Erasmus babies: love without borders

“Erasmus babies” became a nickname for children born to couples who met through the Erasmus program, the European student exchange initiative that’s been running since 1987.

This program has not only been a gateway for education and cultural exchange but kind of a matchmaking agency! Over the years, it’s estimated that more than a million babies have been born thanks to Erasmus-fueled romances.

They symbolize a generation that’s more open-minded, multilingual, and quite literally born from the spirit of European unity. They are also a form of union between nations that no longer wish to wage war against each other. Large-scale binationality can be seen as a protection against intolerance and the temptation of conflict.

While no one’s keeping an official tally of these international lovechild success stories, researchers and the European Commission have thrown around numbers suggesting the million mark. In fact, these figures are often contradicted. Many believe that while erasmus is indeed a lever for diversity, the program has produced far more singles than couples...

Whatever, the Erasmus program is celebrated not just for its academic benefits but also for creating a new wave of cross-border connections that keep Europe closer, one baby at a time.