Erasmus

Erasmus of Rotterdam, commonly known simply as Erasmus, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, theologian, and priest who lived from about 1466 to 1536. He studied at the universities of Paris and Cambridge and became one of the most influential scholars of northern Europe. Erasmus promoted a return to the original sources of Christian tradition through careful textual criticism and the study of classical literature. He produced important editions of the Greek and Latin New Testaments and wrote widely read works such as The Praise of Folly and the Colloquies. His writings argued for reform within the Church, education for social and moral improvement, and tolerance, while remaining within Catholic tradition in his lifetime.

The Erasmus program is a European Union student and staff exchange initiative established in 1987 to promote international mobility and cooperation in higher education. Named after Erasmus of Rotterdam, it provides opportunities for students to study or gain work experience in a partner country for an academic term or year, along with language and cultural preparation. In 2014 the program expanded under the umbrella of Erasmus+, which also covers higher education, vocational training, youth, and sport. It remains one of the EU's flagship tools for internationalization and cross-cultural competence.

Legacy and influence: Erasmus's calls for humanist learning and critical scholarship shaped later debates in religion and education, while the modern Erasmus program broadened his name into a policy instrument for student mobility across Europe.