FUNDING BODY: European Commission.

Note: Decentralized Programme. Budget is managed by the National Agency of the country in which the applicant organization (the coordinator) is established.

CALL FOCUS:

• Strategic Partnerships aim to 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 at European level.
• Depending on the objectives and the composition of the Strategic Partnership, projects may be of two types:
  • Strategic Partnerships supporting innovation. Projects are expected to develop innovative outputs, and/or engage into intensive dissemination and exploitation activities of existing and newly produced products or innovative ideas. Applicants have the possibility to request a dedicated budget for Intellectual Outputs and Multiplier Events in order to directly answer to the innovation aspect of the Action. These types of projects are open to all fields of education, training and youth.
  • Strategic Partnerships supporting exchange of good practices. The primary goal is to allow organisations to develop and reinforce networks, increase their capacity to operate at transnational 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, although in a way that is proportional to the aim and scope of the project. These results and activities will be co-financed through the standard budget for project management and implementation. Strategic Partnerships relevant to the field of higher education will not support these types of projects.
• Strategic Partnerships are open to any type of organisation active in any field of education, training and youth or other socio-economic sectors as well as to organisations carrying out activities that are transversal to different fields (e.g. local and regional authorities, recognition and validation centres, chambers of commerce, trade organisations, guidance centres, cultural organisations).

ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS:

 Any public or private organization, established in a Programme Country or in any Partner Country of the world (see Annex I "Eligible Countries" at the end of this fiche). For example, such organisation can be:
- a higher education institution;
- a school/institute/educational centre (at any level, from pre-school to upper secondary education, and including vocational education and adult education);
- a non-profit organisation, association, NGO;
- a public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
- a public body at local, regional or national level;
- a social partner or other representative of working life, including chambers of commerce, industry, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
- a research institute;
- a foundation;
- an inter-company training centre;
- enterprises providing shared training (collaborative training);
- a cultural organisation, library, museum;
- a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and information services;
- a body validating knowledge, skills and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning;
- a European Youth NGO;
- a group of young people active in youth work but not necessarily in the context of a youth organization.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) established in a Programme Country must hold a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). An ECHE is not required for participating HEIs in Partner Countries, but they will have to sign up to its principles.

See attached file to know about priority topics and types of actions to be funded.

ELIGIBLE COSTS and FINANCING MECHANISM:

• Project management and implementation (unit costs) maximum 2.750 Eur per month
• Transnational project meetings (unit costs) maximum 23.000 Eur per year
• Intellectual outputs. Staff cost. (unit costs)
• Multiplier events. Organisation of national and transnational conferences/seminars/events aimed at sharing and disseminating the intellectual outputs realized by the project. (unit cost) maximum 30.000 per project.
• Exceptional costs: Subcontracting or purchase of goods and services, costs for providing a financial guarantee, if the National Agency asks for it (real costs) (75% eligible costs maximum of 50.000 Eur per project (excluding costs for providing a financial guarantee).
• Special needs support. Additional costs directly related to participants with disabilities. (Real costs) 100 % eligible costs.
• Travel (unit costs).
• Individual support (unit costs).
• Linguistic support (unit costs)

REMARKS:

• Minimum consortium: three organisations from three different Programme Countries.
• Duration of projects: Partnerships in the field of higher education: between 24 and 36 months; partnerships in the field of VET, school education and adult education: between 12 and 36 months; partnerships in the youth field: between 6 and 36 months.
• Maximum grant awarded: up to 450.000 for projects with duration of 36 months.
• Consortiums must apply to the National Agency of the country in which the applicant organization (the coordinator) is established.
• The same consortium of partners can submit only one application and to one National Agency only.

INDICATIVE BUDGET:

Strategic Partnerships Key Action 2: 344.400.170 €

DEADLINES:

• Partnerships in the fields of Higher Education, VET, School and Adult education: 31 March at 12:00 pm (midday Brussels time) for projects starting between 1 September and 31 December of the same year.
• Partnerships in the youth field:
  • 2 February at 12:00 for projects starting between 1 June and 30 September of the same year.
  • 26 April at 12:00 for projects starting between 1 September and 31 December of the same year.
  • 4 October at 12:00 for projects starting between 1 January and 31 May of the following year.

MÁS INFORMACIÓN:

http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/calls/index_en.htm