The idea was to share knowledge and create friendships across nations in Europe (the EU and outside the EU too).
Europe is full of all different nations, with lots of different languages and cultures. Remember, less than 100 years ago, some of those nations were at war with each other. Erasmus+ can be seen as a peace mission. It’s an opportunity for young people to visit other countries and to get to know how those countries work, exchanging knowledge too.
A massive exchange programme, the biggest in the world, it costs billions and billions of Euros every year. European governments spend that money to make sure that young people up to the age of 30 (there are adult programmes too) get to visit another country and see how a different culture works. It’s a tremendous success too.
Obviously, the best way of experiencing a different country isn’t to visit a resort. The best way is for foreign students to immerse themselves in a different way of life. To interact with the locals, to work at a company, to live there and to see and do day-to-day things.
The funding that we obtain for schools, colleges and NGOs we work with is for students to take part in these Erasmus+ experiences. They get to stay in another European country for at least 2 weeks, perhaps 12 weeks and even up to half a year. Mainly, they live in an apartment, they are given a job to do as an intern which relates to their education and they see how other people live in that country. All of those ingredients make it really special but what makes it extra special is the bond it creates between Europeans; it really is a peace mission!
See Markus Bichler, the CEO of TravelEdventures discuss this topic here on this YouTube link.
You want to learn more about How to Participate in an Erasmus+ Project Within a Group and what it takes to develop a Erasmus+ mobility project? Download our free E-BOOK or get in contact with us at TravelEdventures and we will guide you and your colleagues through this exciting journey.
If you are from the United Kingdom, you don’t need to feel sorry, because there is a funding programme that is designed for UK students in order to give them the equal chance: it’s called Turing Scheme. Read more about the Turing Scheme on our blog: