Erasmus and Switzerland | Erasmus and Switzerland

Welcome to “Erasmus and Switzerland”! We at VSS-UNES-USU, the Swiss Students’ Union, are committed to ensuring that Switzerland will re-join the Erasmus+ programme.

You have no idea what Erasmus is and why Switzerland is no longer part of it? On this page you will find a short video explaining Erasmus and Switzerland as well as a lot of further information.

What is Erasmus+?

Erasmus+ is the EU’s framework programme in the field of education, sport and training for young people for the period 2021-2028.

Erasmus+ brings together all previously independent programmes (tertiary education, basic vocational training, adult education, schools, extracurricular youth work and sport). In addition to the well-known mobility of learners, this programme also covers mobility for teachers as well as cooperation projects and projects to implement political reforms. It focuses on the interface between education and the working world and on vocational training.

Sounds complicated? Watch the video explaining the topic below. The videos are also available in German, French and Italian.

What do others say about it?

Mathias Reynard, national counsil SP

"Switzerland's participation in the Erasmus programme is essential for young people in our country. It opens up many opportunities for them to educate, exchange and learn in different countries on the European continent."

Lea Meister, Head of Policy at the SNYC

"Horizon2020 is a great programme for research, but it is questionable how much Switzerland can still profit from it and how attractive Switzerland is for it if it isolates its young academics in teaching.”

Tiana A. Moser, Group leader GLP

"If you want to be successful in education and we want to be at the forefront of research, we need this exchange."

swissuniversities

"There is a lot at stake for mobility, and non-association with Erasmus+ will disadvantageSwiss universities in the long term."

Michael Hengartner, Rector University of Zurich

"Digitalisation in teaching and stable relations with the EU: two issues that I consider central to our educational institutions in Switzerland."

Rudolf Minsch, deputee Chairman of the Executive Board of Economiesuisse

"The big question, the elephant in the room, is: 'How do we shape our relationship with Europe?' We need a social debate here."

Panel Discussion

In November 2018, a panel discussion organized by the CIS of the VSS-UNES-USU took place at the University of Zurich. Topics were Erasmus+, the Swiss interim solution and the future of the two programmes. The participants included:

Michael Hengartner (Rector of the UZH and President of Swissuniversities)
Tiana Angelina Moser (faction Leader GLP)
Lea Meister (Head of Policy at the SAJV-CSAJ)
Rudolf Minsch (deputee Chairman of the Executive Board of Economiesuisse)

Here you can see the recording of the exciting debate.

Latest News...

... in the media

Open letter: strong signal for Erasmus+

The Swiss Students' Union, along with the Swiss National Youth Council and stark+vernetzt and 35 other organisations, sent a strong signal in favor of Erasmus+ to the Council of States in the frame of the winter parliamentary session.
Click here to read the letter.

9. December 2021

Statement from the European University Association

The EUA calls upon the Swiss government and European Commission to agree on a separate way to fast track negotiations on the participation of Switzerland to EU programmes. They emphasise the loss of opportunities in the field of innovation cooperation.
Click here for the statement

10. December 2021

Stark vernetzt durch Erasmus+-Kooperationsprojekte

Zwischen 2014 und 2016 sind dank Erasmus+ mehr als 1000 Kooperationsprojekte gefördert worden. Die Beteiligung von Schweizer Hochschulen ist ernüchternd: Im gleichen Zeitraum haben sich Schweizer Institutionen lediglich an 8 multilateralen Projekten beteiligt. Die Nicht-Assoziierung an Erasmus+ wirkt sich negativ auf die Vernetzungsmöglichkeiten der Hochschullandschaft aus, wie ein kurzer Vergleich mit anderen Ländern deutlich aufzeigt. Click
here for the article.

19. September 2019

Institutional accord: EU ready to clarify and push for swift conclusion

The response from Brussels to the Federal Council's letter on the institutional agreement came immediately. Jean-Claude Juncker is ready to discuss, but is pushing the pace. He ruled out renegotiations. Click
here for the article.

11. June 2019

News from the Bundeshaus

In principle, the Federal Council says yes to the institutional accord if the EU clarifies three points (wage protection, state aid and Union Citizens' Directive). If these clarifications are satisfactory, the Federal Council will sign the institutional accord. You can find more detailed information
here .

7. June 2019.

Showdown to the institutional accord: Next week the Federal Council will decide

After ten years of discussions, including five years of negotiation, time has come for the showdown in Bern on the institutional agreement, which should lead the bilateral relationship between Switzerland and the EU into the future. Click
here to read the articel.

1. June 2019

Studies: Erasmus participation promotes job chances

According to studies, participants in the EU's Erasmus exchange programme have a better chance of getting a job. According to two studies published by the EU Commission in Brussels on Monday, experience abroad helped the majority of graduates to find a job. Click
here to read the article.

20. May 2019

Parliament plays with the Cohesion Billion for time

The Grand Chamber wants to pay the 1.3 billion Swiss Francs only if the EU does not discriminate against Switzerland. Thanks to a difference from the Council of States, Parliament is gaining time - and can thus await the discussions on the institutional accord. Click
here for the article.

18. March 2019

Switzerland-EU: Dark clouds on the research horizon

The unresolved relationship with the EU is unsettling Swiss universities and causing sleepless nights to scientists. Click
here to read the article.

2. February 2019