MINISTER FOR FURTHER and higher education Simon Harris has today announced funding for students in Northern Irish universities to access the Erasmus+ programme.

Under the programme €2m a year will be provided to allow students in Northern Ireland to access third level internships and semesters abroad across Europe.

As part of the programme, 20% of the funding will be allocated for internships in the Republic of Ireland, with many internships taking place in key locations including the Financial Services sector in the IFSC in Dublin.

Commenting on the news, Harris said: “This is an investment. It is an investment in relationships between institutions North and South. It is an investment in our island’s next generation, and I think it’s a really practical, sensible way of continuing to cooperate post-Brexit.”

Students in the forthcoming academic year will be able to access the programme, with arrangements due to be finalised between the Department and the Northern Ireland higher education institutions in the coming weeks. 

Today I’m delighted to announce funding to ensure students in Northern Ireland can access Erasmus+
This was a commitment made by the Irish Government to the people of Northern Ireland after Brexit and today's announcement of €2 million will ensure students can benefit from Sept. pic.twitter.com/663ILWphwY

— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) July 27, 2023

The government initially committed to put funding in place for such a programme in 2021. 

As a result of Brexit, UK students lost access to the EU’s Erasmus+ programme from 2021. 

In its place, the UK has set up its own study abroad scheme, named after mathematician Alan Turing. 

Under the UK scheme, students can receive funding to study worldwide, with different amounts offered depending on where a student chooses to go.