At the 25th anniversary of the Utrecht Network, a European university cooperation network in the area of internationalisation and mobility, Mr. Wächter used the opportunity to encourage rectors and university board members to pay close attention to the 'Erasmus for all'-proposal that the European Commission has put forward.
According to the European Commission, Erasmus for all is the new programme for education, training, youth and sport. Starting in 2014, it would significantly increase the funds allocated for the development of knowledge and skills.
"Erasmus for all is based on the premise that investing in education and training is the key to unlocking people's potential, regardless of their age or background. It helps them to increase their personal development, gain new skills and boost their job prospects".
Erasmus as a panacea
The Brussels' based Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) is somewhat more critical. ACA is afraid that the lack of clarity in the Commission's proposal will lead the European Parliament and the Council to transform the proposal into "anything the current political climate would like it to be - a panacea for all the social problems facing Europe today - and not what the programme was originally designed to do."
The ACA also points to the lack of detail in the 'Erasmus for all-proposal', being just "another case of the Commission's famed 'constructive ambiguity' approach." According to Wächter the proposal would do away with any sector-specific sub-programmes and would therefore not be able to allocate money to for instance higher education.
Accountability craze
Wächter: "What drives these reforms is the drive for managerial efficiency. If they simplify the categories, they can have the same application form. But… if they don't get this single form right, they mess everything up. It is simplification at the end of the programme managers, I don't think it will get worse, but I don't think it will get much better either. Accountability craze is the Zeitgeist, there I have no hope."
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Projected key figures Overall budget |
€19 billion (includes €1.8 billion for international cooperation) |
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Overall mobility opportunities |
5 million people |
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Higher education |
2.2 million students |
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Staff mobility |
1 million teachers, trainers, youth workers and other staff |
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Vocational education and training |
735 000 students |
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Volunteer and youth exchange schemes |
540 000 young people |
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Master's degree loan guarantee scheme |
330 000 students |
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International students |
135 000 students |
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Joint degree grants |
34 000 students |
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Cooperation targets: |
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Strategic Partnerships |
More than 20 000 linking together 115 000 institutions |
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Knowledge Alliances |
200 set up by 2000 higher education institutions and businesses |
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Sectoral Skills Alliances |
200 set up by 2000 education and training providers and businesses |