Five Key Questions for More Sustainable Student Mobilities For a Greener Erasmus+

Erasmus+ has always been about connecting cultures and building skills. Today, it is also about protecting the planet. With sustainability now firmly embedded into Erasmus+ priorities, schools are expected to think beyond just logistics and consider the environmental impact of student mobility.

Green mobility doesn’t mean limiting international experiences, it means designing smarter, more responsible projects that align education with environmental responsibility. We’ve put together five key questions to help schools create mobility programmes that are both impactful and sustainable.

1. How Are You Reducing Your Travel Carbon Footprint?

Transportation is often the biggest environmental impact factor in mobility projects!  Many destinations require taking an airplane but some destinations are easily accessible by train or coach too.  When deciding on the type of transport your students or learners are going to take to get to their host countries, think about the following:

• Could you choose trains or buses over short-haul flights?
• Could you organise longer stays instead of multiple short trips?
• Could group travel be coordinated more efficiently?
  
  

Encouraging greener transport choices doesn't require perfection. Small improvements across many mobilities create meaningful impact.

2. Are Your Sustainability Goals Integrated Into Learning Outcomes?

Green Erasmus is not only about transport, it is also about what students learn. When creating your projects, you should always integrate sustainability into your curriculum objectives, your project themes, your reflection activities and, in terms of internships, workplace learning tasks. For example, students could explore environmental policies, sustainable business practices or local climate initiatives during their stay abroad. Learning outcomes should reflect this focus clearly.

3. Are Your Host Organisations Supporting Sustainable Practices?

Partner selection plays a major role in green mobility!  Always choose sustainable partners.  To do so, think about whether host institutions follow environmental standards and if your students are interning, do host organisations use sustainable processes? In terms of accommodation, consider how accommodation providers manage energy and waste and finally, whether local communities promote eco-friendly initiatives. Choosing partners who share sustainability values strengthens project credibility and impact.

4. How Will You Prepare Your Students to Act Responsibly Abroad?

Sustainable mobility starts before departure and you should prepare your students well in advance through special activities tailored to your overall environmental aims.  For example, you could organise environmental awareness workshops, responsible tourism training and cultural respect sessions.  Additionally, you can train your students on waste reduction and energy-saving habits, such as minimising printing, turning lights off, using reusable water bottles etc.. When students understand their role in sustainability, they become active participants rather than passive travellers.

5. How Do You Measure and Communicate Environmental Impact?

Green Erasmus projects should include simple monitoring and reflection methods and to make sure this happens, track your transport choices and reflect on sustainable practices during mobility.  You can also encourage your students to document their eco-friendly actions. Later on, share the results of your environmental endeavours with your school community. Even basic tracking helps demonstrate your school’s commitment to sustainability and strengthens future Erasmus+ applications.

Balancing Sustainability With Accessibility

It’s important to remember that sustainability shouldn’t create new barriers to participation. Green mobility should remain:

• Inclusive.
• Affordable.
• Accessible to all students.
  
  

Schools should balance environmental goals with financial realities and student needs. Remember that Erasmus+ encourages responsible improvement, not exclusion.

Why Sustainability Strengthens Erasmus+ Applications

Projects that integrate sustainability effectively often perform better during evaluation because they demonstrate alignment with the EU’s priorities, educational relevance, social responsibility and long-term thinking. Green mobility is no longer an optional extra — it is part of quality project design.

Green Erasmus FAQs

Q: Is green travel mandatory in Erasmus+ projects?
A: Sustainable choices are strongly encouraged, but flexibility remains depending on geography and accessibility.

Q: Can small schools implement green mobility strategies?
A: Yes, even simple actions such as group travel planning and student awareness activities make a difference.

Q: Does sustainability affect funding decisions?
A: Yes, projects aligned with Erasmus+ green priorities receive stronger evaluation scores.

To Sum Up

Green Erasmus is about responsibility, not restriction. By asking the right questions, schools can design mobility programmes that protect the environment while continuing to deliver powerful international learning experiences. Sustainable student mobility prepares young people for global responsibility as well as their future careers.

If your school wants help designing greener Erasmus+ mobility programmes that balance sustainability with educational impact, TravelEdventures can support you in building responsible, future-ready international projects. Get in touch with our team to talk about eco-friendly Erasmus+ projects.