University of Tartu recognised as Erasmus+ paperless mobility ambassador

At the European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) conference “Shaping Student Mobility Beyond 2027”, held in Brussels on 11 June, the University of Tartu received recognition in the Erasmus Without Paper category and was appointed an ESCI Champion for the period 2025–2027.

The European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) aims to make international student mobility as seamless and digital as possible for both students and higher education institutions. The initiative has three components: the European Student Card, which aims to establish a pan-European student card; Erasmus Without Paper, which connects higher education systems through digital solutions to facilitate mobility; and the Erasmus+ App, which supports practical arrangements during a student’s mobility period.

Participants at the ESCI conference included representatives of the European Commission, the ESCI consortium, higher education institutions, student organisations, Erasmus+ national agencies, and ESCI Champions. Presentations and discussions focused on the next phase of digitalisation in student mobility after 2027, and on how to develop future solutions in collaboration with users.

The conference was opened by Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture at the European Commission, who framed ESCI as a strategic investment in simplification, interoperability and transnational cooperation. The results of an extensive consultation involving tens of thousands of European stakeholders were also presented. It was concluded that solutions for the next programme period should build on existing systems, enhance user-friendliness, and move towards a more unified and comprehensive ESCI+.

At the conference, 32 organisations across Europe were recognised for contributing to the realisation of the European vision for digital learning mobility. The University of Tartu, among those honoured, had already been part of the Erasmus Without Paper Champions in 2023–2025. ESCI Champions act as ambassadors for digital mobility in their countries and within an international network, sharing experience, supporting other higher education institutions, and helping to shape new solutions.

As Estonia’s representative, the University of Tartu will contribute to the digitalisation of the Erasmus+ programme, reflect the experiences of Estonian higher education institutions in European discussions, and support mobility through the exchange of knowledge and good practices.

Erasmus+ Mobility Project Lead Jaanika Haljasmäe-Rand, the University of Tartu’s representative in the ESCI Champions network, emphasised the importance of involving stakeholders at an early stage when developing solutions, transparently taking feedback into account, and conducting thorough analysis before development.

“It is important to preserve and further develop what already works well in the current system. The goal is to make mobility opportunities more accessible for both learners and higher education institutions. Only through collaboration with users can ideas be created that truly support international mobility,” said Haljasmäe-Rand.

The conference was followed on 12 June by the annual meeting of ESCI Champions, where consultation results and next steps were discussed together with representatives of the Directorate-General.

The European Student Card Initiative is a key element in the development of the European Education Area and the digitalisation of the Erasmus+ programme.