On 15 November, the European Commission published a proposal for Council Recommendation on learning mobility. This means that the Commission is formally “asking” the Council to formulate more ambitious recommendations when it comes to the mobility of learners. 

This political decision stems directly from the Open Public Consultation with which the Commission asked citizens to have a say on the future of learning mobility, as well as from dedicated stakeholders consultation and from recent studies (including this one, published earlier this year). In fact, in her speech Commissioner Ivanova explicitly referred to 21 contributions that served as an inspiration for the formulation of this proposal. 

This proposal is particularly significant as it picks up on stakeholders’ requests to include targets for learning mobility. Some of the targets include:

• at least 25% of graduates in higher education should have a learning mobility experience, up from the present target of 20%
• at least 20% of all learners benefiting from learning mobility abroad - in all education and training, and youth and sport systems – should be people with fewer opportunities
• at least 15% of vocational learners in vocational education and training (VET), should benefit from a learning mobility abroad, up from the previous target of 8% for 2025

The proposal seeks to embed learning mobility as part of all education and training pathways, leveraging on one of the most successful European initiatives ever: the Erasmus+ programme. As a matter of fact, this proposal addresses all learners, including of course adult learners. 

Now the proposal will be addressed by both the Parliament and the Council, but - given the growing interest and consistent evidence on the benefits of learning mobility - a political agreement is in sight.