In the academic year 2007/2008, the Socrates/Erasmus program reached an end and was replaced by the new LLP - Lifelong Learning Program. LLP's first stage is scheduled for 2007/2013.

The Lifelong Learning Programme comprises four sectoral programmes on school education (Comenius), higher education (Erasmus), vocational training (Leonardo da Vinci) and adult education (Grundtvig), and is completed by a transversal programme focusing on policy cooperation, languages, information and communication technology and dissemination and exploitation of results. . At last, a Jean Monnet programme is oriented towards European integration and the provision of support for certain key institutions and associations active in the field.

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Lifelong Learning Programme is an action plan of the European Community in the field of education and training. Its global goal is, in collaboration with the participating countries, to help students of all ages and social groups to improve their knowledge.
Under Erasmus (one of the sectorial sub-programmes of the LLP), students can study in any other eligible Higher Education Institution, for a period of minimum three months and not exceeding one year.
This period must follow a programme of studies, academically recognized by each home University.

The mobility of students also includes student placements in enterprises, training centers, research centers and other organizations.

The aim of the new programme is to contribute through lifelong learning to the development of the Community as an advanced knowledge society, with sustainable economic development, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. It aims to foster interaction, cooperation and mobility between education and training systems within the Community, so that they become a world quality reference.

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/newprog/index_en.html