Erasmus+ Programme

Find out how you can access life-changing opportunities for you, your learners and your colleagues.

The Erasmus+ programme provides grants for international placements and partnership projects. Applications open in November 2026 so it’s the ideal time to start your planning now. This opportunity is open to any organisations across the Community Learning & Development sector with various workstreams to consider applying under.

The British Council recently did an input at the Education Scotland ESOL network and Adult Literacy network. We recorded the presentation to share with a wider audience so please find the link here. 

The British Council have various recordings you can watch to learn more on their website:  https://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmusplus

There are sections for the adult learning sector and youth sector.

For the youth sector there are a series of webinars coming up – See here

You can also sign up to the British Council newsletter and receive regular updates. https://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmusplus/newsletter

If you need inspiration about the opportunities and benefits of international learning exchanges then have a look at our recordings which showcase four different local authorities from projects that took place this year through the Scottish Education Exchange Programme. All the projects really showcase the impact of being involved in opportunities such as this, along with the focused areas for improvement that the projects have inspired them to be taking forward.

Aberdeenshire & North Lanarkshire – delivery and practitioner focused

Glasgow Clyde College with Glasgow Life & Highland – partnership & learner voice

Education Scotland recently hosted a webinar highlighting two projects funded through the Scottish Education Exchange Programme (SEEP). Both projects were delivered by CLD adult literacy teams and the session was recorded on Youtube. Link is here.

These projects exemplify the opportunity of applying for funding to link up with partners internationally to share learning and highlight the longer term outcomes that can be achieved through inspiring and learning from practice outwith Scotland, to improve learning for communities in Scotland.

Details of the two projects are here:

Glasgow Clyde College & Glasgow Life – Literacy for Life: Unlocking Potential

The project is seeking to achieve an increase in the levels of literacy in Scotland by building on examples of good practice in other countries with high levels of literacy, and to develop an easy, cost-effective diagnostic and e-learning tool which can be used across Scotland’s colleges, local authorities and adult learning settings.

Highland – Learner voice

A research and development project exploring international good practice in community-based adult learning (CBAL) learner voice initiatives. A cohort of 12 adult learning practitioners and Learning Leaders from Highland travelled to the Aontas Summit in Dublin to learn about learner voice structures in Ireland. Thereafter, learning from the experience will be applied to the redevelopment of learner voice work in Highland communities.

The CLD team at Education Scotland has recently developed and published nine new professional learning activities (PLAs) that are particularly relevant for CLD practitioners and leaders. PLAs are short self-directed interactive learning materials that allow you to save your responses and reflections to keep a record of your learning. The new PLAs cover:

• Mis & dis-information
• STEM in CLD
• Youth Awards in schools and community settings (part 1 and 2)
• Learning for Sustainability for CLD
• Inclusive practice & dyslexia in CLD
• New Scots Integration Strategy
• Attendance: Power of partnerships
• Improving racial literacy in CLD

Accessing these new self-directed learning opportunities is quick and easy. A wide range of PLAs including these new ones can be found here: Self-directed professional learning | Professional Learning | Education Scotland. If you don’t already have an account it is quick and easy to register for one.

We are always looking for feedback on our professional learning offer. If you would like to share your experience or suggest themes for new PLAs please contact Susan.Epsworth@educationscotland.gov.scot

The learning outcomes of the programme are:

• To know and understand about CLD adult literacies practise in Scotland
• To know and understand adult literacies practise in other countries
• To reflect on and critically examine personal professional learning by involvement in an international project
• To know and understand the practice and approaches that can improve outcomes for children, young people and adults impacted by lower literacy levels
• To learn and understand community learning delivery in other countries, effective approaches and partnership approaches that can be learnt from

This information session, to be held online on Monday 1^st June 2026 at 4.00 to 5.00pm, will provide information to potential facilitators about the new national professional learning programme: ‘Equity: Mitigating the impact of poverty on Scotland’s children and young people’.

The programme has been developed by Education Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, along with a range of other key partners, including four pilot local authorities.

Potential facilitators are school leaders, ELC or CLD managers or Local Authority leads. All the resources required to lead the programme will be provided by Education Scotland, including online resources for participants and facilitator slides and notes. The programme uses a flexible, hybrid model, with both individual and group learning elements, where the group learning can be online or in person. It can be delivered at establishment, team, cluster or local authority level.

Register for this information session if you would like to find out more about delivering the programme with your team, cluster or local authority (or wish to share or delegate this task). The programme is suitable for delivery with ELC and CLD participants, as well as those working in schools. Please note this session repeats the one held on 18/3/26.

The learning outcomes of the programme are:

• To know and understand the theory, data and evidence base around poverty both locally and across Scotland
• To know and understand the impact of poverty on learning, achievement and attainment both locally and nationally
• To reflect on and critically examine personal leadership attitudes, values and beliefs within a social justice and equity context
• To know and understand the practice and approaches that can improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty
• To develop and apply knowledge and skills to effectively plan for equity and ensure measurable impact.

New Education Scotland Associates (ESAs) in Education Scotland CLD Team – 2025 / end March 2026

During 2025 Education Scotland recruited Education Scotland Associates (ESAs) across the organisation to support and develop key projects. The ESA’s are all CLD practitioners working in the field who joined Education Scotland on a part time basis.

We wanted to highlight each of the projects to give further details on what has been developed in each one. The first project we are publishing is Project 4:

• Project 4 – Research: What does UK and international practice tell us about greater synergy between CLD and Curriculum Improvement Cycle – Fiona Robertson  (John Galt / Laura Starkey)

Building on the initial Literature review published in July 2024 on Community Learning and Development (CLD) as part of the Still report and as part of Education Scotland’s changing role from Education Reform. Education Scotland delivered engagement sessions in 2025 which led to the publication of a discussion paper. This research project was to further investigate what community education/CLD approaches exist across the UK and internationally in relation to curriculum and produce a publication to share the findings.

Fiona’s question was, “What does UK and international practice tell us about how greater synergy between CLD and Curriculum Improvement Cycle could improve outcomes for learners of all ages?” and she looked at this using a literacy lens. The paper can be read in full here ESA Project CIC literacy FINAL DRAFT

The paper highlights various international sources which are useful to learn from in a Scottish context. Fiona said, “It was great to be a part of this programme and have the opportunity to look up and out at what we can learn from practice both nationally and internationally. We don’t always get the chance to look out beyond our immediate environs so this was a good reminder and reset. Huge thanks to the  CLD team at Education Scotland for their incredible guidance, wisdom and support. Its been a really valuable opportunity”

The Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) is a ten year programme to systematically review Scotland’s Curriculum in response to learners’ needs and societal demands.

We have two upcoming sessions for CLD practitioners and leaders where we will take you through a sensemaking toolkit for CLD. Join us to find out more about the CIC and discuss what it means for the CLD sector.

Book here: Curriculum Improvement Cycle – Sensemaking for CLD Tickets, Multiple dates | Eventbrite