The Erasmus programme reaches 3 million European students

Figures released recenlty reveal that more than 3 million students have benefited from EU Erasmus grants since the exchange scheme's launch in 1987. The statistics, covering the 2011-2012 academic year, also show that the programme enabled more than 250 000 Erasmus students – a new record – to spend part of their higher education studies abroad or to take up a job placement with a foreign company to boost their employability. More than 46 500 academic and administrative staff also received support from Erasmus to teach or train abroad, an experience designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the 33 countries which participate in the scheme (EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey). The Erasmus exchange programme is considered a perfect example of a European Union success story.

Each year, more than 230,000 students spend part of their higher education or to take up a traineeship abroad in hope that the international experience and skills gained improves their self-confidence and job prospects. Erasmus introduces students to new teaching methods and topics, widening their horizons about how and what to study, and what career paths to pursue. Among the participating countries, Spain, France and Germany have been the three most popular destinations for students. Demand has recently however, continued to exceed the availability of Erasmus grants in most countries. According to a Eurobarometer survey, more than half of young people in Europe (53%) say that are willing to work or study in another European country. Mobility remains impossible however, for a large section of young people because of lack of funding: 33% said this was the main reason behind their not spending any time abroad for education, training, working or volunteering purposes. Drawing to a close after 26 years, Erasmus will be replaced with the new programme, “The Erasmus+”, to be launched in January 2014. The new programme aims to enable 4 million young people to study, train, teach or volunteer abroad.

For more information: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-657_en.htm