Rushcliffe MP James Naish has written to local secondary schools and colleges to help ensure young people across Rushcliffe benefit from new opportunities to study, train and gain experience abroad through Erasmus+, which the UK will rejoin in January 2027.
Erasmus+ is the European Union’s flagship programme for education, training and youth. It supports international mobility opportunities for learners and staff to study, train and collaborate abroad, alongside structured partnerships between institutions. While it is often thought of as a university programme, schools are a central part of Erasmus+, as are teachers, who can use the scheme to train abroad.
Erasmus+ will bring approximately £60 million in funding for UK schools, £80 million for vocational education and training, £20 million for adult education, £40 million for youth organisations, and access to a pot of around £1 billion managed by the European Commission for wider policy cooperation projects.
In advance of the UK’s return to the Erasmus+ programme in 2027, James Naish is encouraging local education providers to explore how the scheme can support pupils, students and apprentices across Rushcliffe. Erasmus+ typically provides opportunities for young people to take part in international study visits, vocational training placements, skills development programmes and cultural exchanges, helping them gain experiences that can support their education and future careers.
James said:
“I want young people in Rushcliffe to be among the first to benefit from the opportunities that Erasmus+ can provide. Whether it is gaining new skills, experiencing another culture, building confidence, or preparing for the world of work, opportunities like this can have a lasting impact.
“That is why I have written to local schools and colleges to encourage them to consider ways that young people across Rushcliffe can access these opportunities, whatever their background.”
The first funding opportunities will open in November 2026. More information can be accessed on the British Council’s Erasmus+ website: https://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/
