Erasmus+ latest news update
Posted: November 27, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+, Lifelong Learning Programme, Uncategorized | Tags: EU Budget 2014 - 2020, MFF Leave a commentNovember has been a significant month in the final steps towards the approval of the Erasmus+ programme.
On 19 November, the European Parliament voted in overwhelming majority for the new EU education, training, youth and sport programme. On the same day, the European Parliament also approved the EU’s budget for 2014 – 2020 which confirms the budget for the Erasmus+ programme. The new EU education, training, youth and sport programme will receive 14.7 billion euros over seven years, with an increase of 40% on the current Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programme budgets. Erasmus+ is only one of three programmes, along with Creative Europe and Horizon 2020, to receive an increased budget in times of austerity, when the overall EU budget has been cut.
The final step in the legal process is for the programme to be approved by the Council which is expected to take place within a month. Following this approval from the Council, Erasmus+ will enter into force on 1 January 2014.
Expected Timescale
Mid-December 2013 – Call for Proposals published
1 January 2014 – Erasmus+ begins
January 2014 – Application forms published
March 2014 onwards – Application deadlines
Information and Support
Ecorys, the UK National Agency for the Leonardo, Grundtvig and Transversal programmes, is hosting a series of Briefing Sessions around the country on the new Erasmus+ programme. The purpose of the sessions is to provide an overview of the funding opportunities available under Erasmus+ from January 2014 for adult education and Vocational and Education Training organisations. Places are still available for the Cardiff Briefing Session on 12 December and the deadline for the close of registration is 28 November 2013. Please click here to register: http://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/news/launch-erasmus-briefing-sessions
If you can’t make it along to one of the sessions, there is a document with all the key information delivered at the events, along with the latest factsheets on Erasmus+, available for you to download here: http://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/latest-news/briefing-sessions
The European Commission has also published information on the new programme, along with a range of resources, on their Erasmus+ webpage which you can download for further information.
Next Steps
We will be following the final steps of the approval of the programme here on our blog and updating information as it is released on the Erasmus+ interim website.
The spirit of entrepreneurship
Posted: November 20, 2013 Filed under: Mobility | Tags: Entrepreneurship, Global Entrepreneurship Week Leave a commentIn this time of financial uncertainty many people are seeking to become their own boss and to create endless possibilities for themselves in the true spirit of entrepreneurship. But what is entrepreneurship and how can it be developed? This week is Global Entrepreneurship Week – a campaign encouraging the next generations of entrepreneurs to consider starting their own business – and an opportunity for you to get information on what help and resources are available to get you closer to your dream…
What is entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship is defined as the capacity and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business venture along with any of its risks in order to make a profit.
Some people would say they are born with entrepreneurial skills such as vision, drive and resilience; but for others entrepreneurial skills can be fostered through life experiences. Day to day interactions can develop your communication skills, taking a language course can develop your linguistic skills and overall impact on your self confidence; driving you to succeed.
European Multilingual Blogging Day 2013
Posted: November 15, 2013 Filed under: Leonardo, Transfer of Innovation | Tags: language, Multilingualism Leave a commentYou may be wondering why this blog is both in Italian and English…well, today we have joined the European Multilingual Blogging Day 2013, which is being promoted by the http://euonym.eu/ blog, linked to the European Commission Representation in the UK. So today I will use Italian and English to tell you a little bit about my experience with foreign languages and a TOI project which aims to improve the language teaching within vocational education and training.
Mi chiamo Laura Contrasti e (magari lo avete già indovinato) sono italiana. Mi occupo dei progetti Leonardo Transferimento dell’Innovazione (TOI) e e ho fatto la mia prima esperienza di lavoro nel Regno Unito quattro anni fa grazie a una borsa Leonardo Mobilità. Nel 2006 ho anche trascorso cinque mesi a Madrid come studentessa Erasmus.
Our very own Laura (far left) writes for us in Italian as we take part in European Multilingual Blogging Day…
My name is Laura Contrasti and, as you may already have guessed, I am Italian. I deal with Leonardo Transfer of Innovation (TOI) projects and I first came to the UK to gain some work experience four years ago with a Leonardo Mobility grant. In 2006 I also spent five months in Madrid as an Erasmus student.
Parlare lingue straniere apre un sacco di nuove possibilità, perché ti permette, tra le altre cose, di leggere libri e giornali in lingua straniera e di stringere nuove relazioni. Sono laureata in inglese e spagnolo, e conosco anche un po’ di francese, che ho parlato molto durante un periodo di tirocinio presso la Commissione Europea. Studiare queste lingue a scuola è stato fondamentale, ma vivere all’estero è stato altrettanto importante per migliorarle.
British Council with Ecorys UK wins major EC contract
Posted: November 14, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+ | Tags: British Council, David Willetts, Erasmus+, european commission 2 CommentsUniversities Minister David Willetts announced today that the contract to deliver the EU’s new education, training, youth and sport programme, Erasmus+, in the UK has been awarded to the British Council, in partnership with Ecorys UK.
Speaking at the Sutton Trust’s International Summit today David Willetts said:
“Erasmus+ will give more young people from the UK the opportunity to experience new cultures, understand different ways of working, develop crucial language skills and give them a global outlook.”
You can read the full press release on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ website.
Ruth Sinclair-Jones, Head of EU Programmes and National Agency Director at the British Council, said:
“We are delighted to be working with our long-standing National Agency partners Ecorys UK to deliver Erasmus+. The programme represents a fantastic opportunity for UK participants, especially young people, to gain the valuable experience and skills that will help them prosper in today’s challenging economic climate.”
Chris Walker, National Agency Director at Ecorys UK, added:
“We look forward to continuing to support UK organisations in securing funding that can have a real impact on the skills and employability of participants. We would strongly encourage organisations to make the most of the opportunities available under Erasmus+.”
The programme, which will support activities in all sectors of lifelong learning including adult education and vocational education and training, officially starts on 1 January 2014, will provide £11.8 billion (€14 billion) across the 33 participating countries. Across Europe up to five million people will have a chance to benefit over the next seven years.
Erasmus+ brings together a number of existing EU programmes including the Ecorys-managed Grundtvig, Leonardo and Transversal programmes and the British Council-managed Comenius, eTwinning, Erasmus and Youth in Action programmes. The Erasmus+ programme is expected to be approved by the European Parliament on 19 November 2013.
This appointment is subject to final contractual agreements and approval by the European Commission. British Council and Ecorys UK are not expected to start their new role until 1 January 2014, and will remain as separate National Agencies until then under the current Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programmes.
Breaking down barriers
Posted: November 12, 2013 Filed under: Grundtvig | Tags: grundtvig, Inclusion, London, Refugee, Social exclusion Leave a commentThe Annual NIACE Dysgu Cymru Adult Community Learning Conference took place in Cardiff this month looking at the role of community learning and the wider agenda of the Welsh Government tackling poverty in 2013. As one in five of the UK population live below our official poverty line, and with a number of Lifelong Learning Programme projects aiming to solve the problem of social exclusion, we look at one Grundtvig partnership promoting social cohesion through working with some of London’s diverse migrant communities.
The British Refugee Council’s EDIT project has brought together partners from Romania, Denmark and the United Kingdom, all of which support adult learners, including migrants, refugees and ethnic minorities.
The Grundtvig partnership project aims to improve access to education, training and employment opportunities so those involved can become proactive citizens who contribute towards developing a more cohesive, inclusive and tolerant Europe. Working together, the partners have been successful in achieving a range of outputs and activities throughout the project: identifying the barriers which prevent social inclusion and integration.
Sustainability equals employability
Posted: November 8, 2013 Filed under: Leonardo, Mobility | Tags: employability, EU2020, youth unemployment Leave a commentAs a fresher in 2009 studying a BA in Fine Art the prospect of going to University was not just a rewarding opportunity, but a safety net as the economy gave way to recession. With each year there were growing concerns for those leaving education and their future job prospects. Five years on and with the experiences gained during my time at university I’m five months into my role at Ecorys and the future for similar young job hunters looks a lot brighter.
So how does our economy recover and create jobs?
In 2010 the European Commission launched the EU2020, a ten year growth plan to create conditions for a more competitive economy with higher employment. This growth strategy has five key targets that are to be achieved by the end of the decade including both Employment and Education.
To further support this process the European Commission set out a number of recommendations to the UK to continue its recovery and work towards the EU2020 goal. With youth unemployment figures over double the overall unemployment rate the growing concern is creating and sustaining a continuous growth of jobs. Catch 22 though, in particular for graduates and young adults in the UK, is the concern that:
40% of employees are under or over qualified and lack the sufficient skills,
with 37.2% of low-skilled 15-24 year olds unemployed
One solution to this is closing the skills gap by placing more emphasis on opportunities through apprenticeships and internships. A success story for this is Tim Hall, who we featured back in August when he appeared as one of three young job-seekers interviewed on BBC1’s Look North. Tim had been invited to interview for Change Agents UK’s Leonardo Mobility Programme placement as an Audio-Visual Researcher. Were pleased to say he was successful and since followed his development and the opportunity gained from his placement.
Tim Hall
“Looking through a wide range of jobs I came across an internship opportunity that gave me the chance to combine environmental conservation and film/TV business together. Working with Think Young lobbying for young people to be heard in European affairs, I’m specifically looking at Environmental issues and concerns and solutions people have.” Mobility participant Tim Hall
Erasmus+ programme is one step closer
Posted: November 5, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+ | Tags: Erasmus+, European Union Leave a commentSome of you may have seen that recently Ecorys and the British Council launched a new joint interim website on Erasmus+, the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport.
The site provides an overview of the new funding opportunities available from January 2014 and will serve as a hub for the latest news and information on Erasmus+ as details of the programme are finalised. It also contains a range of downloadable resources on the new programme, including our Erasmus+ factsheet, Key Actions factsheet and FAQs, which are also available in Welsh on our Welsh language page.
There are a number of digital resources about the new programme and its Key Actions, as well as videos explaining more about the structure of Erasmus+.
What are the latest developments on the new programme?
This morning representatives of the European Parliament’s Culture and Education Committee voted to endorse the informal deal made on the Erasmus+ programme with the European Council in trilogue discussions.
This means that the revised legislative base agreed between the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Commission will go forward to the Parliament’s Plenary for formal ratification.
This is scheduled to take place on 19 November. The vote of the European Parliament itself is the last stage in the approval process before the Erasmus+ programme can enter into force. During the session, Doris Pack said the informal deal was a “good compromise”. This was reflected in the vote which saw all but one Committee member vote in favour of the proposal; there was one abstention.
Keep coming back to www.erasmusplus.org.uk for all the latest news and information on Erasmus+
llpUKecorys 