Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Sofia Corradi, 'Mamma Erasmus,' Dies at 91 in Rome

Her vision for recognizing study abroad led to the EU’s Erasmus exchange in 1987, which has since involved about 16 million participants.

Overview

  • Italian news agency ANSA reported that her family confirmed Corradi’s death in Rome at the age of 91.
  • Tributes highlighted her influence on European youth, with Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Antonio Tajani praising her role in shaping a 'Generation Europe.'
  • Corradi conceived the exchange system after Italy declined to recognize her Columbia University law degree, culminating in Erasmus’s launch in 1987.
  • Since its creation, the program has enabled study periods abroad for roughly 16 million people, including about 2 million in France.
  • Now operating as Erasmus+, the scheme spans the EU and partner countries such as Iceland, Norway, Serbia, and Turkey and supports around 850,000 mobilities annually.