The Erasmus Programme (EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students), a.k.a. Erasmus Project is a European Union (EU) student exchange programme established in 1987. It forms a major part of the EU Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013, and is the operational framework for the European Commission's initiatives in higher education.
The Erasmus Programme, together with a number of other independent Programmes, was incorporated into theSocrates programme established by the European Commission in 1994. The Socrates programme ended on 31 December 1999 and was replaced with the Socrates II Programme on 24 January 2000, which in turn was replaced by theLifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 on 1 January 2007.
History
Origins of the name
The Programme is named after the Dutch philosopherDesiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, known as an opponent ofdogmatism, who lived and worked in many places in Europe to expand his knowledge and gain new insights, and who left his fortune to theUniversity of Basel inSwitzerland. At the same time, ERASMUS is abackronym meaning European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students.
1987 European Commission proposal
By the time the Erasmus Programme was adopted in June 1987, theEuropean Commission had been supporting pilot student exchanges for 6 years. It proposed the original Erasmus Programme in early 1986, but reaction from the then Member States varied: those with substantial exchange Programmes of their own (essentially France, Germany and the United Kingdom) were broadly hostile; the remaining countries were broadly in favour. Exchanges between theMember States andManuel Marín, the responsible member of theEuropean Commission deteriorated, and the latter withdrew the proposal in early 1987 to protest against the inadequacy of the triennial budget proposed by some Member States. AEGEE,Association des États Généraux des Étudiants de l'Europe, persuades French president François Mitterrand to support funding for the Erasmus programme, a student exchange program financed by the European Commission. In the next few months a compromise was worked out with a majority of Member States, and the Programme was adopted by simple majority in June 1987.
European Court of Justice decision
This method of voting was not accepted by some of the opposing Member States, who challenged the adoption of the decision before theEuropean Court of Justice. Although the Court held that the adoption was procedurally flawed, it maintained the substance of the decision; a further decision, adapted in the light of the jurisprudence, was rapidly adopted by theCouncil of Ministers.
Adoption and growth
The Programme built on the 1981–1986 pilot student exchanges, and although it was formally adopted only shortly before the beginning of the academic year 1987/8, it was still possible for 3,244 students to participate in Erasmus in its first year. In 2006, over 150,000 students, or almost 1% of the European student population, took part. The proportion is higher among university teachers, where Erasmus teacher mobility is 1.9% of the teacher population in Europe, or 20,877 people.[citation needed]
In the past twenty years, over two million students[1] have benefited from Erasmus grants, and the European Commission aims to reach a total of 3 million by 2012.[citation needed]
Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013
TheLifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 replaced the Socrates programme as the overall umbrella under which the Erasmus (and other) Programmes operate from 2007.
Citizens' initiative for more money 2014–2020
On May 9, 2012,Fraternité 2020 was registered as Europe's firstEuropean Citizens' Initiative. Its goal is to get 3% of the EU budget for EU exchange programmes like Erasmus from 2014 (the share currently is 1.2%). To be successful it needs to collect 1 million signatures until November 1, 2013.
Erasmus and Erasmus MUNDUS
EuMAS, an Erasmus Mundus Programme
TheErasmus Mundus Programme is another, parallel Programme that is oriented towards globalising European education. Whereas the Erasmus Programme is open to Europeans, the Erasmus Mundus is open to non-Europeans with Europeans being exceptional cases. A typical example of an educational Programme under the Erasmus Mundus areEuMAS andWISHES.
Participation
There are currently more than 4,000 higher institutions participating in Erasmus across the 33 countries involved in the Erasmus programme and over 2.2 million students[2] have already taken part.
Requirements
To participate in the Erasmus Programme students must be studying for a degree or diploma at a tertiary-level institution and must have completed their first year.
Details
Students who join the Erasmus Programme study or do an internship for a period of at least 3 months to an academic year in another European country. The Erasmus Programme guarantees that the period spent abroad is recognised by their university when they come back as long as they abide by terms previously agreed.
There continues to be a language barrier between the countries of Europe. Lectures may be given to ERASMUS students in the native language of the university where they are taking place or in English.
A main part of the Programme is that students do not pay extra tuition fees to the university that they visit. Students can also apply for an Erasmus grant to help cover the additional expense of living abroad. Students with disabilities can also apply for additional grant to cover extraordinary expenses. The disability dimension is a part of EU work to promote opportunities for the disabled.
As in the 2002 Brussels agreement, the Erasmus programme guaranties all the loan and grant of the student from their origin country. Countries will continue paying loans on the same level as in the origin country, no matter of inflation rate in study-country. Some extra bursses can be applied as well. But tuition fee has to be paid by origin country with the same amount paid-expectation, no matter of price ratio in the study-country.
In order to reduce expenses and increase mobility, many students also use the European Commission-supported accommodation network,CasaSwap,Erasmate or Student Mundial which are free websites where students and young people can rent, sublet, offer and swap accommodation – on a national and international basis. A derived benefit is that students can share knowledge and exchange tips and hints with each other before and after going abroad.
Fields of study of Erasmus programme include (but not limited to) Agriculture science, Architecture, urban and regional planning, Business Studies, Management Sciences, Education, Teacher Training, Engineering, Technology, Geography, Geology, Law, Medical Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.[3]
Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Asia Regional targeted students and scholars from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, The Philippines, and Vietnam. TheErasmus Mundus Action 2 for South African citizens is a joint of 7 European and 5 South African universities.
How to Get a Scholarship
Erasmus Mundus regularly gives out scholarships to the people they think would best use it. And it’s not just students who can benefit from these scholarships. They also give out scholarships to academics who want to teach or advance some form of research program. There’s a strict Erasmus Mundus application process to follow, though, which is why the general process is outlined below.
Masters and Doctorates
Applying for a scholarship for a master or doctorate is simple. As long as you are a student you can apply for the scholarship. Currently, funding is open to students from all over the world.
- Begin by searching for a course which interests you. Visit the Erasmus Mundus website for an updated list of its current courses.
- Select the course which interests you.
- Apply directly through the Erasmus Mundus website.
- Make sure you apply before the deadline. The next application round for courses beginning in 2013 and ending in 2014 ends after January 2013. Apply any time up until the end of this month to make sure your application is taken forward.
Erasmus Partnerships
These scholarships are in association with partnered European and international education institutions. The Erasmus Mundus organization accepts applications from students and academics looking to research or teach in a partner institution. These scholarships cover a wide range of qualifications, from undergraduate to doctorate.
- Check via the Erasmus Mundus website where partnership scholarships are available. It only features a certain number of scholarships per country per application cycle.
- Pay a visit to the partnership institution’s website to see which courses they have on offer. Scholarships are only available for certain courses.
- Apply through the partner’s website, or if you are already registered with a partnership institution contact the International Office.
- New partnerships appear in September. But the application cycles vary heavily for each scholarship due to the different academic years for each institution. Check the relevant partner’s website for the deadline.
Fees
When applying there is occasionally certain administrative fees applied. Read the small print and the terms and conditions carefully to avoid being caught out when applying.[4]
Statistics
According to EUROSTAT for the academic year 2009-2010, United Kingdom received 22,650 foreign students (for study and placement); the country is third in hosting students (respectively, after Spain and France).
Following countries sent the majority of the students to UK:
-
France 6.238 27,54% -
Germany 3.976 17,55% -
Spain 3.489 15,40% -
Italy 1.758 7,76% -
Netherlands 1.192 5,26% -
Poland 782 3,45% -
Finland 590 2,60% -
Sweden 538 2,38% -
Czech Republic 532 2,35% -
Denmark 490 2,16% -
.svg/22px-Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg.png)
Belgium 472 2,08% -
Austria 453 2,00% -
Turkey 303 1,34% -
Ireland 238 1,05%
The number of British Erasmus students were 11,723 (for study and placement), placing the UK, sixth (respectively after, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland) on erasmus outgoing.
They went mostly to:
- France 3.838 32,74%
- Spain 2.689 22,94%
- Germany 1.668 14,23%
- Italy 868 7,40%
- Netherlands 461 3,93%
- Sweden 313 2,67%
- Austria 257 2,19%
- Belgium 242 2,06%
- Finland 230 1,96%
- Denmark 199 1,70%
- Czech Republic 146 1,25%
- Ireland 134 1,14%
-
Norway 128 1,09%
The Universities of UK that hosted the highest number of Erasmus students were:
The "Erasmus experience"
Cultural phenomenon
For many European students, the Erasmus Programme is their first time living and studying abroad. Hence, it has become a cultural phenomenon and is very popular among European students, going on to become the subject of movies such as French film L'Auberge espagnole and guidebook Erasmus, Here I Come![5]
The Programme fosters not only learning and understanding of the host country, but also a sense of community among students from different countries and it can be hard to know what one might expect.[citation needed] The Erasmus experience is considered both a time for learning as well as a chance to socialize.
Tutors are often keen for students of subjects such as Politics orInternational Relations to participate in Erasmus. It is seen as a great opportunity to study abroad while not having the expense of studying outside theEuropean Union as the grant available to Erasmus students are not available to those opting to leave the continent to study. Simply having Erasmus on one'scurriculum vitae is seen as being a very positive thing because that one word explains the whole experience of studying abroad.[citation needed]
Some academics have speculated that former Erasmus students will prove to be a powerful force in creating apan-European identity. The political scientistStefan Wolff, for example, has argued that "Give it 15, 20 or 25 years, and Europe will be run by leaders with a completely different socialization from those of today", referring to the so-called 'Erasmus generation'.[6]
