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The UK’s planned reassociation to Erasmus+ from 2027-28 presents a significant opportunity for the University of Sussex to renew and expand its European engagement, one of the most formative elements of its international identity.

Sussex has a long and distinctive relationship with Erasmus+, having been an active participant since the programme’s inception in 1987. Sussex has a distinctive historical connection to Erasmus with one of the principal founding architects of the original Erasmus programme being Dr Hywel Ceri Jones, a former Sussex staff member, who served as Director for Education, Training and Youth at the European Commission at the time of the programme’s establishment.

Erasmus+ will re-establish a stable, highly recognisable framework for student mobility across Europe, supporting semester- and year-long study and work placements for academic credit. For Sussex students, this will offer clarity, consistency and confidence when planning international experiences, while helping to embed mobility as a normal and achievable part of the academic journey. At the same time, renewed participation would strengthen inbound exchange, reinforcing reciprocity and enriching the learning environment on campus through a diverse European student presence.

Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, Professor Sasha Roseneil, says: “The University of Sussex is delighted by the news that the UK will rejoin the Erasmus programme. Sussex was one of the very first universities to welcome an Erasmus student back in 1987, and over the years many thousands of Sussex students benefited from the learning and personal development that comes from studying abroad. Our university was also greatly enriched by the thousands of European students who came to study and learn on our campus.”

The programme also offers opportunities for staff mobility, enabling teaching and training exchanges that deepen institutional partnerships and often act as catalysts for wider academic collaboration. These relationships are particularly important as Sussex strengthens its European engagement through initiatives such as the Aurora European Universities Alliance, where Erasmus+ provides a practical mobility backbone to support shared educational ambitions.

As Rohan McCarthy-Gill, Head of Global Mobility at Sussex and Chair of Butex British Student Mobility, notes: “Erasmus+ has always been about much more than numbers. For Sussex, it is about sustained partnerships, meaningful reciprocity, and giving students and staff the confidence to see Europe as an integral part of their academic and personal development.”