The government says that up to 100,000 people of all ages could benefit in the first year.
The UK’s decision to re-join the EU’s Erasmus scheme, meaning that young people from across the country will be able to study or gain work experience in the EU for the first time since Brexit, is a move supported by a clear majority of Brits, in another blow to Brexiteers.
The agreement will mean that Britons will be able to spend a year studying at European universities as part of their UK degree courses without paying extra fees, and vice versa for European students. It will also create educational and training opportunities for British apprentices, further education students and adult learners.
Six years after announcing it would end its participation as part of a deal to leave the European Union (EU), the UK is now re-joining at a cost of £570m.
The government says that up to 100,000 people of all ages could benefit in the first year.
Jacqui Smith, the skills minister, said: “The chances this opens for many young people makes this a very, very good day, and it demonstrates the benefits to the UK people of the government’s commitment to its reset with the EU.”
And in a further blow to Brexiteers, a poll for YouGov has found that a clear majority of Britons support re-joining the Erasmus scheme.
Around 65% of those asked said they supported rejoining the Erasmus scheme compared to 12% who opposed.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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