Erasmus+ Staff Week vs Training Course vs Job Shadowing: Which Is Right for You?
Staff Weeks, structured training courses and job shadowing can all create valuable international learning experiences, but they serve different purposes. Choosing the right format starts with understanding what you want to learn and how you prefer to learn it.
What is a Staff Week?
A Staff Week is typically an organised international programme hosted by a university or another organisation. It often combines workshops, presentations, peer exchange, networking and institutional visits. Staff Weeks can be especially useful for higher education professionals who want to compare practices and build international contacts.
What is a professional training course?
A structured course usually focuses on a defined competence or topic, with a programme and expected learning outcomes. Examples include digital skills, leadership, communication, creativity, inclusion or project management. For some Erasmus+ education actions, courses and training are eligible staff mobility activities when they meet the applicable quality and programme requirements.
What is job shadowing?
Job shadowing places the participant in a receiving organisation to observe colleagues, exchange ideas and learn from day-to-day practice. It is particularly valuable when your goal is to understand how another organisation performs a specific function rather than attend classroom-style training.
Which format should you choose?
Choose a Staff Week when networking and broad institutional exchange are central goals. Choose a structured course when you need focused competence development. Choose job shadowing when you want close observation of real working practices. In every case, connect the mobility to clear professional learning objectives.
Can these activities receive Erasmus+ support?
Erasmus+ supports several forms of staff professional development, but eligibility varies by education sector, activity and project. Higher education staff training can include training events, job shadowing and observation periods, while other education sectors have their own duration and eligibility rules.
Explore Staff Weeks, training courses and other professional learning opportunities in Europe on Go2Grow.
Always verify the current rules with your sending institution and the official Erasmus+ staff training information.
