Promoting more inclusive mobility within the Erasmus + project, enhancing the Erasmus experience and simplifying the recognition of university pathways in Europe. These were some of the issues addressed by the conference Erasmus: what’s next? The  European States General of the Erasmus generation 2018, organised by the Indire’s national agency Erasmus+ on 9 May in the Sala della Protomoteca of the Campidoglio, Rome.

The conference was organised by the Indire’s National Agency Erasmus+ in collaboration with the Department for European Policies of the Presidency of the Ministries and the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research with the support of Erasmus student Network Italy, garagErasmus Foundation and Erasmus Mundus association.

The Director General of the Indire’s National Agency Erasmus+, Flaminio Galli, declared: «Erasmus is the programme showcasing the spirit of cohesion and brotherhood of European people at its best. Since 1987, more than 9 million youth undertook an experience of cultural and professional growth thanks to Erasmus. However, more can and must be done. Today, we discuss together with 200 European students some proposals for change in view of the new programme. The aim is to make Europe a more efficient instrument for employment and integration of the future generations».

The conference opened with the institutional greetings of Rome’s Mayor, Virginia Raggi and of the President of Indire’s National Agency Erasmus+, Giovanni Biondi. To follow there were the speeches of: the Under Secretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Sandro Gozi; the EU parliament member Silvia Costa; and the Head of European Commission’s Representation in Italy, Beatrice Covassi.

200 young university students from all over Europe participated in the event. In the morning the students voted the best proposals for the next programme drawn from the online international debate carried out in April and May. Among the highlighted issues there were:  how to enhance quality and the number of students participating in the Erasmus programme; Erasmus beyond Europe; issues relating to communication, dissemination, and the social impact of the opportunities offered by the programme; physical and virtual mobility and the role of the Erasmus experience in entrepreneurship.

See the Photo gallery of the event: