Erasmus+
for VET
2016
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Erasmus+ for VET
About Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is the European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport. It
runs for seven years, from 2014 to 2020, with organisations invited to apply for funding
each year to undertake unique and worthwhile activities.
Erasmus+ succeeds the Leonardo programme which previously provided European
funding for vocational education and training (VET). Erasmus+ in the UK is under the
authority of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and is managed by
the UK National Agency, a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK.
Changing Lives, Opening Minds
Through Erasmus+ organisations can enable learners and staff to pursue stimulating
opportunities for learning across Europe. Participants will gain valuable life-skills and
international experience to help them develop personally, professionally and academically.
As well as boosting skills and employability for participants, the programme will also aid
modernisation in the VET sector across Europe and enhance the international dimension of
education and training.
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Key facts and figures
Over its lifetime, Erasmus+ has an overall budget of €14.7 billion for the development
of knowledge and skills. A proportion of this budget is allocated to provide funding for
vocational education and training (VET) projects.
Other (8.8%)
Sport (1.8%)
Jean Monnet (1.9%)
Youth (10%)
VET
(22%)
Higher
education
(43%)
Education
&
Training
Education and training (77.5%)
Schools
(15%)
Adult
education
(5%)
Unallocated
(15%)
With this funding, by 2020, the European Union aims to support:
• 800,000 lecturers, teachers, trainers, education staff and youth workers to teach or
train abroad;
• 25,000 partnerships, involving 125,000 organisations, to implement joint initiatives and
promote exchange of experience and know-how and links with the world of work;
• 650,000 vocational apprenticeships or traineeships abroad.
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
What can I do?
There are a number of different funding streams available under Erasmus+ for which UK
organisations involved in vocational education and training (VET) can apply.
VET funding is split into two main areas:
• Funding for VET learner and staff mobility. This activity is known as Key Action 1 of
Erasmus+ and;
• Strategic Partnerships funding for organisations to develop provision though working
in partnership. This is known as Key Action 2 of Erasmus+.
Information on all VET funding opportunities can be found on our website at:
www.erasmusplus.org.uk/vocational-education-and-training-funding
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Mobility for VET learners
and staff (Key Action 1)
Teaching or training abroad
If you work or study in VET, Key Action 1 is the funding strand that applies to you as an
individual. It is about mobility, which means that you spend time abroad. Mobility projects
can cover one or more of the following: learner mobility or staff mobility.
Overall, projects last from between 1 to 2 years, but an individual mobility activity can
vary based on the types of project.
The aim of Key Action 1 is to fund opportunities for individuals to improve their
skills, enhance their employability and gain cultural awareness. Mobility projects are
transnational, and so must involve at least two organisations – your own organisation and
the organisation(s) abroad.
Recent graduates of a VET school or company, such as former apprentices, can also take
part in mobility opportunities. This is providing the Erasmus+ training placement takes
place within one year of graduation.
A VET learner mobility activity is a traineeship abroad. The duration of the traineeship
placement can be between 2 weeks and 12 months.
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
Types of VET staff mobility include:
• Teaching/training assignments for staff of VET schools to teach at a partner VET
school abroad;
• Staff training where VET staff undertake a work placement or a job shadowing/
observation period in an enterprise or other VET organisation abroad.
Staff mobility activities can last from 2 days to 2 months, excluding travel time. In the
case of teaching and training assignments, staff from enterprises, public sector and/or
society organisations may also participate.
For both types of mobility funding the organisations apply, as grants are not available
directly to individuals.
Funding
An Erasmus+ grant is intended as a contribution to the costs of a project and may not
cover the total cost. Funding will come in the form of a unit cost or (a percentage of the)
real cost. You could receive the following funding per participant:
• Travel – contribution to the travel costs of participants, including accompanying
persons, from place of origin to the venue of activity and return.
• Organisational support – costs which are linked to the implementation of mobility
activities, such as preparation, monitoring and support of participants during mobility.
• Individual support – linked to covering costs for food and accommodation for
participants and accompanying persons.
• Special needs support – specific additional amounts for participants or
accompanying persons with a disability or specific needs.
• Exceptional costs – additional costs to support the participation of learners with
fewer opportunities
• Linguistic support – costs to support VET learners before their mobility with the
language they will come into contact with during their placement abroad. Please
note this is not available for languages other than English, French, German, Dutch,
Spanish and Italian.
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Strategic Partnerships
(Key Action 2)
Working with other VET organisations
UK organisations involved in vocational education and training can take part in
collaborative projects aimed at improving VET provision, either as the lead organisation
or as a partner.
The Strategic Partnership funding strand applies here. Projects can last for 2 or 3
years, and must include at least three partners from three different countries, including
the organisation that is making the application. The lead organisation applies to the
Erasmus+ National Agency in their county for funding on behalf of the project as a whole.
A maximum of €150,000 is available per project per year.
The aim is to focus on activities designed to improve VET provision across the
participating countries.
Working with organisations in other sectors
You can also work with organisations in sectors other than VET including higher
education, adult education, schools, sport and youth. The funding strand is still Key
Action 2 and must include at least three partners from three different countries.
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
This Strategic Partnership activity could include:
• Developing, testing and implementing innovative approaches and practices for VET
trainees, staff and organisations.
• Recognition of skills and competences.
• The encouragement of active citizenship and entrepreneurship.
• Credit transfer (such as ECVET) and quality assurance (EQAVET), training, teaching
and learning activities such as blended mobility of trainees, joint staff training events
and teaching and training assignments.
Funding
An Erasmus+ grant is intended as a contribution to the costs of a project and may not
cover the total cost. Funding will come in the form of a unit cost or (a percentage of the)
real cost. Depending on your project, funding could cover:
• Project management and implementation – this relates to the organisational,
management and implementation of the project.
• Transnational project meetings – this is for day to day costs such as accommodation
and travel to meetings.
• Intellectual outputs – grants paid per participant per working day by each country per
group.
• Multiplier events – covers of events aimed at disseminating the intellectual outputs of
a project.
• Special needs support – specific additional costs for participants with a disability or
specific needs.
• Exceptional costs.
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www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
Online resources
Before, during and after your Erasmus+ project, there is a wealth of free online
information and resources to support you.
Europass – Europass supports individuals to make their skills and qualifications clearly
and easily understood in Europe. This is achieved by both freely accessible documents
completed by the individual and by documents including certificates issued by education
and training authorities. www.europass.cedefop.europa.eu
Online Linguistic Support – The Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support (OLS) has been
designed to provide language assessments and courses for Erasmus+ participants and
aims to improve their knowledge of the language in which they will work, study or volunteer
abroad so that they can make the most out of this experience. erasmusplusols.eu/
ECVET – The European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) is
a technical framework to facilitate the transfer, recognition and accumulation of assessed
learning outcomes with a view to achieving a qualification. Experts from each UK country
are available to provide organisations in the UK practical support and training for ECVET.
www.ecvetexperts.org.uk
EQF – The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a translation tool that helps
communication and comparison between qualifications systems in Europe.
EPALE – The Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe is a multilingual open
membership community for teachers, trainers, researchers, academics, policy makers and
anyone else with a professional role in adult learning across Europe.
ec.europa.eu/epale/en
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Why take part?
Erasmus+ activities have positive results for both organisations and individual members
of staff. The chance to spend time in another European country on a traineeship,
teaching, job shadowing or on a partnership visit enables learners and staff to broaden
their horizons.
Learners are able to build employability skills to help them make the transition into the
world of work, as well as improving their soft skills and cultural awareness.
Erasmus+ activities make staff feel valued. The chance to spend time in another European
country means they also return refreshed, energised and more motivated, helping to retain
valued staff. The framework of your Erasmus+ activities can also link to your organisation’s
own strategic vision.
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
Case studies
Derby College (Key Action 1)
Integration, enrichment and enterprise
Derby College has the largest European Lifelong Learning Programme in the East
Midlands. Building on this experience, this project encourages participants to consider
different progression routes through training placement opportunities overseas. In total
100 learners and staff from Derby College studying a range of vocational subjects will
visit Estonia, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark. The project uses a NCFE Level
2 Award in Developing Enterprise Skills module supported by specialist work placement
opportunities that provide real-world work experiences. Students explore different
approaches to enterprise, commerce and entrepreneurship in each country aligning with
the organisation’s overall strategy of employability and enterprise skills embedded in the
college’s curriculum. The first students recently returned from their placements in Finland
(during which the temperatures were as low as -27°C!). Tourism students joined the
Sampo Icebreaker ship in Lapland for tourists to see the spectacular local scenery and
swim in the frozen waters.
I am pleased Derby College was able to offer this once-in-the-lifetime
“opportunity
to learners... to participate in the mobility to Lapland, Finland
and learn about the life and culture of this amazing country as well as
develop new language skills and gain valuable work experience in their
relevant vocational fields. Kadri Saat, Project Co-ordinator
”
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Leeds City College (Key Action 2)
V-Game
In today’s digital economy, improving programming skills for young people has been
recognised as a priority in the UK and Europe. The Strategic Partnership project led by
Leeds City College aims to achieve this.
The project is creating the ‘V-Game’ based learning environment. Partners across Europe
(from Estonia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Romania and the UK) are creating the game-based
learning environment to boost interest among students to learn the technical features of
programming. From HTML to Javascript, the game enables players to gain and apply
skills that work towards modules in web production and client customisation on students’
Level 3 courses.
The project involves VET students between 14-18, trainers, employers and awarding
bodies to ensure job market and academic requirements of a National Diploma Level
2/3 qualification are met. Students have been actively involved, contributing to the content
of the market needs analysis and all the partnership engaged students in the ideas for
characters, settings and genre of the game.
The game will be supported by an e-Learning platform which will be set up during the
project and include training materials on how to use the V-Game.
is giving students, studying Creative Computing at Leeds
“CityV. Game
College a unique opportunity to be involved in all aspects of game
development from Market Needs Analysis, design, functionality and to
testing. Along with students from V. Game partner countries, the impact
of student consultation, testing and feedback is driving the design,
genre, playability and overall quality of the game. In Leeds City College,
the finished game will be used as a learning tool, so to have student
involvement and direction in these early stages is invaluable both for the
students own learning and the suitability and relevance of the finished
game for its target users. Gina Yates, Transnational Partnership Manager
”
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
How to apply
A step-by-step guide to applying
1
Be an eligible UK organisation
Any public or private organisation active in the field of
VET in the UK, or co-ordinator of a VET consortium,
can apply for Erasmus+ VET funding.
2
Review your organisational and financial capacity
As part of your application you will need to
demonstrate that you have the capacity to successfully
administer and deliver your Erasmus+ project.
3
Decide on your project
Decide on a project for your organisation based on
the activities allowed under a Key Action.
4
Register on ECAS and obtain your PIC
Create an ECAS account and register in the
Participant Portal to obtain a nine digit PIC (Participant
Identification Code) which you and your partners will
need in order to complete the eForm.
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Fill out the eform
Choose the correct eForm for your sector, key action
and funding round. Ensure you have enough time to
do this, check that all fields are correctly filled out and
validate the form. Only then will you be able to submit.
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Check the deadline and dates
Check and double-check the deadline and the time for
submitting your online application form.
Also check the project start and end dates. Applications
submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Visit: www.erasmusplus.org.uk/vocational-educationand-training-funding for more information.
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
How to apply
Top tips
For Erasmus+ VET funding there are two application deadlines in a calendar year.
You will need to apply online using the electronic application form (or ‘eForm’) for the
relevant Key Action for your project, so it is vital that you download the correct form. In all
cases, the application must be made by the organisation, not the individual. There is an
additional deadline for organisations wishing to apply for the VET Charter.
There are limits to the number of separate applications your organisation can submit.
Please refer to the Erasmus+ programme guide for full details.
Five top tips:
1. Whether you have been successful or unsuccessful in applying for funding for a
project, you can still apply for another project in the next funding Round.
2. Start your application well before the due date, in case there are any issues with IT
on deadline day.
3. When your PIC is entered into your application form, your organisation’s details will
be entered automatically. If these appear to be incorrect you should update the data
in the Participant Portal.
4. Look out for webinars and telephone advice sessions run by the National Agency to
support you in making your application.
5. Feeling confused by the jargon? Visit www.erasmusplus.org.uk/glossary for a
glossary of terms.
Read more top tips at www.erasmusplus.org.uk/toptips
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www.erasmusplus.org.uk
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Erasmus+ for VET
Support from the
UK National Agency
Whether you are new to the programme, or have applied before, at the UK National
Agency we are here to support you all the way, from application guidance, through to
managing your project.
• Erasmus+ briefing sessions – these are aimed at newcomers, and take place each
autumn in locations across the UK.
• Guides for applicants – for each Key Action and sector, we provide additional
application guidance documents, available to download from our website.
• Application support webinars – sign up to these online events including a Q&A session
for more detail on the application process in the run up to the funding deadline(s).
• Advice sessions – you can call or email us for specific advice about completing your
application and we may also occasionally run extra advice webinars or events.
Visit www.erasmusplus.org.uk/events for upcoming events.
Funding deadlines
Deadlines are announced by the European Commission during each annual Call to
Apply but can change, so please visit www.erasmusplus.org.uk/deadlines
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Contact us
The UK National Agency is a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK.
This page sets out how you can contact us for advice and guidance on Erasmus+.
Enquiries on VET funding
T: 0121 212 8947
E: erasmusplus@ecorys.com
Erasmus+
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
@erasmusplusuk
www.facebook.com/ukerasmusplus
www.erasmusplus.org.uk
Erasmus+ is the European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport.
The Erasmus+ UK National Agency is a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK.
VET 2016/A