Erasmus+ as a policy measure to promote access to transnational mobility

This article analyses Erasmus+ (Key Actions 1 and 2) as a policy measure supporting transnational mobility, focusing on its structural accessibility. Accessibility is conceptualised as the measure's capacity to deploy devices converting formal opportunities into actionable possibilities. Drawing on twelve semi-structured interviews conducted in Italy within the RIA-AE research project, the article examines access barriers, delineates the boundaries between actual, potential, and non-participants, and analyses the role played by information, outreach, guidance, preparation, support, and tutoring services. Findings show that participation is highly mediated by organisations and professionals overseeing the mobility lifecycle. Organisations and professionals can contribute to releasing the demand for mobility, reducing barriers and supporting those less proximate to the measure. In the absence of such devices, however, the measure tends to reach mainly individuals and organisations already embedded in educational, associative and project-based networks, thereby risking the reproduction of forms of exclusion from learning, training and cooperation opportunities. The article therefore argues that the inclusive effectiveness of Erasmus+ mobility should be assessed not only in relation to the opportunities offered, but also in terms of the measure’s capacity to expand the actual public through accessibility-oriented services and organisational mediations.