UCU: Lobby to re-join Erasmus scheme

Motion

Motion text: Congress notes:
1. on 24 December 2020, the UK government decided to withdraw from the European Erasmus scheme, without a mandate;
2. the Erasmus scheme was one of the biggest successes of internationalisation, changing lives, enriching research and connecting HE institutions;
3. the “Turing Scheme” which the UK Government intends to launch as a replacement:
– will be only for outgoing mobility,
– is not for EU students to come to UK universities,
– does not include faculty (teaching) mobility,
– is not fit for purpose;
4. the Scottish and Welsh Governments are actively exploring options to keep the devolved nations in the Erasmus scheme.
Congress calls on UCU to lobby the UK government to reverse this act of cultural and educational vandalism and re-join the Erasmus scheme.