Europass Mobility: an updated template and steps towards digitalisation
Europass Mobility, first introduced in 2004, is a well-established template which describes the skills acquired abroad on mobility experiences for learning or work. Europass Mobility can help communicate the new skills and experiences acquired during a traineeship, volunteering or a learning period abroad in a comparable way. Following a consultation of the National Europass Centres and Erasmus+ National Agencies in 2021, a project group was set up to modernise and simplify the template as well as provide the next steps towards its digitisation.
The revised template has now been finalised, making it possible to use Europass standards throughout the whole cycle of mobility activities, from preparation to follow-up. This is achieved by combining and aligning the existing Europass Mobility template with the learning agreement model from Erasmus+, creating a single document for both pre- and post-mobility.
When to use Europass Mobility?
Europass Mobility is designed for use in any learning mobility context, including formal, non-formal and informal learning, as well as volunteering or work experiences, in particular abroad. In Erasmus+, Europass Mobility will become the recommended template for preparing and documenting learning outcomes and has already been in included in the 2024 call in the official Erasmus+ reference documentation (Guide for National Agencies).
The template is now publicly available for all interested organisations and individuals. The pre-mobility and post-mobility version can be used either jointly or independently for any organised mobility programmes.
Why use Europass Mobility?
Europass Mobility can aid the recognition of new skills and experiences that are acquired during a learning period abroad. This is possible thanks to the provision of a detailed, structured and recognisable description of the mobility activity. The sending partner and the host organisation jointly complete the Europass Mobility: the document contains the description of the mobility experience (roles and responsibilities during the period abroad), the learning outcomes acquired during the mobility experience (which can include any kind of skills, for example job-related skills, language skills, digital skills, organisation and managerial skills, communication skills, ...).
The pre-mobility document is used to confirm the agreement between all involved parties on the content of the mobility experience, the expected learning outcomes and the reintegration requirements. The post-mobility document is shared with the participant at the end of the experience abroad. Participants can then use it to prove their experience after their mobility, especially towards employers supporting job-applications.
Main changes
The new template combines the pre- and post-mobility documentation, allowing for a joint document that can be re-utilised. This also allows for further cohesion across the mobility cycle.
The combination of documents also means that now only one signature will be necessary for post-mobility documentation. This is to ensure the possibility to digitise the document under the European Digital Credentials for Learning, as the digital format only supports a single electronic signature. Signature requirements for pre-mobility learning agreements remain unchanged in the context of Erasmus+.
While the new template is a ‘master’ template that integrates all sections and options that were identified as needed either at preparation or recognition stage, not all fields will be relevant for each recipient. The actual Europass Mobility documents will be significantly shorter as they will contain only those sections and options that are applicable and filled in for the given activity/participant.
Digitalisation of the template
The visualisation of the Europass Mobility will be modernised with its upcoming digitalisation. The issuance of the post-mobility Europass Mobility is planned to take place using the European Digital Credential for Learning (EDC) infrastructure. The use of EDC will align Europass Mobility with existing standards for the description of learning related information via the use of the European Learning Model.
The Commission intends to create a specific Europass Mobility template within the EDC Online Credential Builder that mirrors the structure of the new template, thus making it easier to use. Work on the different necessary IT developments has already started and will continue throughout 2024. A digitalised Europass Mobility template is planned to be operational in 2025 or 2026.
For further information on EDC, you may refer to the existing documentation, or contact EMPL-ELM-SUPPORT@ec.europa.eu
In the meantime, the document will remain in PDF/Word format, and countries are encouraged (where possible) to continue to make use of their existing IT infrastructure to issue the document and postpone further developments in the digitalisation of the process until the EDC version of the template is available.
Next Steps and available support
Currently, the template is available in English (available for download at the bottom of this page, together with the accompanying user guidance). Once tested and stable, the Commission will consider producing an official translation to more languages.
A short guidance document has been produced alongside the new template, and the Commission (together with Cedefop) also developed guidelines on drafting short descriptions of learning outcomes.
Once the Europass Mobility template is available in the Online Credential Builder, additional guidance and support will be provided to assist in the use and navigation of the new tools. Before this stage, the Commission will organise some dedicated information sessions.
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