Photo: PA
The move to leave the Erasmus scheme has been criticised by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who called the decision “cultural vandalism”.
She tweeted: “There will be lots of focus, rightly, on the economic costs of Brexit.
“But ending UK participation in Erasmus, an initiative that has expanded opportunities and horizons for so many young people, is cultural vandalism by the UK Government.”
Guy Verhofstadt praised Ireland for keeping the programme alive for students in Northern Ireland.
The Erasmus student exchange programme will be replaced in the UK by a worldwide scheme named after code breaker Alan Turing, the Prime Minister has said.
However, Labour and Co-Op MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle also criticised the scheme, tweeting: “As someone who lobbied & drafted parts of last scheme this will not work.
“UK gains from students coming to UK & Brits gain personally from going abroad.”
Former prime minister Gordon Brown had previously called for the UK to remain part of the programme.
In September, Mr Brown said the programme plays a critical role in higher education and research across the country, as well as ensuring all UK students have access to a global education.
More than half the British students who study abroad do so under the Erasmus programme, Mr Brown added.
There were a lot of other dissenting voices on social media.
Well a flashback to the 15th Jan this year shows Douglas Chapman, SNP, MP, in the Commons. He said it would be a disaster to end the Erasmus scheme. The PM then stood up and said: ‘there is no threat to the Erasmus scheme…”
Related: Post-Brexit Erasmus replacement will cost more than £100 million next year
