Fears over future for Erasmus international student exchange scheme after Brexit

Former students who benefited from the EU’s Erasmus+ scheme have voiced dismay following the defeat of a parliamentary bid to force the government to keep it open to UK students after Brexit.

Ministers insisted the government was still open to negotiating continued access to the programme, which provides exchange opportunities at universities around Europe, if it was in the UK’s interests.

But college representatives warned that there was now “a definite risk” that British students will lose access after the end of this year, when a “transition period” to Brexit concludes.

An amendment tabled by Liberal Democrats, which would have enshrined in law a duty for ministers to try to keep Britain in the programme, was voted down by Conservative and DUP MPs in the Commons on Wednesday.

Both education minister Gavin Williamson and universities minister Chris Skidmore were among the MPs who defeated the amendment to the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill by 344-254, as Boris Johnson’s newly won majority in the House of Commons swept aside all opposition to his Brexit plans.

Read more via The Independent