To honour this hugely successful project on the occasion of its 35th anniversary, this special 2-euro commemorative coin will be Issued throughout Europe in 2022. In the spirit of Europe, its design was chosen by a Europe-wide public vote. A jury first decided on six motifs from over 70 submissions. Among them was the German design, which came fourth in the final round. From the selection, 72,000 people finally chose Joaquin Jimenez's design as the winner in an online vote. The artist is chief engraver at the Monnaie de Paris, the Mint of the French Republic. He also designed the motif for the 2-euro coin "30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall" (2019). His motif shows Erasmus of Rotterdam writing. In the background, lines meet at numerous intersections, reminding us of the international, unifying character of the Erasmus programme. The 2-euro commemorative coin "Erasmus" is the fifth 2-euro Community Issue of the EU. All coins appear with a uniform motif and differ only in details such as the country names.
The name of the programme is a clever acronym: EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students and at the same time a reference to the Dutch philosopher, philologist and theologian of the Renaissance Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam. Today, he is recognised as a great European humanist and one of the pioneers of the Reformation. The Dutch scholar was also known for his lively travelling activities.
In addition to the 27 EU member states, five other countries participate in Erasmus: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Today, other programmes that deal not only with university studies, but with lifelong learning in general, are also grouped together under the name Erasmus+. These programmes now also focus on vocational and further education, sport and youth work.
The world's largest programme for stays abroad
The large-scale project can now look back on 35 years of cultural exchange, during which it has given countless people a unique experience of a lifetime. The initiative for the programme came from the Italian educationalist Sofia Corradi, who has since become known as "Mamma Erasmus". In 1987, the Council of the European Union gave the official go-ahead for what is now the world's largest funding programme for university stays abroad. The programme offers financial support for participants and allows them to receive credit for studies completed in another country.
The world's largest programme for stays abroad
The large-scale project can now look back on 35 years of cultural exchange, during which it has given countless people a unique experience of a lifetime. The initiative for the programme came from the Italian educationalist Sofia Corradi, who has since become known as "Mamma Erasmus". In 1987, the Council of the European Union gave the official go-ahead for what is now the world's largest funding programme for university stays abroad. The programme offers financial support for participants and allows them to receive credit for studies completed in another country.
In addition to the 27 EU member states, five other countries participate in Erasmus: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Today, other programmes that deal not only with university studies, but with lifelong learning in general, are also brought together under the name Erasmus+.
