With the new Lifelong Learning Programme, the UK government education departments have decided to place responsibility for the management of Erasmus with the British Council. With more than seventy years of experience, the British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. It administered the Comenius action throughout both phases of Socrates and continues to do so under the new programme. The British Council plans to build on the impressive achievements of the UK Socrates - Erasmus Council. David Hibler, the former assistant director of UKSEC, will lead the British Council’s Erasmus team. From the start of the next academic year it will be located in the British Council’s Cardiff office. As for the future of Erasmus, plans are in hand to transfer the management of the programme to the new location and to address the challenge of increasing the participation rates amongst UK higher education students. It is anticipated that the synergy of national agencies for both the school and higher education actions of LLL will contribute to this growth as well as the prospect for new opportunities in Erasmus placements. Further information can be obtained via erasmus@britishcouncil.org   British Council