The effects of Brexit on students are countless, but one that stands out is the withdrawal of the UK from EU student exchange programmes (such as Erasmus+). However, British universities are currently urging governments to reintroduce these exchanges as they are beneficial for the student experience. The Erasmus+ programme was used to provide students with funding from the government for education, training and sport in fellow EU countries involved in the scheme, in exchange with students from corresponding EU universities. More than 10,000 UK university students participated in the scheme in 2018, the year in which the government dished out £120 million as funding. Erasmus+ has been replaced by the Turing scheme, a mobility programme that encompasses the entire world rather than just Europe. It does not, however, extend to inbound students.
A new report from Universities UK, an organisation which advocates for 141 countries around the country, said Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government should “strongly consider the case” to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme, which was originally cancelled under Boris Johnson. Students’ lives are drastically changed by the experience of living and either working or studying abroad. The experience is enriching for both inbound and outbound students, offering the immersion into new cultures, lifestyles and languages. It’s extremely important for young people to have the chance to travel to nearby countries for extended periods of time to gain new perspectives on the world.
“The experience is enriching for both inbound and outbound students, offering the immersion into new cultures, lifestyles and languages.”
Opportunities to live and study abroad also offer to strengthen political ties within Europe: something the UK needs to work on in a tense post-Brexit world. It is essential that the UK develops global awareness, understanding and competencies that allow it to play a full and proper role globally.
Over the last five years, the world has become more polarised in regard to free movement, so the UK should be investing in its capacity to engage with other countries through study abroad programmes. Export potential is also increased when international experience is more flexible. To make matters worse, members of European Parliament and pressure groups have decided on a €295 million planned cut to the Erasmus+ student exchange programme. Even outside the UK, in other parts of Europe, students will find it harder to move around.
“It is essential that the UK develops global awareness, understanding and competencies that allow it to play a full and proper role globally.”
As citizens of the UK, it can be hard for us to otherwise open our minds to new linguistic and cultural experiences without the option of moving abroad. Partaking in a year abroad myself, I was amazed at the growth I experienced both as a person and academically. However, without the support of Erasmus+, it was extremely difficult to source my own placement, obtain a visa and fund the year. Despite the fact that I persisted, it is these strains that dissuade other students from engaging in their own study abroad experiences. With the complexities of Brexit, the UK government needs to consider firmer talks with EU officials to come to a middle ground for students to go abroad. The Turing scheme has been remarkable in assisting this, but it needs to extend to outbound students who want to come to the UK for the same cultural and linguistic reasons, as to establish better relations with Europe.
As Editor-in-Chief, Gracie has written an array of articles ranging from investigative pieces on the security of Boeing’s future to lifestyle pieces on the importance of self love and pleasure. She was one of the first to complete the Exeposé Rainbow and brings nearly four years of experience to writing and editing the newspaper, one of these years being spent in Madrid.
A calling for the return of Erasmus+
The effects of Brexit on students are countless, but one that stands out is the withdrawal of the UK from EU student exchange programmes (such as Erasmus+). However, British universities are currently urging governments to reintroduce these exchanges as they are beneficial for the student experience. The Erasmus+ programme was used to provide students with funding from the government for education, training and sport in fellow EU countries involved in the scheme, in exchange with students from corresponding EU universities. More than 10,000 UK university students participated in the scheme in 2018, the year in which the government dished out £120 million as funding. Erasmus+ has been replaced by the Turing scheme, a mobility programme that encompasses the entire world rather than just Europe. It does not, however, extend to inbound students.
A new report from Universities UK, an organisation which advocates for 141 countries around the country, said Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government should “strongly consider the case” to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme, which was originally cancelled under Boris Johnson. Students’ lives are drastically changed by the experience of living and either working or studying abroad. The experience is enriching for both inbound and outbound students, offering the immersion into new cultures, lifestyles and languages. It’s extremely important for young people to have the chance to travel to nearby countries for extended periods of time to gain new perspectives on the world.
Opportunities to live and study abroad also offer to strengthen political ties within Europe: something the UK needs to work on in a tense post-Brexit world. It is essential that the UK develops global awareness, understanding and competencies that allow it to play a full and proper role globally.
Over the last five years, the world has become more polarised in regard to free movement, so the UK should be investing in its capacity to engage with other countries through study abroad programmes. Export potential is also increased when international experience is more flexible. To make matters worse, members of European Parliament and pressure groups have decided on a €295 million planned cut to the Erasmus+ student exchange programme. Even outside the UK, in other parts of Europe, students will find it harder to move around.
As citizens of the UK, it can be hard for us to otherwise open our minds to new linguistic and cultural experiences without the option of moving abroad. Partaking in a year abroad myself, I was amazed at the growth I experienced both as a person and academically. However, without the support of Erasmus+, it was extremely difficult to source my own placement, obtain a visa and fund the year. Despite the fact that I persisted, it is these strains that dissuade other students from engaging in their own study abroad experiences. With the complexities of Brexit, the UK government needs to consider firmer talks with EU officials to come to a middle ground for students to go abroad. The Turing scheme has been remarkable in assisting this, but it needs to extend to outbound students who want to come to the UK for the same cultural and linguistic reasons, as to establish better relations with Europe.
Gracie Moore
As Editor-in-Chief, Gracie has written an array of articles ranging from investigative pieces on the security of Boeing’s future to lifestyle pieces on the importance of self love and pleasure. She was one of the first to complete the Exeposé Rainbow and brings nearly four years of experience to writing and editing the newspaper, one of these years being spent in Madrid.
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