Sadiq Khan pledges new Erasmus-style overseas study scheme for London youngsters

London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan is to offer young people studying in the capital a new version of the EU’s Erasmus scheme of student exchanges as part of his bid for a third term.

He will unveil plans under which students would receive grants and other help to study and undertake work experience, not just in the EU but other major world cities, with reciprocal arrangements for students from overseas to do the same in London.

The plans, understood to be under discussion with leading philanthropists and other potential funders, go further to address the loss of mobility and opportunities for young people that have resulted from Brexit than anything suggested so far by Labour’s leader, Keir Starmer.

The party nationally has stopped short of committing to rejoining or replacing the Erasmus system as it fights shy of anything that might suggest it wants to link back in to EU policies or structures.

Khan previously called for a fully fledged UK “youth mobility scheme” to be negotiated with EU countries – under which young people here would be able to spend time working in the EU for a year or two, with EU students and young workers coming here on an exchange basis. This, he believes, would also help fill vacancies in key sectors such as hospitality that have arisen since Brexit.

Under the Erasmus system, which the UK left as a result of quitting the EU, 200,000 UK nationals were able to study at the best universities across Europe at no extra cost. Disadvantaged students were also eligible for grants worth up to £630 a month.

Khan will put forward his plans for an Erasmus replacement in his manifesto, to be launched next month, for the London mayoral election on 2 May. The manifesto will outline how “Brexit has had a profound impact on young people who didn’t get a say in determining the country’s future”, Khan said.

“If re-elected as mayor, I will work with major cities across the world to set up a new scheme which will help students at London institutions to travel and study abroad once again. I’m delighted that these conversations are already under way.

“London will always be a truly international city. But that’s not the message you’d get from this current Tory government. The exchange of cultures, ideas and people around the world not only enriches the lives of those involved, but makes our city and our nation stronger and more prosperous.”

Khan’s scheme involves working with philanthropic organisations, building networks and relationships between young people in London and cities like New York, Milan, Athens, Stockholm, Oslo, Dhaka and Freetown.

The scheme would be set up using existing visa rules, which broadly allow six months for students wanting to study abroad.

With polls showing most people – particularly those under 40 – now believe Brexit was a mistake, Khan’s advisers believe a strongly internationalist tone to his campaign will draw support. It is estimated that about 1.2 million people from EU countries will be eligible to vote in the mayoral contest.

While not advocating rejoining the EU, the mayor is keen to advertise his pro-European, internationalist vision for the capital, in contrast to the Tory candidate for mayor, the Brexit enthusiast Susan Hall.

Unlike Starmer, Khan has previously called for a “pragmatic debate” on whether the UK should rejoin the single market and customs union when the terms of the Brexit deal come up for discussion again in 2025.

Naomi Smith, chief executive of the internationalist thinktank Best for Britain, said Khan’s move was a step in the right direction.

But she argued that rejoining Erasmus would be best for cash-strapped universities, and young people:“Recent figures show our universities now get most of their income from overseas students, funding places for British students, and leaving our institutions exposed to financial collapse if overseas students stop choosing the UK.

“Rejoining Erasmus is a no-brainer to secure the future of our universities, and plug into the academic world beyond our borders.”

The government’s attempt to replace Erasmus has struggled to meet expectations. The first official analysis of the Turing scheme, launched in 2021, found that four out of five universities (79%) had difficulties with the application process, which was overly complex. There have also been concerns that it is inadequately funded.

The number of participants in the first year of the scheme fell short of the government’s own target. Just over 20,000, compared with the original aim of 35,000 took part, partly because of the impact of Covid at the time.