Learning agreement: Erasmus +

A Learning Agreement is a document that establishes a personalised study plan between the student and the educational institution. This agreement specifies the subjects or courses to be taken, the competences to be developed and the assessment criteria. This document is especially useful in exchange or student mobility programmes such as Erasmus+, as it allows the student to validate the studies taken at the home institution in the host institution. In addition, the Learning Agreement promotes student autonomy by allowing students to choose the subjects they wish to study and by establishing a learning commitment between the parties involved.

Use of the Learning Agreement

The Learning Agreement is a very important document in the educational field, as it has multiple functions and benefits. Firstly, it serves as a personalised study plan that allows the student to choose the subjects he/she wishes to study, depending on his/her interests and academic objectives. In addition, the Learning Agreement establishes a learning commitment between the student, the home institution and the host institution, which ensures that the educational objectives and competences to be developed are clearly defined. Finally, this document facilitates the academic recognition of studies abroad and the transfer of credits between educational institutions.

What information do you need?

The following are some of the information usually requested in a Learning Agreement:

• Personal details of the student, such as full name, ID number and emergency contact.
• Information about the home and host educational institution, including name, address and contact details.
• The subjects or courses that the student wishes to take at the host institution, indicating the name of the subject, the identification code and the number of credits.
• The assessment criteria for each subject, which may include exams, assignments, projects, among others.
• The duration of the exchange programme and the start and end dates.
• The signature of the student and those responsible for the sending and receiving educational institutions.

It is important to ensure that accurate and complete information is provided in the Learning Agreement, as this ensures that the educational objectives and competences to be developed are clearly defined and that academic recognition of studies abroad can be guaranteed.

Procedure

The process for making a Learning Agreement may vary according to the educational institutions and countries involved. However, in general, the following steps can be followed:

• Contact the international relations office or academic co-ordination of the home institution to obtain information on the process and requirements for a Learning Agreement.
• Choose the host institution and select the subjects you wish to study, depending on the educational objectives and competences to be developed.
• Complete the Learning Agreement form, which generally includes the student’s personal information, information on the subjects to be studied and the assessment criteria.
• Send the Learning Agreement form to the host institution for approval.
• Once the Learning Agreement has been approved by both institutions, the student must comply with the requirements and commitments established in the document.

It is important to note that the process of making a Learning Agreement can be complex and requires good communication between the parties involved. Therefore, it is advisable to start well in advance to avoid setbacks and to ensure that all requirements and deadlines are met.

After processing…

Once the Learning Agreement process has been completed, it is important to consider the following steps:

• Maintain regular communication with the host institution to ensure that all requirements set out in the document are met.
• Adjust the Learning Agreement if necessary, depending on any changes in educational objectives or competences to be developed.
• Ensure that all commitments set out in the Learning Agreement are met, including class attendance, submission of assignments and participation in academic and cultural activities.
• Request any necessary help or assistance from the international relations or academic coordination offices of both institutions, if needed.
• Once the exchange or student mobility programme has been completed, request the validation of the studies taken at the home institution and ensure the transfer of credits, if necessary.