Asia-Link programme 2006

The Asia-Link Programme is launching its fifth call for proposals for projects that address one or more of the following areas: Human Resources Development; Curriculum Development and Institutions & Systems Development. This year’s call places extra emphasis on the third category of project, which supports projects that address areas of university administration and networking.

Main differences in relation to the 2005 call for proposals:

• Wider European coverage. With the adoption by the Commission of two new regulations on the ‘Untying of Aid’ (28 December 2005), the Asia-Link programme now also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, FYRoM and Turkey.
• Newly eligible country in Asia. Higher education institutions from Myanmar are eligible to apply to the Asia-Link Programme. Myanmar is also a LDC.
• Partnership requirements. The minimum size of the partnership remains four: two European institutions from different countries and two Asian institutions from different countries.

Deadline: 19th October 2006

Provision of consultancy services for Education and Training 2010 programme

The European Commission is establishing a framework contract for the provision of services ensuring the expertise linked to implementation of the “Education & Training 2010” work programme. The principal work themes envisaged for 2006/2007 also relate to the priorities laid down as part of the follow-up to the Copenhagen Process in the field of vocational training. They are tackled through clusters of member states organising peer learning activities (PLAs) within countries, networks and working groups. The main themes covered by the clusters are:

• Higher education modernisation;
• teachers and trainers;
• developing key competences for lifelong learning;
• access and social inclusion;
• making best use of resources;
• eLearning: information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and training;
• development of mathematics, science and technology learning;
• validation of non-formal and informal education and training (learning outcomes).

Deadline: 21st August 2006

Grants for projects developing credit systems for VET

The objective of the call for proposals is to award grants to around ten proposals for the organisation of actions aimed at supporting transnational cooperation in the field of credit systems for VET (ECVET), that is:

• Actions for creating or strengthening partnerships, joint consortia or joint platforms;
• experimental actions in order to implement concretely the ECVET system to the benefit of the various categories of public;
• pooling and dissemination of information and expertise necessary to promote and implement the programme in the field of the credit systems for VET.

Deadline: 31st August 2006

Call for promotion of use of Common Quality Assurance Framework in VET

The main objective of this call is to promote the use of the Common Quality Assurance Framework (CQAF) along with the establishment of robust trans-national and sustainable partnerships within and across countries. These must associate relevant bodies with institutional competencies and capacity for policy development and practical implementation of initiatives in the field of quality assurance in vocational education and training VET.

Deadline: 16th August 2006