A logo of the SALTO network spelling "SALTO News", with a small airplane flying off from a yellow sun-like circle.

The September edition of SALTO News is out!

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Over the summer, SALTO ID E&T updated the information available in its NA Corner, with Erasmus+ National Agencies ID strategies, action plans and national top-up criteria.  

SALTO News also brings fresh opportunities to exchange practices across the SALTO community, with several updates linked to inclusion and diversity: 

  • Volunteering for ALL, from 7 to 11 December in Slovakia, explores how European Solidarity Corps projects can involve young people with fewer opportunities. Applications are open until 21 October  
  • ID Talks Social Sport, an online series running from 9 September to 4 November, exploring how social sport can contribute to inclusion, social cohesion and skills development  
  • #IDForum2026: Maximising Impact!, taking place from 14 to 17 September in Nastola, Finland, brings together 150 participants to exchange experiences and explore how to make EU Youth programmes more inclusive and accessible 
  • And many other opportunities, calls for applications and upcoming activities. 

SALTO News is the official newsletter for the SALTO community—a network of 11 resource centres dedicated to promoting and enhancing the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. You can browse previous editions of the newsletter here!  

To stay informed about the most recent developments and never miss an update, be sure to subscribe to SALTO News today!  

Staff from SALTO ID ET, the Croatian Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes, and the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research pose together outdoors beside a SALTO Inclusion and Diversity banner during a job shadowing visit.

Job shadowing visit by Czech colleagues to SALTO ID ET and Croatian Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes

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On August 26 and 27, the Croatian Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMEUP) and the SALTO Resource Centre for Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Training (SALTO ID ET) had the pleasure to host two staff members of the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research, Zdeňka Vlasáková and Eva Teysslerová, for a job shadowing focused on inclusion and diversity in the implementation of E+ projects.
Dora Lukač and Tajana Krstonošić from SALTO ID ET held several meeting sessions with the Czech colleagues, walking them through the chief policy documents on ID on the European and Croatian national level, as well as the various ways in which inclusion is mainstreamed into the work of National Agencies , including through the role of national ID Officers, ID ambassadors, inclusion contact points, and through inclusion-focused Long-Term Activities (LTAs) and Training and Cooperation Activities.
AMEUP’s Department of Vocational Education and Training, represented by Sandra Buljan and Maja Tretinjak Raguž, held another session with the Czech guests dedicated specifically to mobility projects in KA1, a sectoral focus in their daily work. The job shadowing closed with a presentation about the establishment, functioning, activities and resources of SALTO ID ET and the potential of strategic partnerships in LTAs focused on inclusion and diversity.

Four people sitting at a desk with the inscription Erasmus+ on top of it. © DAAD/Oliver Reetz

DAAD study shows that additional funding improves academic mobility of people with fewer opportunities through E+

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On April 1, the German National Agency for Erasmus+ Higher Education Cooperation (DAAD) published a study about the impact of financial top-ups for Erasmus+ participants with fewer opportunities. To evaluate this form of additional funding support, which equals 250 EUR per month, the DAAD conducted a large-scale follow-up survey of students from the KA131 calls 2023 to 2025. The survey included nearly 7000 respondents who were categorised as first-generation students, working students, students with children, and students with a disability or chronic illness.

The results clearly confirm the impact of targeted financial support. More than 60% of respondents stated that they would not have been able to afford an Erasmus+ stay without the top-up. Most students reported that the additional funding enabled them to concentrate more fully on their studies, while the personal and professional benefits of mobility were rated very highly. This shows that financial support measures countering the barriers from one’s family background or life circumstances can significantly improve academic mobility and social participation, DAAD President Joybrato Mukherjee pointed out in the agency’s press relase, which contains the full survey report.

The survey highlights the central role of Erasmus+ coordinators: over 70% of students learned about funding opportunities through direct contact at their universities. For the first time, the survey also captured intersectionality, showing that 29% of respondents belonged to more than one target group, e.g. first-generation students who were also working. The findings also underline the importance of ESF Plus funding in making Erasmus+ more inclusive and accessible.

In conclusion, the survey results show that the combination of financial support, targeted outreach, and the continuous expansion of support measures is crucial for inclusive and successful educational mobility.

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SALTO Network Meeting 2026 in Bonn

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From 18 to 20 February 2026, the SALTO Network gathered in Bonn, Germany, for its annual Network Meeting. The meeting was facilitated by Sabrina Apitz and prepared by the SALTO Centre for Training and Cooperation in Bonn, with the valuable assistance of the SALTO Green members from Bordeaux.

Hosted in the premises of the agency JUGEND für Europa, the programme focused on strengthening strategic alignment and cooperation across the network, with participants reflecting on shared strategic questions – where SALTOs are heading and which themes should guide the coming years.

Updates from existing working groups provided insight into ongoing cooperation and future structural needs, such as plans to consolidate the resource centres’ online presence through the new joint SALTO Network website. An online dialogue with the European Commission added an important long-term perspective to the discussions in terms of plans for the forthcoming Programme Period 2028 – 2034.

The second day focused on organisation, continuity and ownership. Through an exchange on the centres’ Work Plans 2026–2027, Resource Centres identified common priorities, opportunities for coordination and areas where stronger alignment could enhance the quality and impact of Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. The meeting in Bonn reaffirmed the SALTO Network’s shared commitment to cooperation, strategic clarity and collective responsibility for the years ahead.

Three people talking to each other with bubbles above them with the inscription "National Agencies Event".

SALTO inclusion session at the Erasmus+ NA Meeting in Brussels

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The European Commission  organised the annual Erasmus+ National Agencies’ event from 27–29 January 2026, in Brussels. The three-day event was held at the Thon Hotel bringing together directors and staff from Erasmus+ National Agencies across Europe to discuss future of Erasmus+ programme. The agenda included both directors, horizontal and field specific sessions addressing topics such as accreditation systems, centralised actions, data analysis, and inclusion.

As part of the inclusion focus, the SALTO Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Training (SALTO ID ET) and the SALTO Inclusion and Diversity Youth (SALTO ID YOU) co-facilitated dedicated sessions. On 27 January, Dora Lukač, acting Head of SALTO ID ET, and Pieter-Jan De Graeve, team coordinator of the SALTO ID YOU, led a session for approximately 100 National Agency directors, and on 28 January, they co-facilitated a similar session for around 60 NA staff members.

During these sessions, participants examined both existing measures and tools that could be improved, alongside new ideas aimed at increasing opportunities for persons with fewer opportunities. The discussions contributed to shaping potential updates to current measures and the development of new ID initiatives in Erasmus+ post-2027. Key topics addressed included the Erasmus+ ID Strategy, accessibility and user-friendliness of the programme, specific programme actions such as accreditations and small-scale partnerships, financial support mechanisms, funding rules and unit costs, as well as NA-level outreach and support, and open topics for new proposals.

Each session followed a clear structure, beginning with a 5-minute framing and introduction, followed by a 25-minute reality check on how inclusive current practices are and what improvements can be made. Then, participants engaged in a 40-minute forward-looking discussion to envision the future of inclusion within Erasmus+. The session concluded with a 20-minute overview summarising key points, and the proposals and insights shared by participants will be carefully analysed and considered in the ongoing preparation and development of future programme measures.

A group of people posing for a joint photo in front of a roll-up banner of the SALTO Resource Centre for Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Training.

Training on “Getting to Know the SALTO Resources”

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From 6 to 8 October in Zagreb, the SALTO Resource Centre for Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Training (SALTO ID ET) organised a training course titled “Getting to Know the SALTO Resources.”

The event brought together more than 20 staff members from National Agencies (NAs) for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) across Europe — including Inclusion and Diversity Officers as well as other NA experts interested in advancing inclusion within education and training.

The main objective of the training was to empower NA staff to confidently apply SALTO’s inclusion tools to foster inclusion and diversity (ID) within their respective areas of work.

A woman with a headscarf and an eyeband walking with a white cane, alongside a sighted person.

Facilitated by Sunčana Kusturin and Domagoj Kovačić, the sessions used non-formal education methods and experiential learning principles, enabling participants to explore five SALTO ID ET tools through interactive, hands-on activities:

A group of people, sitting around a table talking, one of them in a wheelchair.

Upon completion, participants reported increased confidence in applying these tools in their daily work — from organising inclusive events and creating accessible web content to supporting beneficiaries in addressing inclusion within their Erasmus+ projects. They also enhanced their capacity to assess inclusion efforts in projects and to promote and disseminate SALTO tools to strengthen ID efforts in their respective fields.

A group of people sitting and listening to a Power Point presentation given by a woman, titled "Getting to Know the SALTO Resources".

The event was opened by Ms. Lidija Živković, Head of SALTO ID ET, and featured sessions with several external experts and practitioners, including four Croatian Inclusion and Diversity Ambassadors:

  • Ms. Brigita Jerić (Slava Raškaj Centre for Education)
  • Prof. Tomislav Pavlović (Velika Ludina Primary School)
  • Prof. Lelia Kiš-Glavaš, PhD (Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Zagreb)
  • Prof. Mladen Tota (Čakovec High School)
  • Prof. Dejana Varnica (Primary school J. Matoš, Vukovar)

Particularly valuable contributions came from resource authors and experiential experts from the field as representatives of civil society:

  • Mr. Antonio Vicković (Centre Up2Date) co-led the session on web accessibility.
  • Prof. Ivana Majcen (ID Officer, CMEPIUS Erasmus+ Slovenia), author of the CLUE tool, presented its practical application.
  • Mr. Marijo Glibo (Centre Up2Date and Theatre of the Blind and Visually Impaired) and Mr. Roman Baštijan (Croatian Union of Youth and Students with Disabilities) facilitated activities on inclusive event planning and implementation.
  • Mr. Martin Bogdan (ACA- Academic Cooperation Association), as author, presented of the Establishing the Role of an Inclusion Officer in a Higher Education Institution: a Practical Guide

A group of people sitting around a table talking, with one laptop open on the table.

In the informal part of the programme, participants visited Zagreb’s Typhlological Museum, where they experienced an interactive guided tour highlighting the needs of visually impaired persons. The group also visited URIHO, a large centre for professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, concluding the visit with a dinner prepared by URIHO employees.

A man and a woman discussing in an office.

Fostering Inclusion & Diversity in Erasmus+: Tools and Cooperation for National Offices

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On 29 April, SALTO Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Training held an online event titled Fostering Inclusion & Diversity in Erasmus+: Tools and Cooperation for National Offices, aimed at Erasmus+ National Offices. The meeting brought together over 30 colleagues from the Mediterranean, Southeast Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Caucasus regions, with the purpose of presenting the available resources of our SALTO Centre and encouraging international cooperation among National Offices. 

The meeting opened with a warm welcome from the Head of SALTO ID ET, Lidija Živković, followed by a presentation on SALTO resources for supporting inclusion and diversity in higher education institutions and schools. Next came a presentation from Ivana Bijažić, International Contact Point and KA171 Programme Officer in the Croatian National Agency, on the top-up criteria in higher education, based on the Croatian example. The final session of the first part of the meeting was concluded by Suad Muhibić from the National Erasmus+ Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who presented the work of their office. 

In the second part of the meeting, two examples of good practices were introduced, each representing one of the action types open to participants from third countries not associated to the Programme: Innovating quality assessment tools for pharmacy studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina (IQPharm), a Capacity Building in Higher Education project by the University of Sarajevo, and AI4VET4AI – AI-powered Next Generation of VET, a project that is part of the Centres of Vocational Excellence action type, led by Algebra Bernays University. 

The meeting was officially closed by the facilitator, Domagoj Morić, who thanked everyone for their participation.