On Wednesday 6 February, Universities UK will launch a national
#SupportStudyAbroad campaign asking the UK government to commit
to continue funding study abroad opportunities for UK students,
even if the UK cannot negotiate continued participation in
Erasmus+ programme.
Without continued funding, 17,000 UK students will miss out on
opportunities to study abroad next year.
The campaign is being launched in response to a technical note on
the future of the UK’s membership of the Erasmus+ programme in
the case of a no-deal Brexit, released on 28 January. The
government has said it would like to stay in the Erasmus+
programme for future calls. However, if it cannot negotiate
continued Erasmus+ membership, there will be no national
alternative to enable students to go abroad in the case of a
no-deal Brexit.
Alistair Jarvis, CEO, Universities
UK said: “The benefits of
study abroad are well documented. Not only does study abroad have
clear employability benefits for students, it helps them to
develop the language, communication and intercultural skills that
will be so essential to building a truly global Britain. An
investment in international experience for our students now is an
investment in the future of our economy. Without the
international opportunities offered through schemes like Erasmus,
the UK’s workforce will not be equipped to meet the changing
needs of the economy post-Brexit.
“In the case of a no-deal Brexit, I strongly urge the government
to commit to continue funding study abroad opportunities for UK
students, even if the UK cannot negotiate continued participation
in Erasmus+ programme.”
Key facts and stats
1) Study abroad supports social
mobility. Students who study abroad outperform
their peers academically and
professionally. They are:
- 19%
more likely to gain a 1st class degree
- 20%
less likely to be unemployed
- 10%
more likely to be in ‘graduate’ jobs six months after graduation
For those from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups the
benefits are even more pronounced:
- BME
students who studied abroad are 17% more likely to be in
‘graduate’ jobs six months after graduation
- Mature
students who participated in these programmes earn 10% more than
their peers
2) International opportunities help students develop
skills that UK businesses need. Research by the
CBI has found that:
- Seven
out of 10 small and medium size enterprises believe that future
executives will need foreign language skills and international
experience
- 39%
of employers are dissatisfied with graduates’ intercultural
awareness
- 49% of
employers are dissatisfied with graduates’ language skills
