The United Kingdom quits Erasmus+
During months of uncertainty concerning the Brexit deal, one thing seemed to remain intact: the United Kingdom would have remained one of the partners’ of the Erasmus+ Programme.
This is why, when Boris Johnson announced that the country was to leave the programme, both Europeans and British students were concerned by the decision made.
The British Prime Minister explained that it was difficult to make such a decision. Looking at data, the struggle behind this choice seems pretty clear: just in the academic year 2018–2019, 18 305 Outgoing British students took part in the programme while 30 501 Incoming students from other programme countries chose the United Kingdom as their destination. This shows that, even though studying in the UK is a popular choice, a lot of British students decide to make use of this opportunity too.
The decision carries with it also an important economic impact. Indeed, this decision implies that Great Britain will lose a great flow of European students that every year pays rent, takes public transportation, travels around the country, goes to shops and grocery stores, just to mention a few activities of everyday life. Even when it comes to this issue numbers speak clearly: being part of the project used to generate an average income of £243 million per year, an amount worth the expenses of being a programme country.
The decision triggered a strong reaction from students from all around Europe. In particular, what has been the reaction of English students who are directly affected? Asking students around the country what was their opinion regarding their Prime Minister’s decision, the widespread feeling is a disappointment.
Stefan, a graduate student in French and Spanish at Cambridge University, defined the event as almost a tragedy: the programme gives a great contribution for the development of individuals both on the academic and personal level.
Lucy, a student of Modern Languages at Newcastle University who had the chance to live this experience, feels sorry for future students that will not have the same opportunity she got with the programme.
Francesca, student of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies at Newcastle University, points out that the economic aspect cannot be overshadowed: looking back at her semester abroad in Lisbon and at her Erasmus+ Traineeship in Madrid, she affirms she would be hesitant to take part in study abroad programmes in the future without the economic support that the Erasmus+ Programme grants.
Also, when asked what they think consequences will be for British students, what emerges for sure do not have a positive vibe. Lois, a student of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies at Newcastle University, is really worried about the consequences this decision would have on the side of learning languages. One of the programme’s most important benefits was the language learning process: a Brexit from the Erasmus+ Programme will imply a great loss in this matter for language degrees. Young people in the country will not have the chance to see the value of learning foreign languages in the future. Stefan points out that the decrease in Language students in the United Kingdom was evident even before Brexit; leaving the Erasmus+ Programme will exaggerate the scarce interest towards foreign languages and cultures.
The British Department of Education ensured the worried English students with the promise that a new scheme to support studying abroad will be introduced: the Turing Scheme. The new programme is named after Alan Turing, the British mathematician who played a crucial role in the decryption of the coded messages of the Nazis during War World Two. The Scheme will be effective already for the academic year 2021–2022, applications will open in March 2021 and £ 110 million will be allocated for grants to study abroad. Among the aims of the new scheme, there is the will to foster the participation of students even from disadvantaged backgrounds. Within the vision of a Global Britain, the scheme aims at building new relationships with other countries overseas.
On the side of European students, what will change for them when it comes to studying for a period on the British island? If they will spend less than six months in the country, they will be admitted under the short-term study route; in all other cases, a student visa will be required to study and live in the country. Moreover, not being part of the Erasmus+ Programme anymore implies the fact that European students still willing to spend one or two semesters in a British university will be asked to apply as international students and will have to pay the entire tuition — which we are all aware that is really expensive for foreign students.
The United Kingdom seems to have clear in mind the next steps for the future of studying a period abroad despite the concerns of British students. What can be done now is to observe the development of the Turing Scheme in the next months.
Moreover, the current situation does not prevent the United Kingdom from joining the Erasmus+ Programme in the future as a Partner country.
