[MUSIC] You may recall from our very first lecture, that I belong to the so called Erasmus Generation, but what does this entail? Let me briefly remind you who Erasmus was. Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam was a Dutch philosopher and a humanist of the Renaissance. Who lived and worked all across Europe to expand his knowledge and gain new insights. While he studied in several towns, including Leuven, Cambridge, and Basel. He graduated in 1506 as a doctor of divinity at my alma mater, Turin University in the north of Italy. The very fact that he lived and worked in so many places in Europe, made him a true role model of European integration. The European union has decided to name a special program aimed at boosting education, and trainings abroad after him. The Erasmus Program. Students joining the program in many European university and curriculum, it is an integral part of their studies, and the possibility to study or do an internship in another European country. The time they spend abroad is entirely recognized by their home university, and they don't have to pay higher or additional tuition fees. Moreover, they can even apply for a grant, helping them to cover the expenses of living abroad. There are currently nearly 5,000 higher institutions in more than 30 different countries participating the program, offering mobility opportunity to some four million people. While the obvious benefits of this program are enhance skills, and employability all across the continent. Thanks to Erasmus, many European students also have their first international experience by living, studying, and working abroad. These very rich cultural and social experiences are nicely epitomized in the famous Franco-Spanish movie, l'auberge espagnole, telling the story of a group of Erasmus students ,spending a year in Barcelona and of course, having a great time. I highly recommend this movie. The success of this program, led to the birth of the Erasmus generation. A growing number of Europeans who study, work, date, and raise their families all across the continent. Unlike their parents, who grew up within the confines of nationhood, they are multi linguin and multi cultured. As a result, they feel first and foremost Europeans, regardless of where they come from. It might be Italy, Poland, or Germany. And they feel at home anywhere in Europe. According to some scholars, a true European identity is on the rise. The growth of a new generation of Europeans who think in European, not in national terms, carry several European passports with them all the time when they travel, and live in what they will perhaps one day call the United States of Europe. The success of the Erasmus program ,has been so important and now the European Union has launched a new Erasmus program, called Erasmus Plus. Which also includes apprentices, sportsmen, and sportswomen and teachers. Let's take a quiz together. In 1987, for the first year of the Erasmus programme around 3,000 students participated in exchanges. In 2012, how many did so? 50,000. 100,000. 150,000. 200,000? 250,000? Well, the right answer is the last one 250,000, and this number is still growing. This academic year probably more than 300 thousand students, will have taken part in this program, which amounts to around zero three percent of the European total budget.