Encouraging, but far from the top in terms of mobility : Europe could get a B regarding the balance of 22 years of the Erasmus program encouraging student mobility.
According to a report from the European Commission, the numbers of European students who studied abroad in Europe could reached 2 Million, 22 years after its creation in 1987.

On one hand 2 Million students going abroad is a number to celebrate, in comparison with the alarming lack of mobility in the Europe of the 80’s. Only 3.000 students enjoyed Erasmus in 1987, compared to 180.000 today. On the other hand the number of Erasmus students is decreasing in nine European countries (including France and Germany) after years of increasing.
In Belgium, only 4781 in 2007-2008, a strong decrease compared to the year before (5119). According to the Belgian public broadcaster RTBF, it remains so in the years 2003-2004. Belgian student mobility seems to have reversed to numbers from 4 years ago. And this was before the global financial crisis.
Above all, the main destination chosen by the European students has never been Europe, as the United States absorbs most of the European young brains.
This lack of popularity has reasons. Mainly financial. First of all, 250 Euros of grant per month is far from the real needs of housing and living in most of the Erasmus destinations countries.
Then comes the reputation of the diploma obtained in a foreign country. Often they are not recognized enough at home “despite official efforts since 1980. This is strange : the students move, but the diplomas don’t”, complains French MEP Alain Lamassoure, in the French daily Le Monde.