Uni dinner celebrates 25 years of Erasmus

**The University has held a Gala dinner to celebrate 25 years of the Erasmus foreign study exchange programme.**

More than 100 students and 50 staff attended the dinner, which featured speeches from Vice-Chancellor Nigel Thrift, Lord Mayor of Coventry Councillor Tim Sawdon, as well as staff from the EU Commission and the British Council, which oversees the scheme in the UK.

Students and staff also spoke about their experiences living and studying abroad as part of the scheme.

Erasmus allows students from all over Europe to study at Universities across the continent with the help of a grant from the European Commission.

Warwick’s programme is one of the largest in the country, sending as many students abroad as it takes in. This is in comparison to other UK Universities, which take more European students than they send out due to language barriers.

According to a recent survey, studying abroad is an attractive prospect for Warwick applicants, which may be due to the strong European links within various departments. The Politics and International Studies department is connected to the ‘Sciences Po’ colleges; France’s elite social science universities.

The 25th anniversary also marks an uncertain future for the programme. This year, Erasmus faced a €90 million shortfall, and with future funding in doubt, it is likely that either student numbers, or the amount of financial reimbursement each student receives, will have to be cut.

Fourth-year French and German student Joe Mccloskey supports the cuts to the programme. He said: “I think they currently overfund students and need to review that, because it would be a huge shame if the programme collapsed.”

Current Erasmus students can expect a minimum of €270 per month in grant money, with more for those living in expensive countries. Underrepresented students, typically those not studying foreign languages, can also expect a €500 ‘widening participation’ grant.

However, fourth-year German and business student Lina Mezapuke disagrees: “I think the level of funding should be increased, the money we received was never enough to survive in a foreign country. Though I recognise that given the current economic climate,that is unlikely.”

According to a report from the European Parliament, 75 percent of former Erasmus students said it helped them find a job, while 50% said the language skills they gained are relevant to their current job.

As one of the EU’s flagship programmes, it is extremely popular among young people across Europe, many of whom develop language and communication skills as well as an interest in European affairs. It looks likely, therefore, that Erasmus will continue in its current form for the foreseeable future.