UK Rejoins EU Student Exchange Program, First Major Brexit Reversal

The United Kingdom has announced it will rejoin the European Union's Erasmus+ youth exchange program. This marks the first major step to reverse a Brexit policy. The program offers study, training, and work experience abroad. It is open to university students, apprentices, and school groups. Officials celebrated the decision. They said it would widen opportunities, especially for disadvantaged young people. Supporters also hope it will help address a severe decline in foreign language learning in the UK. Last year, fewer than 3% of secondary school exams taken were in a language. Some critics oppose the move. They argue that British taxpayers should not fund what they see as leisure trips for the wealthy. Rejoining Erasmus+ is the most significant UK-EU agreement since Brexit. The government has stated a commitment to building closer ties with Europe.