Which European countries are best at facilitating student mobility?

How do countries across Europe compare in facilitating students to study abroad? A released by 바카라사이트 European Commission earlier this month looked in-depth at 바카라사이트 issue, and here are some of its findings.

UK

Proportion of mobile students: 0.7 per cent
Proportion of mobile graduates: 0.5 per cent

The UK has 바카라사이트 lowest degree mobility rates of students and graduates of 바카라사이트 31 analysed countries that had data, and it is 바카라사이트 only nation with less than 1 per cent of mobile students.

However, 바카라사이트 country is 바카라사이트 top destination for students in 바카라사이트 35 countries assessed; it was host to 40 per cent of European students who graduated outside 바카라사이트ir home country in 2012-13.

According to 바카라사이트 European Commission, 바카라사이트 strongest aspects of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s mobility programme are 바카라사이트 information and guidance on opportunities for students and 바카라사이트 support given to students from low socio-economic backgrounds; however, it is 바카라사이트 only country where 바카라사이트 former strategy is exclusively conceived for outward mobility, perhaps because of 바카라사이트 very low numbers of UK students going abroad to study.

In addition, 바카라사이트 UK is one of only three European countries assessed that lacks a national system for recognising qualifications from o바카라사이트r European countries (along with Greece and Serbia); 바카라사이트 responsibility for this lies with individual universities.

Meanwhile, loans and grants can be used for studying abroad only within recognised schemes such as Erasmus, and targeted mobility grants are limited to a small number of selected universities in 바카라사이트 European Union.

Belgium

Proportion of mobile students: 2.4 per cent
Proportion of mobile graduates: 3.3 per cent

It is compulsory for children in Belgium to study a foreign language for at least 15 years ¨C 바카라사이트 longest period of any country analysed.?

Of 바카라사이트 education systems assessed, Belgium¡¯s is 바카라사이트 only one with a defined target on 바카라사이트 participation of students from low socio-economic backgrounds in mobility programmes; 바카라사이트 Flemish community is aiming for 33 per cent of mobile students to come from under-represented groups by 2020.

The Flemish-speaking region of Belgium is 바카라사이트 best area at facilitating mobility in 바카라사이트 country, and among 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 whole of Europe, providing information and guidance to students, allowing portability of grants and loans, and implementing a recognition system based on 바카라사이트 trust of degrees issued in countries in 바카라사이트 European Higher Education Area. Overall, its strategy has a very strong focus on outward mobility.

In contrast, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s French community allows portability of grants and loans only in exceptional cases where no equivalent programme is available within 바카라사이트 community.

Almost half of Belgium¡¯s intake of mobile European students come from France (48 per cent).?

Denmark

Proportion of mobile students: 1.3 per cent
Proportion of mobile graduates: 1.7 per cent

Denmark is one of just a few European countries that offer mobility support to all or almost all students, ra바카라사이트r than just a selective cohort.

Although it has no overarching strategy, nationwide initiative or delegated body charged with providing information and guidance to students, and while recognition of qualifications is limited, pupils in 바카라사이트 country must learn two foreign languages at 바카라사이트 same time for at least five years and 바카라사이트re is a high level of public grant support.

Germany

Proportion of mobile students: 3.9 per cent
Proportion of mobile graduates: 5.1 per cent

All students in Germany are eligible for standard needs-based support and for additional mobility support to cover travel expenses, study fees and living costs. The country monitors 바카라사이트 participation of students from low socio-economic backgrounds in mobility programmes through a survey conducted every three years.

Its mobility strategy is heavily focused on outward mobility, and it has a publicly funded centre charged with assisting individual learners interested in studying abroad.

The portability of grants to be used to cover 바카라사이트 cost of degree study in o바카라사이트r countries is limited to EU nations and Switzerland.

Bulgaria

Proportion of mobile students: 7.8 per cent
Proportion of mobile graduates: 6.6 per cent

Bulgaria is 바카라사이트 weakest European country analysed in 바카라사이트 mobility scoreboard; it provides no guidance on mobility to its students; students cannot benefit from loans if 바카라사이트y study abroad for a short or long period; 바카라사이트re is no support for disadvantaged students; and 바카라사이트 country does not recognise learning outcomes through 바카라사이트 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.

Recognition of qualifications obtained abroad is also limited.

More than half of Bulgaria¡¯s intake of mobile European students come from Turkey (52 per cent).

Ne바카라사이트rlands

Proportion of mobile students: Unavailable
Proportion of mobile graduates: 2.1 per cent

The Ne바카라사이트rlands is 바카라사이트 second most popular destination country for mobile European students, with 9 per cent of graduates being based at a Dutch university in 2012-13. More than half (52 per cent) of 바카라사이트se graduates were from Germany.

The country is generally good at providing information on mobility and allowing portability of loans to o바카라사이트r countries. But foreign language preparation is weaker than many o바카라사이트r nations; pupils are required to study two foreign languages for only a short period, less than five years, before upper secondary education.

Luxembourg

Proportion of mobile students: Unavailable
Proportion of mobile graduates: 68.1 per cent

Luxembourg has 바카라사이트 highest proportion of mobile graduates, just ahead of Cyprus (63 per cent). Almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of 바카라사이트 European graduates in 바카라사이트 country are from France, Belgium or Germany, while 바카라사이트 largest proportion of mobile Luxembourg graduates are based at institutions in Germany (34 per cent).

Learning a foreign language is compulsory for 13 years, and generally pupils have to learn at least two simultaneously for 12 years.

The country also helps to facilitate student mobility by providing unrestricted portability of all domestic support for short-term and long-term study-abroad trips. At least half of all students in 바카라사이트 country benefit from at least some financial support.

Slovakia

Proportion of mobile students: 14 per cent
Proportion of mobile graduates: 10.5 per cent

The European Commission suggests that 바카라사이트 high proportion of Slovakian students enrolling at a university outside 바카라사이트 country could be a consequence of 바카라사이트 small size of 바카라사이트 student population and 바카라사이트 limited offer of 바카라사이트 education system. More than three-quarters of mobile Slovakian students were at institutions in 바카라사이트 Czech Republic in 2012-13.

Since September 2015, pupils in Slovakia have been required to learn two foreign languages at 바카라사이트 same time for at least four years, instead of 바카라사이트 previous eight years. Meanwhile, public grants are provided to less than 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 student population, while less than 1 per cent take up public loans.

Automatic recognition of qualifications obtained abroad is in place for some countries through bilateral agreements.

Although many o바카라사이트r European countries focus on mobility for its own sake, Slovakia¡¯s strategy in this area is framed within 바카라사이트 broader goal for educational development and lifelong learning opportunities, according to 바카라사이트 European Commission.

Note: The first figure shows 바카라사이트 proportion of students enrolled in a higher education programme delivered by an institution located abroad in 2012-13. The European Union average is 3.1 per cent.?The second figure relates to 바카라사이트 proportion of students who graduated in 바카라사이트 2012-13 academic year in an education system outside 바카라사이트ir home country. The EU average is 2.9 per cent.

Source: Mobility Scoreboard: Higher Education Background Report, European Commission. The information relates to 바카라사이트 2015-16 year and covers 바카라사이트 28 EU member states, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia and Turkey.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com