Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on ensuring that UK students have opportunities to attend universities abroad for a year through (a) the Erasmas Programme and (b) other programmes once the UK leaves the EU.

The government has made clear that we value international exchange and collaboration in education and training as part of our vision for a global Britain. We support initiatives for our young people to gain international experience, both through study and work placements abroad, to increase their language skills and cultural awareness, and improve their life chances and employability.

Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will continue to benefit from all EU programmes, including Erasmus+, until the end of the current budget plan. In the government’s white paper on the future relationship between the UK and the EU we propose that the UK and the EU should continue to give young people and students the chance to benefit from each other’s world leading universities. The UK is therefore open to exploring participation in the successor scheme to Erasmus+, on the basis of a fair ongoing contribution.

Ultimately, future UK participation in the successor Erasmus programme is a matter for negotiations to come about our future relationship with the EU.