A record number of students received ‘Erasmus’ grants to study or train abroad during the 2009/10 academic year – 213 000+ students, a 7.4% increase on the previous year’s figure. Erasmus is the world’s most successful student exchange programme, and launched in 1987. The EU hopes to reach a target of 3 million European students by 2012/13. The three most popular destinations for students in 2009/10 were Spain, France and the United Kingdom. Spain sent the largest number of students abroad, followed by France and Germany.
Learning mobility is a key objective of the Europe 2020 strategy for growth and jobs and the focus of the Commission’s ‘Youth on the Move’ initiative which builds on the success of Erasmus.
Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, commented: "The Erasmus programme is one of the great success stories of the European Union. The latest figures speak for themselves: Erasmus is more popular than ever and I am committed to securing more resources for it in future. Studying or training abroad opens doors to personal development and job opportunities so we are right to be ambitious when it comes to investing in our young people".
Of the total number of students supported through Erasmus in 2009/10, 178 000 spent part of their degree programme abroad at a university or other higher education institution in one of 32 countries then participating in Erasmus. An estimated 10% of European students are currently studying or training abroad as part of their higher education; 4% of them receive an Erasmus grant.
Last month, the Commission unveiled plans for a new European target aimed at increasing the overall level of student mobility to least 20%.
For more information, go to: http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/DNWA-8HLDXF.