Our Senior Policy Officer (International) Dr David Donaldson has written a blog in anticipation of EAIE coming to Glasgow in less than a week.
With less than a week to go until 7,000 delegates join us in Glasgow for the European Association for International Education (EAIE) conference, Universities Scotland has produced a new partnership guidebook to help institutions identify and develop new collaborations ahead of Erasmus+ 2027. EAIE is one of the biggest gatherings in global higher education.
For four days, Glasgow will become a hub for conversations about international collaboration, student and staff mobility, and the partnerships that will shape the future of higher education. For Scotland’s 19 universities, all represented on the “Study in Scotland” stand (D03), the conference is a chance not only to reconnect with long-standing partners, but also to forge new relationships ahead of the UK’s return to Erasmus+ in 2027
It’s in this context, that the new guidebook brings together information on the partnership priorities of Scotland’s universities, alongside institutional profiles and key contacts, making it easier for prospective partners to identify opportunities for meaningful engagement.
The guidebook also highlights the breadth and diversity of international activity taking place across Scotland’s universities, from student and staff exchange to research collaboration, strategic partnerships and innovative mobility programmes.
The decision by the UK Government to rejoin Erasmus+ has been warmly welcomed across Scotland’s university sector. Scotland has a long and successful history with the programme. Before the UK’s departure from Erasmus+, Scottish institutions secured 16% of all UK Erasmus funding despite representing just 8% of the UK population. Over the lifetime of the programme, more than 22,000 staff and student mobilities were supported through Erasmus-funded activity.
That enduring commitment to international mobility meant many partnerships survived even after the UK left the programme, with universities maintaining collaborations through bilateral agreements. As Erasmus+ returns, many of these longstanding relationships are expected to transition back into formal Erasmus+ partnerships.
But 2027 is about more than reconnecting with the past. Erasmus+ has evolved, creating new opportunities for collaboration that align closely with universities’ ambitions around inclusion, innovation and international engagement.
Newer initiatives such as Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) and shorter-term mobility options are helping to expand participation, making international experiences accessible to a wider range of students. Meanwhile, Key Action 2 projects are creating opportunities for deeper strategic collaboration between institutions, including participation in major initiatives such as the European Universities Alliances. Notably, three Scottish universities have already secured associate membership of these alliances despite the UK not currently being part of Erasmus+.
Whether you’re joining us in Glasgow for EAIE or connecting from elsewhere, there has never been a better time to explore new opportunities with Scotland’s universities. As Scotland prepares for a return to Erasmus+, we look forward to building the partnerships that will support the next generation of international collaboration.