One year after its launch, the Atlantis programme is proving to be increasingly popular. Fourteen new transatlantic cooperation projects have been selected, including joint/double degrees, ‘excellence in mobility’ projects, and other policy oriented projects aimed at enhancing transatlantic collaboration on higher education. The number of applications received this year was 40% more than in 2006, and currently over 32 European institutions, 12 Member States, and 22 American institutions are involved. The Commission will commit 3.8 million Euro to these projects, which will be matched by the US Department of Education to fund the participating US institutions.

Examples of selected projects includes the following:

• double bachelor degrees in geosciences, urban planning, mechanical engineering, nursing, teacher training, and information management;
• dual master degrees in mechanics and electronic engineering;
• a study to map existing transatlantic dual/double degree programmes;
• policy projects to benchmark entrepreneurship programmes and evaluate general equity training.

The Atlantis programme is part of the US-EU bilateral cooperation scheme, a programme that has been in existence since 1995 and has funded 136 projects in transatlantic higher education and vocational training.

Press release
DG EAC