Erasmus+ 2027: EU and UK reach next milestone on the path to association

The European Union and the United Kingdom have made significant progress towards the planned association of the United Kingdom with the EU’s Erasmus+ education programme from 2027. This marks a key step towards strengthening European cooperation in education and promoting mobility.

New opportunities for exchange and cooperation in Europe

Under the proposed association, participants from the United Kingdom will in future be treated on an equal footing with those from EU Member States and other associated countries. This will strengthen international exchange within the Erasmus+ programme and create new opportunities for study, teaching and vocational training across national borders.

The basis for this progress is an amendment to Protocol I of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom. In doing so, both sides are implementing a key commitment agreed at the first EU-UK summit in May 2025.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the importance of this cooperation: she said that the long-standing educational ties between Europe and the UK would be further strengthened by this step, offering benefits for students, teachers and societies on both sides.

Strengthening skills and the workforce in Europe

The UK’s planned participation in Erasmus+ opens up new opportunities for thousands of learners and professionals. The focus is particularly on:

• acquiring future-oriented skills
• promoting international work experience
• better employment prospects on the European labour market

At the same time, access to study abroad opportunities is being expanded for people from diverse backgrounds – a key objective of European education policy.

Impetus for higher education institutions and innovation

New opportunities for cooperation are also emerging for higher education institutions, research bodies and organisations. Closer cooperation between institutions in the EU and the UK is intended to:

• promote innovative teaching and learning methods
• drive forward the use of new technologies in education
• strengthen the exchange of best practice
• facilitate joint projects and programmes

In this way, Erasmus+ continues to contribute to positioning Europe as a global leader in education.

Participation scheduled to begin in 2027

The European Commission will prepare the next steps for implementation together with its UK partners. To this end, the UK will appoint a national agency to coordinate participation in the programme.

In addition to the 27 EU Member States, several associated countries are already participating in Erasmus+, including Norway, Serbia and Turkey. From 1 January 2027, both the United Kingdom and Switzerland are set to join the programme.

Relevance for Bavaria and Germany

For stakeholders in Bavaria and across Germany – from universities and research institutions to businesses and educational providers – this development opens up new opportunities for cooperation with partners in the United Kingdom. This renewed involvement strengthens existing networks and facilitates access to international education and exchange programmes.

Interested institutions and organisations in Bavaria that wish to plan or expand collaborations within the framework of Erasmus+ can contact the us to receive advice and support with the application process and finding partners.

Dr. Alexander Christian Widmann
Team Coordinator and Scientific Officer Social Sciences and Humanities | Security and Defence Research 
Phone: +49 89 9901888-162
Email: widmann@no-spam-pleasebayfor.org