Since its inception, the European student exchange program Erasmus has been a valuable asset to educational enrichment and an excellent opportunity for mobility, yielding experiences of undeniable importance.

This is a reality that students from the Azores, the University of the Azores, other public bodies, and companies have embraced from the outset, which is particularly relevant given our ultra-peripheral location.

In its current format, Erasmus+, which began in 2014, has seen 659 students from the Azores participate in the program (data as of May 2025), and 2,134 have completed internships at the University of the Azores (UAc) and other host institutions.

The Azores: a place with lots to offer

The natural sciences, especially those related to the sea, are the most popular among those who choose the region to enhance their academic training.

During the period in question, 912 people participated in the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Statistics area, either for studies or internships.

It is in the Azorean academy that the two strands of Erasmus+ (studies and internships) are most developed. In the field of studies, during the period in question, the UAc welcomed 1,359 students and a total of 424 interns. Other organizations that have already received interns include the Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira (35), Futurismo – Nature Travel and Tourism Agency (33), the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (32), Norberto Diver Maritime Activities (13) and Okeanos – Institute for Marine Science Research (10), along with other host organizations.

Still about incomming students, i.e., students from abroad in the Region, in terms of education and training attendance, in addition to Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, the areas of Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (261 students), Health and Well-being (206), Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Veterinary Science (187), Economics, Administration and Law (133), Services (130) and Arts and Humanities (114) are also noteworthy. Education, Engineering, Industry and Construction, and Information and Communication Technologies are the areas of competence with the lowest participation.

Regarding the origin of students who, under Erasmus+, choose the Azores to enhance their knowledge and experience, Spain stands out considerably, with a total of 866 participants (41% of the total). Italy follows, with 232 participants (11%), and Poland (9%), from which 187 students have already come. During the period under review, young people from 28 countries, representing the most diverse corners of the European continent, including Cyprus, Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovenia, Norway, and Iceland, have passed through the Azores.

Since 2014, the number of incoming students has gradually and steadily increased, except in 2020, the year when the COVID-19 pandemic began. At that time, only 96 students came to the Azores. A year earlier, there had been 213. In the post-COVID years (the epidemic officially ended in May 2023), records indicate that student enrollment has always exceeded 200 per year, with the highest number reached last year, when 279 students chose the archipelago to continue their studies and/or internships. This year, provisional data (provided by the National Erasmus+ Agency) show 147 students in the Azores under the Erasmus+ program (until May).

Outgoing

In addition to being a host region, the Azores, or rather the University of the Azores, has seen a significant number of its students participate in the European internship program, particularly in recent years: in 2023, there were 71, and last year, there were 91. This year, the program already has 73 participants. Since the inception of Erasmus+, a total of 659 students from the Azores have pursued knowledge abroad.

Interestingly, or perhaps not, the most popular destination country for Erasmus+ students from the Autonomous Region of the Azores is Poland, where 160 programs have been completed, equivalent to 24% of the total number of participants. This is followed by Spain (154 students) and Italy (78). Students from the Azores who have already participated in the Erasmus+ program have done so in 30 countries, 12 of which are in Eastern Europe. Cape Verde (an associated country) has already received five students from the Azores.

Experience in the area of Health and Well-being stands out in terms of demand, with Natural Sciences, mathematics, statistics, Economics, Administration, and Law also among the most popular areas. Arts and Humanities, Engineering, Industry and Construction, and Education have seen little participation.

About the Erasmus Program

The Erasmus Program was created in 1987 on the initiative of the student association AEGEE Europe, founded by Franck Biancheri, later sponsored by the European Commissioner for Education of the Delors Commission, Manuel Marín, with the support of the President of the French Republic, François Mitterrand, and the Spanish Government, led by Felipe González. The program, along with several other independent programs, was incorporated into the Socrates program, created by the European Commission in 1994. This program ended in December 1999 and was replaced by the Socrates II program, which in turn was replaced by the Lifelong Learning Program from 2007 to 2013. Erasmus+ is the current program, which combines all current EU plans for education, training, youth, and sports. It began in January 2014 and runs until the end of 2027.

Its main objective is to promote student mobility and facilitate educational exchanges between European countries. The duration of internships or studies varies between 3 months and one year. It is aimed at undergraduate, master’s, doctoral students, and trainees, as well as young people, coaches, and professionals in various fields. It has supported education, training, youth, and sports by providing opportunities for international experiences. To this end, it offers financial support to help with travel, accommodation, and living expenses during the period of stay abroad. The amount received varies according to the destination country and the local cost of living.

Alongside the Member States of the European Union, Erasmus+ extends to associated third countries, covering virtually the whole world.

The Erasmus program, an acronym for its official name in English, European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students, owes its name to the philosopher, theologian, Renaissance humanist, Dutch monk, and devout Roman Catholic, Erasmus of Rotterdam.

Rui Leite Melo, Diário dos Açores-Paulo Viveiros, director

*jornal@diariodosacores.pt

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.