Tag: Turing scheme

Disadvantaged students to benefit from ‘flagship’ Turing Scheme

Disadvantaged students are set to take up the two-thirds of the international study and work opportunities available from September, as part of to the UK government’s flagship Turing Scheme.

Over 40,000 people across the UK will get the transformational opportunity to study or work abroad in the next academic year.

Building on the success of the previous two years, nearly two-thirds of these placements are for people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds, up from 51% last year, helping to drive social mobility in parts of the UK where historically there have been fewer opportunities to work and study abroad.

In Further Education the allocation for disadvantaged students is even higher this year, making up 71% of placements in the sector.

The Turing Scheme widens access to international opportunities in education and training, with more than 22,800 Higher Education placements, over 6,700 school placements, and more than 10,500 Further Education and Vocational Education and Training placements.

Universities, colleges and schools across the country will be awarded a share of almost £105 million to offer placements to their students, with more applications having been successful this year than ever before and a significantly higher interest in the scheme from colleges and schools, including a nearly 50% increase in the number of successful applications in the FE sector.

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said: “Once again, this transformational scheme is extending the ladder of opportunity for more young people to experience other cultures and learn vital skills for life and work, regardless of their background.

“With nearly a 50% increase in the number of successful applications and around 1,800 additional learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in the FE sector compared to last year, I am delighted that this scheme is driving social mobility.

“Young people taking part will benefit from inspirational placements around the world that will build the confidence they need for their future, whilst bolstering the government’s ambition for a Global Britain.”

The scheme is open to education providers and other eligible organisations across the UK to provide international opportunities for their students.

It forms part of the government’s ambition to create a truly Global Britain. Canada, Japan and the United States are among over 160 international destinations where UK students will be funded to take up work and study placements – alongside popular European destinations like Spain and France.

A group of year 10 pupils from a school in Blackburn were offered the valuable opportunity to spend two weeks in Eswatini or Morocco in May 2022. Pupils from the Hyndburn Academy spent time in lessons with their counterparts as well as undertaking work in the local community, working with the charity All Out Africa to install drainage pipework at a care centre for local pre-school children.

Teacher Rebecca Barker-Rourke said of the experience: “The experience has developed confidence in many of the students and will give them loads of rich examples to discuss in future applications for college, university, apprenticeships and employment.

“We are in an area that is economically deprived, and the Turing Scheme funding means we can offer this opportunity to students that would otherwise never get the chance for a trip like this.”

Leeds Beckett University is one of the successful providers this year and expects students to travel to destinations such as Canada, Australia and Uganda.

Global Engagement and Relationship Manager Tom Kyle said: “We have seen growing demand for students wanting to gain some form of Global Experience during their studies, and it makes a big difference to be able to offer funding for this, particularly to those students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“There is good evidence that students who spend some time abroad during their studies benefit in terms of graduate outcomes and employability, as well as having a fantastic time overseas.

“We look forward to building on our student mobility activity and seeing more students benefit from the opportunities this brings.”

The full list of successful organisations including higher education providers, schools, and further education, vocational education and training providers awarded funding will be available on the Turing Scheme website.

Edinburgh Napier receives funding from Turing Scheme

Study abroad opportunities will be available for students

Students from Edinburgh Napier will be able to study across the world after the University was awarded a significant level of funding from the new Turing Scheme.

The funding, which was announced this week, is part of almost £100m that was distributed to education providers following the inaugural call for bids. It will enable and increase global mobility activity in the 2021/22 academic year, supporting students in accessing a range of international opportunities, regardless of their background.

The Turing Scheme is the UK Government’s programme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. It supports Global Britain by providing an opportunity for UK organisations from the higher education, further education, vocational education and training and schools sectors to offer students, learners and pupils life-changing experiences to study or work abroad.

As part of the new global scheme, Canada, Japan and the USA are among more than 150 international destinations where UK participants will be funded to take up placements – with 48% of places going to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

The Turing Scheme gives participants the opportunity to benefit from working and studying abroad, while boosting the UK education sector’s ties with international partners in the process. It also aims to improve social mobility across the UK by targeting areas which had seen lower uptake up of other mobility programmes. 

Edinburgh Napier University Principal and Vice Chancellor Andrea Nolan said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid to the Turing Scheme.

“We have a long history of both widening participation and global mobility at Edinburgh Napier and it will be fantastic to be able to provide yet more opportunities for students from all backgrounds to experience some time abroad as part of this exciting new scheme.”

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said: “Our schools, colleges and universities have worked tirelessly to make this programme a success, and I am grateful to them and their global partners who have truly embraced this opportunity for international collaboration.

“I look forward to seeing the innovation and expertise our students, pupils and vocational learners bring back to this country from their journeys to every corner of the globe – from Canada to Japan, and Australia to the United States.”

More information on how students can apply to the scheme will be announced in due course.

40,000 students to study across the globe as part of Turing Scheme

UK Government announces 40,000 students and pupils are set to study and work abroad under new student exchange programme, spanning 150 countries

40,000 students will be able to study and work abroad thanks to the government’s new Turing Scheme, with universities and schools due to be told this week that their bids for funding have been successful.

Over 120 universities, as well as schools and further education colleges across the UK, will be awarded grants from the £110m Turing Scheme – which will see 48% of places go to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

As part of the new global scheme, Canada, Japan and the United States are amongst over 150 international destinations where UK students will be funded to take up work and study placements – alongside popular European countries like Germany and France.

At the heart of the Government’s post-Brexit vision is an ambition to create a truly Global Britain where we learn, work and trade with countries well beyond Europe’s frontiers. The Turing Scheme, which has replaced the UK’s participation in Erasmus+, gives young people the opportunity to benefit from working and studying abroad, while boosting our ties with international partners in the process.

The scheme also aims to improve social mobility across the UK by targeting areas which had seen lower uptake up of the Erasmus+ programme, including across the Midlands and North of England – with education providers in the West Midlands set to receive the most funding.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The chance to work and learn in a country far from home is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – which broadens minds, sharpens skills and improves outcomes.

“But until now it has been an opportunity disproportionately enjoyed by those from the most privileged backgrounds. The Turing Scheme has welcomed a breadth of successful applications from schools and colleges across the country, reflecting our determination that the benefits of Global Britain are shared by all.

“By strengthening our partnerships with the finest institutions across the globe, the Turing Scheme delivers on the Government’s post-Brexit vision, and helps a new generation grasp opportunities beyond Europe’s borders.”

Ministers have set out a range of measures to improve access to international opportunities through the programme, including funding for travel and expenses such as passports and visas, as well as a grant for living costs, to tackle the barriers some students face to studying overseas.

Extra support has also been guaranteed for preparatory visits to make sure placements meet the needs of participants with disabilities and special educational needs.

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said: “Our schools, colleges and universities have worked tirelessly to make this programme a success, and I am grateful to them and their global partners who have truly embraced this opportunity for international collaboration.

“I look forward to seeing the innovation and expertise our students, pupils and vocational learners bring back to this country from their journeys to every corner of the globe – from Canada to Japan, and Australia to the United States.”

The total number of individual placements supported this year through the £110m scheme stands at over 40,000 – exceeding the Department for Education’s own estimates. This includes 28,000 placements for university students – compared with only 18,300 under Erasmus+ in the academic year 2018/9.

The Turing Scheme, announced by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson last year, is named after pioneering UK war hero and father of modern computing Alan Turing, who studied abroad at Princeton University before going on crack the Enigma code in World War Two.

Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International, said: “The Turing Scheme will create opportunities for thousands of students from all over the country to gain experience working and studying abroad.

“We know from the evidence we have collected that students who have such experience tend to do better academically and in employment outcomes – and that this is especially true for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We want more students from a wider range of backgrounds to get these sorts of opportunities and believe, that if they do, the UK economy will benefit in the long run.”

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “The opportunity to work, study or compete abroad is so important for the life chances of all young people.

“It’s encouraging to see colleges taking up all that Turing can offer – including colleges that are newer to international partnerships – exploring exchanges across a broad range of countries.”

Student mobility will be crucial post-pandemic as the world reopens and learners from all backgrounds access their chance to develop technical and personal skills, build their confidence and experience other cultures.

Pro-EU organisation urges Scottish Government to set up its own Erasmus programme

Scotland’s leading pro-EU organisation, the European Movement in Scotland, has urged the Scottish Government to follow the Wales Government and establish its own version of the Erasmus education exchange programme.

With Brexit, the UK government has withdrawn from the EU’s Erasmus scheme, which offered student exchanges as well as school links and work experience.

Its replacement, the Turing Scheme, includes a fraction of the benefits provided to students under Erasmus+.

Free tuition and travel expenses have been scrapped, except for the most disadvantaged students and the cost-of-living allowance has been slashed by a fifth. In addition the Turing Scheme does not extend to apprentices and trainees.

The Turing scheme does not extend to staff exchanges. Funding will also not be reciprocal, meaning that international partner institutions will not be supported for any exchanges coming to the UK.

Around 2000 Scottish students and staff used Erasmus+ each year and now many will be denied the chance to study and travel in 27 other EU countries as the new scheme puts financial barriers in front of them.

In contrast, the Welsh Government said its scheme would “support, as far as possible, the entire range of activities that have been available to learners in Wales” under Erasmus+.

The new programme will fill in many of the gaps Turing leaves, including, crucially, the commitment to long-term funding, the retention of the principle of two-way exchanges and the inclusion of youth work.

Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK. Through associated youth work projects, the scheme is estimated to deliver at least £7 in value for every £1 it costs in public cash, and its value to the economy has been estimated to be worth nearly £34 million annually since 2014.

The Scottish Government had lobbied the EU for continued membership but its hopes were quashed last month by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, who told MEPs that, as a “constituent nation” of the UK, Scotland could not rejoin. Students studying at institutions in Northern Ireland can take part in Erasmus thanks to an arrangement with the Irish government.

Mark Lazarowicz, Chair of the European Movement in Scotland commented: “The loss of Erasmus is an act of cultural vandalism and we would urge the Scottish Government to follow Wales and fill the immense gaps presented by the Turing scheme.

“Erasmus brings different countries and nationalities together and generates such massive cultural and educational benefits, its loss is a huge blow.  It allowed many thousands of young people, no matter their background, to continue to improve their futures, their access to global opportunities, and their development as citizens of a connected world. 

“Over 2000 Scottish students, staff and learners used the scheme each year. Indeed, Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK.

“A unilateral replacement, such as the proposed Turing scheme, will never be able to replicate the wealth of opportunities for all young people, or raise the same reciprocal benefits of the Erasmus Programme.”

Turing scheme to ‘open up global study and work opportunities’

Schools, colleges and universities can now apply for funding from today to allow students to study and work across the globe as part of the new Turing Scheme.

The programme, backed by £110 million, replaces the Erasmus+ scheme in the UK and will fund 35,000 global exchanges from September 2021, including university study, school exchanges, and industry work placements.

The new scheme aims to improve social mobility, targeting students from disadvantaged backgrounds and areas which did not previously have many students benefiting from Erasmus+, making life-changing opportunities accessible to everyone across the country. The British Council and Ecorys will be targeting disadvantaged parts of the country to promote the scheme to improve take up.

The Turing scheme offers benefits to students that they would not have under the previous Erasmus+ programme, with university students from disadvantaged backgrounds set to receive a maximum of £490 per month towards living costs (currently worth around 573 euros compared to 540 euros under Erasmus+), alongside travel funding, and other forms of additional funding to offset the cost of passports, visas and insurance.

Unlike Erasmus+, which is EU-focused, the Turing Scheme is a truly global programme and every country in the world is eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “The Turing Scheme is a truly global programme with every country in the world eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.

“It is also levelling up in action, as the scheme seeks to help students of all income groups from across the country experience fantastic education opportunities in any country they choose.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “This is a landmark step in delivering on our promise to level up a truly global Britain, strengthening our ties across the world and providing students with the skills they need to thrive.

“The programme’s focus on social mobility and value for money will open up more opportunities for international education and travel to all of our students, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds who were less likely to benefit from the previous EU scheme.

“I urge all universities, schools and colleges from all corners of the UK to start their applications and partner up with countries worldwide.”

Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan said: The Turing scheme will support our levelling up agenda by opening up the world to young people and children from all backgrounds with exciting global opportunities.

“The scheme will enable up to 35,000 students throughout the UK to work or study across the globe.”

As part of the UK-wide launch, education ministers are visiting the devolved nations today to highlight the advantages of the Turing scheme and ensure wider participation for all students across the UK.

In support of the launch, Universities Minister Michelle Donelan will visit Cardiff University and Edinburgh University to discuss the bidding process including how to demonstrate widening access to more disadvantaged students as part of the application process.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb and Apprenticeships Minister Gillian Keegan will visit educational settings in areas that have not previously benefitted from Erasmus+.

Applicants from schools and colleges are encouraged, with funding levels and eligibility set out in programme guides available to help inform applications.

UK organisations are encouraged to form partnerships across the globe, not just the EU. The Turing website includes the programme guide, funding levels and eligibility, and details of webinars available to help inform applications.

Successful applications will receive funding for administering the scheme and students taking part will receive grants to help them with the costs of their international experience. The benefits of the exchanges will be assessed and the findings used to build on future schemes. Funding decisions for subsequent years will be subject to future spending reviews.

£110m of funding will be available to support projects and activities during the 2021/2022 academic year. This is enough to fund similar levels of student exchanges under the former Erasmus+ scheme.

Programme guidance, including information on the application process, has also been published on the Turing Scheme website.

New Turing scheme to support students to study and work abroad

Thousands of students will be able to study and do work placements across the world through a brand new scheme that replaces the UK’s participation in Erasmus+.

The Turing scheme will be backed by over £100 million, providing funding for around 35,000 students in universities, colleges and schools to go on placements and exchanges overseas, starting in September 2021.

The new scheme will also target students from disadvantaged backgrounds and areas which did not previously have many students benefiting from Erasmus+, making life-changing opportunities accessible to everyone across the country.

The programme will provide similar opportunities for students to study and work abroad as the Erasmus+ programme but it will include countries across the world and aims to deliver greater value for money to taxpayers.

The UK will reap the rewards from the investment, by boosting students’ skills and prospects, benefitting UK employers, and supporting Global Britain’s ties with international partners.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “We now have the chance to expand opportunities to study abroad and see more students from all backgrounds benefit from the experience.

“We have designed a truly international scheme which is focused on our priorities, delivers real value for money and forms an important part of our promise to level up the United Kingdom.

“These opportunities will benefit both our students and our employers, as well as strengthening our ties with partners across the world.”

UK organisations will be invited to bid into the scheme in early 2021. Successful applications will receive funding for administering the scheme and students taking part will receive grants to help them with the costs of their international experience.

The benefits of the exchanges to schools and colleges will be assessed and the learnings used to build on future schemes. Funding decisions for subsequent years will be subject to future spending reviews.

To meet delivery timescales, universities, colleges and schools are encouraged to begin preparation with international partners as soon as possible.

Universities UK International Director, Vivienne Stern, said: “Evidence shows that students who have international experience tend to do better academically and in employment, and the benefits are greatest for those who are least advantaged.

“The new Turing scheme is a fantastic development and will provide global opportunities for up to 35,000 UK students to study and work abroad.”

International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, said: “As the International Education Champion, I’m pleased to see that the government is committed to international exchanges.

“So much of what makes education so rewarding for all is the chance for students and learners in schools, colleges and universities experience new cultures and, by doing so, develop new skills.

“This scheme represents a sizeable investment from the Government and I look forward to working with the Government to develop a scheme that will make real our commitment to Global Britain.”

CONCERN OVER ALTERNATIVE SCHEME

On learning of the UK Government’s decision to withdraw from the Erasmus+ scheme, Scotland’s Education Secretary John Swinney said: “The decision of the U.K. Tory Government to leave the Erasmus Scheme not only closes opportunities for our young people and narrows any claim to an outward U.K. perspective.”

Universities Minister Richard Lochhead also expressed his profound disappointment at the UK Government’s decision to withdraw from the Erasmus Plus exchange programme and described the move as ‘a huge blow’.

Annually, over 2,000 Scottish students, staff and learners use the scheme. Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK. Through associated youth work projects the scheme is estimated to deliver at least £7 in value for every £1 it costs in public cash, and its value to the economy has been estimated to be worth nearly £34 million annually since 2014.

Students in Northern Ireland are to be given access to Erasmus, but the Brexit deal will now prevent Scottish students from participating.

Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The loss of Erasmus is huge blow. This is simply unacceptable and we are looking at alternative options.

“After years of discussions and meetings, the UK Government has made these decisions irrespective of the views of the Devolved Administrations. We found out from media reports more details of the UK’s alternative scheme which is a watered down and less well funded version of Erasmus and it’s not even an exchange program because there is no support for visits to Scotland. 

“I have since spoken to my UK counterpart and expressed our profound disappointment that the UK chose to abandon Erasmus which plays such a key role in opening up opportunities and horizons for so many young Scots. Crucially, it is a scheme that brings different countries and nationalities together with massive cultural and educational benefits. 

“I am seeking further clarification on what the new scheme looks like and how they intend to provide funding on a par with the amounts historically secured under Erasmus.

“We also need confirmation that they will ensure all those who currently benefit from the programme will be supported and crucially how the devolved nature of education would be protected under their new scheme and we will resist using the Internal Market Bill to foist an inferior UK scheme on Scotland.”