The European Union runs a series of higher education cooperation programmes with third countries including the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The European Union and the USA and Canada have extended their cooperation agreements in the fields of higher education, training and youth for another eight-year period (2006-2013). The agreements renew and reinforce the longstanding EU-Canada and EU-USA co-operation programmes which were established in 1995. It aims primarily at promoting understanding between the people of the European Union and the USA and Canada. The USA programme is administered by the European Commission and the US Department of Education. The Canadian programme is administered by the European Commission, Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The European Union has also conducted higher education cooperation programmes and pilot programmes with Australia, New Zealand and Japan.