Government prepares Erasmus replacement scheme

Brexit has thrown the UK's future involvement in the Erasmus+ youth study and training scheme into doubt, when the current phase ends in 2020.

A House of Lords EU home affairs select committee report in February urged the government to negotiate the UK's inclusion in the next phase, which runs from 2021 to 2027, as an associated third country. It also called on ministers to consider setting up their own scheme if this failed.

Speaking during a House of Lords debate on the report, government whip Viscount Younger of Leckie said that the government has already started work developing a UK scheme to be enacted should the UK not be involved in the next phase of Erasmus, which funds young people in the European Union to study and train in other member states.

"I can assure the House that the government understand the value that international mobility can bring and are currently driving forward work on domestic alternative options to support it," he said.

Viscount Younger also suggested that such an alternative scheme could have advantages over Erasmus, as it can be tailored to the UK's needs and the government can ensure it offers taxpayers value for money.

He notes that through Erasmus+ the UK hosts twice as many incoming students as it sends to European countries and the UK's contribution to the scheme "currently exceeds its share of receipts".

"The potential benefit of the UK establishing its own international mobility scheme is the ability to tailor the scheme to UK needs and target the funding where it is most needed," he said.

"Of course, whatever international mobility scheme we are part of in the future, the government will want to ensure value for money for the taxpayer."

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Despite early progress in setting up a UK alternative, Viscount Younger stressed that the government is interested in participating in the next Erasmus phase, which is set to have a greater focus on school exchange opportunities.

"The UK is very interested in exploring future participation in the Erasmus+ successor scheme for the period 2021 to 2027," he said.

"I understand that the successor scheme will include increased school exchange opportunities and a greater emphasis on widening participation. The government have welcomed proposals on this and will continue to participate in discussions while we remain in the EU."

He added: "We will continue to consider the emerging proposals carefully, and whether the UK will participate in the future programme, and on what basis, will be subject to wider negotiations on the UK's future relationship with the EU."

The House of Lords committee's report highlighted the importance of Erasmus to disadvantaged young people, including those with disabilities, who would struggle to study or train abroad without funding.

It also called for clarification on whether places would be funded until 2020 should the UK leave Europe without a deal.

Lord Younger confirmed that successful bids for the current phase of Erasmus+, as well as scientific research programme Horizon 2020, will be underwritten by the government in a no-deal scenario.

"The government are preparing for every eventuality, and in the event of no deal the government will underwrite funding for successful bids submitted to Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 before the end of 2020," he said.

"For the avoidance of doubt, this guarantee would apply for the lifetime of projects. This sizeable funding pledge will be not part of, but additional to, funding already committed in existing departmental budgets."

Speaking in the debate, EU home affairs select committee chair Lord Jay praised the work of Erasmus+ in offering a wide range of studying and training opportunities to young people.

"For participants, going on an Erasmus placement leads to better employment outcomes, increased confidence and independent thinking and greater cultural awareness," he said.