Reports on Erasmus+ shows the succes of the education program

New reports on Erasmus i+ show how the EU i's €14.7 billion education and training programme helps millions of young Europeans to find better jobs. In its first year, 2014, Erasmus+ allowed 650,000 people to study, work, train and volunteer abroad.

European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics i said: "The impressive number of participants is proof that the programme is making a difference by improving young people's employment prospects and helping them to acquire new skills." Erasmus+ is giving more financial support to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or with special needs. In 2016 the programme will devote an extra €13 million to social inclusion, including the integration of minorities and migrants.

At a time when Europe's education systems urgently need to modernise and develop closer relations with the world of work, Erasmus+ is funding thousands of innovative projects between universities, training institutes, public authorities, companies and non-governmental organisations. A separate study on the regional impact of Erasmus+ shows that students from southern and eastern Europe particularly improve their chances of securing high-quality jobs.

Erasmus+ is investing €14.7 billion in Europe's young people between 2014 and 2020. This will help more than four million people to acquire the right mix of skills for the world of work by spending part of their studies, training or work experience in another country.