Professor Corradi, laureate of the 10th Carlos V European Award, discusses the contribution of the Erasmus programme to Europe and responds to the hopes and frustrations of participants.

Sofia Corradi, "Mamma Erasmus"

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/11503699/n004-0043-en.srt

because since the late 1960s,  this Professor of Educational Science

fought heart and soul for years to convince  the rectors of European universities

to set up an exchange programme  as part of their study programmes.

We came to Rome to meet Sofia Corradi,  symbol of Erasmus.

This year Professor Corradi received  the prestigious Charles V award in Spain

for her contribution to the development  of the European Union.

You have been a pioneer  because you lived all this first hand,

and quite the lobbyist because you wanted  to convince those who didn't believe in it.

I had the idea myself after realising  how important the Fulbright Scholarship

and spending a year studying abroad  had been for me.

It opened lots of doors to me  and changed my life.

I wondered why an experience like that  should be limited to the privileged few.

I thought this privilege for the few  should become an opportunity

We collected questions for you from both  Members of the European Parliament

as well as students and lecturers  of this Erasmus community.

Don't you think that we could, from an  Erasmus which has become Erasmus +,

create an Erasmus²  to include more clearly and effectively

the professional training and mobility  of our young people

Erasmus has enjoyed great success  as a student exchange programme.

Can it also serve  to make the labour market accessible?

Of course.  It already does this to some extent,

The number of Erasmus participants  increases by one million every three years.

Every year there are  around 300,000 more,

and 300,000 times three  makes almost a million.

Therefore, it won't take long  for people to take advantage

of the new opportunities  opened up under Erasmus +.

My question is whether there are plans to  boost funding for the Erasmus programme,

since unfortunately many people  are unable to take part.

In the end, Erasmus remains  a scholarship for the rich,

Erasmus is not designed  to be a study scholarship

paying for all the expenses  that students have to cover

while studying abroad  for a semester or a year.

Erasmus has always said,  and it has made no secret of it,

that it aims to cover only the additional  expenses that study abroad students have

on top of what they would normally spend  in their own countries.

How can we better  and more accurately judge

the students' level of knowledge  when they apply?

is that any lecturer  worth their university stipend

can judge after a half hour chat  with a student

whether said student has  the necessary prerequisites

to follow the course they have signed up for.  -Another problem.

My question on Erasmus is whether the  organisers of this mobility scholarship

have considered unifying the evaluation  systems of the participating countries?

The current evaluation system is confusing,  sometimes inaccurate

and therefore  to the alumni's disadvantage.

can be part of the Erasmus programme,  which is a great honour,

only on the condition that they have  been awarded an Erasmus Charter.

Here it is written that any university  that wants to participate in Erasmus

and thus have the honour of saying  that they participate in Erasmus,

must first of all commit to  recognising studies carried out abroad.

who believe they have sole ownership  of their post and subject.

Erasmus is based on a fundamental  principle, which is always repeated.

It is based on  mutual respect and trust

between the two institutions  organising the exchange.

If you don't trust an institution,  don't set up an exchange with them.

Erasmus is the product of a Europe  that is not doing very well today.

Wherever we look,  a real European vision seems to be lacking.

There are leaders who don't know  how to take decisions.

In your view, is this  Erasmus community of openness

destined to close in on itself,  just like we see with our leaders

who are building walls  instead of opening out.

Not at all.  Our Europe will face some crises,

but is there anything  in this world that doesn't?

There is also the generation  of Erasmus alumni

that are on the threshold of taking up  positions in global decision-making.

In reality, Erasmus students get  an experience where they grow up.

In the prime of their lives  they learn to stay afloat:

life is not a swimming pool  of calm waters,

Erasmus students learn  to overcome difficulties independently.

But Erasmus will make its contribution,  I'm sure of that.