Students gather to celebrate Erasmus anniversary

The blue and gold of the EU flag was adorning busses across the city of Copenhagen, Vor Frue Plads square was filled with the sounds of various languages and exchanged students from around the world mingled on the steps of the University of Copenhagen.

Celebration in Copenhagen

On Europe Day on 9 May, Copenhagen hosted a celebration for the 25th anniversary of Erasmus. The celebrations began with a conference for Erasmus student ambassadors and followed later by a concert and party at Vor Frue Plads square. One of the thousands that signed up to attend through Facebook was Antonio Avigliano from Italy, who is a member of the volunteer student organisation, Erasmus Student Network (ESN).

– There are cup cakes, there is a concert, there is also a conference. So there is both institutional stuff and partying - it is a proper way to celebrate this important anniversary, says Antonio Avigliano.

 
Antonio has previously been an exchange student and today is working in Denmark.

– It's becoming almost a must for some companies to have a candidate with some experience from abroad, says Antonio Avigliano.

Exchange of a lifetime

For Antonia Makri of Greece, an Erasmus exchange has led her to working as a volunteer for ESN, helping new Erasmus students.

– Once you do an exchange your whole life changes, you meet people, learn languages, see different education systems. I would like everyone to have that experience, says Antonia Makri.

 
Laura Leon, a psychology student from Spain also believes Erasmus is central to creating unity in Europe. – It's very nice because you get to know more of Europe. Exchange is very important for a common Europe, Laura Leon.

Popular programme

With an increase of 15 per cent in the number of Danish students utilising it compared to last year, Erasmus has proved to be a very popular programme.

Denmark’s Erasmus Ambassador Nina Siig Simonsen has some words of advice for potential Erasmus students.

- It is easy, so you should dare to take a chance, head off by yourself, and go to a country that you’ve never been before, to a place that you would never have seen yourself visiting!

• Read more about Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
  
• Erasmus – helping student mobility (in Danish)

For further information please contact:

Student assistant Jens Poulsen, tel: +45 7231 8012