Western Balkans

The ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CBHE-REGION-1 opportunity is part of the Erasmus+ program, aimed at enhancing higher education systems in the Western Balkans. This initiative focuses on strengthening universities and other educational institutions through international cooperation and capacity building. The eligible participating countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Montenegro. The program encourages collaboration among various entities such as Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), research institutions, national authorities, and relevant bodies.

The funding type for this opportunity is through ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants, providing predetermined funding amounts instead of reimbursement-based funding. A mandatory consortium is required for applicants, promoting multilateral partnerships among institutions. The geographic eligibility focuses specifically on the Western Balkans, while allowing participation from EU Member States and third countries associated with the Erasmus+ program.

The initiative targets capacity building priorities in higher education, addressing areas such as digital transformation, environmental sustainability, integration of migrants, governance, and sustainable economic growth. There are three distinct funding strands:
Strand 1 focuses on fostering access to cooperation for newcomer HEIs and small-scale actors, with funding ranging from €200,000 to €400,000; Strand 2 emphasizes transformation and innovation in HEIs, offering up to €800,000 per project; and Strand 3 is intended for structural reform projects with funding between €600,000 to €1,000,000.

The total indicative budget for the Western Balkans region is €10,252,800, supporting 14 projects overall in 2026. The application process is a single-stage submission, with proposals due by February 10, 2026. Successful applicants are expected to be notified by July 2026, with grant agreements finalized by November 2026. Evaluation criteria include relevance to EU policy priorities, partnership quality, and project impact, requiring a minimum score of 60 points for funding consideration.

This call represents a strategic investment in educational and institutional development, aligning with broader geopolitical goals related to regional stability, economic development, and addressing socio-economic challenges.

The Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) call, part of the Erasmus+ Programme, funds international higher education partnerships to strengthen universities and systems in eligible third countries not associated with the Programme. The call aims to enhance quality, modernization, and responsiveness in higher education, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, to address socio-economic recovery and global challenges. It also supports EU external policy goals, including Global Gateway initiatives and the Pact for the Mediterranean.

The total indicative budget for the 2026 CBHE call is 113,117,100 EUR, divided into three strands: Strand 1 with 23,359,660 EUR, Strand 2 with 60,135,486 EUR, and Strand 3 with 29,621,954 EUR. For Region 1 (Western Balkans), the indicative budget is 10,252,800 EUR, with 3,075,840 EUR for Strand 1 (7 projects), 4,613,760 EUR for Strand 2 (5 projects), and 2,563,200 EUR for Strand 3 (2 projects). There is flexibility in transferring budgets between strands.

The call prioritizes the Western Balkans (Region 1). For Strands 1 and 2, regional priorities include:

Green Deal: Promoting long-term economic recovery by increasing regional competitiveness and stimulating green jobs in climate, environment, circular economy, and pollution control. Supporting education system reforms for a climate-neutral society.

Digital transformation: Supporting the development and uptake of digital skills, encouraging digital education strategies, mainstreaming digitalization in education systems, reinforcing digital skills programs, and providing assistance to teacher training and online education learning.

Integration of migrants: Promoting mobility, degree recognition, and contributing to a regional credit transfer system to build a regional higher education area.

Governance, peace, security, and human development: Addressing regional structural weaknesses by supporting cooperation and reforms in governance, rule of law, and anti-corruption efforts. Project proposals focused on health governance, preparedness, and resilience are encouraged.

Sustainable growth and jobs: Addressing unemployment and skills mismatches through quality education, investing in human capital and entrepreneurship, halting brain drain, and supporting the transition to a knowledge-based economy. Tackling the mismatch between education outcomes and labor market demands, including through work-based learning, and ensuring inclusive participation in education and training systems.

Strand 3 projects must address the needs of higher education in the concerned third countries at large, supporting structural reforms.

Applicants must identify one of the overarching priorities defined by the European Commission in Part A of the application form.

The CBHE action in Region 1 is composed of three specific Strands:

Strand 1: Fostering access to cooperation in higher education. This strand targets less experienced HEIs and small-scale actors, focusing on:

HEIs from least developed third countries not associated to the Programme.

HEIs located in remote regions/areas of third countries not associated to the Programme.

Newcomers or less experienced HEIs and Faculties from third countries not associated to the Programme.

Students and staff with fewer opportunities.

Activities include:

Enhancing management/administrative capacity: Reforming university governance, strengthening international relations offices, establishing quality assurance units, creating planning and evaluation units, enhancing communication mechanisms, and building capacities for student and staff mobility.

Ensuring high-quality education: Developing modules or study programs, establishing intensive study programs, developing capacities for postgraduate students and academic staff, implementing training courses for HEI academic staff, and creating synergies with the business sector.

Increasing accessibility for students/staff with fewer opportunities: Developing remote and inclusive learning pathways, updating digital technology for students with disabilities, promoting positive discrimination, and reducing barriers faced by disadvantaged groups.

Strand 2: Partnerships for transformation in higher education. This strand introduces new approaches and initiatives with a significant and long-term impact on HEIs, pursuing:

Innovation in higher education.

Reform in HEIs.

Activities include:

Developing innovative curricula: Adapting curricula in terms of content (key competences and transversal skills), structure (modular, joint), and teaching/learning methods (open and flexible learning, virtual mobility, open educational resources, blended learning, MOOCs).

Implementing new learning methods: Developing new learning methods, tools, and materials through practical training and placements.

Introducing Bologna-type reforms: Implementing three-level cycle systems, transparency tools, quality assurance, evaluation, and recognition of prior learning.

Introducing practical training schemes: Internships and study of real-life cases in business and industry.

Introducing dual learning systems: Bridging tertiary studies with upper secondary VET.

Developing solutions for challenging issues: Product and process innovation, addressing social demands, and relating to changes in attitudes, strategies, policies, and services.

Supporting innovation centers: Creating incubators for technology transfer and business start-ups.

Developing continuous education programs: Activities with and within enterprises.

Reforming governance and management systems: Improving quality assurance, financial management, HEI autonomy, international relations, student services, and career guidance.

Developing internationalization strategies: Enhancing international openness of curricula and interinstitutional mobility schemes.

Developing tools for staff upskilling: Professionalization and professional development of academic and administrative staff.

Strand 3: Structural reform projects. This strand supports efforts in third countries not associated to the Programme to develop coherent, inclusive, and sustainable systems of higher education, including STEM fields, through projects involving National Authorities, HEIs, research institutions, and other stakeholders.

The proposal page limit is 40 pages. Evaluation criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in the call document.

The call was published on 26 November 2025. The deadline for submitting applications is 10 February 2026 at 17:00 (Brussels Time). The evaluation period is from March to June 2026. Information to applicants will be provided in July 2026, and the grant agreement is expected to be signed in November 2026.

Relevant documents include the Call document, application form templates (Standard application form, detailed budget table), the Erasmus Programme Guide, guidance on managing lump sum grants, a guide for applicants, model grant agreements (lump sum MGA), the Erasmus+ Work Programme, Erasmus Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, rules for legal entity validation, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.

For help, contact EACEA-EPLUS-CBHE@ec.europa.eu.

In summary, this call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme aims to bolster higher education in the Western Balkans and other third countries by funding projects that enhance the quality, accessibility, and relevance of educational systems. It focuses on key areas such as the Green Deal, digital transformation, migrant integration, governance, and sustainable growth, offering funding across three distinct strands tailored to different levels of institutional capacity and reform objectives. The call encourages partnerships between European and third-country higher education institutions to drive innovation, modernize curricula, and promote inclusive education practices, ultimately contributing to the socio-economic development and global competitiveness of the targeted regions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from eligible third countries not associated with the Programme, small-scale actors, newcomer organizations, and Faculties from third countries not associated with the Programme. National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education) of third countries not associated to the Programme as well as HEIs, research institutions and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders are eligible for Strand 3. The call also targets students and staff with fewer opportunities.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants (ERASMUS-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires partnerships, implying a consortium of multiple applicants. Strand 3 requires the involvement of the competent National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education) of third countries not associated to the Programme as well as HEIs, research institutions and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility focuses on third countries not associated with the Programme, with a specific emphasis on Region 1, the Western Balkans. The call mentions specific regions (7a, 11, 8a, 9, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 5a) but does not specify which countries are included in each region.

Target Sector: The target sector is higher education, with a focus on capacity building, modernization, and responsiveness in higher education systems. It also targets areas such as climate, environment, circular economy, fighting pollution, digital skills, digital education strategies, integration of migrants, governance, peace, security, human development, sustainable growth, jobs, science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity focuses on the Western Balkans (Region 1) and mentions "third countries not associated to the Programme" without specifying individual countries.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the strand. It includes activities ranging from enhancing management capacity and ensuring high-quality education to structural reforms. Therefore, the project stage can be considered as development, implementation, and reform.

Funding Amount: The total indicative budget for 2026 is €113,117,100. For Region 1 (Western Balkans), the total indicative budget is €10,252,800, distributed across the three strands: Strand 1 (€3,075,840), Strand 2 (€4,613,760), and Strand 3 (€2,563,200).

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of projects to be funded in Region 1 (Western Balkans) is 14.

Co-funding Requirement: The document does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically targeting Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) in third countries not associated with the Programme, with a particular focus on the Western Balkans (Region 1). The call aims to fund international higher-education partnerships that strengthen universities and systems, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. The total indicative budget for 2026 is €113,117,100, with €10,252,800 allocated to the Western Balkans.

The call is structured into three strands:

Strand 1: Fostering access to cooperation in higher education, targeting less experienced HEIs and small-scale actors.

Strand 2: Partnerships for transformation in higher education, focusing on innovation and reform in HEIs.

Strand 3: Structural reform projects, supporting efforts in third countries to develop coherent, inclusive, and sustainable systems of higher education.

Eligible applicants include HEIs, newcomer organizations, and relevant authorities/bodies in third countries not associated with the Programme. Projects should address overarching priorities such as the Green Deal, digital transformation, integration of migrants, governance, peace, security, human development, and sustainable growth and jobs. The application deadline is February 10, 2026. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call utilizes lump sum grants, and the proposal page limit is 40 pages.