Gone international: a new generation and direction for mobility in Europe

With the UK-EU reset still in its early stages, the government has said it will work towards a youth experience scheme with the EU, aiming to create more opportunities for young people to travel, study and work abroad. Alongside this, the government has committed to pursue reassociation to Erasmus+, in line with the recommendations from our blueprint, Opportunity, growth and partnership: a blueprint for change.

These commitments mark an important moment: a chance to create a new generation of student mobility that is inclusive, equitable and strategically aligned to the UK’s future skills needs. But to get this shift right, we need to be informed by evidence. That’s why we’ve released a timely report, Gone international: a new generation, to demonstrate why mobility matters and make the case for broadening access.

Gone international: a new generation analyses five years of HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) Graduate Outcomes data, focusing on UK undergraduates who studied abroad during their degree across five years from 2017-18 to 2021-22.

The 2021-22 data show a drop in mobility, reflecting the impact of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and funding uncertainty. But this dip is a pivotal turning point: the UK has a chance to reshape mobility for the better, not just to recover lost ground but to build and expand it with inclusivity and resilience at its core.  

By doing so, we can better equip students with global perspectives, intercultural skills and international networks, while aligning with the government’s broader skills agenda and economic goals.

The data in Gone international highlights that students who participated in international mobility were more likely to achieve a first-class degree, secure professional-level jobs and report higher earnings compared to their non-mobile peers.

These findings show positive associations between mobility and graduate outcomes, suggesting mobility is a valuable part of a student’s journey.

Crucially, these benefits also hold against students from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds. For example:

• Mobile students from less advantaged backgrounds were more likely to achieve a first and be in professional employment than their non-mobile peers from the same background.
• Black mobile students had higher average salaries (£27,733) than non-mobile Black peers (£27,210).
• Mature mobile students saw the largest difference, earning an average of £28,987 compared to £27,257 for their non-mobile counterparts.

Short-term mobility lasting three weeks or less also increased, with around one in four mobile students abroad for under a month. This reflects the importance of varied mobility options that break down access barriers, for example, for students with caring responsibilities or uncertainty around long-term support.

While overall mobility numbers have declined, the proportion of students choosing Europe has not seen as significant a change. This indicates that Europe continues to be an in-demand study destination, and supports recent government announcements to work towards a youth experience scheme and reassociation to Erasmus+.  

Rebuilding relationships with the EU presents an important opportunity for the sector to strengthen and diversify the UK’s mobility offer. This means more students benefitting from the academic, linguistic and cultural advantages of European exchanges, while institutions rebuild and strengthen partnerships across the continent.  

To make the most of this opportunity, we now need clear action:

• Clarity and commitment from government on current and future schemes;
• Continued investment in inclusive design and data-led decision making;
• Cross-sector collaboration to design diverse mobility options that meet varied student needs.

As highlighted in Gone International, securing multi-year funding must be part of this commitment. Erasmus+ operates across multi-year funding cycles, providing stability and predictability for institutions and students across Europe. For the UK to build sustainable mobility programmes, multi-year funding is essential to reduce uncertainty for institutions, enabling them to develop sustainable and long-term mobility programmes. This stability will also give students greater confidence when planning their international mobilities, key to widening participation for a diverse range of students.

In working towards the next era of mobility, the UK must prioritise equity by providing the correct marketing, support and funding to ensure underrepresented groups can access and thrive in international experiences. Students want to go abroad to develop cultural experience and skills – and by providing the chance to go abroad to all students, we strengthen both their futures and the UK labour market.

Above all, students should be at the centre of our next steps. This requires robust data collection to ensure decision making is informed and entrenched in students’ wants and needs.  

International mobility has the potential to change lives. It boosts academic success, improves career outcomes, and strengthens the UK’s links with partners around the world. With the right action, we can create a stronger, fairer system, where these benefits are open to everyone. 

Read the full Gone international report