A dark blue ripped paper and a photo of a person with the UK flag on their cheek. "The journey of Erasmus+ back to the UK. ESN gathers forces with the Embrace Erasmus Campaign".
Tuesday, 12 March, 2024 - 19:20

ESN International and ESN UK are thrilled to announce that we have joined forces with the European Movement UK campaign - Embrace Erasmus. This campaign also counts on other key partners such as the British Youth Council, the Young European Movement, JEF Europe and ESU. Embrace Erasmus campaign calls for the re-association of the UK’s membership of the Erasmus+ programme to the UK government, ensuring that by rejoining Erasmus+ students will have more opportunities for cooperation and exchange in the areas of education, youth and sport. 

The Erasmus+ programme is a stepping stone for young people to broaden their horizons and develop their personal, professional, and educational competencies. The core of the Erasmus+ programme -  formal and non-formal educational experiences -  enables strong and sustainable understanding between the UK and the EU, with countless benefits to both sides, as the Programme not only contributes significantly to student exchange but also to staff mobility and cooperation projects. 

Working side by side with the Turing Scheme, Embrace Erasmus+ will ensure more inclusivity and accessibility of student mobility opportunities in the whole of Europe, enhancing the internationalisation opportunities of Higher Education. Rejoining Erasmus+ means unlocking additional funding for UK universities and schools, providing them with more opportunities in addition to those already offered by the Turing Scheme.

ESN calls on the UK Government to open negotiations to re-enter the Erasmus+ programme and, together with the EU, work on the creation of a robust roadmap for swift re-integration of the UK into the Erasmus+ programme. 

The European Movement, alongside its partners, including ESN, launched the ‘Embrace Erasmus+’ petition calling on the British government to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme. Since its launch in December, it has garnered over 41,000 signatures, which is a stark sign of the public appetite for the initiative. More information about the Embrace Erasmus campaign, including testimonials from the UK Erasmus Generation, can be found on the official website of the campaign. 

As the leading organisation supporting mobility opportunities for students, ESN will continue advocating for an Erasmus+ programme that is widely available and inclusive, with a focus on expanding the participation of all willing non-EU countries in the Erasmus+ programme.