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1. Policy framework

2. Main cross-border mobility programmes for students in formal education

3. Promoting mobility in the context of non-formal learning, and of youth work

4. Quality assurance

Policy framework

The mobility of young people during their training is a priority for the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (Ministerio de Educación, y Formación Profesional) and is present from the very conception of the Spanish educational system. For this reason, the Organic Law of Education (Ley Orgánica de Educación) includes in its preamble the need to increase mobility and exchanges in order to open the Spanish educational system abroad.

In the concrete field of higher university education, the Organic law of the University System (Ley Orgánica de Sistema Universitario) establishes the student mobility as one of the objectives to pursue in the University, as well as the right to recognition of knowledge and skills acquired abroad.

With regard to Vocational Training, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training is responsible for promoting mobility in learning with specific programmes for young people.

Therefore, the central administration, through its ministerial departments of “Education”, “Labour” and “Univerisities” (Educación, Trabajo y Universidades), the Autonomous Regions, and the educational and training centres are responsible for promoting mobility by shaping programs and support. In this regard, it is necessary to point out the relevance of the Spanish Service for the Internationalization of Education (Servicio Español para la Internacionalización de la Educación, SEPIE), responsible for managing the public calls for a large part of the mobility programmes.

Main cross-border mobility programmes for students in formal education

In the field of higher education, Spain has specific programs and agreements for student mobility, which must be added to the EU's own plans. Among them, the main one is the Erasmus+ program (Programa Erasmus+). The Erasmus+ is formed by different mobility programmes whose financing is managed by the SEPIE through their calls (Convocatorias), which is added to the support of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training for Spanish students who participate in the mobility programs included In Erasmus+, and other complementary support arranged by the Autonomous Regions (ayudas complementarias dispuestas por las CCAA para los programas Erasmus+). The Erasmus+ program also includes Professional Training in Erasmus+ (Formación Profesional en Erasmus+). In Spain, the institutions designated as National Agencies for the management of the Programme are the Spanish Service for the Internationalization of Education (Servicio Español para la Internacionalización de la Educación, SEPIE)) and the Spanish National Agency (Agencia Nacional Española, ANE)), formed of the Spanish Youth Institute (INJUVE), the Youth Council of Spain (Consejo de la Juventud de España (CJE)), and the youth organizations of the Autonomous Regions.

For their part, the Autonomous Regions offer regional programmes for cross-border mobility. These grants are given through the autonomous communities themselves and they are the ones who launch these grants. For example, Navarre, Aragon, La rioja, etc.

Those young people who carry out doctoral studies, research, or are conducting a university teaching career can enjoy the aid available by the State Mobility Subprogramme (Subprograma Estatal de Movilidad), from the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación) and the Ministry of Universities (Ministerio de Universidades). In the management of the Subprogramme two stay modalities are distinguished, of which modality B or "Stay of mobility abroad José Castillejo" (“Estancia de Movilidad en el extranjero José Castillejo”) is the modality applicable to young doctors, who could go abroad for 3 to 6 months.

Other administrations and institutions, including Universities, reach Mobility Agreements and establish Mobility Programs for students and young teaching staff.

Promoting mobility in the context of non-formal learning, and of youth work

The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, through the General Secretariat of Migrations (Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones), has in place International Mobility Programmes for Young People (Programas de Movilidad Internacional para Jóvenes). This Youth Programme establishes specific actions of training and practices in companies, specialization and entrepreneurship, as well as the improvement of foreign languages for young Spaniards under 35 years and residents abroad, with the aim of facilitate their work and social integration outside Spain. To this end, Spain subscribes to different Youth Mobility Agreements and international educational programs with other countries.

The Program for Young Professionals (Programa para Jóvenes Profesionales), of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación) establishes a system of selection of highly qualified young people with an excellent level of knowledge of foreign languages to promote the creation of an international career within some International Organizations. The Public Service of State Employment ( Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE)) also manages the EURES Mobility Aids (Ayudas a la movilidad EURES) for learning projects within the framework of the EURES network (Red EURES). Local administrations also offer advice on international mobility, and mobility programs in non-formal and informal areas such as volunteering.

Quality assurance

While some of the mobility initiatives are assessed, there is no general assessment with pre- established guidelines for the evaluation of mobility policies. The projects developed within the framework of the EURES Network of the SEPE are subject to external evaluation and the participants of the programs send satisfaction questionnaires with the programme. In any case, the Spanish Administration, through the former Department of Employment, has been working since 2015, and together with the regional administrations, in a protocol for assessing the quality of services within the framework of the Common Services Portfolio of the National Employment System (Cartera Común de Servicios del Sistema Nacional de Empleo). In it, and with regard to the management of European instruments for the promotion of mobility in VT and learning, the protocol will establish objectives and criteria for assessing the quality of the proposed services, one of the indicators of quality being the satisfaction of the users of the mobility programmes.

The SEPIE, is in charge of the evaluation and quality control (evaluación y control) in regard to the decentralized actions of the Erasmus+ Programme[10]. In this regard, the SEPIE has held a conference on the evaluation of the quality of the Erasmus + Charter (Jornadas de evaluación de la calidad de la Carta Erasmus+). In addition, a Panel of evaluators and project experts from the Lifelong Learning Programme, Erasmus +, the Spanish university system's internationalization programs and other initiatives is expected to be formed[11] (Panel de evaluadores y expertos de proyectos del programa de aprendizaje permanente, Erasmus+, los programas de).

SEPIE is in charge of the evaluation and quality control of the decentralized actions of the Erasmus+ Program[10]. In 2017, SEPIE held a Conference on the evaluation of the quality of the Erasmus+ Charter. At present, these conferences have not been held again, however, this institution continues to carry out the primary controls that have been agreed with the European Commission for the Erasmus 2021-2027 program. SEPIE carries out controls to the institutions which are beneficiaries of the grant for their programs. These are reflected in the guides on its web page.

 Finally, the Youth Institute, publishes an evaluation handbook for youth policies, plans, programmes and activities ( Manual de evaluación para políticas, planes, programas y actividades de juventud), as a guide for professional evaluations in the specific field of youth policies.