Bid to boost take-up of Erasmus

Date: 03/08/00

By John Shelley

THE EU's programme for helping young people study abroad is elitist and only half of the places available are actually taken up, according to a new parliamentary report.

MEPs are expected to call on the European Commission to improve the Erasmus programme when they consider its progress at their plenary session in September.

A study has revealed that more than half the students who have taken part in the scheme faced financial problems during their time abroad. "The findings of the report show there are easy and practical ways we can improve the scheme and make it a more attractive option," said UK Conservative MEP Chris Heaton-Harris, author of the Parliament's report.

The Erasmus programme was set up in 1987 to encourage students to spend time studying in EU countries other than their own. The project provides part funding of about €120 a month per student and arranges the mutual recognition of studies and diplomas between foreign universities. The initial aim of the scheme was to get 10% of all Union students to study for part of their degree in another member state. But in 1997, ten years into the programme, the figure was still only around 1%.

The survey of past students also reveals that the scheme is mostly used by higher income groups and not those who most need cash support. Two-thirds of Erasmus students' parents are employed in managerial, professional or technical jobs and almost half of those who take part assess their parents' income as above average. In addition, only about half of the annual 180,000 or so places are taken up at all.

In his report, Heaton-Harris calls on the Commission to do more to encourage young people from all backgrounds and member states to take part in the scheme and look at ways of providing more support to those who do by, for example, arranging reductions in fares and accommodation allowances.

The EU's programme for helping young people study abroad is elitist and only half of the places available are actually taken up, according to a new parliamentary report.