Switzerland has participated in the EU’s educational programmes since 1992. Since 2014 its access to these programmes has been restricted, so it has only participated indirectly as a third country. The ETH Board firmly believes that Switzerland should once again be a full participant in Erasmus+. Erasmus+ brings significant added value to our country. It is more than just a student exchange programme: its scope also extends to the promotion of vocational training, education and professional development. Its declared aim is to forge links between people in the fields of education, research and industry, and to promote cooperation. The Swiss universities rely on these networks in order to continue improving the quality and attractiveness of their educational offerings and position themselves successfully at international level. 

The ETH Board is aware that full association from 2021 to 2027 will incur additional costs compared with the current arrangements. However, it is convinced that the additional benefits of full association justify these. The ETH Board therefore demands that the additional costs should not be compensated in the ERI area.