Funding of the current Erasmus Programme

Over the last weeks, there has been media coverage concerning funding of the European Commission’s current Erasmus mobility Programme, which is part of the Lifelong Learning Programme (2007-2013).
The EC has this week (16 October) in response published a memo on this issue, in the form of an FAQ which outlines the origins of the ‘current funding problem for Erasmus’, what this means for Erasmus students, and what it is trying to do to solve the problem. More information is available here.
According to the EC, the situation “does not threaten current grants and there should be no problems for students studying or on a job placement abroad either now or in the coming semester”. However, if no longer-term solution is found, it says “serious problems will appear later in 2013”. The Commission says it will request the Member States and the European Parliament to find a solution before the end of the year.
EUA will continue to follow this issue very closely and urges the relevant authorities to resolve this problem as quickly as possible for the Erasmus Programme, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Click here to read a news article published by EUA earlier this year (for the 25th anniversary) outlining its support for Erasmus and for improving mobility.