EU Education Diplomacy: Embeddedness of Erasmus+ in the EU’s Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policies. College of Europe EU Diplomacy Paper 3/2021.

Bobotsi, Constance (2021) EU Education Diplomacy: Embeddedness of Erasmus+ in the EU’s Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policies. College of Europe EU Diplomacy Paper 3/2021. [Working Paper]

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Abstract

Erasmus+ is a powerful tool of public diplomacy for the European Union (EU); however, its international dimension remains under-researched. This paper seeks to help bridge this gap by analysing the degree to which the EU’s engagement through Erasmus+ is embedded in the overarching frameworks of its neighbourhood and enlargement policies. Drawing in particular on the experience of Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the EU’s engagement in the Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans is scrutinised under three lenses: the objectives pursued, their implementation, and the domestic receptibility of Erasmus+. The paper finds a low degree of Erasmus+ embeddedness in the Eastern Partnership framework and a moderate degree of integration in the enlargement framework. In light of this finding, it argues that the EU should better employ this valuable tool in its external action and diplomacy. The three countries are highly receptive, but domestic constraints must be considered in EU planning. The paper concludes with policy recommendations that seek to better embed Erasmus+ in the EU’s external policies, as well as to capitalise on the programme’s potential as a tool for the Union’s broader diplomatic strategy.

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