As the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of Erasmus come to an end today, the European Commission has published a report on the achievements of the Erasmus+ programme during 2016.
The 2016 Erasmus+ report confirms the key role played by the programme in building a more resilient Europe united around common European values.
Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, said: “Erasmus+ has now reached the halfway point of its seven-year journey. I am proud to see how the programme has acted as a driver for unity in Europe, contributing to strengthening the resilience of individuals and our society. Erasmus+ mobility develops skills and competences and reinforces a European identity that complements and enriches national and regional identities. This is why we encouraged EU leaders meeting in Gothenburg on 17 November to work towards a European Education Area and to make mobility a reality for all by 2025, doubling the number of Erasmus+ participants and reaching out to people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds.“
With a 7.5% increase in the Erasmus+ budget in 2016 compared to the previous year, the EU invested a record €2.27 billion to support 725,000 Europeans with mobility grants to study, train, teach, work or volunteer abroad. This brings the total to more than €2 million since 2014.
