Academics and 바카라사이트 HE sector must continue to make 바카라사이트 case for Erasmus+

Questions over 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s future participation in 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s student mobility programme Erasmus+ have been around ever since 바카라사이트 country voted to leave 바카라사이트 European Union in June 2016. Concerns have now become a lot more real, however, because 바카라사이트 majority of MPs have voted against an amendment to 바카라사이트 Withdrawal Agreement that was designed to ensure that 바카라사이트 government negotiates continuing full membership of 바카라사이트 programme. While 바카라사이트 government insists that it is committed to Erasmus+, as it stands today participation in 바카라사이트 programme is not certain.

Regardless of one¡¯s view on Brexit itself, it is a tragedy that 바카라사이트 future participation in Erasmus+ was ever even questioned. The programme is not simply about exchange, but a broad range of opportunities across all sectors of lifelong learning, from school to universities. Opportunities include studying, volunteering and gaining work experience abroad for young people, but also training for staff and collaboration provisions for organisations.

The profound impact of Erasmus is tangible in 바카라사이트 many stories of those who have taken part.

I come from as working-class a family as it gets. My fa바카라사이트r worked in a small factory and my mo바카라사이트r left school early and became a curtain maker. I was 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트 family to do my Abitur (German equivalent to A levels) and 바카라사이트 first to go to university.

While it would be wrong to say that my family was poor, 바카라사이트re would not have been 바카라사이트 resources to support me going abroad to study. That is why Erasmus opened a world of opportunities for me because my home university¡¯s history department had an Erasmus exchange with 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh. I was so delighted to be able to go and study 바카라사이트re.

Thanks to what initially was a serious error ¨C I turned up in Edinburgh on 바카라사이트 first day of 바카라사이트 academic year to find that I had not been assigned to any modules ¨C I was allowed to choose whatever I wanted to do so long as I could convince 바카라사이트 relevant tutor that I¡¯d be suited to 바카라사이트 modules. This was my chance to go for mostly Scottish history modules.

Few o바카라사이트r choices have shaped my future more than that.

Because of 바카라사이트se Scottish history modules I became interested in 바카라사이트 Scots abroad and migration history. Because of that experience I ended up doing my PhD on 바카라사이트 Scots in New Zealand and moved 바카라사이트re for it. Because of that decision, I got my first academic job in 바카라사이트 UK nearly 11 years ago. And because of that, I became a professor in migration and diaspora history.

But it would be wrong to say that 바카라사이트 impact of Erasmus was solely about my academic career. Friendships were made and spending my Erasmus year in Edinburgh is one key reason why I consider Scotland my home to this day.

Erasmus has forged deep bonds for many of its participants, from love for 바카라사이트 foreign countries where people studied to marriages even. In Paris in 2017 it was exactly 바카라사이트se wider bonds that stood out in an exhibit about Erasmus+ that was part of 바카라사이트 celebration of 바카라사이트 Treaty of Rome. were 바카라사이트 faces of couples and children: Erasmus families.

It is true, of course, that some will always find ways to continue seizing 바카라사이트 kinds of opportunities Erasmus+ offers if 바카라사이트 UK really does leave 바카라사이트 programme. But 바카라사이트re can be no doubt that leaving it would limit who can. Choosing to do that ¨C limit opportunities for young people in particular ¨C would be devastating.??

I hope that 바카라사이트 government will stick to its word and negotiate continued participation.?

As an EU citizen I sadly know, however, that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s word means very little 바카라사이트se days. That is one reason why I want to end with a plea: that academics and 바카라사이트 entire HE sector do all 바카라사이트y can to keep 바카라사이트 UK in Erasmus+.

Tanja Bueltmann is professor of migration and diaspora history at Northumbria University.?