Maximum participation in EU educational programmes

With reference to the article Only 130 University Students On EU Exchanges Last Year (March 17), I would like to say that the funds allocated by the European Commission for the Erasmus Programme - Students Mobility, are being fully utilised and therefore we are sending the maximum number of students possible within the parameters of the budget allocated to Malta.

Moreover, funds are being transferred from other actions to meet the demand from local students.

In the academic year 2004/5, an increase of nine per cent was registered from the previous academic year 2003/4. In the past years the European Commission has always praised Malta's success in keeping the rate of outgoing participation growing at a steady pace. The Commission also recognises that with reference to the cohort of eligible participants, the number of outgoing students is indeed very high.

Finally, one may wish to note that the participation of countries of similar size to Malta is lower than that of Malta. Cases in point are Cyprus, 93 and Luxembourg, 116.

These figures clearly show that Maltese people are making full use of the opportunities within the education sector made available through EU membership.