UK universities urge government to restart EU student exchange programmes

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A new report from Universities UK, an organisation which advocates for 141 universities across the country, said Sir Keir Starmer’s government should “strongly consider the case” to rejoin the scheme, cancelled under Boris Johnson. The Erasmus+ programme provided British university students with funding from the government for education, training and sport in a host EU country, in an exchange scheme with a student from a European university. International experience might also be deployed strategically to create the conditions for stronger future export potential among UK companies.” It comes as Sir Keir prepares for his first bilateral meeting with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday. open image in gallery Sir Keir will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for his first bilateral meeting on Wednesday The main talks will be headed by European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, who is based in the Cabinet Office and has been handed some of the most complex and sensitive tasks in the Starmer government.