We, the European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), have been campaigning for the Scottish Government to introduce a replacement for the Erasmus educational exchange programme, as well as supporting calls for the UK to rejoin the scheme. The EU offered the UK Erasmus membership but was rebuffed. As Mike Galsworthy, chair of the European Movement UK (EMUK), points out below, the loss of Erasmus has serious long-term consequences for the UK.
Our withdrawal from the Erasmus+ programme is having devastating consequences on the UK and with your help, we can make everyone aware of the importance of rejoining.
As a scientist, I understand the need for collaboration, yet since our withdrawal from the Erasmus+ programme key partnerships between European and British universities have been severed, impacting UK universities global rankings.
As a father, I worry about my children’s future without the Erasmus+ programme. That’s because 53% of responding state schools report that pupils are less motivated to study European languages since Brexit. Will my children lose their sense of Europeanism?
And as a European activist and patriot, I am concerned about Britain’s standing in the world. While the rest of Europe continues to exchange students and ideas, the UK has chosen to isolate itself. As worrying as this is now the knock-on effects of this intellectual starvation will only be truly seen over time.
By making more people aware of the disastrous implications of leaving the Erasmus+ programme we can continue to grow our movement, get more signatures on our petition, and in turn lobby more politicians to re-enter Erasmus+ now.
So, if you believe in restoring freedoms to the next generation then share the petition today.
It’s time that young people across all parties, nations, and campuses regained access to the funding, opportunities, and freedoms afforded to us pre-Brexit.
Thanks for being part of this campaign with me.
Best wishes,
Mike Galsworthy
Chair of the European Movement UK
The European Movement in Scotland is committed to promoting the essential European value of free speech. Consequently, we regularly publish articles by leading academics, journalists and others discussing issues germane to Scotland’s place in Europe. Such articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Movement in Scotland.