- €187 millionreserved for UK schools, colleges, universities and youth organisations;
- Erasmus+ boosts skills and employability for UK young people;
- Drives innovation in UK education and youth work
The European Commission (EC) has announced that UK education and youth organisations will benefit from €187 million of EC funding through the Erasmus+ programme in 2019 – an increase from €170m this year.
As well as opportunities for young people, Erasmus+ enables UK teachers, academics, youth workers and education staff to teach or train abroad, and to work with international partners to drive innovation and excellence in education and youth work.
Director Jane Racz, Erasmus+ UK National Agency said: “Erasmus+ will enable around 250,000 young people from the UK to explore new countries and cultures, develop new skills and boost their employability. In 2019, €187 million will be available to the UK. We strongly encourage organisations across the nation to apply, so that more young people benefit from international experiences. The funding will also help organisations to form partnerships across Europe and beyond, to internationalise education, training and youth work and address common issues such as youth unemployment and social integration.”
The Erasmus+ programme also supports social mobility as well as offering additional funding to participants who have disabilities or special educational needs. Fifty-five percent of UK young people awarded Erasmus+ funding for volunteering or youth exchanges were from disadvantaged backgrounds or had additional needs. [European Commission 2015 annual report]
The Erasmus+ UK National Agency and the UK Government encourage UK organisations to continue to bid for Erasmus+ funding.
ENDS
UK organisations can apply for funding at www.erasmusplus.org.uk. More information can be found on the Erasmus+ UK National Agency Brexit updatewebpage.
The programme is managed for the UK by the Erasmus+ UK National Agency, a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK.
For more information, please contact Nicola.norton@britishcouncil.org
About Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is the European Union programme for more than 4 million young people to study, gain work experience or volunteer abroad. Erasmus+ is also designed to modernise education, training, youth work and sport across Europe, through strategic partnerships and through opportunities for staff and professionals to train or exchange experience. The current programme runs from 2014-2020 with a budget of €14.7 billion across Europe.
The programme is managed in the UK by the Erasmus+ UK National Agency, which is a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK.
For further information visit www.erasmusplus.org.uk or follow @erasmusplusuk on Twitter.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We work with over 100 countries in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Last year we reached over 65 million people directly and 731 million people overall including online, broadcasts and publications. We make a positive contribution to the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust. Founded in 1934 we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We receive 15 per cent core funding grant from the UK government.
About Ecorys UK
Ecorys is an international research and consultancy company focused on finding and delivering the right solutions to society’s challenges. At Ecorys UK we’re researchers, policy experts, programme managers and communication specialists with a genuine interest in tackling the issues that affect communities around the world. From research and analysis through to programme management and digital communications, we give our clients the advice and hands-on support they need to achieve their goals. Further information from www.uk.ecorys.com