Phillipson: Erasmus will create ‘new bonds’ between UK and EU

The UK government will go “further than ever” to promote international collaboration, the country’s education minister has said, as the UK prepares to rejoin Erasmus+. 

Speaking at the Education World Forum in London on 18 May, Bridget Phillipson said she was “delighted” that the UK would be rejoining the EU’s flagship exchange programme, having previously left as part of Brexit. 

“We must foster links at every level,” Phillipson told the conference. “For learners, it means more chances to study, work and volunteer abroad. For teachers it means more chances to learn from international colleagues. 

“And for schools, colleges and universities, it means more opportunities to collaborate across borders, putting people front and centre of our relationship with the EU.”

She added that more than 100,000 people could benefit from the initiative in 2027, the only year to which the UK has so far associated. Phillipson said each of these would be “a new bond between our nations”.

She continued: “And this government is going further than ever to promote international collaboration,” including through a summit her department convened earlier this year on the use of generative artificial intelligence in education. 

“That spirit of collaboration is driving our new international education strategy,” she continued, referencing the plan released in January for boosting UK education exports. “It's all about delivering growth and opportunity at home and abroad.”.

In her welcome address to the conference, which convenes education ministers from around the world, Phillipson also spoke about the importance of education at a time of “renewed international conflict and upheaval”.

“Education must be at the root of our response to the global crises we face; the current that carries us towards a more peaceful and inclusive future.” 

The conference also heard from education activist, Malala Yousafzai, who said education often becomes “a secondary concern in the face of war, disaster, or death”. 

She urged policymakers to “maintain a sense of urgency” to ensure equitable access to education.

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com