Explained: Why UK is rejoining EU’s student exchange programme after Brexit
The UK is rejoining the EU's Erasmus student-exchange program from 2027, marking a significant post-Brexit policy shift to strengthen ties with the bloc. This move allows UK and EU students to study or train across borders without extra fees, repairing education landscapes impacted by Brexit and previous acrimony.
New Delhi: Nearly four years after its exit from the European Union, the United Kingdom is putting its best foot forward to maintain a strong relationship with the European Union. In a move to gain an advantage from the EU’s flagship student exchange programme, Th UK is highlighting a shift in its post-Brexit approach.
Britain will again rejoin the EU's Erasmus student-exchange programme in a major step for efforts to reset the UK's post-Brexit relations with the 27-nation bloc. The higher education institutions in the UK and college students, along with apprentices, will be able to study or train in the EU countries under the programme without paying extra foreign-student fees from January 2027. While, the students from the EU countries will also be able to study in the UK.
Student mobility marks UK–EU patch-up
The agreement between the UK and EU also covers opportunities to pursue education or train abroad for school pupils, adult learners, educators and sports coaches.
PTI quoted Britain's EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the agreement "is a huge win for our young people, breaking down barriers and widening horizons to ensure everyone, from every background, has the opportunity to study and train abroad.”
The United Kingdom will pay about 570 million pounds (USD 860 million) for the first year, with the cost for future years to be set later.
This flagship EU's Erasmus student-exchange programme, believed to be a four-decade-old initiative, is one of the most popular achievements. It has allowed millions of young Europeans to pursue education in other countries. The programme also welcomes several non-EU countries, such as Iceland and Norway.
Political hurdles are far from...
In 2016, the United Kingdom decided to exit from the EU and left in 2020. This has also impacted the higher education landscape by closing doors for British citizens to live and study, besides working in the EU freely. Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson also pulled Britain out of the student exchange programme, saying it was not good value for money.
After becoming the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer is working on improving/repairing ties with the EU, which were strained by years of acrimony over Brexit. In May, the UK and the EU also announced new agreements on trade, travel and defence.