The future of Erasmus+ is green and inclusive, says European commissioner

by | Dec 16, 2022 | International Education News

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The occasion coincided with the discharge of the Erasmus+ 2021 annual report, through which the 4 precedence areas for the interval of 2021-2027 have been laid out – inclusion and range, atmosphere and local weather change, digital transition and democratic participation.

“2021 was a special year for Erasmus+. It marked the beginning of the new program, one that, with almost double the budget,€28 billion, committed to become greener, more digital and more inclusive. I am proud to say that the new Erasmus+ program reflects the needs and wishes of the citizens of Europe and beyond” mentioned Mariya Gabriel, European commissioner for innovation, analysis, tradition and youth.

In keeping with the report, some 65,000 contributors with fewer alternatives have been supported by this system, making up 10% of the entire quantity of contributors. This contains these with particular wants, these from deprived backgrounds and these from the outermost areas.

Sabine Verheyen, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Tradition and Training mentioned that this is a “big step forward” for this system but in addition highlighted that there is extra to be performed.

In keeping with Juan Rayón González, president of the Erasmus Student Network, crucial factor is to know the boundaries that individuals face to take part.

“How do we do that? It’s actually very simple. We ask them. We need data, we need assessment, we need qualitative data meaning experiences in a structured way. We need qualitative data, using our services, using our tools and then we need to build on that data to create actions and to create policy changes.”

The Green and Inclusive Future of Erasmus+: Insights from the European Comm

Credit score: Erasmus+ annual report 2021

Some €330.3 million of the 2021 funds was spent on tasks supporting the atmosphere and local weather change.

Ute Haller-Block, head of unit for Erasmus+ coordination, DG Training and Tradition, European Fee, mentioned her imaginative and prescient is of a totally inclusive, absolutely green program in 15 years.

“This is the one we have to tackle or start to tackle fully now. We have starts of a strategy, but we really have to contribute to the Green Deal by 2050,” mentioned Haller-Block.

“We have to keep mobility because physical encounters are very important, so we have to look into alternatives. Slow travel is one word I’ve heard, and of course new technologies hopefully will be there to also have greener travel.”

Gabriel acknowledged that though the doubled funds for the brand new program spanning 2021-2027 is welcome information, for her it is extra about how many individuals this system can assist and what number of alternatives it may present with this funds.

The Green and Inclusive Future of Erasmus+: Insights from the European Comm

Credit score: Erasmus+ annual report 2021

On the finish of 2021, the quantity of contributors in mobility actions since 1987, when Erasmus launched, reached 12.5 million

For the 12 months 2021, Eramus+ had a complete funds of €2.9 billion funding round 19,000 tasks and together with 71,000 organisations and near 649,000 contributors in mobility actions.

Different key findings from the report present that 59% of those that benefitted from Erasmus+ in 2021 have been girls.

Sophie Beernaerts, head of division Erasmus+ on the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, highlighted that though the 4 priorities outlined are necessary, this system have to be versatile sufficient to cope with rising wants within the coming years.

“We don’t know what the future will be”

“We don’t know what the future will be,” she mentioned.

Beernaerts gave the Ukrainian disaster for instance of the necessity for such flexibility.

“We really gave a lot of help to educators, professors and learners there. This is something we could not have foreseen,” she mentioned.

In the meantime, Gabriel applauded this system’s skill to react to the “drastic and unexpected” improve in inflation charges.

“Solidarity is an essential part of who we are, because it is one of our core European values,” mentioned Gabriel.

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