The new Turing Scheme

Posted by Internal Communications MH | March 22, 2021 10:30 am

The new Turing Scheme has been launched by the UK Government as an alternative to the Erasmus+ programme to support international mobility for students studying at UK institutions. We will remain part of the Erasmus+ programme until the end of the 2021/22 academic year but we also have the opportunity to bid for the 2021/22 Turing Scheme this month. Our bid will be led by the Study Abroad & Exchange team in Global Recruitment & Admissions but will include important input from other colleagues including Careers & Employment, Widening Participation and the Humanities Student Office (who support our Modern Languages students, and represent our largest cohort of outbound students).

The Turing Scheme represents a great opportunity for Southampton with £110 million in government funding set aside. It aims to support mobility around the globe, and to “contribute to the UK Government’s commitment to a Global Britain, by helping organisations enhance their existing international ties and forge new relationships around the world.”

Students can undertake both study and work placements abroad from four weeks to twelve months in duration. Unlike Erasmus+, the Turing Scheme will support outward mobility only and the initial bid will be for placements from 1 September 2021 until 31 August 2022.

Exchange places have already been selected for our students in the coming academic year so our initial bid will focus on those established exchange partners. While we can’t of course guarantee Turing funding, those that have applied for Erasmus+ funding in the coming academic year will still be supported. The result of our Turing bid should be known by 1 August and the Study Abroad & Exchange team will contact students who have successfully received Turing funding support.

Creating global citizens and improving opportunities for our students to enjoy a global experience are integral to our vision. We are a signatory to the Go International: Stand out campaign which has a goal to double UK outbound mobility.

The Turing Scheme will help us to:

improve our strategic approach with exchange partners, actively targeting and working with our identified priority higher education, industry and government partners for placement
set goals to improve Widening Participation access to international mobility; and
establish more tailored programmes.

The International Office is in touch with our key European exchange partners to discuss the transition from Erasmus+ agreements to bilateral arrangements. The priority is to support those students with a compulsory year abroad as part of their degree programme.