NICOSIA - More than 231 000 students received Erasmus grants to study or train abroad during the academic year 2010-11, recording a 8.5% increase compared to the previous year and setting a new record, European Commission announced today.

Among the 27 country-members of the EU, Cyprus recorded between the years 2009-2011 the highest increase in the number of out-bound students, with 22.2%.

According to the European Commission, the three most popular destinations for students in 2010-11 were Spain, France and Germany. Spain also sent the largest number of students abroad, followed by France and Germany, while Luxembourg sent the largest number of students abroad as a proportion of the national student population.

The 2010-11 Erasmus budget dedicated to student and staff mobility was around 460 million euro.

''The Erasmus programme, whose silver anniversary we are celebrating this year, is one of the biggest success stories of the European Union. The figures speak for themselves – and would have been even higher if we had the resources to match demand,” Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth said.

In these difficult times, she noted, “the skills gained through Erasmus studies and placements are more valuable than ever''.

The Commission’s Press release said that of the total number of students supported in 2010-11, around 190 000 chose to spend up to 12 months of their degree programme abroad at a university or other higher education institution in one of 32 countries then participating in Erasmus (27 Member States, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey. Switzerland became the 33rd country to join Erasmus as from 2011-12).

The number of students choosing the study option increased by 7.2% compared with 2009-10.

Job placements in companies abroad have been supported through Erasmus since 2007 and are increasingly popular. In 2010-11, one in six Erasmus students, nearly 41 000 in total, chose this option, representing a 15% increase on the previous year, the Press release added.

According to the Commission, demand strongly exceeds the availability of Erasmus grants in most participating countries. The average monthly Erasmus grant, designed to cover part of the additional costs of living abroad and travel, was 250 euro- a small decrease on the previous year (254 euro), which allowed more students to benefit from the programme.

In addition, 40 000 grants were awarded to university staff and teachers to teach or receive training abroad, 13% more than in the previous year.

Since it began in 1987, the programme has provided more than 2.5 million European students with the opportunity to go abroad to study at a higher education institution or for a job placement in a company.

The Commission estimates that, on current trends, the European Union will reach its target of supporting 3 million Erasmus students by 2012-13.