An IP aims to:

"    Encourage efficient and multinational teaching of specialist topics which might otherwise not be taught at all, or only in a very restricted number of higher education institutions;

"    Enable students and teachers to work together in multinational groups and so benefit from special learning and teaching conditions not available in a single institution, and to gain new perspectives on the topic being studied;

"    Allow members of the teaching staff to exchange views on teaching content and new curricula approaches and to test teaching methods in an international classroom environment.

"    An Intensive Programme can be a one-off activity or repeated over a limited number of years (maximum duration of funding three consecutive years with an annual application round).

"    It may not consist of research activities or conferences, but should provide something new in terms of learning opportunities, skills development, access to information, etc. for the participating teachers and students and promote an element of curricular development.

"    IPs are expected to use ICT tools and services to support the preparation and follow-up of the IP, thereby contributing to the creation of a sustainable learning community in the subject area concerned.

"    The ratio of staff to students should guarantee active classroom participation.

"    The consortium involves at least 3 participating institutions from 3 different countries participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme. At least one participating institution must be from a Member State of the European Union.

"    The planned location of the Intensive Programme is in a country which is eligible to participate in the Lifelong Learning Programme.

"    The activity plan should include at least 10 continuous working days of subject-related work (virtual cooperation activities like e-learning as part of the IP will not be taken into account).

"    The Intensive Programme must take place without interruption and subject-related work days can only be separated by weekends.

(Available at http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus/doc900_en.htm)