Europe and student mobility: 14% of students have a study experience abroad and the trend is rising steadily

Florence reaffirms its attractiveness, with 1,000 arrivals only in 2010/2011. It will be discussed at the Festival d’Europa from 6th to 10th May 2011 in Florence.

Florence, 21st March 2011 – Almost 14% of graduates, specifically 13.9% according to the Alma Laurea report concerning 2009 graduates, during their path, have a study experience abroad thanks to the various EU programmes and projects. This percentage rises to 18% if we consider specialized graduates.

The trend of young people living Europe through study experiences abroad and the great and varied opportunities that the European Union provides for the student world, will be discussed at the Festival d’Europa, which is going to be held in Florence from 6th to 11th May 2011.

In absolute numbers, in 2008/2009, the report on Erasmus mobility of Italian students going abroad records 17,754 units for study and 1,660 for apprenticeship and placement, for a total amount of 19,414 scholarships.
In the same academic year 2008/2009, the report on student mobility coming to Italy to study reports 15,530 and 1,962 for placement, for a total amount of 17,492.
From the data analysis, it results also an important growing trend: in the previous academic year 2007/2008 alone, 18,364 students went abroad to have an Erasmus experience, 17,561 of whom for study and 802 for placement or apprenticeships, and 16,268 arrived in total.

With regard to the University of Florence, the statistics provided by the University as to the academic year 2010/2011, which are still provisional, report about 500 outgoing students towards other European universities and about 1,000 Erasmus students coming from abroad. Conversely, as to Erasmus placement, the Florence students serving their apprenticeship in other European countries are about 90.

In the academic year 2010/2011, the destinations that the Florence students prefer according to the data released by the University are Spain, UK and Germany. Students leaving for a study experience abroad come from all faculties, mainly from Economics, and Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences. As to the Erasmus students that will arrive in Florence in 2010/2011, they mainly come from Spain, mostly applying for the Faculties of Letters and Philosophy, and Architecture.

The main objectives of the Festival d’Europa, an international event developed and promoted by the EUI, European University Institute, are to make Florence the ideal place for international debates and to transform it into a laboratory on the European topics and opportunities. The University of Florence, a European university district, will actively participate in the Festival with a programme providing for meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops on the role of the European Union in supporting research, training and student mobility.