5 things coming soon from the NA this autumn
Posted: September 12, 2014 Filed under: Erasmus+, Lifelong Learning Programme, Social media | Tags: Erasmus+, european commission, events, webinars Leave a commentSchool, university, work? Whichever applies to you from the above, September is a month of ‘back to’s’. It’s also the start of our activities to support you applying for Erasmus+ funding in 2015.
As the 2015 Call is due to be published this month; we recently published an editorial on what you can expect. The European Commission publishes a Call for Proposals each year which provides high-level details on programme eligibility, award criteria, budgets and application deadlines so that you can apply for funding for your projects. Here’s a rundown of things you can do to prepare in the meantime:
1. New to Erasmus+?
Check out our briefing sessions in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow and London during October and November. These half-day events are for organisations who have not previously applied for Erasmus+ funding and who want to know more. Registration is free but places are on a ‘first come first served’ basis so don’t delay!
Leonardo Transfer of Innovation: Planning your Final Report
Posted: July 24, 2014 Filed under: Leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, Transfer of Innovation | Tags: dissemination, final report, Final Report Seminar, leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, Transfer of Innovation Leave a comment“Those who plan do better than those who do not plan even though they rarely stick to their plan.” – Winston Churchill.
Here at the UK National Agency we agree with Winston, which is why we wanted to help Leonardo Transfer of Innovation projects from the 2012 Call to start planning their final reports early this year, in time for the November deadline.
As anyone who has completed an LLP-funded project knows, the final report is an essential part of any project manager or promoter’s process. Contrary to popular belief, however, the final report doesn’t have to be daunting; it’s a chance to showcase the success of your project as much as it’s a grant requirement.
Final report seminar – 27 June
Last month we held a final report seminar at Austin Court in Birmingham, a venue that may be familiar to LLP promoters who have attended previous seminars and workshops. Delegates were provided with a detailed resource pack to help with completing the report, including financial guidance and some FAQs.
“At #LeonardoTOI workshop for our final report training. Lots of guidance and support.” – @NickGREltd
Searching for Success
Posted: March 21, 2014 Filed under: Erasmus+, Leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, Transfer of Innovation | Tags: apprentices, awards, digital, education, Erasmus+, european commission, leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, networking, Partnerships, Transfer of Innovation, vocational education Leave a commentSearch engines provide a conundrum of possibilities that often give you more questions rather than answers; questioning the most appropriate and reliable content to source. For businesses expanding trade it is important to be able to find the right information to understand business culture with your international partners as with students searching for work placements online.
The 2014 European Search Awards celebrates the very best in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Digital and Content Marketing from around the world. So recently we were delighted to hear that a Lifelong Learning Programme project had been recognised as part of the awards. Shortlisted in the category; Best Use of Search-Third Sector is buisnessculture.org. The website is part of the Passport to Trade 2.0, Transfer of Innovation project launched by University of Salford Business School to provide business culture guides. These include social media etiquette for 31 countries, information on online and face-to-face networking and trade, plus not to mention practical advice for students considering placements abroad. Read the rest of this entry »
Old Knowledge is New Knowledge
Posted: February 6, 2014 Filed under: Erasmus+, Grundtvig, Lifelong Learning Programme, Thematic Networking | Tags: Adult Learning, Europe 2020, european commission, grundtvig, Lifelong Learning Programme Leave a commentEmerging from seven years of the LifeLong Learning Programme, adding to the 25 years of European programmes in the fields of education, training and youth, entering the world of Erasmus+ can seem to be a daunting experience. But many organisations, including Minerva Heritage Ltd, are using their knowledge and experience from previous European funding programmes to move forward with Erasmus+.
Lisa Keys, Director and Interpretation Consultant from Minerva Heritage Ltd, which provides specialist heritage management services, was granted Grundtvig funding to attend the Heritage Interpretation Conference; ‘Sharing our natural and cultural heritage – interpretation can make us citizens of the World’, in Sigtuna, Sweden, back in June last year.
New term, new start
Posted: January 9, 2014 Filed under: Erasmus+, Lifelong Learning Programme | Tags: Erasmus+, Langages, Lifelong Learning Programme, Your Story Leave a commentFor students up and down the country this week it’s back to uni. Christmas home comforts (namely cooked dinners and free laundry services) are replaced with househunting for second year and looming exams. So to mark the beginning of the new term we share some of the illuminating student stories shared at the recent British Council Erasmus Awards ceremony.
Living like a local
This was the theme of the British Council’s annual ‘Your Story’ competition for UK Erasmus students. The current Erasmus programme enables higher education students to study or work abroad as part of their degree and staff to teach or train in 33 European countries. Students were asked to share how their Erasmus experience abroad had allowed them to become a part of their new country, rather than pass through as a tourist, and the impact this has had on their lives, education and future careers. 
Participants could capture their stories in written essays or photographic portfolios which were celebrated at an awards ceremony held in central London. As I chatted to some of the award winners and runners-up about their Erasmus adventures, within seconds I was presented with tales of new friendships, shared cultural experiences and some well meant, although slightly embarrassing, mishaps when bravely tackling new foreign languages. With the Erasmus+ programme offering a range of funding opportunities for further education students and staff, it was all the more exciting to look forward to the future. Read the rest of this entry »
Erasmus+ Call for Proposals out now
Posted: December 12, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+, Lifelong Learning Programme Leave a commentThe European Commission has today published the Call for Proposals for Erasmus+, the new EU funding programme for education, training, youth and sport.
The Call provides high-level details on programme eligibility, award criteria, the budgets for 2014 and application deadlines. Further details on the programme will be given in the Programme Guide which is expected to be published shortly by the European Commission.
The deadlines for applications for Key Actions 1, 2 and 3, Jean Monnet activities and Sport are included in the Call with the first deadlines starting from mid March onwards. For more information on how to apply and support and guidance to help you through the process, please go to the How to Apply section of the UK Erasmus+ website.
Council of the European Union gives Erasmus+ the green light
Posted: December 4, 2013 Filed under: Erasmus+, Lifelong Learning Programme | Tags: EU Budget 2014 - 2020 Leave a commentThe Council of the European Union has formally adopted Erasmus+, enabling the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport to enter into force from January 2014. This adoption signifies an important final step in the European legal process which began in November 2011, with an initial proposal for the programme from the European Commission.
The European Union’s budget for 2014 – 2020 has also been agreed this week, confirming the budget for Erasmus+ of just under €14.7 billion over seven years.
Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth said:
“I am pleased that Erasmus+ has now been adopted formally by the Council. The budget increase of 40% demonstrates the EU’s commitment to education and training. Erasmus+ will enable young people to increase their knowledge and skills through experience abroad which will improve their employability. While a majority of the budget will be used for individual mobility grants, Erasmus+ will also support partnerships to help people make the transition from education to work, and reforms to modernise and improve the quality of education in Member State.”
Next steps: The final signature on Erasmus+ by the European Parliament and the Council is expected on 11 December 2013.
Keep up to date with the final steps of the process on our Erasmus+ website and blog.
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 new way to learn a language…
Posted: October 25, 2013 Filed under: Lifelong Learning Programme | Tags: Arabic language, european commission, European Language Label, iPad, languages Leave a comment“Ahlan wa sahlan”
“Kayf haali?”
At this year’s European Language Label Awards a celebrated Lifelong Learning Programme project aimed at de-mystifying the Arabic language showed how this widely spoken language could be accessible to all.
Language learning and translation are now yet another common use for smartphones and tablets. The Arabic Online project has taken this one step further – and developed a unique online course with 15 units covering situations ranging from meeting and greeting to ordering a meal. Complete with voice-recording and role plays, it allows learners to fully immerse themselves in a range of Middle Eastern scenarios.
مبروك (Congratulations) European Language Label Award winner!
LLP Director Chris Walker at the awards in Westminster
The European Language Label is an award funded by the European Commission, through the Department for Education in the UK, that encourages new initiatives in the field of teaching and learning languages. This year’s ceremony was held in Westminster and ArabicOnline.eu won a coveted award presented to the most innovative language learning projects in each country participating in the scheme. Our LLP director Chris Walker attended the awards ceremony:
“Winning this award is an excellent achievement for the ArabicOnline.eu project. The website is a very thorough resource which really does work to de-mystify Arabic, and one which I have used myself.” – Director Chris Walker
It’s never too late to learn a language…
Posted: September 26, 2013 Filed under: Grundtvig, Leonardo, Lifelong Learning Programme, Transversal | Tags: European Day of Languages, European Language Label 2 CommentsWelcome, Bienvenue, Bienvenidos, Willkommen, Benvenuto, Sveiki atvykę!
European Day of Languages 2013
Today is the European Day of Languages, a time to celebrate languages and language learning across Europe.
It is also the 2013 European Language Label Awards ceremony in London celebrating innovative languages teaching and learning practices across the UK.
There are now 24 official and working languages of the European Union, but across Europe there are more than 300 languages spoken as a native language. Europe has become increasingly multilingual and the need for us as European Citizens to speak more than one language has never been so vital. It is true that English has become a global language and so, as a native English speaker, you may think that it’s not worth learning another language. Whilst you may be understood in English, making the effort to speak to someone in their mother tongue is always more appreciated. For, as a great man once said:
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela
llpUKecorys 