Study in Europe Initiative (Enhancing the attractiveness of Europe as a study destination for global talent) & Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative (Supp...
Overview
The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) has launched an open procurement (procedure EACEA/2026/OP/0067) for two service lots with an estimated total value of €8,500,000. Lot 1 (Study in Europe) is estimated at €7,000,000 to promote European higher education globally, and Lot 2 (Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative) is estimated at €1,500,000 to support networking, capacity building and community activities for Erasmus Mundus joint programmes. Contracts are procured as framework service agreements for up to 48 months and will be awarded on the best price-quality ratio (quality 70%, price 30%). Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using EU Login and a Participant Identification Code, with a deadline of 10 December 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time.
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Highlights
Quick summary
What this tender buys
Open call for service contracts to run two complementary higher education initiatives:Lot 1 Study in Europe to promote Europe as a study destination worldwide; Lot 2 Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative to strengthen exchange, networking and capacity for joint programmes awarding Erasmus Mundus scholarships.
Who can apply:Economic operators (legal persons or consortia) meeting the procurement selection and exclusion criteria listed in the tender documents; applicants must use EU Login and a Participant Identification Code (PIC) for eSubmission 1.
- 1Procurement type: Open call for tenders (service contracts)
- 2Submission method: electronic eSubmission via Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required) 1
- 3Contract duration: maximum 48 months per lot
- 4Award method: best price-quality ratio
| Lot | Focus | Estimated value (EUR) | Max duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 | Study in Europe: promotion, digital campaigns, fairs, stakeholder capacity building | 7,000,000 | 48 months |
| Lot 2 | Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative: peer learning, events, EMC platform, promotion | 1,500,000 | 48 months |
| Total (procedure) | 8,500,000 |
Key dates
- 1Tender published: 29/09/2026 (TED reference 188/2026 668406-2026)
- 2Deadline for receipt of tenders: 2026-12-10T16:00:59 Europe/Brussels
- 3Public opening (virtual): 15/12/2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels
- 4Questions cut-off: 02/12/2026 23:59 Europe/Brussels
Lead contracting authority:European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Procedure identifier EACEA/2026/OP/0067. Main CPV: 80300000 (Higher education services).
What the contracts will deliver (high level)
- 1Lot 1: strategic evidence and analytics, multi-channel communication and branding, digital advertising (minimum annual ad budget indicated in tender), social media, study fairs, peer learning for national promotion agencies, editorial content and portal updates.
- 2Lot 2: study on Erasmus Mundus impact and retention, cluster meetings, study visits, kick-off events for joint programmes, EMC community platform management and promotion of EMJMs.
Deliverables include reports, communication strategy and toolkits, campaign implementation and monitoring, events and platform operation. Work must comply with EU data protection, IP and security rules.
Selection & compliance highlights
Tenders judged on quality (approx. 70%) and price (approx. 30%). Tenderers must satisfy exclusion and selection criteria (legal, financial and technical capacity) and may be asked for supporting certificates; subcontracting and consortium arrangements are allowed within the procurement rules.
How to apply:Submit an electronic tender via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal eSubmission tool (EU Login account and PIC required). See the official tender folder for Invitation to Tender, tender specifications, draft contract, financial offer form and templates 1.
Practical notes
This is a procurement (tender) not a grant. Bids must follow the tender specifications and annexes; full tender documentation, including security, IPR and data protection rules, is in the portal. Any use of AI tools must be declared and comply with the AI Act and data protection rules.
Footnotes
- 1Full procurement documents, submission portal and eSubmission guidance are available from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu
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Breakdown
Summary
Open call for tenders launched by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) to procure services supporting two linked EU initiatives in higher education: Lot 1 Study in Europe (promotion and attraction of talent to Europe as a study destination) and Lot 2 Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative (capacity building, exchange and networking for HEIs running Erasmus Mundus joint programmes). The procurement is a framework agreement for services with a maximum duration of 48 months and an estimated overall value of €8 500 000 (Lot 1 estimated value €7 000 000; Lot 2 estimated value €1 500 000). The award method is best price-quality ratio. The procedure is an open electronic tender via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Deadlines and milestones include December 10 2026 for tender receipt and public opening on December 15 2026. The call continues previous service contracts implementing Study in Europe (since 2014) and an initial EMSI contract (since 2023).
Key facts and scope
This procurement is divided into two independent lots; bidders may tender for one or both lots. Lot 1 objectives: evidence generation, strategic communication, digital marketing campaigns, brand and portal maintenance, study fairs and stakeholder capacity building to promote European higher education globally. Lot 2 objectives: analysis, exchange, networking and support activities targeted at HEIs running or preparing joint programmes awarding Erasmus Mundus scholarships (EMJMs and possible future Joint Study Programmes). All services are provided as service contracts; activities include research studies, communications, event management, platform moderation, training and capacity building. Activities must comply with EU data protection, accessibility and Commission communication rules.
Eligible Applicant Types:Universities and other higher education institutions, research institutes, public bodies and national promotion agencies, SMEs and large enterprises providing communications/marketing/IT/event services, nonprofit organisations and associations, consultancies (market research, communication, digital marketing), consortiums and public-private partnerships. Joint tenders (groups) are permitted; subcontracting and reliance on third-party capacities are allowed subject to rules in the tender specifications.
Funding Type and Contract Nature:This is a procurement (tender) for service contracts implemented as framework agreements. The financing modality is a service contract (commission procurement) with payments to contractors (no grants).
- 1Consortium Requirement: Tenders can be submitted by a single entity or a consortium. If a joint tender is submitted by a group without separate legal personality, one member must be the group leader and all members are jointly and severally liable.
- 2Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Activities focus on EU Member States and third countries associated to Erasmus+ (in 2026: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye). Some outreach can take place in other third countries to attract students to Europe.
- 3Target Sector: Higher education, education promotion, international student recruitment, communications, digital marketing, events and market research. Cross-cutting: innovation in digital outreach, AI-enabled analytics, and capacity building for HE stakeholders.
- 4Project Stage: Expected to cover evidence/analysis (research), campaign design and development (development), implementation and optimisation (demonstration/operation), stakeholder capacity building (validation) and ongoing coordination and handover (sustainability).
- 5Funding Amount: Estimated total procedure value €8 500 000; Lot 1 estimated value €7 000 000; Lot €2 1 500 000. Bidders must submit financial offers using the annexed financial offer form.
- 6Application Type: Open public call for tenders (open procedure) with electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission).
- 7Nature of Support: Financial remuneration for service delivery (payments for services). Non-financial outputs include studies, toolkits, training sessions, platform moderation and communications assets.
- 8Application Stages: Single-stage tender submission (tenderers submit full tender by the deadline). Evaluation includes exclusion and selection checks, technical evaluation (quality) and price assessment.
- 9Success Rates: Not provided in the tender notice. The award will follow best price-quality ratio and only the winning tender(s) receive contract(s).
- 10Co-funding Requirement: Not required. The contract is fully procured by the contracting authority. Tenderers should propose a financial offer covering all costs.
- 11Templates and Submission Documents: Tender documents include Invitation to tender, Tender Specifications, Draft Contract and Annexes (Declaration on Honour, Financial Offer Form, Draft Contract Annexes including IPR and VAT forms). Bidders must provide evidence to satisfy exclusion and selection criteria (Declaration on Honour, supporting documents) and submit financial offer in the provided Excel template.
Key operational requirements and mandatory clauses
- 1Maximum contract duration: 48 months per lot.
- 2Award criteria: Quality (70%) and Price (30%) (please consult tender specifications for detailed weighting and sub‑criteria).
- 3Security and data protection: Compliance with Commission security rules and Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 is mandatory. Where personal data processing occurs, data must be minimised, anonymised where possible and hosted in EU/EEA or in countries with an EU adequacy decision; transfers to third countries must comply with Chapter V of Regulation 2018/1725.
- 4Intellectual Property Rights: Union acquires ownership of results (reports, studies, visual assets) as specified in the draft contract; pre-existing rights must be declared and licensed to the Union as required. Detailed IPR provisions are in the draft contract Annex IV and tender specifications.
- 5Deliverables and Reporting: Specified deliverables per work package (studies, toolkits, campaign materials, events, platform management, quarterly/annual reports, inception and final reports). Interim payments linked to deliverables and progress reports as stated in the draft contract.
- 6eSubmission, PIC and EU Login: Electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal is mandatory. Tenderers must be registered with a Participant Identification Code (PIC) and bidders must use EU Login to submit.
- 7Language and formats: The procurement documents are in English. Deliverables must be produced in English; translations or additional language versions may be required for some materials.
- 8Visibility: All outputs must respect EU visibility and disclaimer requirements as set out in the draft contract.
Application and selection practicalities
Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline. Required tender documents include: completed Declaration on Honour (exclusion/selection), supporting evidence for selection criteria, technical offer responding to the tender specifications (methodology, work plan, staff and CVs, quality control, risk mitigation, data protection approach, AI usage declaration), and the financial offer using the annexed financial offer form (Excel). Joint tenders must include the signed power of attorney/agreement and, if applicable, Annex III detailing group member shares for VAT purposes. The contracting authority may ask clarifying questions during evaluation and request additional evidence on short notice.
| Field | Information extracted from procurement documents |
|---|---|
| Procedure reference / Call ID | EACEA/2026/OP/0067 (TED ref 188/2026; procurement project c0ea897b-...-CN) |
| Type | Call for tenders - Open procedure; electronic submission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal (eSubmission) |
| Lots | Lot 1: Study in Europe Initiative (estimated €7 000 000); Lot 2: Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative (estimated €1 500 000) |
| Estimated total value | €8 500 000 |
| Main CPV | 80300000 Higher education services (additional CPVs listed for marketing, events, research, software and catering) |
| Submission deadline (latest) | 10 December 2026 16:00 Europe/Brussels |
| Opening session (public) | 15 December 2026 10:00 Europe/Brussels (virtual opening) |
| Contracting authority | European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Brussels, Belgium |
| Contract duration | Maximum 48 months |
| Submission method | Electronic via Funding & Tenders Portal (EU Login required); PIC required for organisations |
| Award method | Best price-quality ratio (quality 70%, price 30% - consult tender specifications for subcriteria) |
| Key mandatory annexes | Invitation to tender, Tender specifications, Draft contract and annexes, Declaration on Honour (Annex 2), Financial Offer Form (Annex 6), Communication Strategy (Annex 7), Security requirements (Appendix 2), IPR statements (Annex IV) |
| Performance management and reporting | Inception report, annual interim progress reports (three), final report, quarterly deliverables and evaluation summaries; monthly/quarterly reporting for campaigns and platforms |
How to apply and where to find documents
Tenderers must register in the Participant Register to obtain a PIC and prepare a full electronic submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal. All procurement documents (Invitation to tender, Draft contract, Tender specifications, Financial offer form, Declaration on Honour and other annexes) are published on the call page on the Funding & Tenders Portal and must be consulted and followed. The contracting authority will publish clarifications and Q&A via the portal. See the official tender page for document downloads and the eSubmission quick guide EU Funding & Tenders Portal 1.
Footnotes
- 1Official tender documentation and submission access are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu
Short Summary
Impact Increase global awareness and attractiveness of European higher education and strengthen capacity, networking and quality of Erasmus Mundus joint programmes to attract international talent. | Impact | Increase global awareness and attractiveness of European higher education and strengthen capacity, networking and quality of Erasmus Mundus joint programmes to attract international talent. |
Applicant Proven capacity to deliver strategic research, communications and branding, large-scale digital marketing and advertising, event management, stakeholder engagement, platform moderation, monitoring & evaluation and EU procurement contract delivery. | Applicant | Proven capacity to deliver strategic research, communications and branding, large-scale digital marketing and advertising, event management, stakeholder engagement, platform moderation, monitoring & evaluation and EU procurement contract delivery. |
Developments Service delivery across strategic evidence generation, multi‑channel digital campaigns and advertising, brand and portal maintenance, study fairs and peer‑learning, plus studies, cluster meetings, study visits and platform management for Erasmus Mundus joint programmes. | Developments | Service delivery across strategic evidence generation, multi‑channel digital campaigns and advertising, brand and portal maintenance, study fairs and peer‑learning, plus studies, cluster meetings, study visits and platform management for Erasmus Mundus joint programmes. |
Applicant Type NGOs/non-profits, large corporations, researchers and government organisations with relevant service delivery capabilities in higher education promotion and communications. | Applicant Type | NGOs/non-profits, large corporations, researchers and government organisations with relevant service delivery capabilities in higher education promotion and communications. |
Consortium Open to single legal entities or joint tenders; consortia are permitted (one lead required where the group has no separate legal personality) and members may be jointly and severally liable. | Consortium | Open to single legal entities or joint tenders; consortia are permitted (one lead required where the group has no separate legal personality) and members may be jointly and severally liable. |
Funding Amount Lot 1:€7,000,000; Lot 2: €1,500,000; total estimated procedure value €8,500,000, each contract up to 48 months in duration. | Funding Amount | Lot 1:€7,000,000; Lot 2: €1,500,000; total estimated procedure value €8,500,000, each contract up to 48 months in duration. |
Countries Primary geographic focus on EU Member States and Erasmus+ associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye), with possible outreach activities in other third countries to attract students. | Countries | Primary geographic focus on EU Member States and Erasmus+ associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye), with possible outreach activities in other third countries to attract students. |
Industry Higher education / international education promotion under the Erasmus+ framework and EU education policy (Study in Europe and Erasmus Mundus actions). | Industry | Higher education / international education promotion under the Erasmus+ framework and EU education policy (Study in Europe and Erasmus Mundus actions). |
Additional Web Data
This is an EU services procurement under procedure EACEA/2026/OP/0067, launched by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency as an open procedure with two lots and an estimated total value of €8,500,000.1
What the opportunity is about
Lot 1, Study in Europe, is designed to promote European higher education worldwide and strengthen Europe’s reputation as a study destination for global talent, while Lot 2, Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative, is designed to support exchange, knowledge sharing, networking and capacity building for higher education institutions awarding Erasmus Mundus scholarships or future joint study programmes linked to the European degree label.1
The tender is a continuation of earlier service contracts, with Study in Europe running since 2014 and the Erasmus Mundus support initiative since 2023, so the contracting authority is looking for continuity, institutional memory and operational delivery capability rather than a one-off pilot.1
Lot overview
Lot 1 scope
Lot 1 is a services contract valued at €7,000,000 for a maximum duration of 48 months, and it covers strategic research, communication and branding, digital marketing, events, peer learning, stakeholder support, and general coordination, monitoring and evaluation.1
Lot 2 scope
Lot 2 is a services contract valued at €1,500,000 for a maximum duration of 48 months, and it focuses on studies, meetings, study visits, dissemination, platform management, and management reporting for the Erasmus Mundus community.1
Technical and commercial summary
| Lot | Estimated value | Duration | Main purpose | Award method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 Study in Europe | €7,000,000 | 48 months | Promote European higher education globally and support the Study in Europe initiative | Best price-quality ratio, 70 percent quality and 30 percent price1 |
| Lot 2 Erasmus Mundus Support Initiative | €1,500,000 | 48 months | Support networking, exchange and capacity building for Erasmus Mundus joint programmes | Best price-quality ratio, 70 percent quality and 30 percent price1 |
Who can apply
This is an open procurement, so eligible tenderers are economic operators that can satisfy the selection criteria and exclusion rules, either as a single tenderer or as a joint tender, with subcontractors and relied-on entities where allowed by the tender specifications.1
Applicants must submit electronically through the Funding and Tenders Portal, use EU Login, and have a valid Participant Identification Code, and the procurement documents also indicate that the procedure is not suitable for SMEs.1
Tenderers must not be subject to exclusion grounds, EU restrictive measures, or an established debt to the Union, and the declaration on honour also covers independent preparation of the tender and conflicts of interest.1
Key conditions and deadlines
- Submissions must be sent electronically only through the portal, and paper or email submissions are not accepted.1
- One tender per lot is allowed from the same tenderer, unless a permitted withdrawal and replacement is made before the deadline.1
- Variants are not allowed, and each lot is evaluated separately.1
- The tender validity period is 9 months.1
- Questions submitted after 2 December 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time may not receive a reply.1
- The deadline for receipt of tenders is 10 December 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time.1
- The public opening is scheduled for 15 December 2026 at 10:00 Brussels time.1
What applicants need to know about the content of the contract
The tender documents point to a framework agreement structure, with deliverables and services organised in work packages rather than a simple single-output assignment.1
For Lot 1, the financial offer form shows work packages for knowledge and evidence, strategic communication and branding, digital marketing and social media, study fairs and events, cooperation and peer learning, and overall coordination and evaluation, including a minimum annual budget of €550,000 for each paid digital advertising campaign set.1
For Lot 2, the financial offer form shows work packages for a study on the impact of Erasmus Mundus scholarships, cluster meetings, thematic study visits, kick-off meetings, dissemination, platform management, advisory committee support, and reporting, with the largest budget share allocated to events and community-building activities.1
The geographic focus is mainly on EU Member States and the six countries currently associated to Erasmus+, although some activities may also take place in non-associated countries to attract prospective students to Europe.1
Practical takeaways for bidders
- Prepare evidence for legal, financial and technical capacity as well as the exclusion declaration, because the tender specifications explicitly require consolidated assessment across the tenderer, consortium members, subcontractors and relied-on entities where applicable.1
- Check the procurement documents carefully before bidding, because the invitation notes that the English version is the authentic text and that the detailed requirements are in the tender specifications and draft contract annexes.1
- Expect strong emphasis on communication, outreach, digital promotion, events and community engagement, especially for Lot 1, and on research, networking and platform facilitation for Lot 2.1
Overall assessment
This is a high-value, specialised EU communications and higher education services tender aimed at organisations with proven capability in international education promotion, stakeholder management, digital campaigns, research, event organisation and contract delivery under EU procurement rules.1
Sources
- 1developmentaid.org
- 2erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
- 3eacea.ec.europa.eu
- 4eacea.ec.europa.eu
- 5eacea.ec.europa.eu
- 6erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
- 7marihe.eu
- 8eeas.europa.eu
- 9ccd-stede.eu
- 10erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
- 11globalscholarsguide.com
- 12globalsouthacademia.com
- 13erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
- 14gugaeducation.com
- 15erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
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