A few weeks ago I was in Brussels representing not only Ways, but the NGO/Youth Sector in Denmark, at the stakeholder event ‘Co-creating Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps’.

A new and expanded Erasmus+ program, due to launch next year, is currently in the last stages of development. In that connection, the European Commission decided to summon more than 600 relevant actors and stakeholders from all different areas of the ESC and Erasmus+ across Europe and have them present their input and suggestions for the future of these important learning programs.

The event was quite short, just over 24 hours from check in to check out, and consisted of some shared opening and closing plenary sessions and showcases, as well as a series of breakaway sessions that each participant could register for prior to the event. I myself signed up mainly for sessions about digital and technological aspects, but also joined one about cross-sector cooperation. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of Erasmus+ actors not just from other countries, but from the many different sectors – f.x. from people working with vocational education and the realities and needs they are facing.

Of course, the future budget was one of the big topics that came up both during the individual and plenary sessions. From what i could gather, the budget will be at least the double of what it has been in the period 2014-20, probably even triple. However, some groups of stakeholders having lobbied for an even larger increase (up to 10 times the current budget). It sounds almost too good to be true even with just a doubling, but it is important to note that the new program will include a much broader target group than has been the case so far, so of course the increase in budget should at the very least follow this development 1:1. Whatever is eventually agreed on, we will probably know more within the next few months.

Another overall subject of discussion and brainstorming was the issue of the platforms, portals, and apps that exist for various aspects of the Erasmus+, ESC, and related EU programs. There is no shortage of these, but the problem is that even people actively involved in Erasmus will often not discover them even after several years of doing projects. And often it happens purely by chance (I can list many personal examples of this). Therefore, there now is a concerted effort to upgrade, consolidate and increase visibility around these digital tools and platforms.

Yet another talking point that came up was the effort to remove some of the barriers for entry into the Erasmus+ program, by making it easier for everyone to apply for projects. How exactly this will come about, I am curious to see. There is no doubt a lot of room for improvement in things such as the online application form. Also in the layout and user friendliness of the physical program guide that, even for people with an academic background, needs several levels of decoding in order to be understood properly.

Despite the brevity of the event, some time was nevertheless blocked off for informal social and networking activities. In general, each break took place in  a setting where people naturally had to move around a lot, so you got to encounter a lot of interesting people from all over Europe. But as before on such events, I ended up spending a lot of time together with people from the Norwegian National Agency, who are always great company.

The entertainment during the night consisted of a classical music concerto, performed by the Erasmus Orchestra, an ever-changing group of musicians, all with a background as Erasmus exchange students. It was a very nice experience, very well received by the audience, and very fitting for the setting. Afterwards was a cocktail party where the real social mingling could take place.

So, as for the verdict of the event all together? I felt that it was definitely productive, but it did feel a bit rushed and could have benefited from half a day more of breathing time and space. The venue was all the time filled with luggage, because people were arriving and departing directly from there to the airport. It created a bit of a mess at times.

More critically, the youth/NGO sector felt somewhat under-prioritized during the event. Even during the breakaway sessions i registered for, discussions were often not that relevant for the kind of activities we typically do in Ways. In part this was no doubt due to the fact that very few NGO representatives took part in these particular sessions, but still I had expected it brought up more by the facilitators.

But all in all it was a nice event and a pleasure to be there to represent Denmark and be able to make a mark, however small it may be, on the future of Erasmus+. I and I the other members of Ways are certainly looking forward to what the new program will bring, and the many opportunities it will open up for in our work with young people.

 

– Thomas Brisson Jørgensen
Chairman, Ways