35 Years of the Erasmus Programme

This joint commemorative €2 coin for 2022 marks the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus programme.

Fifth joint issue of the European Union. All 19 euro-area states are issuing a coin with the same design on varying dates. The coins differ only in the inscription, which appears in each country's national language.

When the European Community launched the Erasmus programme in 1987, it was initially a fairly modest university project: in its first year, just a few thousand students from eleven countries took the opportunity to spend part of their studies abroad in Europe. Named after the Dutch humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam, who himself travelled across Europe in the 16th century, teaching and studying at various universities, the programme gradually grew into the largest mobility initiative in education worldwide. Today, Erasmus+ — as it has been called since 2014 — covers not only universities but also vocational schools, schools and youth organisations, and has supported more than ten million people since its launch. For Italy, one of the most populous sending countries in the programme, Erasmus plays a special role: Italian students are traditionally among its most active participants, while the country is also a popular host destination for students from across Europe.

The programme's cultural significance goes far beyond statistics. Erasmus has played a major part in building a cross-generational awareness of shared European values — through everyday life in another country, through language, friendships and academic exchange. Studies show that Erasmus participants identify more strongly as Europeans and are more likely to work across borders than peers without experience abroad. In 2022, all euro states jointly marked the programme's 35th anniversary with a common European issue, including Italy's 2-euro commemorative coin honouring this milestone.