El Rural Erasmus in Asturias It debuts as a novel experience that brings the idea of āāuniversity mobility to the towns of the Principality. Instead of traveling to another country, a small group of students relocates to rural councils at risk of depopulation to do their internships there, learn firsthand about the reality of the territory and contribute educational projects that fit with local needs.
This first edition is the result of a collaboration between the Government of the Principality of Asturias and University of Oviedowith an eye on two very clear objectives: Strengthening rural schools and contribute to to retain population in the most vulnerable areasThis is a pioneering initiative that seeks to establish a stable connection between university, education, and territory within the regional strategy for addressing the demographic challenge.
A pioneering program to connect university and rural areas
The Erasmus Rural program has been officially launched in the Llamaquique Campus, in Oviedo, in an event in which the Vice President of the Principality, Gimena Llamedo, Rector of the University of Oviedo, Ignacio Villaverde, as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business and of Teacher Training and Education, Celestino RodrĆguezThe institutions emphasize that this is not an isolated test, but rather part of a medium-term strategic line.
As the Asturian Executive has emphasized, the program It connects the social function of the university with the reality of rural councilsallowing future teachers to train in small, diverse contexts with a strong human component. For the university, it is a way of "giving back" to rural areas some of what they contribute to the education system and of to bring young talent to schools that, in many cases, have difficulty attracting teachers.
The initiative is part of the regional strategy of territorial cohesion and guarantee of quality public services throughout the Asturian mapThe Government of the Principality emphasizes that rural schools are a fundamental pillar for keeping the territory alive and that Without motivated and dedicated teachers, it is much more difficult to stop the population decline. in the smaller municipalities.
Seven teacher training students as the first rural "erasmus" students
This first edition includes seven students from the Bachelor's Degree in Education at the University of Oviedowho become the region's first rural "Erasmus" students. During a period of four monthsThese students carry out their supervised curricular internships in public educational centers located in municipalities with demographic risk.
The placements take place in schools of Boal, San MartĆn de Oscos, Santa Eulalia de Oscos, Aller and CasoFive municipalities where population loss and aging pose a constant challenge. The students are fully integrated into the daily life of these rural schools, where The groups are small, and the ages are usually mixed. and contact with families and the environment is much more direct than in urban centers.
Among those participating in the program are, for example, Aida MenƩndez, a student doing their internship at the council of CaseShe herself points out that what happens in a rural school "has nothing to do" with a city center, neither because of the environment nor because of the closer relationship between teachers, students and communityHis testimony illustrates the philosophy of Erasmus Rural: combining academic training and life experience in a context very different from that of large populations.
In addition to participating in classes, students collaborate in all kinds of educational and center activitiesFrom reading projects to extracurricular activities and community engagement programs, this participation allows them to learn firsthand about the specific advantages and challenges of rural schools, both at the organizational and pedagogical level.
Financial aid and conditions of stay
To facilitate student participation, each Erasmus Rural student receives a individual aid of 2.857 eurosThis scholarship is intended to cover accommodation, travel and internship expensesso that the economic situation is not a barrier when moving to a council far from their usual residence.
The amount is intended as compensation to make a prolonged stay in rural areas viable, where it is often necessary find temporary housing, accept frequent road trips or face additional costs. With this funding, the Principality and the University intend to make the program attractive and allow students to focus on their studies. training and in the educational project without expenses being an obstacle.
The internship lasts for four full monthsintegrated into the academic calendar of the Bachelor's Degree in Education. During this time, students have access to University tutoring and tutoring at the educational center, similar to other external practices, but with the added factor that the rural context requires adapting methodologies, times and resources to a very specific reality.
At the end of the period, participants must submit a detailed account of your stay, in which they collect both the work developed and the impact of their innovation project, the difficulties encountered and the possible improvements they detect in the functioning of the rural school.
Educational innovation adapted to rural schools
One of the key elements of Erasmus Rural is the requirement that each student design and implement a educational innovation project tailored to the reality of rural areasIt's not just about "going to do an internship," but about leaving behind a specific job that can continue at the host school.
These projects aim to improve the quality of education, reduce geographical and socioeconomic barriers and respond to the specific needs of the communities in which they are developed. They can range from project-based learning proposals or creative use of technologies, to initiatives to strengthen the relationship between the school, families, and the natural and cultural environment of the municipality.
The approach is closely linked to the specific conditions of rural schools in Asturias, where students often live together in the same classroom. children of different ages and levels and where material resources are not always the same as in a large city center. Therefore, the innovation promoted by Erasmus Rural is approached realistically, designed to to operate with the resources that the centers have and to strengthen the bond with the community.
At the end of the internship, the students present their project and results to the school and university faculty, thus generating a bank of experiences which can serve as a reference for future editions or for other centers interested in replicating similar ideas.
Political and academic commitment to the territory
During the presentation, the vice president Gimena Llamedo He insisted that this program is āa firm commitment to rural schools, key to keeping the territory aliveāIn his opinion, every practice developed in a school in a small municipality is also a opportunity to stabilize populationbecause it helps to keep a basic service like education active.
Llamedo highlighted that the Rural Erasmus program fits perfectly into the demographic challenge policies of the Principalitywhich focus on the municipalities most vulnerable to depopulation. He also stressed that it is an experience that strengthens the Institutional collaboration between the Asturian Government and the University of Oviedo, and which places Asturias among the communities that promote pioneering initiatives to connect university and territory.
For his part, the rector Ignacio Villaverde He emphasized that the program reinforces the essence of the public university: To be at the service of the territory, to contribute to social cohesion, and to create opportunities where they are most needed.For the academic institution, it also represents a way to allow students to learn "in real, diverse contexts with enormous pedagogical and human value."
The dean Celestino RodrĆguez He especially valued the program's impact on the practical training of future teachersIn his opinion, this is an "unparalleled" opportunity for students to complete their stays in centers with innovation projects linked to rural schools and, at the same time, benefit from scholarships that facilitate this. demographic boost project that the Principality pursues.
Future prospects and expansion of the Rural Erasmus
The positive reception of this first call for applications has led the Government of the Principality to announce the program expansion for the next academic yearThe aim is to extend Erasmus Rural beyond the strictly educational sphere, so that in subsequent editions, other areas can be included. other university degrees and disciplines with potential to contribute to the development of rural areas.
In the budgetary sphere, the Ministry of the Presidency has progressively increased the budget allocated to this initiative. After an initial allocation of 20.000 EurosThe regional accounts contemplate raising the amount to 30.000 euros in 2026That increase consolidates the program as a stable line within the strategy of territorial cohesion and population retention of the Asturian Government.
The institutions involved emphasize that Erasmus Rural not only benefits participating students, but also the schools in rural councilswho receive a boost in the form of new ideas, additional hands in the classroom and projects that, in many cases, can be maintained after the stay ends.
At the same time, the program opens the door for more students of Education and other degrees to seriously consider develop their professional career in rural areasDirect contact with these communities and their daily lives can be decisive when choosing a future job destination, something that fits with the overall goal of curbing depopulation and keeping the villages of Asturias alive.
With this Rural Erasmus program, Asturias is launching a mobility formula that takes advantage of the experience of university internships to strengthen rural schools and the territorySeven student teachers are inaugurating a path that combines financial aid, educational innovation and commitment to councils at demographic risk, within a program that is born with a vocation for continuity and with room for growth in the coming years.