Brussels, 08/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 8 May, the European Commission published the most recent statistics on Erasmus, during the 25th anniversary of this European university exchange programme, which continues to go from strength to strength every year. Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, responsible for education and training, deplored the fact that the budget was not enough to meet all the different demands made upon the programme. More than 231,000 students received Erasmus grants to study or train abroad during the 2010-11 academic year. Vassiliou stated that “the figures speak for themselves - and would have been even higher if we had the resources to match demand”. In this time of crisis, which further exacerbates youth unemployment figures, obtaining transversal skills, particularly those acquired abroad, are more valuable than ever on the job market, explained the commissioner. Learning mobility is a key objective in the EUROPE 2020 strategy for growth and jobs. The European target for overall student mobility is at least 20% by the end of the decade. Currently, around 10% study or train abroad with the support of Erasmus or other public and private means. Around 4.5% receive an Erasmus grant.
By placing emphasis on languages, adaptability, intercultural sensitivity and a sense of initiative, Erasmus helps young people acquire key skills and improve their access to the job market, as well as helping them develop as individuals. Since it began in 1987, the programme has enabled more than 2.5 million European students to go abroad to study in higher education establishments or attend a work-training scheme. In 2010-2011, the most popular destinations for students were Spain, France and Germany. The highest number of European students studying abroad came from Spain, followed by the French and Germans. In percentage terms of the national student population, Luxembourg has sent the highest proportion of students to study abroad. If the current trend continues, the target of 3 million Erasmus students as set out by the European Union will be attained in the 2012-2013 academic year. The budget currently allocated by the programme to student mobility and teacher mobility is around €460 million. In most participating countries, demand largely exceeds the number of available grants. In November 2011, the Commission presented its Erasmus for All proposal. The new framework programme aims to merge Erasmus with six other European and international education, training, youth and sports schemes. The Council will hold a discussion on this new programme on 11 May (see other article). The Commission is proposing to provide it with a budget of €19 billion for the 2014-2020 period, which constitutes approximately a 70% increase to the funding for the different programmes over a seven-year period. (IL/transl.fl)