4 Coimbra Group universities designated ESCI Champions 2025-2027
31 July 2025
We are proud to announce that four Coimbra Group members have been recognized as the new Champions of the European Student Card Initiative (ESCI). Congratulations to our colleagues at the Universities of Barcelona, Galway, Pavia and Tartu! This year, the European Commission received 123 nominations from across Europe. Among the five institutions selected Champions of Excellence, the Universities of Barcelona and Pavia were distinguished for their outstanding implementation of both the European Student Card ESC and the of Erasmus Without Paper (EWP). Meanwhile the Universities of Galway and Tartu were recognised for their exemplary work in advancing the implementation of the EWP.
ESCI Champions are higher education institutions and organisations that have demonstrated significant progress in adopting the various building blocks of the ESCI. Serving for a two-year term (2025–2027), these Champions play a key role in advancing the Initiative. Their responsibilities include supporting the ESCI through active participation in meetings and national events, engaging in outreach by sharing testimonials and best practices with peers, and contributing to the future development of the Initiative. A kick-off meeting of the ESCI champions 2025-2027 will take place in Gothenburg on 9 September 2025 in the lead-up to the EAIE conference .
“The University of Barcelona is proud to be recognised as ESCI Champion of Excellence, a reflection of its long-standing commitment to the Erasmus+ programme. This is a recognition to the huge efforts of different units and services to ensure that students benefit from a seamless, digital, and inclusive mobility experience. We will be more than happy to share our experience and the acquired knowledge with interested universities”, says Raúl Ramos Lobo, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation Policy at the University of Barcelona.
“Being re-selected as an ESCI Champion for the upcoming period is both a great honour and a strong confirmation that the University of Tartu is on the right path in supporting and implementing the digital transformation of Erasmus+ processes. It strengthens our commitment to sustainable, user-friendly solutions and allows us to continue contributing actively – both nationally and across Europe – to a more efficient and transparent mobility framework”, Jaanika Haljasmäe, Erasmus Programme Coordinator, University of Tartu
More information on the ESCI Champions initiative is available on the European Commission’s website.