Sunday, March 21, 2021
Welsh Lib Dem Education Minister sets up replacement for Erasmus scheme
Anybody who questions what the Liberal Democrats are for need only look at the accomplishments of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Education Minister, Kirsty Williams. Not only has she continued and expanded the Pupil Deprivation Grant in Wales, set up by the Welsh Liberal Democrats as part of a budget deal in the previous Assembly to help under-achieving pupils on free school meals, she has done much more.
This includes maintaining free school meals during school holidays, giving new starter teachers an 8.48% pay rise, delivering smaller class sizes, introducing super fast internet for all schools, announcing a £30 million investment in Welsh medium education and bringing in a new Welsh curriculum that empowers teachers and ensures every pupil must learn about Welsh history including the role of the BME community in developing modern Wales.
As if this wasnt enough, Kirsty is now helping to ensure that Welsh students do not miss out due to the UK Government's abandonment of the Erasmus scheme on our departure from the European Union.
As the Guardian reports, the UK government withdrew from the EU’s Erasmus scheme, which offered student exchanges as well as school links and work experience, as part of its Brexit deal struck last year. But the Welsh government says the new Turing programme lacks key benefits that made Erasmus so valuable for young people.
Instead they plan to spend £65m on the new “international learning exchange” to enable Welsh institutions to continue with reciprocal staff and students exchanges that took place under Erasmus but won’t do so under Turing:
Leaders in Wales and Scotland had been dismayed by the end of Erasmus membership when it was announced in December. Scotland lobbied the EU for continued membership but its hopes were quashed last month by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, who told MEPs that, as a “constituent nation” of the UK, Scotland could not rejoin. Students studying at institutions in Northern Ireland can take part in Erasmus thanks to an arrangement with the Irish government.
Welsh institutions will still be able to take part in the UK-wide Turing scheme, which will be funded by £105m for its first year starting in September, paying administrative and living costs of those taking part.
But unlike Erasmus+ during Britain’s membership, Turing funding will not be reciprocal, meaning that international partner institutions will not be supported for any exchanges coming to the UK.
Another key difference is that the Turing scheme does not pay the tuition fees for studying at international partners, which critics say will penalise students from disadvantaged backgrounds. And the Turing scheme does not extend to staff exchanges.
In contrast, the Welsh government said its scheme would “support, as far as possible, the entire range of activities that have been available to learners in Wales” under Erasmus+.
Kirsty Williams, Wales’ education minister, said: “We have been clear that international exchange programmes, which bring so many benefits to participants, as well as their education providers and wider community, should build on the excellent opportunities that the Erasmus programme offered.
“We owe it to this next generation of students and learners to have the same opportunities previous years had.”
Cardiff University will be responsible for delivering the new scheme over the next year, through an advisory board drawn from the education sector, with exchanges beginning in 2022.
The new programme “will then fill the gaps Turing leaves, including, crucially, the commitment to long-term funding, the retention of the principle of two-way exchanges and the inclusion of youth work,” the Welsh government said.
England may have pulled up the drawbridge but, thanks to the Welsh Liberal Democrats, young people in Wales will still be able to benefit from international exchanges and links to othe countries.
This includes maintaining free school meals during school holidays, giving new starter teachers an 8.48% pay rise, delivering smaller class sizes, introducing super fast internet for all schools, announcing a £30 million investment in Welsh medium education and bringing in a new Welsh curriculum that empowers teachers and ensures every pupil must learn about Welsh history including the role of the BME community in developing modern Wales.
As if this wasnt enough, Kirsty is now helping to ensure that Welsh students do not miss out due to the UK Government's abandonment of the Erasmus scheme on our departure from the European Union.
As the Guardian reports, the UK government withdrew from the EU’s Erasmus scheme, which offered student exchanges as well as school links and work experience, as part of its Brexit deal struck last year. But the Welsh government says the new Turing programme lacks key benefits that made Erasmus so valuable for young people.
Instead they plan to spend £65m on the new “international learning exchange” to enable Welsh institutions to continue with reciprocal staff and students exchanges that took place under Erasmus but won’t do so under Turing:
Leaders in Wales and Scotland had been dismayed by the end of Erasmus membership when it was announced in December. Scotland lobbied the EU for continued membership but its hopes were quashed last month by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, who told MEPs that, as a “constituent nation” of the UK, Scotland could not rejoin. Students studying at institutions in Northern Ireland can take part in Erasmus thanks to an arrangement with the Irish government.
Welsh institutions will still be able to take part in the UK-wide Turing scheme, which will be funded by £105m for its first year starting in September, paying administrative and living costs of those taking part.
But unlike Erasmus+ during Britain’s membership, Turing funding will not be reciprocal, meaning that international partner institutions will not be supported for any exchanges coming to the UK.
Another key difference is that the Turing scheme does not pay the tuition fees for studying at international partners, which critics say will penalise students from disadvantaged backgrounds. And the Turing scheme does not extend to staff exchanges.
In contrast, the Welsh government said its scheme would “support, as far as possible, the entire range of activities that have been available to learners in Wales” under Erasmus+.
Kirsty Williams, Wales’ education minister, said: “We have been clear that international exchange programmes, which bring so many benefits to participants, as well as their education providers and wider community, should build on the excellent opportunities that the Erasmus programme offered.
“We owe it to this next generation of students and learners to have the same opportunities previous years had.”
Cardiff University will be responsible for delivering the new scheme over the next year, through an advisory board drawn from the education sector, with exchanges beginning in 2022.
The new programme “will then fill the gaps Turing leaves, including, crucially, the commitment to long-term funding, the retention of the principle of two-way exchanges and the inclusion of youth work,” the Welsh government said.
England may have pulled up the drawbridge but, thanks to the Welsh Liberal Democrats, young people in Wales will still be able to benefit from international exchanges and links to othe countries.
Comments:
<< Home
This is a major source of pride for all Welsh Lib Dems. I've worked with Erasmus scholars from all over Europe and the scheme invariably gives a turbo-boost to their confidence and employability. Bravo Kirsty Williams.
Post a Comment
<< Home
