European Student Card Initiative according to the European Commission website

The European Commission believes in the European student card project and its partner projects

seen on the website of the european commission: the future of the european student card, which will be debated at the final conference, june 5th, Paris

The European Student Card Initiative will enable every student to easily and safely identify and register themselves electronically at higher education institutions within the EU when moving abroad for studies, eliminating the need to complete on-site registration procedures and paper work. This is an essential step in boosting mobility and exchanges in Europe and promoting student participation in educational and cultural activities, in line with the vision of a true European Education Area.

The goal is to have, a full roll-out of this initiative in place by 2021 for all higher education institutions participating in the future Erasmus+ Programme (which will start in 2021), and make the card available to all students in Europe by 2025.

Fully compliant with personal data protection laws, the card will guarantee a secure exchange of student information and allow for a seamless transition from one higher education institution to another. The card will also give students the chance to access online courses and services provided at other higher education institutions. This will not only facilitate virtual mobility and blended learning, but also give students a greater choice in the programmes they can follow. Over time, the European Student Card will also allow students to enjoy cultural activities throughout Europe at discounted prices.

The benefits of the European Student Card Initiative go beyond students, as it will simplify administrative procedures and reduce the administrative load for higher education institutions, boosting mobility for all.

The digital projects that make up this initiative – Erasmus Without Paper

EMREX

and the European Student Card

– will be scaled up as from 2019 with further Erasmus+

and Connecting Europe Facility

funding. The initiative will be linked to the EU’s electronic identification rules (eIDAS

regulation) to provide the trust needed to authenticate the student and allow him/her to ascertain his/her rights online.

The European Student Card Initiative is a step forward in the transition towards a digital era and a truly European Education Area where spending time abroad to study and learn is the norm, and educational excellence is a reality for all.

Benefits of the European Student Card Initiative 

For students:

  • Easy access to course materials prior to mobility, online course registration, and automatic recognition of ECTS credits.
  • Immediate access to services at the host university such as library, transport and accommodation.
  • Discounts on cultural activities throughout the European Union.

For Higher Education Institutions:

  • Easily manage the entire mobility process electronically, from student selection to the recognition of ECTS credits.
  • Electronically identify somebody as a student and exchange/verify student data between HEIs, including academic records, in a secure way.
  • Reduced administrative load associated with the organisation of student mobility