The European Commission¡¯s proposed €40.8 billion (?35 billion) budget for the next Erasmus+ programme is the ¡°bare minimum¡± needed ¡°to equip young people for a fast-changing society¡±, a leading university group has warned.

In a paper published on 24 September, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities called the 2028-34 budget proposal, which almost doubles the €27.2 billion budget for 2021-27, ¡°a good start for the sector¡±, but noted it does not come close to the five-fold increase recommended in the Draghi report, nor the European Parliament¡¯s proposal to triple the budget.

Urging the European Parliament and EU member states to ¡°understand the urgency of this investment for Europe¡¯s future ¨C its competitiveness, resilience, citizens and democracies¡±, the guild stressed that ¡°an increased budget compared to the current programme is needed just to maintain the 2027 funding levels, adjusted to inflation¡±.

According to the , published earlier this year, ¡°the programme supports over half of credit mobility in the Member States¡± but ¡°the current budget is still not sufficient to fund all quality projects¡±, the university group said.

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While the budget proposal does not go into detail on how funds will be allocated or the actions to be included under Erasmus+ ¨C prompting the guild to call for ¡°transparency and clarity about the main funding features, the scope of new initiatives and the governance of the programme¡± ¨C the university group warned that the bottom-up nature of the programme must not be sacrificed in the pursuit of policy priorities, a concern that others in the sector have raised with regard to the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions.

The commission¡¯s proposals include STEM scholarships for students working in ¡°strategic and evolving sectors¡±, among them digital and clean technologies, energy, healthcare, water resilience and defence, as well as joint study programmes targeting strategic fields.

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¡°But these initiatives should be carefully designed,¡± the guild cautioned. ¡°Any new initiative should be an additional opportunity which adds value to the current Erasmus+ offering. If we wish to address the shortage of skills in certain fields, this should come on top of Erasmus+ in view of funding as well, either through the new European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) or national/regional resources.¡±

Welcoming the inclusion of the European Universities alliances in Erasmus+, the umbrella body stressed that the success of the alliances ¡°ultimately depends on the ability to align with, and challenge, national regulatory systems and institutional practices in meaningful ways¡±.

Looking beyond the EU, the guild said Erasmus+ ¡°must remain global¡±, urging the impending negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to address the education and research aspects of the infrastructure investment programme.

Erasmus+ and , the EU instrument focused on ¡°eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development, prosperity, peace and stability¡±, could ¡°enhance long-term multilateral cooperation by funding the best ideas for sustainable and equitable collaboration¡±, the guild advised.

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¡°We need to equip Europe¡¯s next generation to respond to the complex challenges ahead, ranging from the climate crisis to a changing geopolitical environment, strengthening our competitiveness and our social cohesion,¡± said guild secretary-general Jan Palmowski in a statement.

¡°By fostering mobility, exchange and partnership ¨C within Europe and beyond ¨C Erasmus+ has made a pivotal contribution to the skills and competences of its population ¨C and to Europe¡¯s standing in the world. We call upon policymakers to strengthen Erasmus+ in its essence, ahead of developing new instruments unless these can demonstrate similar added value.¡±

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com