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Written question asked by Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru) on Tuesday, 28 January 2020, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 3 February 2020 (named day). It was answered by Chris Skidmore (Conservative) on Monday, 3 February 2020 on behalf of the Department for Education.


Educational Exchanges

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2020 to Question 2671 on access to educational and cultural exchange programmes, what steps his Department has taken to maintain international exchange and collaboration in education and training in the event that the UK does not participate in the Erasmus+ programme.

Answer

The UK government wants to ensure that UK and European students can continue to benefit from each other’s world-leading education systems. We highly value international exchange and cooperation in education and training. Even after we leave the EU on the 31 January, the Withdrawal Agreement ensures that students, young people, and learners will be able to participate fully in the remainder of the current Erasmus+ programme and organisations should continue to bid for programme funding until the end of 2020.

As noted in the political declaration, the UK is open to participate in certain EU programmes, such as the next Erasmus+ programme (2021-2027), if it is in our interest to do so. The proposed regulations for the next programme are still being discussed in the EU and have yet to be finalised. Future participation in EU programmes will be a subject of our negotiations on the future of UK-EU relationship.

The UK government is preparing for every eventuality and is considering a wide range of options with regards to the future of international exchange and collaboration in education and training, including potential domestic alternatives. Officials from the Department of Education are liaising with their colleagues in the devolved administrations on a potential domestic alternative should it be needed.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
9126
Session
2019-21
Related items
Educational Exchanges
Friday, 17 January 2020
Written questions
House of Commons
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Educational exchanges Brexit
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk