Norway checked whether Erasmus+ was worth it. It was

Norway’s participation in Erasmus+ delivers greater benefits than creating a comparable national programme, according to a new government-commissioned evaluation published on 20 August. The analysis acknowledges that taking part in the EU programme costs Norway more than financing similar activities domestically, but concludes that the European networks, cooperation and opportunities it provides would be difficult to reproduce through a Norwegian scheme alone.

The evaluation presented by Norway’s Ministry of Education and Research estimates that around 135,700 people from Norway will have participated in Erasmus+ activities between 2021 and 2027, including pupils, apprentices, students, teachers, young people and other participants.

Norway has participated in Erasmus since 1992. Although it is not a member of the European Union, it is an associated country in Erasmus+, alongside Iceland and Liechtenstein through their membership of the European Economic Area. This allows Norwegian organisations and participants to take part fully in the programme.

Erasmus+ costs Norway more, but provides benefits a national scheme cannot

The socioeconomic analysis compared continued participation in Erasmus+ with an alternative in which Norway financed similar activities through its own programme.

A national scheme would be cheaper. Norway currently pays both a contribution to Erasmus+ and administrative costs connected with participation. But the evaluation concludes that these additional costs are outweighed by the benefits generated by access to European cooperation.

According to the government, many projects and partnerships supported through Erasmus+ would not have taken place without the programme. The largest benefits identified in the evaluation are also among the hardest to quantify financially, including skills development, international networks, inclusion and access to European professional and educational environments.

The report therefore concludes that Norway could not obtain equivalent benefits simply by reproducing Erasmus+-type mobility and educational activities domestically.

Minister of Research and Higher Education (forsknings- og høyere utdanningsminister) Sigrun Aasland said close cooperation with Europe was important for ensuring access to knowledge.

“The evaluation shows that it is highly valuable for Norwegian pupils, apprentices and students to learn, cooperate and gain experience outside Norway’s borders,” she said.

Norway’s Erasmus+ participation is growing

Participation has increased during the current 2021–2027 Erasmus+ programme period. According to the evaluation, more schools, municipalities, counties, universities, university colleges, training companies and organisations are applying for funding.

Most of Norway’s participation targets for the current period have either already been reached or are on track to be achieved.

Participants surveyed for the evaluation particularly highlighted personal development, greater independence, new perspectives and increased understanding of other cultures.

Minister of Children and Families (barne- og familieminister) Lene Vågslid also linked international experience to social inclusion, arguing that it can help young people develop confidence, networks and expectations for their future.

European networks are difficult to replace

The comparison is particularly relevant because other European countries have experimented with alternatives to Erasmus+.

The Norwegian government points to Switzerland and the United Kingdom, which developed national alternatives after being outside parts of the programme. Both are expected to become associated with Erasmus+ in 2027.

Their experience is cited in the evaluation as evidence that national mobility schemes can finance exchanges but have greater difficulty replicating the established European cooperation networks and institutional partnerships available through Erasmus+.

For Norway, the distinction is important. Its participation is not limited to sending students abroad. Schools, municipalities, universities and other organisations can also join multinational projects and professional networks that extend across the programme’s participating countries.

Norway wants more organisations to benefit from Erasmus+

The evaluation nevertheless identifies areas where Norwegian participation could improve.

It recommends making applications and participation easier for smaller schools, municipalities and voluntary organisations, which can have fewer administrative resources available to navigate the programme.

It also calls for more Norwegian organisations to participate in large European cooperation projects and for better access for pupils, apprentices, students and young people with fewer opportunities.

According to the evaluation, these measures could increase both the social benefits and the socioeconomic value of Norway’s participation during the next Erasmus+ programme period.

The findings also illustrate the wider role of European integration outside formal EU membership. Through its association with Erasmus+, Norway participates in a common European infrastructure for education, training, youth and sport rather than maintaining a parallel national system. The government-commissioned analysis now suggests that, despite the higher direct cost, access to that shared system produces benefits Norway would struggle to reproduce on its own.