Pictured from left to right, English students Sandra Liebing and Kathrin Sprotte, from Germany, Biology student Hugo Dutel from France, and Business student Zsuzsa Velkey, fom Hungary, who are studying at Swansea University through Erasmus.

Erasmus, or the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students, is the European Commission's educational programme for Higher Education students, teachers, and institutions.  

It was launched in June 1987 with the aim of increasing student and teacher mobility and promoting transnational cooperation projects among universities within the European Community – subsequently the European Economic Area countries, and the Candidate Country of Turkey.

There are now 31 participating countries and more than 150,000 people now benefit each year from the programme, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2007.  Well over 1.5 million students have so far benefited from Erasmus grants, and the European Commission hopes to reach a total of 3 million by 2012.

The Erasmus University Charter (EUC) provides the general framework for all European co-operation activities a higher education institution may carry out within the Erasmus Programme.

The Charter sets out the fundamental principles and the minimum requirements underlying the Erasmus activities a higher education institution has to respect.

Swansea's award of the EUC means that the University is entitled to participate in decentralised Erasmus activities, which include study and work placements for students and staff mobility, and also act as an applicant organisation in Erasmus centralised actions – multilateral projects, networks, and accompanying measures – managed by the Executive Agency.

Swansea University has sent around 100 students on exchanges to partner European universities this academic year, from degree schemes such as Law, Nursing, Modern languages, Engineering, and History for period ranging from three to 10 months. And more students are also sent on Erasmus work placements and teaching assistantships.

It has also received around 160 students from partner universities, who will spend either one semester or a full academic year here.

The University also sends and receives academic staff to partner universities and around 20 Swansea staff will give lectures at partner universities this year under the scheme.

Professor Richard B Davies, Swansea University's Vice-Chancellor, said: "It is a strategic priority for the University to have an international dimension to all its activities. The Extended Erasmus University Charter is another important step forward, creating more opportunities both to our UK students and to students from our partner universities across the EU.

"We must equip students to live and work in a world where national boundaries are diminishing in importance. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. This leadership may for example, be in multi-national companies, or in addressing challenges such as global warming.

"Whatever the field of endeavour, the chances are high that it will require a world-wide perspective."

For more information about the Erasmus Programme at Swansea University visit the website, or contact Carol Smith, Erasmus Coordinator, on +44(0)1792 295944 or e-mail c.d.smith@swansea.ac.uk.