EU pushes mobility for school and vocational students

Announcing the initiative last week, Education Commissioner Ján Figel warned that the xenophobic, protectionist and isolationist policies that appear in economic crises pose a serious threat to opportunities to study and train abroad.  These opportunities are crucial to the growth of Europe’s innovation and knowledge-based economy, he said.  

Learning mobility has long been a politically correct theme at the Commission, with the flagship Erasmus programme dating back to 1987. Figel, in particular, has advocated the expansion of existing EU programmes that help university students and researchers move from country to country, and between academia and industry. The new initiative, to target non-university students, including vocational trainees and apprentices, marks one of Figel’s last moves before the current Commission’s mandate ends this Autumn.

In 2006 around 7.5 per cent of those graduating in the European Higher Education area had a study or training period abroad. The aim is to increase this to at least 20 per cent by 2020 and make learning mobility, “the rule, and not the exception.”

The publication of this Green Paper builds on the success of learning mobility schemes such as Erasmus, which gives students the opportunity to spend a part of their higher education abroad.  According to the Green Paper, Erasmus embodies the combination of a physical mobility scheme, supported by virtual mobility networks (The Erasmus Student Network), that strengthens ties and builds knowledge bridges between young people across Europe.  

The programme had its 20th anniversary in July 2007. It was followed by a statement from the European Council in 2008 that, “Every young person should have the opportunity to take part in some form of mobility, whether this is during their studies or training, in the form of a work placement, or in the context of voluntary activities.”

According to Figel the number of graduates who participate in a learning mobility scheme is rising.  But he said the current economic climate puts this progress at risk, and should be treated as an incentive to boost efforts to promote learning mobility throughout the EU.  There is no shortage of young people who could benefit from a period of study abroad, but many are discouraged by lack of information or funds, he said. In particular, he argued, learning mobility is not integrated into secondary schools and vocational courses to the same extent as university education.

Figel stressed that learning mobility is crucial for creating a highly skilled and innovative workforce for Europe. The forum, available here, is open for public comment until December 15th 2009.