Unlock professional growth through direct observation and knowledge exchange under the Erasmus+ KA1 program. Partner with Erasmus+ Courses Croatia, your expert host for immersive mobility experiences and the leading provider in Croatia.
In today’s interconnected educational landscape, professional growth means looking beyond borders. Erasmus+ Job Shadowing has emerged as a premier, short-term opportunity for teachers, trainers, and staff to gain invaluable international experience and bring innovative practices directly back to their home institutions. Read on to unlock everything you need to know about making your next Erasmus+ job shadowing experience a success!
Job Shadowing is a short-term, impactful professional development activity funded under the Erasmus+ Key Action 1 (KA1) program. It is designed for educators, teachers, trainers, and staff from school education, VET, and adult education sectors who wish to observe best practices, understand different educational systems, and exchange ideas with colleagues in a foreign country.
The Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026 introduces clarifications on job shadowing activities across all sectors to ensure a high-quality, focused learning experience. A key new rule states that, for every job shadowing activity, a main mentor at the hosting organization must be clearly identified, and no more than two participants may shadow the same mentor at the same time. This rule emphasizes the need for genuine, hands-on involvement from the host organization’s staff and prevents the activity from becoming a passive group visit, thereby reinforcing the quality standards of mobility activities. You can read more about this and other updates in the official guide:
Join us in the picturesque Mediterranean city of Split for our job shadowing activities. Our extensive network of local schools welcomes you to observe and learn from their best practices.
In Split, you’ll explore a variety of schools, gaining insights from daily interactions with school leaders, teachers, and psychologists. You will visit different schools, exchange ideas, and see practical approaches to inclusion, diverse student needs, and other educational challenges.
This comprehensive theme is the perfect starting point, regardless of your current level of digital expertise. It offers a holistic view of digital transformation, combining essential foundational technology concepts with cutting-edge applications such as AI integration, virtual collaboration, and digital safety. Shadowing in this area will equip you with future-proof strategies to modernize your classroom and prepare students for the digital world.
Join the movement to future-proof education and your institution. Our broad approach to sustainability ensures relevance for everyone, from beginners to experts. You will observe how best practices integrate environmental awareness, ethical leadership, and responsible resource management, providing you with actionable steps to create a greener, more resilient educational and institutional environment.
Every educator and student benefits from a focus on Well Being and Mental Health. This theme is designed for everyone—from staff seeking personal resilience tools to those aiming to implement institutional change. You will gain a versatile toolkit covering emotional intelligence, positive psychology, and stress-reduction techniques, ensuring you can cultivate a supportive, high-performing culture for yourself and your entire community.
This inclusive topic explores the powerful use of the arts to foster creativity, modern approaches used by language schools, and the value of cultural immersion for students and staff. Acquire universally applicable strategies to enrich the learning environment and foster a strong sense of belonging, regardless of subject area.
Dedicated to building a truly equitable educational system, this topic offers valuable insights for every staff member. You will shadow leaders in inclusive pedagogy, learning practical approaches to differentiated learning, overcoming social barriers, and promoting equity. This experience is designed to refine your current practices and empower you to advocate for a more welcoming and diverse learning environment for all students.
Innovation is for everyone, at every level. This broad theme covers the entire spectrum of organizational advancement, from rethinking classroom layouts and curricula to adopting agile leadership models. You will observe holistic, flexible strategies that integrate technology, pedagogy, and collaborative processes, giving you the vision and tools necessary to drive continuous improvement and future-proof your institution.
The most common and arguably most important aspect of Erasmus+ Job Shadowing is its complete flexibility and personalized design. It is the most highly effective form of mobility because, unlike standardized courses, your job shadow is not a one-size-fits-all package. Instead, it is specifically crafted to meet the unique development needs of your staff and the strategic goals of your institution. This ensures you observe the exact practices and gain the targeted knowledge that will drive the most significant and immediate impact upon your return.
Contact us with your project goals, desired duration, and specific professional interests.
We handle the practical arrangements, documentation (MoU, Mobility Agreement), and help with logistics.
Experience your job shadowing! We provide on-site support and final certification.
Successful Erasmus+ Job Shadowing is built on three key stages. First, your institution must secure the necessary KA1 grant funding by defining a clear European Development Plan. Second, the core task involves meticulously identifying and agreeing with a suitable host institution that specialises in your desired field. Finally, before mobility begins, the participant, the sending institution, and the host must finalise the crucial Mobility Agreement to structure the learning objectives and ensure full recognition of the experience.
Fee Information
The fee per participant for the job-shadowing activity is as follows:
Tailored Experiences
We are committed to making your job shadowing experience as valuable and relevant as possible. If you have specific needs or preferences for your program, we are happy to tailor our offerings to better suit your requirements. Please reach out to us with your ideas and needs, and we will work with you to create a customized experience that meets your objectives.
For any additional queries or to organize your job shadowing program, feel free to contact us at info@erasmuscoursescroatia.com
Let us help you make the most of this enriching professional development opportunity.
As a leading Croatian provider, our expertise is unmatched.
With over 15 years in the Erasmus+ domain, we have a deep understanding of KA1 mobility requirements, quality standards, and the diverse needs of European participants.
Our extensive network covers schools and institutions across all sectors in Croatia—from kindergartens and VET centers to universities and adult education providers.
Thanks to our robust partnerships, we can cover all types of job shadowing, regardless of the age group, subject area, or organization type (e.g., special needs, school admin, VET).
Erasmus+ Job Shadowing is a specific type of professional development activity under Key Action 1 (KA1) that allows staff (teachers, trainers, school leaders, etc.) from an eligible sending organization to spend a period observing colleagues in a receiving organization in another Programme or Partner country. The core purpose is to facilitate the transfer of good practices, innovative methods, and knowledge, which the participant can then implement back at their home institution.
According to the Programme Guide, the duration for a physical job shadowing mobility is typically:
Minimum: 2 days (excluding travel days).
Maximum: 60 days (excluding travel days).
Shorter and longer periods may apply for certain specific sectors or blended mobilities, so the latest Erasmus+ Programme Guide is the definitive source. At Erasmus+ Courses Croatia, most participants choose 3–5 days in Split. This allows them to maximize their experience while fitting within their Erasmus+ project schedule — but longer stays are possible upon request.
We’re happy to adapt the length and structure of your stay to your project’s goals and timeline.
Job shadowing is primarily aimed at staff involved in education and training. This typically includes:
Teachers, Head Teachers, and administrative staff (School Education).
Trainers and staff working in Vocational Education and Training (VET).
Adult education staff.
Youth workers and youth organization staff.
Higher Education Institution (HEI) staff.
Eligibility is determined by the participant’s direct employment or contractual link with the sending organization that secured the Erasmus+ grant.
The goal is not just to observe, but to achieve specific learning outcomes that benefit the sending institution. Key expectations include:
Acquiring practical skills in new teaching, training, or management methodologies.
Gaining insight into different organizational cultures and education systems.
Identifying innovative practices that can be directly applied at the home institution.
Improving the participant’s foreign language competence and intercultural skills.
The Erasmus+ grant is intended to cover the main costs associated with the mobility:
Travel Support: Based on the distance between the sending and receiving locations (using a distance calculator).
Individual Support (Subsistence): A fixed daily allowance to cover accommodation, meals, and local transport, which varies based on the destination country’s cost of living.
Organizational Support: A fixed amount per participant to cover administrative costs for the sending organization.
Inclusion Support: Additional funding for participants with fewer opportunities, if applicable.
The two most critical documents are:
The Mobility Agreement: This legally binding document outlines the learning goals, expected outcomes, program of activities, and mutual responsibilities of the sending organization, receiving organization, and participant.
Europass Mobility Certificate: Issued after the mobility, this formally documents the skills and experience gained during the job shadow.
HERE you can find an explanation of the Europass framework, helping participants understand how the experience formally enhances their CV and skills profile.
Organizations must apply for a KA1 Mobility Project grant through their National Agency. The application process typically involves:
Defining a clear European Development Plan for the institution.
Identifying the staff’s training needs.
Outlining the planned mobilities, including the number of participants and the nature of the activities (e.g., courses, job shadowing).
Organisations must submit their application by the annual deadline specified in the Programme Guide. Read more about applying for funding HERE.
The decentralized nature of Erasmus+ means that all funding applications for Key Action 1 (KA1) Staff Mobility, including job shadowing, must be submitted to the National Agency (NA) in your country. The NA is responsible for providing official guidance, organising the annual Call for Proposals, managing the selection of projects, and offering technical support for the application process. Utilising the National Agency’s resources ensures you adhere to local deadlines and secure the correct funding specific to your region.
🔗 Your National Agency: Application Support (EU Official List)
Finding a host is the responsibility of the sending organization or the participant, often achieved through:
Existing Partnerships: Collaborating with established partner schools or organizations.
Networking: Using professional networks, platforms like eTwinning/EPALE, or personal contacts.
Searching Databases: Looking for organizations known for specific good practices (e.g., searching “Erasmus+ Courses Croatia” and going directly to the desired provider).
The host organization must align with the specific learning goals detailed in the Mobility Agreement.
The project is not complete until the learning is transferred. The participant must:
Share Knowledge: Disseminate the acquired knowledge, skills, and good practices with colleagues at the home institution (e.g., workshops, presentations).
Implement Changes: Work with the organization to integrate the new ideas into practice (curriculum, methodology, or administration).
Submit a Report: Complete and submit the mandatory EU Survey (participant report) detailing the mobility and its outcomes.
Yes, Erasmus+ promotes flexibility. Job shadowing can be combined with other activities within the same mobility grant, such as:
Structured Courses/Training Events: The mobility period can include a course followed by a job shadowing period.
Blended Mobility: A shorter in-person job shadowing period can be combined with a virtual component before, during, or after the in-person stay.