The Erasmus+ programme is celebrating its 35th birthday this year. Luxembourg joined the Erasmus programme in 1988 and, in 2003, the then brand-new University of Luxembourg, which is based on the principle of mobility in its bachelor’s programmes, also joined. Today, Erasmus represents 80% of all Bachelor programme mobility at the University of Luxembourg.
Today, the University oversees the majority of departing and arriving Erasmus students and staff in Luxembourg. Of the 2,681 students students involved in Erasmus+ in 2020 in Luxembourg, the majority are linked to the University. For the 2021/22 academic year, the University is to welcome 247 foreign students, and 450 University students are expected to leave for studies abroad.
Luxembourg and its University have forged a reputation as an attractive and niche destination for Erasmus students. Off the beaten track, Luxembourg offers newcomers a multilingual environment, an advantageous geographical position, and a rich natural and industrial heritage to discover. Its unique University reflects these values:
- A multicultural and multilingual campus: among the 6,700 students, most are international, coming from 130 countries. L’Étudiant ranks Luxembourg at the top of its list for international meetings and multilingualism.
- A majority of programmes are bilingual, and some are even trilingual.
- Many programmes focus on Europe (European law, cultures, history, governance, etc.)
- Small class sizes with personal, human, teaching.
The University is committed to offering many advantages to newly arrived students. The Buddy programme matches a local student with a newcomer to facilitate their integration into the University. There are free language courses, inclusion and financial services, Welcome Brunch for the newcomers, Open Doors Day and Welcome Day in September, as well as many other services that are available to all students.
The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) association is an excellent starting point for foreign students to establish contacts, discover the country and gather practical information. Between 100 and 150 Erasmus+ students and interns attended the first ESN event of the semester. “With ESN, your time with Erasmus+ is transformed from an exchange to an experience,” explained Jeroen van Wier, a doctoral candidate and president of ESN Luxembourg. “Social events, hikes, city tours, sports activities and trips are part of our efforts to make Luxembourg unforgettable. It is our goal that anyone who is doing their exchange in Luxembourg has the opportunity to form lasting friendships, especially in these difficult times. Since summer 2020, we have been organising bi-weekly hikes in small groups and normal activities such as a weekend in Brussels and a Halloween party were organised.”
The mobility concept that is at the heart of the Erasmus+ programme is going strong at 35 and is being carried forward into new initiatives. In 2020, the University of Luxembourg became one of the initiators of UNIVERSEH – European Space University for Earth and Humanity, a European University focused on innovative space-related education and research. UNIVERSEH, an alliance of universities from five countries (France, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland and Sweden), is supported by Erasmus+ and the mobility of students and staff within UNIVERSEH is one of the core aspects of the project.