The Erasmus+ Programme is the European Union’s flagship programme for education, training, youth and sport, giving people opportunities to study, train, volunteer, teach or gain work experience in another European country. Originally launched as a student exchange scheme in 1987, it has expanded to support schools, universities, apprenticeships, youth organisations and sports projects across Europe. The programme helps fund travel and living costs, encourages language learning and cultural exchange, and is widely seen as one of the most successful examples of European cooperation because of the opportunities and international connections it creates.
The UK will be participating again from 1 January 2027 in this wonderful programme for young people and those who educate and train them. It is NOT just for students at universities; it includes school projects, further education, adult education, E-twinning, and VET (Vocational Education and Training).
The UK has only signed up to participate in Erasmus+ for one year, so it is essential for future continuation that this programme is a success. The funds budgeted for it should all be spent. If it’s a success, the Government may announce that the UK will participate in the next programme from 2028-2034. However, the recent report Erasmus+: Are You Ready (PDF) by InterCom and the National Campaign for Erasmus+ found that many organisations that could benefit from participating in Erasmus+ are not aware of the opportunities it provides.
There is now much to accomplish in the next five months to make Erasmus+ a success.
How you can help make rejoining Erasmus+ a success
If you know young people, or anyone working in organisations involved in education, training, youth and sport, please tell them about the Erasmus+ programme as soon as possible.
The national agency responsible for ERASMUS+ in the UK is the British Council, whose website now provides excellent guidelines with plenty of links about Erasmus+ and the range of activities it supports, including online sessions for potential participants.
Please also contact your MP to encourage them to promote the scheme in schools, colleges, youth organisations, companies with apprentices, sports clubs and even primary schools.
In January the European Movement UK launched a national campaign This Is Erasmus in Parliament, accompanied by a report Unlocking Opportunity: Why the UK Needs Erasmus+ and the Funded By Erasmus tool where you can find projects in your area that were funded by Erasmus+ in 2014-2020. These enable MPs to view past projects and above all to learn about funding which came into Britain.
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