Dear #Erasmus500 supporter,
We have been together for a few months now, fighting side by side for the ideas embodied in the #Erasmus500 declaration. Today we would like to thank you for your support, and take stock of how far we have come.
Nine months ago, we couldn’t have imagined how many universities, student organisations, networks, students and stakeholders would support this proposal. Together we made it impossible for the European Commission not to notice our vision for the future of Erasmus+, and today the #Erasmus500 ideas are being discussed at the level of the College of Commissioners. Independently of what happens next, this feels like an important step, if not quite the conquest we desired, because, even though we don’t know yet exactly what the next programme will look like, we consider it unlikely that the European Institutions will be as bold as we asked them to be.
Therefore, as the release of the new Erasmus+ programme is still uncertain, we find it increasingly difficult to put effective pressure towards a fairer, simpler, more inclusive and truly European grant that caters to participants from all socio-economic backgrounds.
We know that many of you work or are active in the field of Higher Education, and we are confident that your commitment to a better Erasmus+ programme is as strong as ours. Even if this marks the end of the #Erasmus500 campaign, we know you will, continuously and with passion, raise the issue of the suitability of mobility grants time and again. The European University Foundation, the Erasmus Student Network and the European Students’ Union, will certainly do exactly the same, and make sure inclusion is not just another buzzword when the next programme is launched, but a true focal point and a priority throughout each of the coming 7 years.
Thank you again for your enthusiasm and passion for a better Erasmus+ programme!
We concluded the #Erasmus500 campaign but our website will remain online and our ideas will remain with you and those still advocating for a more inclusive, transparent and empowering Erasmus+ programme. You can reach out to us at contact(at)uni-foundation(dot)eu.