The new Erasmus+ calls for 2026

After a long wait, the Erasmus+ Work Programme for 2026 was officially published on 17 November 2025.

We have analysed it for you, with a specific focus on Key Action 2 (KA2), and below we share a structured overview of the main structural changes introduced for 2026.

• Continuity of priorities, but evolving implementation

• The overall logic of the programme remains anchored to the four well-known horizontal priorities, which continue to shape project evaluation and national strategies. No official changes to the priorities have been introduced. However, the issue of the “unwritten rules” applied by some National Agencies remains open. In recent years, many NAs have tended to prioritise Inclusion and Diversity, the first Erasmus+ priority, often at the expense of the other pillars included in the programme framework.

• Updated call codes and deadlines

• For 2026, new call IDs have been introduced for all actions, together with slightly adjusted deadlines for KA1 and KA2. We will explore these changes in more detail below.

• Key structural changes in KA2 for 2026

• The most significant structural novelty within KA2 for 2026 is the introduction of new partnership types, particularly in the fields of Education & Training (E&T) and Innovation.

1. Partnerships for Cooperation

In 2026, a new explicit action is added within this category, with a specific focus on the school sector.

For the first time, European Partnerships for School Development are introduced. This represents a return to a model last seen two Multiannual Financial Frameworks ago, when specific call categories were reserved exclusively for schools.

The new action aims to:

• strengthen institutional capacity to expand school mobility opportunities (KA1), and

• foster innovation in school practices.

This clearly signals Erasmus+’s growing investment in the school sector, recognised as strategic for generating long-term impact. It targets two crucial groups: teachers and school systems, but above all students, the future changemakers and real drivers of societal transformation.

2. Partnerships for Innovation

Within the Alliances for Innovation, 2026 introduces a third dedicated funding category.

While in 2025 the Alliances focused on two main lots:

• Lot 1 – Alliances for Education and Enterprises

• Lot 2 – Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (including the former Blueprints), in 2026 a new Lot 3 – STEM Skills Foundries is introduced.

These projects:

• have a maximum lump-sum budget of €1.5 million,

• run for 2 years, and

• aim to address critical skills gaps in sectors essential to European competitiveness, in line with the Union of Skills initiative.

This confirms a growing investment focus on STEM skills, positioning the EU as a global excellence partner.In recent years, Erasmus+ strongly prioritised Inclusion, with many National Agencies directing funding towards the development of more inclusive communities.

We now observe a clearer opening, particularly in centralised calls, towards STEM and innovation.

This raises a key question: could this be the first signal of a future shift in priorities, possibly extending to Digital Transition also within decentralised actions?

3. Partnerships for Excellence

While not yet officially confirmed, for 2026 the call related to Erasmus+ Teacher Academies does not appear to be renewed.

In the documents published so far, we see confirmation of:

• Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE)

• Erasmus Mundus Actions

However, Erasmus+ Teacher Academies are not mentioned in the general list of actions.

What about deadlines? Key changes between 2025 and 2026. Some relevant adjustments can be observed in the most critical deadlines.

KA2 Actions (managed by EACEA)

• Erasmus Mundus Action
  Deadline 2025: 13 February
  Deadline 2026: 12 February
  → Deadline slightly earlier (–1 day)

• Capacity Building in Higher Education
  Deadline 2025: 6 February
  Deadline 2026: 10 February
  → Deadline postponed (+4 days)

• Capacity Building in VET
  Deadline 2025: 27 February
  Deadline 2026: 26 March
  → Deadline postponed (almost +1 month)

• Capacity Building in Youth
  Deadline 2025: 6 March
  Deadline 2026: 26 February
  → Deadline brought forward (approx. –9 days)

• Alliances for Innovation
  Deadline 2025: 6 March
  Deadline 2026: 10 March
  → Deadline postponed (+4 days)

• Centres of Vocational Excellence
  Deadline 2025: 11 June
  Deadline 2026: 3 September
  → Deadline significantly postponed

For Partnerships for Cooperation and Small-scale Partnerships managed by National Agencies, deadlines remain largely unchanged for most sectors, set at 5 March (12:00 or 17:00). An important exception is the newly introduced European Partnerships for School Development, which have a separate deadline of 9 April 2026 at 12:00.