Mobility

Everybody in Europe should be able to study and work wherever they please, regardless of national borders. But does that work in practice? How mobile is Europe? And who studies where?

A million and a half students have already studied abroad under Erasmus – the European educational exchange programme, which celebrated its twentieth birthday last year. Now the programme is to receive a funding boost so that more students can study in a greater range of countries.

Allowing European citizens – young and old – to move unimpeded within the territory of the Union is one of the EU's top priorities. eurotopics-editor Nikola Richter asked Ján Figel', European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, about going mobile.

Even if most Europeans are generally in favour of mobility, the fear of losing touch with their private surroundings prevents Europeans from getting up and going.

According to a Eurobarometer survey on labour market mobility 46 percent of respondents have rather positive views on the benefits of long-distance mobility. However there are considerable regional differences.