Etelberto Costa, EUCIS-LLL board member, debated on 23 September on the new Erasmus+ Programme with Commissioner Vassiliou, CULT Committee Vice-President MEP M. Løkkegaard (ALDE) and higher education practitioners. The debate took place in the framework of the ConnectEuranet project, aimed to raise awareness of the Commission’s initiatives and programme to a wide audience and to young people in particular. Commissioner Vassiliou expressed her wish to focus the new programme on social inclusion, as there are 7 million European NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in need nowadays. Along with MEP Løkkegaard, she also insisted on the foreseen simplification of the programme. Etelberto highlighted among other elements the importance of partnerships to deliver the vision for the next seven years and the need for a better social recognition of non-formal and informal learning.

Have a look at ConnectEuranet press release