Citation
(2006), "British students missing out on opportunity to study abroad", Education + Training, Vol. 48 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2006.00448fab.009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
British students missing out on opportunity to study abroad
The number of UK students taking part in the European Union Erasmus university exchange programme in 2004-2005 fell for the second year in succession. There were 7,214 British students taking part, against 7,539 for the previous academic year, according to information compiled by national agencies and published by the European Commission. Throughout Europe as a whole, however, participation rose. Overall, 144,000 students took part in the programme in 2004-2005, up from 135,586 in 2003-2004.
The Erasmus scheme, set up in 1987 as an exchange project among European universities, enables undergraduates to study abroad as part of their degree. Postgraduates and doctoral students are also eligible. Grants are available in many cases. The programme is the European Commission's flagship action in the field of education.
The feedback from UK students who do take up a place on the scheme is positive. Donna Whitelock, from New College, Durham, went to study business management in Helsinki for 16 weeks. She called it a:
...brilliant opportunity, not just adapting to and experiencing another culture and way of life, but also for the travel to Estonia and Sweden. The language wasn't a problem, because the teaching was in English. But I was offered a basic Finnish course to help with everyday life.