The main objective of the Erasmus GAP project was to identify and reduce inequalities in access to student mobility in Europe by highlighting the gap between students who had real opportunities to participate in mobility programmes and those who were excluded from them. The project therefore aimed to bring a European perspective to an issue that was often addressed only at institutional level. An important objective was to develop practical tools and collect reliable data to analyse the composition of the mobile student population at institutional, national and European levels. This data collection provided a clearer picture of the situation in Europe, especially for students facing barriers related to disability, health issues, cultural differences or socio-economic difficulties. The project also aimed to strengthen the capacities of institutions through peer activities, training sessions and workshops promoting inclusion in mobility programmes. The sharing of experiences and good practices was intended to encourage innovative approaches and support more inclusive participation in student mobility.
We applied for the GAP project because previous initiatives such as NORM mainly focused on financial barriers. There was a clear need to adopt a broader perspective on mobility and to better understand the different social, economic, cultural and structural barriers faced by students across Europe. The project responded to the persistent disparity between students who have genuine access to mobility opportunities and those whose participation remains limited by socio-economic factors. Erasmus GAP therefore aimed to address these needs by developing visualisations based on large datasets collected in several European countries. These tools were designed to help higher education institutions (HEIs) and national agencies better identify inequalities affecting mobility. The project also responded to the need for reliable data and evidence-based analyses to support more inclusive policies and strategies at institutional, national and European levels. In addition, the project aimed to provide practical tools and recommendations to integrate inclusion into the strategic management of mobility programmes. Through peer-learning activities, workshops and the sharing of good practices, it sought to strengthen institutional capacities.