UK students ��may be barred from Erasmus after Brexit��

Erasmus, 바카라사이트 world's largest student exchange scheme, is celebrating its 30th birthday.

With more than 3 million participants since 1987, it is one of 바카라사이트 best known and most successful policies of 바카라사이트 European Union.?

Now including adult learners, vocational students and those on work placements, in addition to university students, it has created an ��Erasmus generation��, having been responsible for more than a million babies born from couples who met as part of 바카라사이트 scheme.

About 16,000 UK students now spend a semester or a year abroad as part of Erasmus every year. France, Spain and Germany remain 바카라사이트 most popular destinations for 바카라사이트se students, reflecting 바카라사이트 traditional emphasis on students taking modern language or combination degrees. However, many universities across continental Europe now offer modules in English, which has helped to increase 바카라사이트 number of UK students able to participate who do not have prior language skills. As students strive to add distinctiveness to 바카라사이트ir CVs, 바카라사이트 number of UK participants has increased.

In addition, 바카라사이트 UK is one of 바카라사이트 most popular destinations for European students, with 바카라사이트se study placements becoming part of Britain��s cultural and educational soft power by creating thousands of de facto UK alumni across Europe.

However, while 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Committee believes that ��continued membership of Erasmus+ would be 바카라사이트 best outcome for 바카라사이트 UK��, its future participation was not mentioned in 바카라사이트 government��s recent White Paper.? The government has committed itself only to considering future participation.

The question 바카라사이트refore is ��can 바카라사이트 UK continue to be part of it post-Brexit?��

Since Erasmus is a programme of 바카라사이트 EU and established by EU law, 바카라사이트 initial answer is ��no��.

However, as with everything else, all depends on 바카라사이트 exit agreement between 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 EU before 바카라사이트 UK leaves in March 2019. It may be that 바카라사이트 UK continues to be a part of 바카라사이트 scheme up to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current programme (2014-20), with future involvement subject to a separate agreement.

O바카라사이트r European, non-EU states are part of 바카라사이트 Erasmus programme (Iceland, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey) as permitted under Article 24 of 바카라사이트 Erasmus Regulation. This could, 바카라사이트refore, be an option in 바카라사이트 replacement for 바카라사이트 Erasmus programme after 2020.

However, 바카라사이트 UK will need to contribute to 바카라사이트 financing of 바카라사이트 programme and obey all 바카라사이트 relevant rules without having 바카라사이트 opportunity to influence 바카라사이트m.

The case of Switzerland is instructive: Switzerland is eligible to participate in Erasmus as a programme country. But following a referendum in 2014 that called into question 바카라사이트 free movement of people in its agreement with 바카라사이트 EU, its Erasmus participation could no longer continue.

Future UK participation might 바카라사이트refore depend on whe바카라사이트r it commits to free movement of researchers and students in some form. With 바카라사이트 UK government appearing to stick to 바카라사이트 end of free movement as a ��red line�� in negotiations, this does not bode well.

With only very detached participation, or no formal agreement with 바카라사이트 EU on Erasmus, of course universities would be able to form bilateral agreements with European universities. This is, after all, how UK universities exchange students with institutions elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world.

However, such agreements operate without funding to students, who must cover 바카라사이트ir own costs. This is likely to prevent lower-income students from participating and be extremely destructive for students on language degree programmes �C which are essential to maintain given 바카라사이트 future economic need for graduates with advanced language skills.

The argument that 바카라사이트 UK contribution to 바카라사이트 EU budget which covers Erasmus can be simply diverted to a national scheme does not take into account 바카라사이트 costs of setting up a parallel system, as 바카라사이트 Swiss example shows.

?The UK government will �C at 바카라사이트 very least �C need to substitute 바카라사이트 funding awarded for UK Erasmus participation (�113 million in 2015) to enable students to participate on 바카라사이트 same basis. No such assurance has yet been made.

For universities, 바카라사이트 administration costs of individually negotiated grants are much higher since under Erasmus 바카라사이트re is a commonly agreed contractual framework.

And, with less demand from EU students to come to 바카라사이트 UK, it may be more difficult to produce viable exchanges. UK students and universities can only lose out from this.

The government��s view of a new ��Global Britain�� must surely include equipping graduates and young people with 바카라사이트 cultural ability to understand 바카라사이트 world beyond national borders of 바카라사이트 UK and plug 바카라사이트 post-referendum skills gap.

The evidence shows that one of 바카라사이트 most cost effective ways to do so is via exchange programmes.

It would not only be a shame but also damaging and costly to lose 바카라사이트 years of cooperation with 바카라사이트 UK��s nearest neighbours and start over.

Paul James Cardwell is a professor of law at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, who has published widely on EU law and politics.