Turkey Joins Erasmus+ & Other EU Programs for 2021-2027

The European Commission and Turkey have signed three agreements, under which Turkey joins Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, and Solidarity Corps programs for the period 2021-2027.

This means that students, researchers, teachers, trainees, innovators, and youngsters from Turkey can now participate in EU programs under the same conditions as those from the EU Member States, Erudera.com reports.

The EU Commission stresses in a press release that the three agreements have been signed by the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, and H.E. Faruk Kaymakcı, Ambassador, Director for EU Affairs and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The purpose of these three agreements is to further strengthen the partnership between the EU and Turkey, to deliver on common priorities, such as the twin green and the digital transition.

“I welcome Turkey to Horizon Europe, ERASMUS+ and the Solidarity Corps. The Turkish participation in the new generation of our EU programmes will further reinforce their capacities and support integration into the European Research Area and European Education Area,” Commissioner Gabriel stressed.  

Under Horizon Europe, participants from Turkey received nearly €277 million during 2020, in EU support and innovation leadership, and excellence in fields such as researchers’ mobility, energy, health, and sustainability.

“Erasmus+ supports lifelong learning, educational, professional and personal development of people in education, training, youth and sport, in Europe and beyond, thereby contributing to sustainable growth, quality jobs, social cohesion and active citizenship,” the EU Commission’s statement reads.

Between 2014 and 2020, Turkish projects in Erasmus+ have been granted a total of €740 million.

Turkey has been part of the EU research and innovation programs since 2003, while in 2004, it launched the TARAL – the Turkish Research Area (TARAL), modeled on the European Research Area (ERA).

The Erasmus+ program for 2021-2027 was launched in March this year. The budget allocated for the program reached more than €28 billion. Whereas for Horizon Europe, which is a key funding program that facilitates collaboration in research and innovation, the budget is €95.5 billion.

The European University Association (EUA) has recently urged the Council to reverse the cuts and to support the Horizon program with an additional amount of €305 million.

Last month, European universities also called for the UK’s fast association to Horizon Europe, adding that the UK and the European Union could both benefit from the joint research and innovation. Universities said that the unnecessary insecurity within the European knowledge community threatens plans for scientific cooperation.