Introduction

The Strategic Partnerships (SP) are projects that support the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices as well as the implementation of joint initiatives promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchanges of experience on education, training and youth at European level. The SP must be focused in one of the following educational levels: school education, higher education, vocational education and training, adult education.

Objective of the call

The call funds two types of SP:

- SP supporting innovation: they develop innovative outputs, and/or engage into intensive dissemination and exploitation activities of existing and new products or innovative ideas.

- SP supporting exchange of good practices: they allow organisations to develop and reinforce networks, increase their capacity to operate at trans-national level, share and confront ideas, practices and methods. Selected projects may also produce tangible outputs and are expected to disseminate the results of their activities.

Priorities

The projects must address at least one of the following priorities:

- Supporting individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and key competences: foster employability and socio-educational and personal development, as well as participation in civic and social life, such as language skills, entrepreneurial mind-set, critical thinking and creativity. This priority will include actions to: develop partnerships between learning institutions, businesses and intermediary bodies; support work-based learning; improve quality and effectiveness of learning mobility; support innovative pedagogies, teaching and learning environments; apply competence-based approaches and assess their quality and impact; promote interdisciplinary co-operation in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths.

- Social inclusion: address diversity and promote ownership of shared values, equality and nondiscrimination and social inclusion, including for people with health-related conditions. Projects must foster the development of social, civic and intercultural competences, online safety and digital well-being, and tackle discrimination, segregation, racism, bullying, violence, fake news and other forms of online misinformation. They must also support and assess new approaches to reducing disparities in access to and engagement with digital technologies.

- Open education and innovative practices in a digital era: promote innovative pedagogies and methods for teaching, learning and assessment, and support educators and learners to use digital technologies in creative, collaborative and efficient ways. Update and develop digital learning materials and tools, in particular Open Educational Resources, open textbooks, and Free and Open Source Educational Software, as well as support the effective use of digital technologies and open pedagogies in education, training, youth and sport.

- Supporting educators: strengthen the recruitment, selection and professional development of educators, youth workers, educational leaders and support staff. This includes professional development on communication, collaboration and exchange among educators, linking education with research and innovation, work-based and informal learning, dealing with early school leaving, supporting learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.

- Transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications: support learning and labour mobility and facilitate transitions between different levels and types of education and training, between education/training and the world of work, and between different jobs. Priority will be given to actions enabling and promoting automatic mutual recognition, as well as transparency and comparability of qualifications and learning outcomes, including through the provision of better services and information/guidance on skills and qualifications.

- Sustainable investment, quality and efficiency of education, training and youth systems: support the implementation of the Investment Plan for Europe, including by promoting funding models attracting private actors and capital; support the development of evidence-based policies and reforms that aim at delivering quality education and training more efficiently; exploring innovative ways to ensure sustainable investment in education, training and youth.

- Social and educational value of European cultural heritage, its contribution to job creation, economic growth and social cohesion: raise awareness of the importance of Europe's cultural heritage through education, lifelong learning, informal and non-formal learning, youth as well as sport, including actions to support skills development, social inclusion, critical thinking and youth engagement. New participatory and intercultural approaches to heritage, as well as educational initiatives aimed at fostering intercultural dialogue involving teachers and pupils from an early age will be promoted.

Eligible activities

A wide range of activities can be implemented, such as:

- strengthen the cooperation and networking between organisations;

- test and/or implement innovative practices in the field of education, training and youth;

- recognition and validation of knowledge, skills and competences acquired through formal, nonformal and informal learning;

- support learners with disabilities/special needs to complete education cycles and facilitate their transition into the labour market, including by combating segregation and discrimination in education for marginalised communities;

- better prepare and deploy the education and training of professionals for equity, diversity and inclusion challenges in the learning environment;

- promote the integration of refugees, asylum seekers and newly arrived migrants and raise awareness about the refugee crisis in Europe;

- foster entrepreneurial mind-sets and skills, to encourage active citizenship and entrepreneurship, jointly carried out by two or more groups of young people from different countries.

Eligible applicants

Any organization active in the field of education, training and youth such as: NGOs, associations, public bodies, foundations, enterprises, research institutes, social partners, higher education institutions, non-profit organisations.

Partnership criteria

A project must involve a minimum of 3 organisations from 3 different eligible countries.

Funding

The maximum grant awarded to a project is 150.000 euro per year, with a maximum of 450.000 euro.

Project duration

Maximum 3 years

More information at

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/