On 23–24 February, the COMPASS project officially launched with its kick-off meeting hosted in Rotterdam by Erasmus University Rotterdam, the project coordinator institution.
Over two intensive days, partners from six European countries came together to begin shaping a three-year collaboration under the Erasmus+ KA2 programme: COMPASS – Competence Advancement for Staff in Higher Education through Quality-based Erasmus Staff Trainings.
The meeting marked the starting point of a shared effort to strengthen how staff training in higher education is designed, recognised, and supported across Europe. While Erasmus+ has long enabled staff mobility and exchange, the nature and quality of training opportunities can differ significantly. COMPASS responds to this diversity by placing competence development and training quality at the centre.
By developing a practical framework and a quality toolkit for Erasmus+ staff training, the project aims to help higher education institutions identify, assess, and design high-quality, skills-oriented training opportunities.
During the kick-off, partners aligned on the project’s objectives, exchanged initial perspectives, and discussed the implementation roadmap for the coming months. The meeting provided an important foundation for collaboration, ensuring a shared understanding of priorities and next steps.
As the project moves forward, COMPASS aims to contribute to a more structured approach to staff mobility and training in higher education by placing front and centre quality, competence development, and long-term impact.