Make mobility the rule, not the exception - experts

"Make learning mobility a rule, not the exception, reserved for the few, which it is today," was the main recommendation of a high-level expert forum appointed by the European Commission to discuss extending the reach of the Erasmus exchange programme.

"Without targeted help, mobility risks to be the preserve of elites, with young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds locked out because it is costly and because the benefits it brings are not evident to them."

Despite the fact that thousands of students in Europe have undertaken part of their studies abroad or have taken part in exchanges, the number represents only a small fraction of student populations.

In addition, there is no guarantee that the steady growth in the number of students who have benefited from the programme will continue, the expert group has warned. In fact, the target of enabling over three million mobility moves by the end of 2012 is already being questioned.

In view of this, in its recently published report entitled Making Learning Mobility an Opportunity For All, the expert group has envisaged two possible scenarios. The first is a positive rendition of the benefits of the programme, as a result of which the EU is providing a common house for European citizens, consumers, workers, artists, trainees and students.

"More mobile and networked workers, trainees and students are developing European expert communities where better products and services are created. Joint cultural and scientific creativity is also flourishing as well as joint initiatives by European citizens in other areas - civic activity, town twinning, and intercultural dialogue."

However, the second scenario is more likely to happen unless more funding and more opportunities are provided.

"There are signs that some of Europe's young people may be starting to lose their interest in learning mobility. Increased pressure within study cycles makes some feel that mobility is a luxury which they cannot afford."

Among the recommendations is that mobility be made a top priority in the mid-term review of the financial perspective. Furthermore, funding should not come only from increased allocations to the mobility programmes, "but from wider EU funding (notably from the Structural Funds), from national and regional sources and from business".

Stakeholders have been called into play not only for funding, but for cooperation in general. "This vision will not be realised unless there is a new European partnership to promote learning mobility, involving the active engagement of the EU, member states and regions, enterprises, educational institutions and civil society," the report says.

Another recommendation is that the EU Commission mainstreams mobility into all relevant policies, notably the Structural Funds and the Research and Development Framework programme. The expert group's in-depth recommendations stated in the report aim at reaching ambitious targets: In 2012, at least 15 per cent of young people aged 16 to 29 should be provided opportunities for mobility, whether at secondary, bachelor, master and PhD levels, or through internships, apprenticeships, volunteer work or professional training in or outside the EU; the target should reach 30 per cent in 2015, and 50 per cent in 2020.

In practice, this means that mobility opportunities extend not just to students, but to young people including apprentices, young entrepreneurs, artists and volunteers.

"Along with learning, cultural exchanges are at the heart of this vision of a more mobile Europe. Greatly increased interaction among Europe's cultural actors, and with the rest of the world, combined with their capacity, through their activities, to reach millions of citizens, will fuel a Europe which uses its own diversity for creativity and equips its citizens for intercultural dialogue in a globalising world. This will involve removing the obstacles which artists and cultural professionals face to their mobility, collecting data on such mobility and setting targets for its expansion."