Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of the scope of the Turing scheme and (b) its ability to replace the European Solidarity Corp.

The Turing Scheme will fund students at UK universities, colleges, training providers and schools to go on study and work placements overseas. Backed by £110 million, it will provide funding for around 35,000 students, a similar number as Erasmus+ outgoing mobility. This means around 20,000 higher education students, 10,000 further education and vocational training students and 5,000 school pupils will be able to benefit, subject to demand, for mobilities to take place from September 2021.

The scheme will be global, allowing students to undertake mobilities to countries around the world.

The Turing Scheme will fund students only, not staff placements (apart from those staff necessary to accompany or chaperone student placements). In considering what elements of the Erasmus+ programme we would immediately replicate under the Turing Scheme, we prioritised ensuring that as many students, learners and pupils as possible have access to life-changing mobilities to support them in developing the skills they need to thrive.

UK universities, colleges, training providers and schools are eligible to bid for funding from the Turing scheme. We have not estimated how many eligible education providers are also charities.

The Turing Scheme is an education mobility scheme. International opportunities for young people outside of formal education settings such as youth activity (similar to that offered under the European Solidarity Corps) are being considered as part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport-led Youth Review, which was commissioned by HM Treasury at the 2020 Spending Review.