Record Number of UK Students Study or Work Abroad in Europe with Erasmus

More UK students than ever before are choosing to work or study for up to a year in Europe through the Erasmus programme, according to the latest statistics released today by the British Council.
The number of UK students participating in the programme has risen by 6.5 per cent since 2010/11. In the last academic year, 2011/12, UK students undertook 13,668 periods of study or work-placement, the highest number since the programme was launched in 1987.
The Erasmus programme also enables staff at Higher Education institutions to teach or train through short secondments in another European country and 2011/12 saw 2,185 staff taking up this opportunity, the largest number of staff participating to date from the UK.
David Hibler, Erasmus programme manager for the British Council, said ”This is a fantastic achievement for the programme, for higher education institutions and UK students. UK and international employers are increasingly telling us that they value graduates with the sort of skills and experience that Erasmus can give. Taking part in Erasmus is a life-changing experience which can have a positive effect on students’ long-term career prospects. Not only does the programme provide financial assistance for students but the experience helps them to get better degrees and to stand out in the job market.”
This year is the 25th anniversary of the Erasmus programme, that is funded by the European Union. For many years there was persistent decline in the rate of participation of UK students in Erasmus, but this is the sixth successive annual increase in UK participation rates, since the British Council took over the management of the programme in the UK. More...