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Panoramic view on the North Campus © Jürgen Huhn​/​TU Dortmund
Brexit and Semesters Abroad

Three Questions to Silke Viol on the Impact of Brexit on the Erasmus+ Program

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Portrait photo Silke Viol © Aliona Kardash​/​TU Dortmund
Silke Viol is Deputy Director of the International Office and Erasmus+ Institutional Coordinator at TU Dortmund University.
On 31 January 2020 the United Kingdom left the European Union. Silke Viol, Deputy Director of the International Office and Erasmus+ Institutional Coordinator at TU Dortmund University, explains what consequences Brexit will have for the Erasmus+ Mobility Program.

Ms. Viol, the United Kingdom is a very popular destination for students of TU Dortmund University who want to complete a semester or an internship abroad. And students from the United Kingdom come to Dortmund too. What impact will Brexit have on the exchange of students between the EU and the United Kingdom?

For students currently undertaking a semester abroad or an internship in the United Kingdom nothing will change: Their Erasmus+ Mobility Grant will continue to be paid after 31 January too. Furthermore, at the end of December 2019 the British House of Commons voted in favor of the agreement on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Among others, it’s set down in this agreement that the Erasmus+ pro­gram will continue without restriction until the end of the current program period on 31.12.2020. The Brexit agreement was ratified in this form by the European Parliament and the European Council, so nothing will change for those people completing an Erasmus semester in the United Kingdom up until the end of the year.

If there should be no possibility from 2021 onwards for the United Kingdom to continue to take part in the program, for example as an associated partner, the number of students, lecturers, and trainees undertaking an exchange between the United Kingdom and EU will drastically decline.

Will there be any possibility in future to complete an exchange semester in the United Kingdom?

There could be a special agreement with the United Kingdom beyond 31.12.2020 that would enable its further participation in EU programs. However, at present a possible membership as what is known as an associated third country is also under discussion. Third countries can either participate in the entire Erasmus+ program or only parts of it. There is therefore hope, but unfortunately no official decision with the exact details has been announced so far.

TU Dort­mund University has already entered into several cooperation agreements with British partner universities at faculty level outside the Erasmus+ program. This means that students of some faculties at TU Dortmund University can apply for a place at a partner university in the United Kingdom in future too without having to pay tuition fees. This naturally also applies in reverse for British students who would like to complete an exchange semester at TU Dortmund University. However, other advantages offered by the Erasmus+ program, such as the Mobility Grant, are then no longer available.

With regard to Erasmus+ internships, the United Kingdom ranks top among the most popular destinations. Here it will be far more difficult in future for students to obtain funding.

What do you advise students of TU Dortmund University who would like to speak English during their semester abroad?

There’s a huge range of possibilities for exchanges. For example, TU Dortmund University has excellent contacts to universities in the USA – our high number of exchange students who go there or come from there is unique in NRW. Our membership in the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) opens up inexpensive opportunities worldwide for Dortmund students to undertake a visit abroad. In addition, the faculties have Erasmus+ partnerships with Scandinavian countries or the Netherlands, which often offer English-taught courses. My advice: Enquire in good time and stay flexible!

Further information can be found on the website of the International Office of TU Dort­mund University.

 

About Silke Viol

Silke Viol completed her First State Examination at TU Dortmund University and then worked for a year in the USA as adjunct professor for German as a Foreign Language. She has coordinated the Erasmus+ program as Institutional Coordinator at TU Dortmund University since 2002 and is also an Erasmus+ expert of the German Academic Exchange Service. Ms. Viol is Deputy Director of the International Office and responsible, among others, for exchange students who come to TU Dortmund University in the framework of the overseas programs.

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