AFM Talks: Erasmus+ Aids Arab Countries through International Exchange, Opportunities
A recent episode of the panel discussion series Al-Fanar Media Talks focused on “The Impact of the Erasmus+ Programme on Arab Universities”. Featuring directors of national Erasmus+ offices from across the Arab world, the session examined the programme’s role in enhancing academic exchange, university internationalisation, curriculum reform, institutional reform, and research collaboration.
The speakers were Ahmad Abu-El-Haija, founder and director of the National Erasmus+ Office in Jordan; Nesrine Baklouti, director of the National Erasmus+ Office in Tunisia; Amir Khalil, director of the National Erasmus+ Office in Palestine; Latifa Daadaoui, director of the National Erasmus+ Office in Morocco; and Mohamed Boudour, director of the National Erasmus+ Office in Algeria.
Mohammad El-Hawary, Al-Fanar Media’s executive director and editor-in-chief, moderated the discussion, asking each national director about the most transformative impact of Erasmus+ programme on higher education in their country. Following is a summary of the main topics discussed and the participants’ remarks. You can watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel.
Erasmus+ in Jordan
Ahmad Abu-El-Haija highlighted how Erasmus+ had become a key driver of higher education development in Jordan. Its influence extends beyond academic exchange, he said, providing students and academics with opportunities to engage with leading European universities and gain “linguistic, cultural, and professional skills that enhance employability while opening new horizons in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship”.
At the institutional level, Abu-El-Haija said Erasmus+ had helped strengthen the capacity of Jordanian universities by developing modern curricula and teaching methods, launching new academic programmes, enhancing connections between universities and the labour market, and establishing international relations offices that have become central to the internationalisation of higher education in Jordan. Many funded projects, he added, have also improved university governance and fostered a culture of quality assurance and accreditation in line with advanced European standards.
At the national policy level, Abu-El-Haija said an Erasmus+ capacity-building project had served as a catalyst for key developments such as the establishment of the National Qualifications Framework. It has also advanced the recognition of prior learning, the adoption of micro-credentials, digital transformation, and the alignment of educational outcomes with labour market needs.
“The programme has elevated Jordan’s position as a regional leader in international academic cooperation,” Abu-El-Haija. “Its outcomes have evolved from university-based initiatives into recommendations discussed by the Ministry of Higher Education and the Accreditation Commission, and incorporated into national action plans.”
Abu-El-Haija concluded that the programme’s greatest transformation in Jordan lay in its evolution “from supporting individual opportunities to becoming a strategic tool for internationalisation, development, and innovation, tangibly driving the progress of higher education in our country and the wider region.”
Erasmus+ in Tunisia
Nesrine Baklouti, of Tunisia, highlighted her country’s strong engagement with Erasmus+, noting that Tunisia ranks tenth globally in the number of student and university exchanges. Since 2014, she said, more than 11,500 Tunisian students and academics have benefited from Erasmus+ opportunities that have helped them gain advanced academic and language skills, along with soft skills such as independence, adaptability, and cultural openness—enhancing their employability through internationally recognised experience.
Baklouti said Erasmus+ had also fostered sustainable international networks at both academic and administrative levels, while strengthening pedagogical and methodological skills across institutions. The exchange of best practices in university governance and management has led to lasting partnerships between Tunisian and European universities, as well as with other international institutions, she said. These collaborations have boosted the capacity of Tunisian universities for internationalisation, improved the quality of education, and deepened bilateral and multilateral cooperation with European partners.
Erasmus+ has also played a key role in modernising Tunisia’s higher education system, gradually aligning it with European standards in areas such as recognition and quality assurance, Baklouti said. She highlighted Tunisia’s growing prominence as a regional leader within the Euro-Mediterranean framework of Erasmus+ projects. Since 2014, Tunisia has benefited from around 73 capacity-building projects in higher education, spanning fields such as governance, climate change, the environment, engineering, and employment. These initiatives, she explained, have led to curriculum reform, technological advancement, improved governance and management practices, strengthened international strategies for universities, and bolstered research and innovation, while also enhancing the skills of academic and administrative staff and students.
Baklouti also pointed to the sustainability-focused projects supported by Erasmus+, as well as the establishment of a team of higher education reform experts engaged in national and international activities. These efforts, she said, have contributed to policy development and higher education reform in close collaboration with Tunisia’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Erasmus+ in Palestine
Asked how Erasmus+ operates in Palestine amid the ongoing Israeli war and attacks on higher education institutions, Amir Khalil emphasised the programme’s fundamental impact on Palestinian institutions.
Erasmus+ has supported universities across various fields while also providing opportunities for civil society organisations and the youth and sports sectors, he said. He noted that the programme had fostered greater openness within society, particularly universities, through high-quality academic exchange opportunities, contributing to capacity building and the enhancement of academic programme quality.
Erasmus+ has also provided opportunities for Palestinian students and academics to engage internationally, Khalil said. “This is a very important point in light of the Israeli occupation and the limited presence of foreigners. … Mobility is difficult in the Palestinian territories, and the mechanism of transportation is almost impossible at times.”
He added that Erasmus+ had enabled Palestinian academics to gain scientific and practical skills through exchange programmes and has encouraged collaboration among local and national universities, as well as partnerships with universities across the Arab world, including in the Maghreb, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon.
On the topic of internationalisation, Khalil said Erasmus+ had facilitated the exchange of expertise in managing educational and research projects and supported initiatives benefiting youth, cultural, and artistic institutions. He emphasised that Palestine continues to need capacity building in education and vocational training, areas where Erasmus+ is actively contributing through multiple projects.
Khalil emphasised the importance of cultural exchange, noting that around 6,000 Palestinian students and academics had participated in Erasmus+ programmes, engaging with over 100 European universities through over 50 projects. He added that Palestinian universities in Gaza had continued to participate despite the ongoing war and highlighted Erasmus+ projects that focus on higher education policy reform, addressing critical needs across Arab universities.
Erasmus+ in Morocco
Asked about the programme’s impact on higher education in Morocco, Latifa Daadaoui said Erasmus+ had benefited students, faculty, and staff, serving as a significant driver for the modernisation of higher education in the kingdom.
“Morocco is proud to be ranked seventh globally in student exchange and participates in several institutional capacity-building projects,” she said. Morocco is also part of the Erasmus Youth programme, which complements other Erasmus+ opportunities for young people and staff in Vocational Education and Training.
Daadaoui said Erasmus emphasised both formal and informal learning, allowing students and youth to engage in activities outside universities and schools to help develop soft skills as well as professional and technical competencies.
Daadaoui highlighted several key impacts of Erasmus+ in Morocco:
• Expanding engagement with European universities beyond traditional partners in France, Spain, and Italy to include Scandinavian and Central European institutions.
• Strengthening regional cooperation by fostering closer ties with universities in Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon.
• Modernising pedagogical programmes to align with European and international standards.
• Enhancing university governance and management, adopting academic accreditation systems, and promoting inclusive education.
• Supporting policies for vulnerable groups, including people with special needs, by developing structures and digital access through capacity-building projects to make education more accessible.
The programme has also strengthened the international visibility of Moroccan institutions, provided training for academic and administrative staff, and established expert networks at both Arab and global levels, facilitating the exchange of educational and research expertise, Daadaoui said.
She added that Erasmus+ had enabled not only outbound academic exchanges for Moroccan students and researchers but had also welcomed European participants to the country. The programme has contributed to modernising educational practices, exposing students to new learning experiences and expertise, enhancing professors’ language skills, and promoting digitalization, she said.
Erasmus+ in Algeria
Mohamed Boudour said Erasmus+ had contributed in many ways to the modernisation and globalisation in Algeria’s higher education system, which serves around two million students, plus approximately half a million in vocational training.
Boudour noted that Erasmus+ provides a strong framework for transferring expertise, developing new programmes with European partners through capacity-building projects, and updating curricula to meet labour market and innovation needs.
He emphasised that a key feature of the programme is its role in fostering networks and university coalitions, enabling Arab universities to collaborate more effectively.
Boudour explained that Arab higher education systems shared similarities, and that Erasmus+ had had a comparable impact across the region by advancing internationalisation, modernising higher education, enhancing the quality of training, expanding academic mobility, and aligning programs with international standards.
What is Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is a European Union initiative that supports education, training, youth, and sports. It promotes cultural and academic exchange among participating countries, offering individuals opportunities to develop personal and professional skills in an international setting.
The programme aims to cultivate a generation of young people with multicultural expertise, prepared to contribute to more interactive and cooperative societies across borders. Its four main areas are:
• Higher Education: Offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students opportunities to study or train at leading European universities.
• Vocational Education and Training: Providing hands-on training opportunities for students enrolled in technical and vocational institutes.
• Youth: Funding cultural exchange projects and volunteer initiatives both within Europe and beyond.
• Sports: Supporting projects that promote community engagement and work to combat discrimination.
Full Funding for Mobility Programmes
The Erasmus+ programme provides extensive financial support that covers travel, accommodation, and living expenses. In some cases, it also includes health insurance and tuition fees. The level of financial aid varies according to the host country and the nature of the activity. Participation durations range from two months to one year for students, and from a few days to several months for youth and volunteer projects.
The programme targets university students, recent graduates, faculty members, and administrative staff in educational institutions, as well as young people outside formal education who wish to participate in volunteer and community initiatives.
Erasmus+ operates across all European Union countries, along with several partner nations, including Turkey, the Balkans, Ukraine, and countries in the Southern Mediterranean such as Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon.
Applications are typically submitted through universities, educational institutions, or accredited youth organisations by completing the forms available on the programme’s official website.
Note: Aref Alsoufi, director of the National Erasmus+ National Coordinator in Lebanon, could not participate in this discussion (see our previous interview with him). Al-Fanar Media had not received a response from the National Erasmus+ Office in Egypt at the time of the panel discussion.