Plans to abandon the Turing exchange scheme when the UK rejoins Erasmus+ could result in all the learning from the programme “being lost”, academics fear.
While the post-Brexit scheme had a shaky start, experts said Turing’s focus on widening access and the chance to take part in shorter-term exchange trips unlocked opportunities for a much wider range of people than its European counterpart.
The UK has announced it will shutter Turing for the 2027-28 academic year, when the country will instead take part in the European Union’s flagship Erasmus+ programme after a six-year absence.
Erasmus+ only facilitates exchanges within Europe, and Sally Wheeler, vice-chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London, told Times Higher Education (THE) “the restricted range of countries” offered is “unfortunate”.
In contrast, Turing has included opportunities in approximately 150 countries around the world.
