On 20 May 2019, the European Commission released the results of two independent studies, conducted between 2017 and 2019 with nearly 77 000 students and staff and over 500 organisations, on the impact of Erasmus+ on its main beneficiaries. The Erasmus+ Higher Education Impact Study analyses four main target groups and several subgroups: Erasmus+ students before going abroad and after having returned, graduates with Erasmus+ experience, academic and non-academic staff with Erasmus+ experience, as well as higher education institutions involved in Erasmus+ projects.

The main results of the study show that:

• Erasmus+ helps students find their desired careers and get jobs quicker – According to the findings, 80% were employed within three months of graduation and 72% say their experience abroad helped them get their first job;

• Erasmus+ boosts European sense of belonging - More than 90% of Erasmus+ students enhance their cultural awareness and feel they have a European identity, with the major impact on the most Eurosceptic students prior to their exchange;

• Erasmus+ supports digital transformation and social inclusion - Erasmus+ projects make most of participating universities better prepared for digital transformation, as 80% of academics stated that their exchange led to the development of more innovative curricula and two out of three participating universities reported that EU-wide projects contribute to enhancing social inclusion and non-discrimination in higher education.

At the same time, the Commission also released the final report of the Study on the impact of Erasmus+ Higher Education Partnerships and Knowledge Alliances at local, national and European levels on key higher education policy priorities. The study, carried out by the Lithuanian Public Policy and Management Institute (PPMI) and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), analyses two types of Erasmus+ cooperation projects: Higher Education Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Alliances, including their impact at “systemic/policy, organisational and individual levels” and on the modernisation of higher education systems in Europe.

More information here

Source: European Commission