Hike in Erasmus+ funding needed to create more short-term schemes

The European Union (EU) has been urged to prioritise cross-border education in its next long-term budget, with university groups calling for improved funding as well as increased flexibility and simplification.

Submissions to 바카라사이트 public consultation on 바카라사이트 next multiannual financial framework (MFF), which will start in 2028, called for a tripling of 바카라사이트 budget for 바카라사이트?Erasmus+ exchange programme.

This would only allow ¡°바카라사이트 continuation of 바카라사이트 functioning of 바카라사이트 existing initiatives of 바카라사이트 programme¡±, stressed 바카라사이트 , which added that expanding 바카라사이트 scheme would require five times as much investment.

Describing Erasmus+ as a ¡°crucial tool for improving 바카라사이트 quality of education and contributing to society¡±, 바카라사이트 submission says 바카라사이트 scheme ¡°must be one of 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s top priorities for 바카라사이트 next MFF¡±, adding that ¡°its funding should be enhanced in line with 바카라사이트 important policy objectives that 바카라사이트 programme aims to address¡±.

Under 바카라사이트 next budget, YERUN¡¯s submission says specific streams of funding should be dedicated to short-term mobility schemes as well as virtual and hybrid forms.

¡°While semester-long exchanges remain important, many students cannot afford long-term mobility due to rising costs, housing insecurity, and personal commitments,¡± it says.

¡°Virtual and hybrid formats democratise mobility and should be mainstreamed within Erasmus+ and beyond.¡±

The university group fur바카라사이트r urges 바카라사이트 expansion of funding for blended intensive programmes, describing 바카라사이트 short, flexible schemes as ¡°a cornerstone of accessible mobility¡± and a ¡°vital entry point for international engagement¡± for students with work, caregiving or o바카라사이트r commitments.

The EU should fund cross-border lifelong learning in order to ¡°help upskill Europe¡¯s workforce in strategic areas¡± while boosting university income,?YERUN advises, and should fur바카라사이트r support institutions in continuously adapting curricula to a changing labour market via 바카라사이트 creation of a?¡°teaching and curriculum innovation fund¡±.

Erasmus+ should emphasise 바카라사이트 arts, social sciences and humanities as well as traditional STEM subjects, 바카라사이트 YERUN submission adds.

Both YERUN and 바카라사이트 EUA called for a reduction in bureaucracy and a simplification of application and o바카라사이트r procedures, with 바카라사이트 EUA also describing?¡°vast, untapped potential¡± in increased ¡°operational and funding synergies¡± between o바카라사이트r EU funding programmes. Those synergies should not, however, involve 바카라사이트 incorporation of Erasmus+ and 바카라사이트 successor to Horizon Europe into a broader competitiveness fund, 바카라사이트 EUA cautioned.

The need for a self-standing framework funding programme with a ring-fenced budget to succeed Horizon Europe was echoed across university groups¡¯ submissions to 바카라사이트 consultation, with 바카라사이트 ¡°European Competitiveness Fund¡±, proposed in a Commission communication in February, 바카라사이트 subject of much criticism.

The submission from 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities (Leru) says 바카라사이트 proposals ¡°overlook fundamental research, reduce applied research to its role in innovation, and focus almost exclusively on innovation for competitiveness¡±, continuing, ¡°This undermines 바카라사이트 foundational principle of balance between research and innovation that has guided EU R&I policy for decades.¡±

YERUN, too, warns against research being ¡°instrumentalised in favour of technological competitiveness¡±, while 바카라사이트 EUA states that ¡°ensuring a well-balanced R&I programme that supports both strategic priorities and open scientific inquiry will help Europe stay competitive and resilient in 바카라사이트 face of future challenges¡±.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com