Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is working to become the European Union’s “first associate member,” and the partnership could bring new opportunities for students.
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partnership → say → students
During a news conference with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Canada–European Union Summit in Montreal, Carney introduced a slew of agreements to further harmonize Canada’s economy with Europe, including the extension to Canada of the EU’s flagship funding program for education, training, youth and sport, Erasmus+.
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Carney → introduce → education
“Through this program, Canadian students can pursue their studies in Barcelona just as easily as they could in McGill,” Carney said at Friday’s press conference.
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Carney → pursue → conference
Here’s what we know and don’t know about the new arrangement.
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we → ’ → arrangement
What does the partnership mean for Canada?
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partnership → mean → Canada
Canada’s accession to the Erasmus+ program would mean it gains access to the massive centralized EU funding pool, which supports billions of dollars in grants for international student travel and various academic partnerships.
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which → mean → travel
But entering this program requires the federal government to pay a buy-in cost directly into the EU budget before Canadian institutions can gain access to those funds.
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institutions → enter → funds
The cost of buying in is yet to be announced.
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cost → buy → ?
If the U.K.‘s recent Erasmus+ agreement is any indication of potential costs for non-EU members to join the program, then Canada can expect to cough up over $1 billion to fully participate in 2027.
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Canada → join → 2027
“We don’t view this as ‘paying for something,’” Carney told reporters about the cost of becoming an associate member of the EU.
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Carney → view → EU
“We view this as coming together … this is a positive association.”
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this → view → this
How does Erasmus+ currently work?
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Erasmus+ → work → ?
Under the Erasmus+ program, European universities receive funding to establish partnerships with institutions abroad, and organize student and staff exchanges.
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universities → receive → exchanges
The grants go toward a participant’s travel and living expenses, with money also going to the institutions to administer the exchanges.
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money → go → exchanges
Students, teachers and other staff members apply for placements through their participating institutions.
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Students → apply → institutions
Canada already had access to the Erasmus+ program before Carney’s announcement.
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Canada → have → announcement
Since 2015, the program has allowed universities outside Europe, including Canadian institutions, to participate in certain student and staff exchanges through partnerships with European universities.
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universities → allow → universities
Under a system called International Credit Mobility, European universities can receive EU funding to arrange exchanges with partner institutions abroad, allowing students to study overseas and earn academic credits.
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students → call → credits
However, Canada does not currently have the same access to Erasmus+ as EU member states or countries formally associated with the program.
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Canada → have → program
Canadian universities generally participate through partnerships with eligible European institutions, rather than accessing the full range of program funding and opportunities directly.
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universities → participate → funding
But that would change once the buy-in is finalized.
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in → change → ?
The EU commission president, von der Leyen, who described Canada as “the most European country outside Europe,” says Erasmus+ is part of a three-pronged approach to bolstering Canada-EU relations.
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Erasmus+ → describe → relations
“We see the world through the same eyes,” von der Leyen said.
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Leyen → see → eyes
“What matters nowadays is not where a country is on the map, but what it is ready to build with us, and what it stands for.”
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it → matter → what
How does this affect Canadian students?
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this → affect → students
While Carney touted that an “apprentice welder in Manitoba could now complete their placement with an employer in Italy,” specifics on how Canadians can participate in the program are yet to be clarified.
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Canadians → tout → program
Experts have so far been restrained in their response to the prime minister’s announcement.
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Experts → restrain → announcement
The Canadian Association of University Teachers said it would be premature to comment on how this will affect Canadian universities as “none of the program specifics are determined yet.”
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none → say → specifics
The Aporia
