus+ France and Portugal heads on the evolution of mobility, alliances and the programme's future

"Student mobility has been increasing every year, supported by a slight budget increase, combined with strong efforts in promotion, capacity-building, and support to international offices across higher education institutions and other sectors", declares Carla Ruivo, Coordinator for Erasmus+ Portugal, to News Tank on 23/09/2025.

She is joined by Nelly Fesseau, Director of Erasmus+ France, who notes a considerable evolution since 2014, when Erasmus became Erasmus+, "covering all four sectors: higher education and also adult education, vocational education and training, and the entire school sector". "We noticed an explosion in demand since around 2022".

They are attending the Sunrise Summit, taking place in Compiègne (France), from 22 to 24/09. It is the first summit of the Sunrise alliance, which was created with the last call for projects from the Commission in June 2024.

While Portugal ranks in the top five countries in terms of attractiveness for international students, France is first for students looking to study abroad. "It is a source of great pride, but also a responsibility…