Call for proposals — EACEA 04/2015 under the Erasmus+ programme — ‘Comprehensive policy frameworks for continuing vocational education and training’
Date: 2015-01-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EPSO, continuing vocational training, cooperation in the field of education, invitation to tender, student mobility








C_2015031EN.01000701.xml










30.1.2015   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 31/7





CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA 04/2015
under the Erasmus+ programme
‘Comprehensive policy frameworks for continuing vocational education and training’
(2015/C 31/06)
1.   Objectives and description

The objective of the Call is to support the development of public policies that seek to coordinate the provision of high quality, relevant and accessible continuing vocational education and training (CVET) and to ensure a significant increase in take-up of further training opportunities, as part of comprehensive national, regional or local skills strategies.
The Call shall encourage cooperation between national authorities and all relevant stakeholders involved in CVET, including the skills development of employees and the reorientation of workers (such as the training provided by public employment services).
The present Call addresses national authorities in charge of CVET policies in each country of the Erasmus+ programme, or an organisation designated by them.
The direct involvement of the competent national authorities (ministry or equivalent) is to make sure that the projects can effectively contribute to a better understanding of the CVET training provision and polices in place. The projects should demonstrate how competent public authorities use their steering role in defining the strategic priorities of national, regional or local skills policies and related CVET policies to create the basis for systemic reform. Each project will draw on practices in one or more countries of the Erasmus+ programme, thus benefitting from the transfer of knowledge and experience. The active involvement of national, regional or local stakeholders such as social partners (employers’ and employees’ organisations), VET providers, individual companies and intermediary organisations will be an important element of the quality of the proposal.
2.   Eligible applicants

The present call is open to national authorities in charge of CVET, in each country of the Erasmus+ programme.
Grant applications must be submitted by at least two entities from at least two different countries of the Erasmus+ programme.
The eligible applicant (coordinator) must be a national authority or an organisation designated by the national authority which is responsible for VET, including CVET and is located in a programme country.
Eligible partners may be ministries and other stakeholders, such as social partners, businesses, chambers of commerce, public or private VET providers, research centres, etc.
Where the applicant (coordinator) is an organisation designated by a national authority, the national authority designating it must be included in the application either as co-applicant (a full partner), or as an associated partner participating in the implementation on a no-cost basis.
Natural persons are not eligible.
Eligible countries are:






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the 28 Member States of the European Union,










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the EFTA/EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway,










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EU candidate countries: the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey,










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EU potential candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia.




3.   Eligible activities

Grants will support national authorities’ efforts to plan for or implement policy intervention in CVET with the aim to secure coherence and relevance of supply and significantly increase adults’ participation in learning. The activities shall engage relevant national, regional or local stakeholders, as well as drawing on the advice and expertise of peers from one or more Erasmus+ programme countries that have similar challenges or have effective CVET policies and provision.
The following types of activities are eligible under this Call for proposals:






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feasibility studies, reviews of national/regional/local regulations on CVET, cost-benefit analysis,










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detailed action plans for developing and implementing a coherent policy framework for CVET,










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organising national/regional/local business forums to mobilise employers to invest in CVET,










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organising and/or participating in conferences, seminars and working groups,










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awareness-raising campaigns, valorisation and dissemination actions; activities that support the project’s sustainability,










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exchanges of good and/or innovative practices between countries through, e.g. targeted study visits,










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research activities,










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preparatory work to design effective interventions in CVET through the use of ESF or other relevant funds,










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communities of practice.




The duration of the projects is either 12 months or 24 months. Applications for projects scheduled to run for a shorter or longer period than that specified in this Call for proposals will not be accepted.
4.   Award criteria

Eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:






1.


relevance of the project (maximum 40 points — threshold minimum 20 points);










2.


quality of the project design and implementation (maximum 20 points — threshold minimum 10 points);










3.


quality of the project consortium and the cooperation arrangements (maximum 20 points — threshold minimum 10 points);










4.


impact and dissemination (maximum 20 points — threshold minimum 10 points).




The threshold for proposals to be put forward to the evaluation committee shall be minimum 60 points (out of 100 points in total).
5.   Budget

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at maximum EUR 4 200 000.
Each grant will amount to between a maximum of EUR 150 000 for a 1-year and a maximum of EUR 300 000 for a 2-year project. The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (the ‘Agency’) expects to fund around 15 proposals.
The EU grant is limited to a maximum co-financing rate of 75 % of eligible costs.
The Agency reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.
6.   Deadline for submission of applications

Applications must be submitted no later than the 30 April 2015 12.00 midday (Brussels time).
Applications shall comply with the following requirements:






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they must be submitted exclusively using the correct official online application form,










—


they must be drafted in any official EU language.




Please note that only applications submitted online using the e-form will be considered.
Failure to comply with those requirements will lead to the rejection of the application.
7.   Full details

The guidelines together with the application form can be found at the following internet address:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus_en
Applications must comply with all the terms of the guidelines.