GreenErasmus-RheinAhrCampus Project
This project aims to reduce the Erasmus+ carbon footprint and make environmental awareness a key competence to be trained on every Erasmus+ exchange.
Mobility with Partner Countries (KA107)
Project Coordination: University of Applied Sciences Koblenz, Germany
Languages/International Affairs, Dr. Laurent Borgmann
The “GreenErasmus-RheinAhrCampus Project”, launched in 2020 with the aim to reduce the Erasmus+ carbon footprint will continue to promote the principle of physical mobility of future exchange students.
Each semester, RheinAhrCampus welcomes international exchange students from all continents, supported by the Erasmus+ Program. The first initiative of the GreenErasmus-RheinAhrCampus project was to decrease the number of “home trips” by offering incentives for valuable alternatives. This project aims to make environmental awareness a key competence to be trained on every Erasmus exchange.
1.1 Incentives for Travel Alternatives
In March 2020 an exchange student from Australia travelled through several European countries by train with a subsidized InterRail Ticket. This incentive made him to stay in Europe during the semester break instead of heading back to Australia for a short visit.
1.2 Incentives for Language Improvement
In July 2020 three exchange students from Brazil, Azerbaijan and Georgia were considering returning home for two months during their summer vacation. The GreenErasmus-RheinAhrCampus Project offered them the opportunity to attend a sponsored four-weeks private German language course in Bonn instead.
1.3 Seasonal Clothes Swap
In October 2020 GreenErasmus organized a “Seasonal Clothes Swap” because some exchange students were planning a trip home to exchange a suitcase of summer clothes for appropriate winter clothes for the upcoming semester. This exchange of used clothes did not only produce fewer flights home but students from countries such as India did not have to buy cheap new winter clothes which they would never wear again back home.
As GreenErasmus-RheinAhrCampus is a sub-project of Erasmus+ KA107 some activities can be subsidized with Erasmus Overhead Money. When exchange students submit a proposal, they must highlight how the opportunity helps enrich their stay interculturally or linguistically and how their project benefits the environment.
Dr. Elmar-Laurent Borgmann, project coordinator“While we are planning a ‘Greener Erasmus Experience’ the main purpose of the Erasmus+ Program must remain untouched: to encourage real student exchange between partner universities in order to support international education, promote European values and create cultural awareness and sensitivity.
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Duration of the project
01.08.2019 to 31.07.2022
Partner Institutions
GreenErasmus-RheinAhrCampus is carried out with our KA107 partner universities
- Albania, University of Tirana
- Australia, University of the Sunshine Coast
- Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan University
- Bhuthan, Royal Thimphu College
- Brazil, University of Campina Grande
- Canada, Brock University
- Georgia, Business and Technology University
- Georgia, Tbilisi State University
- India, Indian Institute of Technology
- India, Pondicherry University
- USA, Coastal Carolina University
Kontakt: E-Mail
The possibilities of Erasmus+ programme and partner countries #inanutshell (English subtitles)