International Credit Mobility - KA 171

The main objective of the Erasmus+ programme is to promote the internationalisation of higher education institutions through international project initiatives, offering individual mobility opportunities for students and staff, involving both programme countries and partner countries.

Specifically, Key Action 1 – Individual Mobility for Learning Purposes – enables students and recent graduates to enhance their education and career prospects in a foreign country, while offering faculty and administrative staff the opportunity to improve or strengthen teaching and learning methods, as well as to diversify and update their skills.

As part of Key Action 1, a specific initiative called International Credit Mobility (ICM - KA107) has been in place since 2015; it offers students, faculty, and administrative staff the opportunity to engage in international mobility beyond European borders. This initiative opens participation to so-called partner countries, non-associated third countries, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of European universities while simultaneously expanding the range of potential destinations.

Participation in KA171 is reserved for universities, which can submit their applications under the annual call published by the European Commission. Mobility for students (for study and internships) and staff (for teaching and training) to and from partner countries is carried out within the framework of funded projects, following selection through specific calls.

This initiative has been renewed in the new 2021/2027 programming period under the name International mobility involving third countries not associated to the programme (KA171).

Its goal is to promote the internationalisation of higher education, strengthen the attractiveness of European universities, and at the same time, broaden the range of available destinations by opening up to countries outside Europe.

KA171 includes the following types of activities:

• Study (Student mobility for study):
  Student mobility abroad for study activities (courses and exams) and thesis research, aimed at students of single-cycle degree programmes, first cycle (bachelor’s or equivalent), or second cycle (master’s or equivalent), as well as third-cycle students (PhD and Specialisation students).
  Mobility duration: minimum 2 months – maximum 12 months (excluding travel).
• Internship (Student mobility for traineeships):
  Student mobility for internship activities abroad at a company or other relevant destination, aimed at students of single-cycle degree programmes, first cycle (bachelor’s or equivalent), or second cycle (master’s or equivalent), as well as third-cycle students (PhD and Specialisation students).
  Mobility duration: minimum 2 months – maximum 12 months (excluding travel).
• Teaching (Staff Mobility for Teaching):
  Mobility for teaching activities for faculty members at a foreign higher education institution.
  Mobility duration: minimum 5 days – maximum 2 months (excluding travel) - minimum 8 teaching hours per week (or a proportionate number for periods shorter than a week).
• Training (Staff Mobility for Training):
  Mobility for professional development activities aimed at academic and administrative staff of higher education institutions (HEIs). This may include training events abroad (excluding conferences) and periods of job shadowing/observation/training at a partner university.
  Mobility duration: minimum 5 days – maximum 2 months (excluding travel).

A combined mobility for study and traineeship can be arranged for students, with a minimum duration of 2 months and a maximum of 12 months. Additionally, a short-term mobility (minimum 5 days - maximum 30 days) can be arranged for PhD students.

For teaching staff, a combined teaching/training mobility can be provided. In this case, the minimum number of teaching hours is reduced by 50%.

The mobility of students and staff can take place in any disciplinary area.

For each study cycle (first, single, second cycles, PhD, Specialisation), each student can benefit from a maximum of 12 months of Erasmus+ international mobility for study/traineeship abroad, or 24 months in the case of single cycle degree programmes.

Individual participants cannot directly participate in the call for proposals issued by the European Commission to request mobility grants. Participation is, in fact, reserved for Universities/Higher Education Institutions, which are eligible to submit their applications within the framework of the aforementioned call.

The University of Florence submits its application for KA171 annually based on expressions of interest received from its Departments, which are subsequently reviewed by a designated University Commission.

The application, which is a single submission for the entire university, consists of one or more country-specific projects. It is evaluated by the Erasmus+ National Agency INDIRE according to criteria established by the European Commission, which are common to all National Agencies in the participating countries.

The entire application or one or more country-specific projects may be funded, possibly with a reduction of the requested budget during the submission phase.
The mobility of outgoing students and staff is carried out, within the framework of the funded projects, based on specific calls issued by the Departments.

Since 2017, the University of Florence has successfully participated in the Action. The funded projects have enabled international collaboration with various institutions from non-EU countries, located in different geographical areas, offering mobility opportunities for students, faculty, and administrative staff, both incoming and outgoing.

The 2022, 2023 and 2024 projects are currently underway.

Unifi students and staff interested in outgoing mobility should consult the calls published for the various country-projects, which specify the recipients, the number of places, the eligible subject areas, the requirements and the methods of participation.