Sadiq Khan has committed to creating a new exchange scheme for London students to replace the EU’s Erasmus programme. The Mayor of London says its loss was one of Brexit’s ‘casualities’.
Since the UK’s exit from the EU, the Government has established the Turing Scheme as an alternative. But, Mr Khan argues that this is ‘not proving effective’ because it does not provide enough funding to cover students’ expenses. Therefore, the mayor argues, it tends to ‘only work for richer students’.
Labour’s City Hall incumbent has confirmed that his own scheme will be part of his forthcoming 2024 mayoral election manifesto – due to be published ‘in the coming weeks’ ahead of May 2. Mr Khan’s team say conversations are ‘already underway’ between the mayor’s office and representatives from ‘major cities around the world’ about the new scheme.
READ MORE: Sadiq Khan lashes out at ULEZ ‘lies’ and tells Londoners ‘don’t fall for them’
Specifically, the manifesto is expected to say that he would ‘work with international partners and businesses on a scheme for young Londoners to study and undertake work experience overseas’ if he were re-elected by Londoners. The new plans, the mayor’s team says, would be set up using existing visa rules, which ‘broadly allows six months for students wanting to study abroad’.
They add that they have been in positive discussions with ‘leading universities’ about participation in the scheme. It is ‘likely they would help administer the scheme’, which would be open to students studying at a range of London institutions.
Mr Khan said: “It’s been devastating to me that the current generation of students haven’t had the same opportunities to live, work and study abroad that young people had only a few years ago. 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 underway.”
It’s a big year for London politics with residents going to the ballot box to vote for a mayor, as well as local representatives at the London Assembly.
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Full list of mayoral election candidates
Here is a full list of candidates who are confirmed to be running for London’s mayoralty:
- AMIN Femy, Animal Welfare Party
- BINFACE Count, Count Binface for Mayor of London
- BLACKIE Rob, Liberal Democrat
- CAMPBELL Natalie Denise, Independent
- COX Howard, Reform UK
- GALLAGHER Amy, Social Democratic Party
- GARBETT Zoë, Green Party
- GHULATI Tarun, Independent
- HALL Susan Mary, The Conservative Party Candidate
- KHAN Sadiq, Labour Party
- MICHLI Andreas Christoffi, Independent
- ROSE Brian Benedict, London Real Party
- SCANLON Nick, Britain First
Read our full sit down interview with Sadiq Khan ahead of the London mayoral election on May 2 here. Read our chat with Susan Hall, his Conservative rival, here.
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