"I am pleased to see that Erasmus+ graduates feel more ready to take on new challenges, have better career prospects and are more aware of the benefits of the EU in their daily lives", commented Education Commissioner Tibor Navracsics on Monday 20 May when he published two studies on the impact of the exchange programme.
These two studies, entitled 'Erasmus+ Higher Education Impact' and 'Erasmus+ Higher Education Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Alliances', illustrate the positive impact of the Erasmus+ programme on individuals (77,000 responses, including 47,000 students) and organisations (500 organisations). These are two studies carried out at the Commission's request by independent contractors.
Thus, 70% of the students surveyed said that Erasmus+ helped them to find their professional path and 80% felt that this period abroad enabled them to obtain a job more quickly. Nine out of ten former Erasmus+ students report that the skills and experience they acquired abroad are used in their daily work. More than 90% of Erasmus+ students have also improved their ability to work and collaborate with people from different cultures and feel that they have a "European identity". In addition, higher education staff who have used Erasmus+ are more likely to include employees from the business world in their courses than their non-mobile counterparts (around 60% compared to 40%). The results of the studies also show that former Erasmus+ students are more satisfied with their jobs than those who have not spent time abroad. They also tend to have more international careers and are almost twice as likely to work abroad.
The second study includes a series of recommendations. [Link: https://bit.ly/2Qga7AG ] (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)