News from Berlin – The European Commission has recently launched a new program for Education, Training, Youth and Sport from Berlin.     
Called “Erasmus+”, this European program will have a total budget of 14.7 billion euros over a period of seven years, and extra funding may be allocated for higher education exchanges and administrative support later on. Four million people will be given the opportunity to study, train and gain experience abroad, including nearly 600,000 German students.

Erasmus+ will tackle the issue of youth unemployment in the EU by supporting mobility opportunities, but also by increasing the quality of European education and youth programs. According to Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, “Investing in education and training is the best choice we can make for Europe's future and its young people.”

This new program is built on the success of previous European programs for education but has a broader scope. With a 265 million euros budget allocated to the support of transnational sport projects, it is indeed the first time that such a program promotes the values of sport for European youth. Similarly, strong partnerships between students and employees will be promoted in order to boost employability and entrepreneurship through “Sector Skills Alliances” and “Knowledge Alliances”.

In 2014, Germany will receive nearly 165 million euros from Erasmus+, and is expected to receive higher amounts every year until 2020. Some 380 000 German students have already been involved between 2007 and 2013 in EU's former Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programs.