El programa ERASMUS en el marco del valor económico dela enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera. Perfil sociodemográfico

Abstract

This study offers an introduction to the meaning, objectives and outcomes of Erasmus EU programme of international exchange of university students. Although the role of Spain in this kind of international exchanges of services is relatively very small, Spain leads the reception of Erasmus students in Europe. The study presents the distribution of these students among Spanish regions, universities, fields of knowledge and countries of origin and destination. A description of the main characteristics of these students is provided and an estimation of their expenses in Spain, using two different methodologies. However, those expenses are matched by the cost of spanish students abroad, and this working paper concludes that the programme must not be evaluated in terms of incomes received but as an instrument for human capital accumulation, both in terms of international experience and in terms of expertise in the use of foreign languages.