Call: Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education: Strand 3 - Structural reform projects

This Key Action supports:

• Partnerships for Cooperation, including Cooperation Partnerships and Small-scale Partnerships;
• Partnerships for Excellence, including Centres for Vocational Excellence, Teachers Academy and Erasmus
• Mundus Action;
• Partnerships for Innovation, including Alliances and Forward-looking projects;
• Capacity Building projects in the field of youth;
• Not-for-profit European sport events.

For the participating organisations, projects supported under this Key Action are intended to produce the following outcomes:

• innovative approaches for addressing their target groups, by providing for example: more attractive education and training programmes, in line with individual needs and expectations; use of participatory approaches and digital methodologies; new or improved processes of recognition and validation of competences; greater effectiveness of activities for the benefit of local communities; new or improved practices to cater for the needs of targets groups with fewer opportunities and to deal with differences in learning outcomes linked to the geographical and socio-economic disparities; new approaches to address social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity; new approaches to better support competitiveness and employment in particular at regional and local level; recognition of excellence in language learning or teaching through the European Language Label;
• a more modern, dynamic, committed and professional environment inside the organisation: ready to integrate good practices and new methods including digital capabilities into daily activities; open to synergies with organisations active in different fields or in other socio-economic sectors; strategic planning of professional development for staff in line with individual needs and organisational objectives;
• increased capacity and professionalism to work at EU/international level: improved management competences and internationalisation strategies; reinforced cooperation with partners from other countries, other fields of education, training and youth and/or other socio-economic sectors; increased allocation of financial resources (other than EU funds) to organise EU/international projects in the field of education, training and youth; increased quality in the preparation, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of EU/international projects;monitoring and follow-up of EU/international projects;
• increased knowledge and awareness regarding sport and physical activity:
• increased awareness of the role of sport in promoting social inclusion, equal opportunities and a healthy lifestyle;

Projects funded under this Key Action are also likely to have a positive impact on the persons directly or indirectly involved in the activities, such as:

• increased sense of initiative and entrepreneurship;
• increased competence in foreign languages;
• increased level of digital competence;
• greater understanding and responsiveness to all kinds of diversity, e.g. social, ethnic, linguistic, gender and cultural diversity as well as diverse abilities;
• improved levels of skills for employability and new business creation (including social entrepreneurship);
• more active participation in society;
• more positive attitude towards the European project and the EU values;
• better understanding and recognition of skills and qualifications in Europe and beyond;
• improved competences, linked to occupational profiles (teaching, training, youth work, sport coaching, etc.);
• better understanding of practices, policies and systems in education, training, youth and sport across countries;
• better understanding of interconnections between formal, non-formal education, vocational training, other forms of learning and labour market respectively;
• increased opportunities for professional development;
• increased motivation and satisfaction in daily work;
• increased practice of sport and physical activity.

At systemic level, they are expected to trigger modernisation and reinforce the response of education and training systems and youth policies to the main challenges of today's world: environmental sustainability, digital transformation, employment, economic stability and growth, but also the need to promote social, civic and intercultural competences, intercultural dialogue, democratic values and fundamental rights, social inclusion, mental health and well-being, non-discrimination and active citizenship, critical thinking and media literacy.
Therefore, the impact of this Key Action is intended to be:

• increased quality of education and training, youth work and sport practices in Europe and beyond: combining higher levels of excellence and attractiveness with increased opportunities for all;
• education, training and youth systems that are better aligned to the needs of and opportunities offered by the labour market, and closer links to business and the community;
• improved provision and assessment of basic and transversal skills, particularly: entrepreneurship, social, civic, intercultural and language competences, critical thinking, digital skills and media literacy;
• increased synergies and links and improved transition between the different sectors of education, training and youth at national level, with improved use of European reference tools for recognition, validation and transparency of competences and qualifications;
• increased use of learning outcomes when describing and defining qualifications, parts of qualifications and curricula, in support to teaching and learning and in assessment;
• increased awareness and openness to social diversity and increased inclusiveness and accessibility of education systems and possibilities
• new and increased inter-regional and transnational cooperation of public authorities in the fields of education, training and youth;
• more strategic and integrated use of ICTs and open educational resources (OER) in education, training and youth systems;
• increased motivation for language learning through innovative teaching methods or better links to practical use of language skills required by the labour market;
• reinforced interaction between practice, research and policy.
• increased level of participation in sport and physical activity as a tool for health and well being
• increased knowledge on how to tackle cross-border threats to the integrity of sport, such as doping, match fixing and violence, as well as all kinds of intolerance and discrimination better support of good governance in sport and dual careers of athletes;
• increased recognition of voluntary activities in sport;
• increased mobility of volunteers, coaches, managers and staff of non-profit sport organisations;
• increased social inclusion and equal opportunities in sport.

The Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) action supports international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of higher education. It supports the relevance, quality, modernisation and responsiveness of higher education in third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme for socio-economic recovery, growth and prosperity and reacting to recent trends, in particular economic globalisation but also the recent decline in human development, fragility, and rising social, economic and environmental inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The action is expected to contribute to the overarching priorities of the European Commission: the Green Deal (including climate change, environment and energy), digital transformation and data technologies, alliances for sustainable growth and jobs, migration partnerships, and governance, peace and security and to the external dimension of EU internal policies in the field of education. It will support a successful green and sustainable global economic recovery in the third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ programme, linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.

Activities

The activities proposed must be directly linked to the objectives above, the regional priority areas, the characteristics of the Strands (see below) and they must be detailed in a project description covering the entire implementation period.

In the context of this action, project activities must be geared to strengthen and benefit the eligible third countries not associated to the programme, their HEIs and other organisations active in the field of higher education and systems.

Funded projects will be able to integrate a wide range of cooperation, exchange, communication and other activities, examples of which are provided under the description of the three Strands available under this action. The proposed activities should bring an added value and will have a direct impact on the achievement of the project results.

Geographical Targets

CBHE projects can be implemented as:

• National projects, i.e. projects involving institutions from only one eligible third country not associated to the Erasmus + programme;
• Multi-country (regional) projects within one single eligible Region;
• Multi-country projects involving more than one Region (cross-regional) and involving at least one country from each eligible Region.

For each Region there is a defined budget and further information on the amounts available are published on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal (FTOP).

In addition to special attention being paid to improve equitable and gender balanced access to HEIs in third countries not associated to the programme, in particular for people with fewer opportunities, the action will take an inclusive approach in all regions with the aim to increase the participation of the poorest and least developed third countries not associated to the programme.

Strand 3 - Structural reform projects

Projects under this Strand shall support efforts in third countries not associated to the E+ programme to develop coherent and sustainable systems of higher education to meet their socio-economic needs and broad ambition to create a knowledge-driven economy. Mainstreaming and upscaling of successful results as well as synergies with ongoing or pipeline support in the area under bilateral support programmes are also elements of this Strand. Structural Reform projects will address the needs of eligible third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme to support sustainable systemic and structural improvement and innovation at the level of the higher education sector. More specifically, these projects will address the efforts of countries to develop coherent and sustainable systems of Higher Education to meet their socio-economic needs and ultimately create a knowledge-driven economy. By involving the competent National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education) of third countries not associated to the programme, HEIs, Research institutions and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders, these projects will particularly:

• Promote cooperation and mutual learning among and between public authorities at the highest institutional level of the EU Member states or countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme and the eligible third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme to foster systemic improvement and innovation in the higher education sector.
• Promote inclusive higher education systems that can provide the right conditions for students of different backgrounds to access learning and succeed. Particular attention should therefore be paid to people with fewer opportunities.
• Increase the capacities of HEIs of third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme, bodies in charge of higher education and competent authorities (notably Ministries) through their participation in the definition, implementation and monitoring of reform processes to modernise their higher education systems, particularly in terms of governance and financing;
• Identify synergies with ongoing EU initiatives in the third country(ies) not associated to the programme in areas covered by Erasmus+ .

Activities

Projects should propose activities that will bring a clear added value to the higher education system as a whole and that will have a direct impact on the targeted beneficiaries. These activities should contribute to the reform of higher education policies that respond to societal and labour market needs. A non-exhaustive list of possible activities is provided below:

• Foster national ownership by experimenting and mainstreaming positive and best practices in Higher Education at national and/or regional level:
  • to increase the employability of graduates;
  • to widen access to Higher Education to people with fewer opportunities;
  • to strengthen the links between, education, research and innovation.
• Contribute to efficient and effective policy making in the field of higher education by involving other stakeholders in the Higher Education field:
  • encouraging the participation of other responsible public authorities to increase the relevance of the Higher Education sector and increase its impact on society at large;
  • enabling the active participation of students in governance and reform of the Higher Education system;
  • involving associations active in other relevant fields such as vocational training and youth;
  • enhancing the international dimension of higher education through cooperation between high-level institutions in EU Member states or countries associated to the Erasmus + programme and in eligible third
    countries not associated to the Programme. In particular, developing and implementing schemes that facilitate the mobility of students and academic staff such as the creation of a regional credit transfer system
    or support to the development of National Qualifications Frameworks;
  • defining a national / regional quality assurance framework;
• Foster regional academic cooperation and promote voluntary convergence of the third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme towards a common regional strategy in the field of Higher Education:
  • defining steps to create a regional Higher Education Area;
  • facilitating national and cross-border recognition;
  • removing barriers to learning, improving access to high quality and innovation-driven education and making it easier for teachers, learners and workers to move between countries
• Foster the introduction of funding mechanisms aiming at:
  • increasing the participation of people with fewer opportunities in higher education;
  • bridging the digital divide at institutional and individual level.
• Enhance the attractiveness of the teaching profession by introducing measures such as:
  • promoting initiatives for career development;
  • promoting their participation in the internationalisation of Higher Education by creating incentives.

• HEIs, associations or organisations of HEIs, established in an EU Member state or third country associated to the Erasmus+ programme, or in an eligible third country not associated to the Erasmus + programme. The applicant institution applies on behalf of all participating organisations involved in the proposal.
• Legally recognised national or international rector, teacher or student organisations established in an EU Member state or third country associated to the Erasmus+ programme or in an eligible third country not associated to the Erasmus + programme.

• any public or private organisation defined as higher education institution and recognised as such by the competent authorities of the country where it is located, with its affiliated entities (if any), offering full study programmes leading to higher education degrees and recognised diplomas at tertiary education qualifications level (defined as higher education institution and recognised as such by the competent authorities);
• any public or private organisation, with its affiliated entities (if any), active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth located in eligible third countries not associated to the Erasmus + programme. For example, such organisation can be:
  • a public, private small medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
  • a public body at local, regional or national level (including ministries);
  • a social partner or other representative of working life, including chambers of commerce, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
  • a research institute;
  • a foundation;
  • a school/institute (on any level, from pre-school to upper secondary education, including vocational education and adult education);
  • a non-profit organisation, association, NGO (including national or international associations or associations/networks of HEIs, students or teachers associations, etc.);
  • a cultural organisation, library, museum;
  • a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and information services.

• Minimum 1 HEI from each participating EU Member state or third country associated to the programme, and
• Minimum 2 HEIs from the participating third country not associated to the programme.
• Projects must also involve, as a full partner, the national competent authority (e.g. Ministry) responsible for higher education of the eligible third country not associated to the programme targeted by the project.

• Minimum 1 HEI from each participating EU Member state or third country associated to the Erasmus + Erasmus + programme, and
• Minimum 2 HEIs from each of the participating third countries not associated to theErasmus + programme.
• Projects must also involve, as a full partner, the national competent authority (e.g. Ministry) responsible for higher education of the eligible third country not associated to the programme targeted by the project.

• For Strand 3 - Structural Reform projects: Between EUR 800,000 and EUR 1,000,000 per project

The indicative 2022 CBHE budget of Strand 3 per Region (in EURO) and the indicative number of projects to be funded are defined below.

European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) - https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/index_en

Since 2006, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency has been a catalyst for projects in education, training, youth, sport, audiovisual, culture, citizenship and humanitarian aid. On behalf of the European Commission, EACEA strives to foster innovation in these areas, always in a spirit of cross-border cooperation and mutual respect.

EACEA are project managers, facilitators of knowledge exchange, and supporters of European projects that connect people and cultures.

National Agencies

To bring Erasmus+ as close as possible to the participants and make sure it works well across different countries, the EU works with National Agencies to manage the programme.

The National Agencies are based in Programme Countries and their role involves

• providing information on Erasmus+
• selecting projects to be funded
• monitoring and evaluating Erasmus+
• supporting applicants and participants
• working with other National Agencies and the EU
• promoting Erasmus+
• sharing success stories and best practices

The list of National Agencies can be found here. Countries not in the list of Programme countries may alternately have a National Erasmus+ Office.

National Erasmus+ Offices

National Erasmus+ Offices (NEOs) assist the European Commission and local authorities in the implementation of Erasmus+ in certain Partner Countries.

These countries are located in the Western Balkans, the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean and Central Asia. Russia also has a National Office.

Providing information on Erasmus+, monitoring and evaluating funded projects, assisting applicants and participants, supporting policy dialogue and maintaining contact with local authorities and EU Delegations are among the responsibilities of the NEOs.