Embracing Erasmus+

Our friends at the Young European Movement have launched their "Embrace Erasmus" campaign with the British Youth Council and are calling on the British Government to restore the UK's membership of the Erasmus+ programme which ended in 2020, despite previous promises of its continuation.

Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme for education, training, youth and sport. It supports learning mobility, cooperation and innovation across Europe and beyond. Erasmus+ aims to enhance the skills and employability of learners, as well as to promote the modernisation and internationalisation of education and training systems. Until Brexit, UK citizens could take part 

Erasmus+ offers opportunities for individuals and organisations to participate in various activities, such as:

- Studying, working or volunteering abroad for students, staff and youth workers
- Taking part in joint projects with partner organisations from different countries
- Developing new curricula, teaching methods or learning materials
- Sharing best practices and exchanging ideas with peers and experts
- Engaging in policy dialogue and advocacy at local, national and European levels

Probably best known for its student exchanges, Erasmus+ is, in fact, open to people of all ages and backgrounds, from school pupils to adult learners, from teachers to trainers, from youth workers to policymakers. Erasmus+ also supports the participation of people with fewer opportunities or special needs.

Erasmus+ has a budget of €26.2 billion for the period 2021-2027, which is almost double the amount of the previous programme (2014-2020). This will enable more than 10 million European Citizens to benefit from Erasmus+ in the next seven years.

The Liberal Democrats clearly stated in 2022 that the party supports re-joining Erasmus+

The YEM have set up a petition for signing at this link.