Institutional transformation through participation in Erasmus+: the impact among Portuguese higher and non-higher education contexts

This study addresses a research gap concerning the impact of Erasmus+ on education institutions beyond higher education contexts. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach encompassing 610 institutional survey responses and 11 semi-structured interviews, a comprehensive analysis of perceived programme impacts across Portuguese education sectors is presented. We propose a novel four-dimensional analytical framework examining strategic positionings, organisational capacity, stakeholder ecosystems, and cultural understandings, which can transcend the limitations of existing higher education-centric models. Key findings reveal that both HE and non-HE institutions report significant, long-lasting, and overwhelmingly positive impacts from Erasmus+ participation. Nevertheless, internationalisation is conceptualised and operationalised differently: higher education institutions view it as transversal, driven by research, global competitiveness, and financial benefits, leading to a broader range of activities. In contrast, non-HE institutions perceive internationalisation as complementary, prioritising educational quality improvement, employee training, and local community engagement through more focused interventions. Furthermore, the capacity of the programme to foster institutional change and transformation is clearly acknowledged by most institutions from different sectors. The primary contribution of the paper lies in extending the empirical understanding of Erasmus+ impact to under-researched non-HE sectors and offering a more suitable analytical framework for nuanced policy analysis of internationalisation across diverse educational contexts.