THE University of Limerick has been awarded over €1 million in funding – the highest amount allocated to any Irish third-level institute – by Erasmus+, the EU programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport.
The funding will finance grants for students who undertake a study or work placement abroad, while the rest of the funding will be used to support students with a disability and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Professor Paul McCutcheon, vice president academic and registrar said UL has the largest and most successful Erasmus programme in Ireland with one in three undergraduate students spending a semester overseas on study or work placements, which adds greatly to their student experience.
“Time spent abroad directly enhances students’ employability, which is reflected in the fact that the University of Limerick has the highest graduate employment rate in Ireland.”
The funding was awarded to UL based on last year’s mobility numbers.
Almost 600 UL students travelled abroad on study or work placements last year, the highest figure in the country.
The Erasmus+ programme aims to boost skills and employability and also support the modernisation of education, training and youth systems in Europe.
The seven-year programme has a budget of over €14 billion which will help to support more than four million people to study, train, work or volunteer abroad.
