This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the Erasmus+ Programme as a strategic funding mechanism for higher education institutions (HEIs) and other organisations operating in the field of education and training. Drawing on Pixel's extensive experience as project coordinator, the paper examines the programme's key action lines most relevant to higher education: Cooperation Partnerships (KA2) and Capacity Building projects. The paper outlines the four horizontal priorities that cut across all sectors of the programme (Inclusion and Diversity, Digital Transformation, Environmental Sustainability, and Participation and Active Citizenship) and discusses how these priorities shape the design and evaluation of project proposals. A selection of nine approved Cooperation Partnership projects and six Capacity Building projects coordinated by Pixel is presented to illustrate the range of eligible activities, partnership configurations, and deliverables that characterise successful applications. These examples span topics from computational thinking in STEM teacher education, to the integration of artificial intelligence in language learning, to the promotion of intercultural dialogue and emotional intelligence in secondary schools. The paper then provides practical guidance on the formulation of competitive project ideas, emphasising the importance of needs analysis, innovation with respect to the state of the art, consistency between objectives, activities and results, and clear identification of target groups. Special attention is devoted to the Capacity Building strand, which funds cooperation between European HEIs and partner-country institutions across regions including Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Western Balkans. The paper concludes by positioning the Erasmus+ Programme not merely as a funding source, but as a driver of systemic institutional change and international networking, and by offering concrete recommendations for institutions approaching the programme for the first time.
Keywords: Erasmus+, higher education, cooperation partnerships, capacity building, European funding, internationalisation
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