Shaping Erasmus+ Ambassadors: EMA’s Ongoing Impact Through ESAA Activities

On 11 March 2025, the Erasmus Mundus Student and Alumni Association’s (EMA) Director of the Project Support Unit (PSU), Marvi Qazi, delivered an informative online session about the  Erasmus+ Students and Alumni Alliance (ESAA) Activities, organized by Ana Janjusevic, Country Representative Network Coordinator (CR Net Coordinator), part of the Outreach and Capacity Building Unit (OCB). The session brought together country representatives from across the globe, fostering a productive discussion on the scope, objectives, structure, and scale of the ESAA Activities.

The Project Support Unit, represented by Director Marvi Qazi, provided in-depth insights into key aspects of ESAA Activities, including costing and budgeting, available support mechanisms, record-keeping and reporting requirements, and the overall timeline. Additionally, the discussion covered the application process, selection and evaluation criteria, and budget allocation across different regions. Country representatives and dedicated EMA volunteers were encouraged to actively participate by submitting their expressions of interest (EoIs) for upcoming ESAA activities. The session was highly interactive, with enthusiastic participation and insightful questions from attendees.

This discussion came days before EMA successfully closed the first call for submissions for ESAA Activities. Thanks to the collective efforts of the PSU team and EMA volunteers, the association received a huge number of impressive expressions of interest from its members. PSU played a crucial role in this success by organising multiple online Q&A sessions via social media and email communications, providing continuous support to EMA members throughout the process.

The results? A resounding success with 7 of 11 eligible EoIs selected for funding—the highest number among all ESAA sister organisations. This milestone was achieved through the dedication and hard work of the PSU team, EMA volunteers, and the Internal Projects team. Their collective commitment to advancing Erasmus+ programmes worldwide continues to strengthen EMA’s impact.

The selected activities will be held in Erasmus+ EU Member States, Panama, the Mediterranean, Bhutan, Malaysia, Thailand, Lao PDR, Kuala Lumpur, online, and other locations. The budget for these activities ranges between €6,000 and €11,000, depending on the nature and scale of the planned initiatives.

Looking ahead, EMA remains committed to empowering its members to participate in ESAA activities and contribute to meaningful projects that drive change. We encourage all EMA members to submit their expressions of interest in upcoming calls and become ambassadors of Erasmus+ programmes globally. By engaging in these activities, members contribute to building a stronger, more connected Erasmus+ community. Do not hesitate to reach out to the PSU team if you have any ideas to convert into a project or are looking for project partnerships within the Erasmus+ ecosystem and beyond.

The Project Support Unit is actively involved in applying for, writing project applications, managing, supervising, controlling, implementing, and executing multiple Key Action 1 and 2 projects, ESAA Activities, and several other national and international projects. Additionally, PSU collaborates with multiple stakeholders and organisations, ensuring effective project execution and maximising impact.

For the next call announcement, stay connected and follow EMA’s social media channels. To prepare your EoI and familiarise yourself with the guidelines, visit the Guidelines Document.

For more information about the Project Support Unit or any comments or questions, feel free to reach out to us at Projects-esaa@em-a.eu.

By Marvi Qazi,

EMA Director of Project Support Unit (PSU)

Last Updated 2 June 2025