The European Green Deal, introduced in 2019, is the flagship initiative of the European Union that proposes a comprehensive policy catalogue with a view to reconciling our response to the threats of ecological disruption with opportunities for economic growth and social equality. In the education sector, the 2022 Council Recommendation on learning for the green transition and sustainable development demonstrated the integral role of education in providing information, solutions, and inspiration for individual and collective transformation. However, have policy makers realised the full potential of the Erasmus+ programme in the green transition, especially in the development of green skills amongst young people? And what strategies have been rolled out to minimise the carbon footprint generated from student mobility within the framework of the programme?
Several initiatives have been implemented in the last few years to promote more environmentally sustainable practices within Erasmus+, in an iterative process that has evolved over time to try to fit the needs and expectations of students. The green top-up was the first measure in the 2021-2027 programme that awarded students travelling through green means of transport a top-up of 50 euros and up to 4 extra days of individual support to cover a longer journey if needed. At the same time, research developed through the Green Erasmus project looking into the habits of Erasmus students concluded that price was the key factor influencing the choice of transport to and from mobility. Given that the difference between an aeroplane ticket and more sustainable means of transport is rather striking, the impact of this mechanism on changing the paradigm of Erasmus+ travel to mobility might have been limited.
The new Erasmus+ programme guide 2024 brought considerable changes when it comes to more sustainable student mobility. It introduced a completely separate travel grant that is awarded according to the distance between the origin and destination of mobility and the means of transport used (green or non-green travel). This is a considerable evolution that, for the first time, allows students to choose their mode of transport more freely, without being so constricted by costs. More than that, this change will certainly impact the monthly amount students have to cover the extra costs of mobility, since the costs of travelling won’t need to be retrieved from the overall mobility grant.
There are still several aspects that need to be crystallised when the implementation of this travel grant starts, such as whether or not the total budget dedicated to mobility will increase to cover this separate travel grant or if the implementation of this initiative can reduce the total number of students going on mobility. In the meantime, another question arises about green travel: even though green travel amounts are slightly higher than non-green travel, the difference might not be enough to meaningfully steer students to more sustainable means of transport. This is especially true when recent reports highlight that, on average, train tickets are twice as expensive as flights between European cities – a difference that, in extreme cases, can go up to 30 times more costly for trains. With rising costs of living across Europe and monthly grants that might not be enough to cover students’ mobility costs, opting for sustainable travel can thus be more difficult.
At the same time, there is limited information and research on the specific factors that would influence students to travel sustainably to their mobility destination and back, which should be essential to explore different incentives and measures that would motivate and encourage them to change their travel choices. The Green Erasmus research introduced this topic, by uncovering that there was a specific gap in students’ concern about the impact of climate change and their actions, as even though most of them showed high levels of concern, their actions weren’t completely aligned with this.
If we aim to have more effective tools that truly impact the choice of travel for students, our standards should be closely connected with the understanding of what would tip the balance in favour of a more sustainable journey to and from mobility. That is what inspired the SET project, which was designed to bring about a broader behavioural and policy change in terms of envisioning what a mobility experience entails or could be. We propose to rethink and contribute to changing the narrative around the physical journey to your mobility destination as a unique transformative and learning opportunity. This objective will be achieved thanks to the direct and systematic involvement of students to truly grasp their needs and perceptions, a campaign to encourage students to travel to their host city with a more environmentally friendly mode of transport, and the visualisation and recognition of the added value of green mobility for the personal and professional development of students.
Stay tuned for more news about the project!