Pupil and student mobility
The Spanish education system is committed to the development of policies, strategies and actions promoting student mobility. The Organic Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE), as amended by Organic Law 3/2020 (LOMLOE), expresses in its preamble the need to increase mobility and exchanges, with the aim of opening up education systems to the wider world.
Student mobility programmes are part of the educational actions of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. In Spain, the management of the corresponding public calls has been entrusted to the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE).
“Key Action 1-KA1: Educational Mobility of Individuals” includes student mobility activities with the following objectives:
- improved learning outcomes;
- increased sense of initiative and entrepreneurship;
- increased intercultural awareness;
- increased intercultural awareness;
- more active participation in society.
Student mobility activities under Key Action 1-KA1 should actively promote inclusion and diversity, as well as environmental sustainability and digital literacy, and can vary in terms of modalities and duration:
- group mobility for school pupils (2 to 30 days, at least 2 pupils per group);
- short-term educational mobility for school pupils (10 to 29 days);
- long-term educational mobility for school pupils (30 to 365 days).
In addition to physical mobility, all student mobility activities can be combined with virtual activities. Activities must take place abroad, in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme.
Within Key Action KA11, there are also calls for specific mobility activities for students in vocational education and training which can be applied for either individually or through a VET institution. The objectives of these actions are to improve the quality of initial and continuing vocational education and training in Europe, and to reinforce the European dimension of teaching and learning.
Mobility activities for students in vocational education and training should promote inclusion and diversity, environmentally responsible and sustainable practices, and the digital transition. These activities may vary in terms of modalities and duration:
- participation in professional skills competitions (1 to 10 days);
- short-term educational mobility for vocational training students (10 to 89 days);
- long-term educational mobility for vocational training students (ErasmusPro) (90 to 365 days).
Teacher mobility
The commitment of the Spanish education system to mobility is not limited to students, but it also develops educational policies and actions promoting teacher mobility through different European (Erasmus +) or national initiatives.
Participants cannot apply directly for aid under the Erasmus + Programme; it is educational institutions that are in charge of applying by presenting a mobility project. Once the grant has been awarded, the selection of participating staff is carried out by institutions through a transparent, coherent and documented.
ERASMUS+
Erasmus+ funds, within the “Key Action 1-KA1: Educational Mobility of Individuals” of the Erasmus+ Programme, mobility activities for teachers. These activities are aimed at strengthening the European dimension of teaching and learning; improving the quality of teaching and learning in school education; and contributing to the creation of the European Education Area. These activities may vary in terms of modalities and duration:
- shadowing (2 to 60 days);
- teaching stays (2 to 365 days); courses and training (2 to 30 days, maximum 10 days of course fees per participant).
In addition to physical mobility, all staff mobility activities can be combined with virtual activities. Activities must take place abroad, in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme.
Such activities are available for teachers, school heads and other non-teaching staff working in school education. “Key Action 1 - KA1: Educational Mobility of Individuals” also includes mobility grants for VET staff, both teachers and non-teaching staff working in VET, such as international mobility officers, counsellors, VET policy coordinators, etc. The main objectives of mobility activities for vocational training staff are to improve the quality of initial and continuing vocational education and training in Europe, and to strengthen the European dimension of teaching and learning. They may vary in terms of modalities and duration:
- shadowing (2 to 60 days);
- teaching or training placements (2 to 365 days);
- courses and training (2 to 30 days).
All participants are covered by an insurance taken out by the project organisers and should be in possession of the European Health Insurance Card, if the destination country is in territory of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
Mobility actions organized by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
At national level, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP) promotes other actions for the mobility of teachers:
Interim teachers in educational programmes abroad
Purpose | To fill teaching posts on an interim basis in Spanish educational institutions and programmes ( state-owned institutions, mixed-ownership institutions, European schools, Spanish sections and Spanish language and culture groups). |
Destination | Morocco, France, United Kingdom, Colombia-Brazil, Andorra, Portugal, United States, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. |
Target groups | Non-civil servant teachers with teaching experience. |
Requirements | The same general and specific requirements as those required to take part in the selective entrance examinations for the corresponding public body. |
Duration | 1 school year |
Funding | Those established by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training for the national territory for interim civil servants. |
Purpose | To develop Spanish educational action abroad with regards to promotion, support programmes for the teaching of Spanish and the projection of Spanish culture and languages. |
Destination | Education Departments (17 countries), Attaché's Offices (9 countries) and Spanish Consultancies (25 countries) abroad. |
Target groups | Civil servants belonging to teaching bodies |
Requirements | At least 3 years' seniority as a civil servant Language level in the language or one of the languages specified for each post Successful completion of the selection procedure for filling the posts. |
Duration | a 2-year period, which can be extended, up to a maximum of 6. |
Funding | The teaching staff receive their corresponding basic and supplementary salaries and a special allowance for foreign destinations. |
Purpose | To teach in Spanish in bilingual and immersion programmes, Spanish as a foreign language, or other areas or subjects. |
Destination | United States, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Ireland and Australia. |
Target groups | Spanish citizens with a Master's, Graduate or Bachelor's degree, in different areas or subjects. |
Requirements | There are specific requirements depending on the destination country. |
Duration | One school year which can be extended |
Funding | It may vary depending on the contracting educational authority, as well as their teaching experience and educational qualifications. |
Purpose | Promote learning and dissemination of the Spanish language and culture abroad. The programme also encourages the assistants to improve their knowledge of the language and culture of their host country. |
Destination | Institutions in 17 countries |
Target groups | Spanish citizens with a university degree or students in their final year at university. |
Requirements | To be a university student in his/her final year of studies. |
Duration | The last call for applications ran from October 2022 to May 2023. |
Funding | The language assistants will receive the financial compensation indicated as a reference, charged to the budgets of the host country, for accommodation and living expenses. |
Teaching staff in bilingual Spanish sections in schools in Central and Eastern Europe and China
Purpose | To teach Spanish language and culture as well as other subjects in Spanish in bilingual Spanish sections. |
Destination | Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Hungary. |
Target groups | Spanish graduates as established in the call. |
Requirements | For the positions offered in Hungary, at least two years of teaching experience. |
Duration | One school year which can be extended |
Funding | The same salaries as non-university teaching staff in their countries of destination, with the right to accommodation and the country's own health care, as well as the corresponding aids from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. |
Purpose | assign teaching positions abroad on the basis of merit |
Destination | depending on the call (Spanish state-owned educational institutions abroad, Spanish sections in foreign schools, Spanish language and culture groups, etc.). |
Target groups | government-employed teachers in service |
Requirements |
knowledge of the language specified in the call, depending on the position |
Duration | a 2-year period, which can be extended, up to a maximum of 6, or 9 if the destination is a European School |
Funding | The teaching staff receive their corresponding basic and supplementary salaries and a special allowance for foreign destinations. |
Professional visits for teachers
Purpose | improve the quality of teacher training, promote innovation, adopt more effective teaching methods, create professional communities at the EU level or participate in them, as well as encourage foreign language learning and promote professional and cultural exchanges between the education systems |
Destination | educational institutions in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Ireland, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland. |
Target groups | Career civil servants from the following bodies: Infant and Primary Education Teachers, Secondary Education Teachers, Secondary Education Professors, Official Language School Teachers, Official Language School Professors, Technical Vocational Training Teachers, Music and Performing Arts Teachers and Plastic Arts and Design Teachers. |
Requirements | Being a civil servant. Providing direct teaching in the classroom.
not having been a beneficiary of the Programme in the last five calls |
Duration | 2 weeks in the host country and institution |
Funding | during the visit, they will retain their rights as civil servants, receiving the corresponding remuneration in addition, they will receive EUR 1 300 to cover the costs of accommodation and subsistence, as well as travel expenses |
Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-Spanish Network for Information on Education (INEE, MEFP) on the basis of current calls.