Erasmus scheme

[Huzzah]

I approve of education, travel and the opportunity to study abroad. I'm obviously out of touch but f*** me at £1/2 billion this seems expensive.

[RizzoTheRat]

I agree it sounds a lot, so I checked my old university's (Loughborough) financial report - total expenditure in 2023-2024 of £367M. That's for less than 20k students. Places like UCL and Manchester are twice that size. So the total Erasmus cost is equivalent to one medium/large university

[Mortarboard]

Huzzah said:

I approve of education, travel and the opportunity to study abroad. I'm obviously out of touch but f*** me at £1/2 billion this seems expensive.

Works out at less than 0.5% of annual spending on education.
How many use Erasmus though?

M.

[BikeBikeBIke]

Huzzah said:

I approve of education, travel and the opportunity to study abroad. I'm obviously out of touch but f*** me at £1/2 billion this seems expensive.

Yeah, my initial thought was "great" until I heard on Newscast a) the cost and b) they're cancelling the Turing Scheme which is better.

[Gecko1978]

Could you study overseas anyway is this just a way of not having to pay fees to do a year in france etc

Edited by Gecko1978 on Thursday 18th December 14:27

[scenario8]

Mortarboard said:

Works out at less than 0.5% of annual spending on education.
How many use Erasmus though?

M.

In the last year the UK was a part of the scheme 9,900 UK students partook while 16,100 EU students received an education within the UK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4ng7ee9vwo

Note the cost was £126m/year at that time.

Edited to replace a word which might have been misinterpreted.

Edited by scenario8 on Thursday 18th December 13:40

Edited by scenario8 on Thursday 18th December 13:41

[Cliftonite]

Huzzah said:

I approve of education, travel and the opportunity to study abroad. I'm obviously out of touch but f*** me at £1/2 billion this seems expensive.

And that is just for starters?

Part of Starmer's desire to be pally ("improve relations") with the EU, and to overcome Brexit, perhaps? A potential for a few more student votes too?

What mandate does Starmer have to make these decisions, seemingly off his own bat? Chagos Islands deal is another example.

Someone please enlighten me. Perhaps I just missed seeing them in the Labour Manifesto?

[Mortarboard]

Works out at 50k a student. Seems spicy alright.

Grants might be more cost effective

M.

[130R]

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

[scenario8]

Mortarboard said:

Works out at 50k a student. Seems spicy alright.

Grants might be more cost effective

M.

Indeed. At face value this looks very expensive. Which isn't to say the broader goals aren’t “very lovely”, but one can’t help wondering whether there is a better way to use the money (if it must be used at all) and could forgive contributors from wondering whether rejoining the scheme, particularly at such a high cost, isn’t part of a broader strategy with the EU.

[55palfers]

I think it's a gift for certain students who's parents have the funds to subside Jenny and Rupert for a 12 month repose abroad.

[wiggy001]

RizzoTheRat said:

I agree it sounds a lot, so I checked my old university's (Loughborough) financial report - total expenditure in 2023-2024 of £367M. That's for less than 20k students. Places like UCL and Manchester are twice that size. So the total Erasmus cost is equivalent to one medium/large university

Or 10k teachers...

[wiggy001]

130R said:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

Anyone know the answer to this?

[oddman]

We're saving more than that a fortnight by leaving the EU



Oh wait....

[paulw123]

wiggy001 said:

130R said:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

Anyone know the answer to this?

Because we're Britain and seem to want to pays for everything. No biggie, the last few wealthy taxpayers that haven't left yet can pay for it....

[BoRED S2upid]

wiggy001 said:

130R said:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

Anyone know the answer to this?

We find our bit they find their bit no? We get money for jolly foreigners to come here they get funding for ours to go there or the other way round.

[chrispmartha]

wiggy001 said:

130R said:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

Anyone know the answer to this?

Because the countries in the EU already pay into this as part of their membership, why should we get it for free?

We left the club, if we want to use part of it we have to pay.

[Mortarboard]

wiggy001 said:

130R said:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

Anyone know the answer to this?

Looks like the total cost fir Erasmus eu-wide is about 4.3 billion pa.

Uk seems to be paying about average, id expect

M.

[Peterpetrole]

According to the government press release it is an annual charge:

"The UK contribution for 2027 will be approximately £570 million. This covers the 2027/28 academic year. Any participation in Erasmus+ into the next Multiannual Financial Framework will need to be agreed in the future and be based on a fair and balanced contribution."

It reads like it is an "access charge" not necessarily a "paying student fees charge" because the Erasmus+ website talks about scholarship opportunities, although those who have used it before would know more.

Also bear in mind very few European Universities outside the UK rank highly in global ratings.

IMHO it's just the start of a soft rejoin with appropriate bribe.

[Gecko1978]

chrispmartha said:

wiggy001 said:

130R said:

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe this is reciprocal? So why are we paying anything

Anyone know the answer to this?

Because the countries in the EU already pay into this as part of their membership, why should we get it for free?

We left the club, if we want to use part of it we have to pay.

Can you not pay to study in the EU anyway?