The European Commission’s latest proposal aims to open up opportunities for young people from the Middle East and North Africa. The aim of the plan is to provide opportunities for students within the framework of the Erasmus programme and Horizon Europe scientific cooperation. According to the Commission, this move, which focuses on the Middle East and North Africa regions, serves to strengthen medium- and long-term relations.
The so-called Mediterranean Pact would allow students from a number of countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia, to take part in the Erasmus programme. It is planned that this would increase contacts between students, thereby fostering cultural and academic cooperation. Brussels’ plans include doubling the budget of EU funds available for the region, which would increase funding to €42 billion. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stressed that the aim of the pact is to promote economic development and to examine the links between security, preparedness and migration. According to the ideas, they expect the development of the region by connecting young people and creating a new kind of “Mediterranean university”.
The question arises as to how many European students would be willing to study in higher education institutions in countries burdened by migration situations, such as Syria or Palestine. The liberalisation of visa issuance, although it serves to increase student mobility, may also bring new challenges. There are concerns that visa facilitation would burden EU countries’ missions and potentially strengthen human smuggling. This situation raises a number of questions about the problem of verification and verification of documentation.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that decision-makers do not rely on the existing knowledge base available within the community. The plan eerily ignores local opportunities and instead prioritizes groups with uncertain backgrounds, often with lower qualifications. It is questionable to what extent this serves the preservation of EU values and the future of young people.
Linking migration policy and education highlights not only the benefits of the plan, but also its many challenges. A reassessment of the proposed steps and detailed answers to the questions is essential to ensure that migration is not just a political tool, but a truly helpful initiative for future generations.
Translated and edited by L. Earth