We need to make the Erasmus+ programme more reachable because the more students and young people participate in Erasmus+, the more we strengthen Europe, MEP Francis Zammit Dimech said. This is why we need to overcome existing challenges faced by students and young people with respect to Erasmus+, he said during a high-level panel discussion on the future of Erasmus+ to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme.
Over the past two days Zammit Dimech hosted 12 Maltese students studying various subjects including nursing, anthropology, philosophy, law, social work, communications, health, social care and engineering who participated in the Erasmus+ programme in various countries across Europe including Bulgaria, Finland, Portugal, Poland, Italy, France and the UK.
During a meeting at the European Parliament students shared with MEP Zammit Dimech their Erasmus+ experience and problems faced before, during and after the experience including problems with accommodation services, lack of communication between the students and the hosting institution and the bureaucracy at application stage. Students also emphasised on the need to invest more in promotion of the programme and other EU funded opportunities for youths as there was still lack of awareness on the topic.
Zammit Dimech said that he is a firm believer in the aims of of the programme as these also reflect the values on which the EU is based. He referred to his maiden speech at the European Parliament which also revolved around the topic and in which case he had taken the opportunity to share with the Commission issues and challenges being faced with respect to Erasmus+ by local stakeholders. These included bureaucracy for educational institutions, delays in processing applications, lack of recognition of studies completed during the Erasmus experience and lack of awareness on how to access such funding.
He recalled how as member of the Culture and Education Committee he had also insisted along with his colleagues that the upcoming Multi Financial Framework should ensure more money for Erasmus+ and take necessary measures to counteract possible impacts that Brexit might leave on the programme.
During their stay in Brussels, the Maltese students also had the opportunity to place a memento from their Erasmus+ experience in the Erasmus+ time capsule which will be opened in 10 years on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Erasmus+ during an event at the European Commission which saw the participation of European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Commissioner Tibor Navracsics.