This is the Turing Scheme, the UK's failed attempt to imitate the European Erasmus programme

he “Turing diagram”an ambitious commitment by the UK government named in honor of the legendary mathematician and computing pioneer Alan TuringIt suddenly appeared on the educational scene with a clear aim: to fill the void left by the Erasmus+ program after Brexit.

This program is proposed pDevelop international opportunities In education and training for British students, trainees and pupils, offering a range of experiences including work opportunities, university studies and school exchanges. outside.

But despite its noble intentions, the Turing Scheme ran into problems. Many obstacles since its implementationImpacting the experience of those who seek to expand their educational horizons beyond the borders of the UK and are almost unable to do so due to Brexit.

The program seeks to Democratic access to global educationRegardless of the socio-economic background of students, which reflects the British government’s aspiration to strengthen educational relations around the world. The goal is It goes beyond the scope of the Erasmus+ programmeand access to a greater diversity of people and destinations.

However, reality has proven more difficult. Recent research revealed a A series of complications That affected the participants in the scheme.

Students who were planning to embark on this international educational adventure have found themselves They were forced to withdraw due to delays in confirming their places. In addition, some students faced financial problems, He does not receive the promised funding until after his return.

“Boring” process.

This is revealed in the report “The Turing Diagram: First Year Evaluation” published by the Department for Education This is an alarming percentage of 79% of higher education providers In the UK they faced difficulties with the application process, which many described as “boring”.

This report also indicates that both participants and educational institutions viewed the funds provided through the Turing Scheme as They only partially covered the expenseswhich often requires obtaining additional financing.

analysis IFF Research It also highlighted insufficient funding and delivery problems They affected students with fewer resources the mostWhich may hinder their ability to participate in the program.

“It was a lot of work. The application process was also very repetitive, and they kept asking the same questions, so you had to find another way to answer that didn't look like you were copying previous questions,” said one schoolchild in England.

Higher education institutions have also complained about the timeliness of applications, meaning they have to complete the application process During their annual leave and when there is no staff support.

“Four weeks is not a long time anyway, and if you are looking to be as ambitious and innovative in your proposals as Westminster is asking us to do… we don't have the time to do it because we have to.” Consultation across our university, all faculties, and all deans» Another higher education provider in England explained.

in general, Less than half (45%) of higher education institutions described the Turing diagram as “satisfactory”, while… That 3.1% were not very positive about the programSaying that it is not satisfactory for them.

Erasmus clone

The British Department for Education established the Turing Student Exchange Program in 2021 As an alternative to the Erasmus+ programme. The first students moved to study and work abroad in September 2021.

However, during the first year of the Turing Scheme, the number of interested participants was not as expected. Only a little more than 20,000 students participated in the program The government target was 35,000. According to the report, the impact of Covid at the time contributed to this discrepancy.

Additionally, in the 2022/23 academic year, the Turing Plan has been reported to be repaid £22 million less Local media reported in early 2023 that UK students compared to the European Union's Erasmus programme.