Capacity Building in the field of Vocational Education and Training projects (CBVET) promote cooperation and partnerships that support VET institutions and systems in driving socio-economic development. They will target third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ Programme. The action will cover aims such as better aligning and closing the gaps between VET with market opportunities, supporting professional and learners’ training and development, and helping professionals to build curricula and reform.

Capacity building projects are transnational and involve at least 4 organisations from minimum 3 countries: at least 1 organisation from 2 different EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and at least 2 organisations from at least 1 eligible third country not associated to the Programme. The number of organisations from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme may not be higher than the number of organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme.

CBVET projects typically should focus on one or more of the following themes:

• Work-based learning (for young people and/or adults)
• Quality assurance mechanisms
• VET teachers’/trainers’ professional development 
• Key competences, including entrepreneurship
• Skill matching in forward looking economic sectors
• Support for developing green and digital skills for the twin transition

Organisations intending to apply must do so as part of a consortium. The activities proposed must be directly linked to the objectives and thematic areas of the action, i.e. they must correspond to one or more of the thematic areas listed above and they must be detailed in a project description covering the entire implementation period.
In the context of this international worldwide action, project activities must focus on building and strengthening the capacities of organisations active in the field of VET principally in the third countries not associated to the Programme covered by the action.
Funded projects will be able to integrate a wide range of cooperation, exchange, communication and other activities including for example:

1. Creating and developing networks and exchanges of good practice between VET providers in third countries not associated to the Programme and in EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme;
2. Creating tools, programmes and other materials to build the capacity of institutions from third countries not associated to the Programme (practical training schemes training programmes and tools for assessing and validating learning outcomes in VET, individual action plans for participating institutions; professional guidance and counselling and coaching methods…);
3. Creating mechanisms to involve the private sector both in the design and delivery of curricula and to provide VET learners with high quality work-based experience;
4. Developing and transferring pedagogical approaches, teaching and training materials and methods, including work based learning, virtual mobility, open educational resources and better exploitation of the ICT potential;
5. Developing and implementing international (virtual) exchange activities for staff primarily (including teachers and non-teaching staff such as school leaders, managers, counsellors, advisors, etc.).

A capacity building project in the field of VET consists of four stages:

1. Project identification and initiation;
2. Project preparation, design and planning;
3. Project implementation and monitoring of activities;
4. Project review and impact assessment.
   

Please note that while preparatory activities can start before the proposal is submitted or selected for funding, costs can be incurred and activities be implemented only after the signature of the grant agreement. Participating organisations and participants involved in the activities should take an active role in all those stages and thus enhance their learning experience.

Identification and initiation

Identify a problem, need or opportunity that you can address with your project idea in the context of the call; identify the key activities and the main outcomes that can be expected from the project; map the relevant stakeholders and potential partners; formulate the project’s objective(s); ensure the project’s alignment to the participating organisations’ strategic objectives; undertake some initial planning to get the project off to a good start, and put together the information required to continue to the next phase etc.

Preparation, design and planning

Specify the project scope and appropriate approach; outline clearly the methodology proposed ensuring consistency between project objectives and activities; decide on a schedule for the tasks involved; estimate the necessary resources and develop the detail of the project e.g. needs assessment; define sound objectives and impact indicators (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound); identify project and learning outcomes; development of work programme, activity formats, expected impact, estimated overall budget; preparing a project implementation plan and a sound and realistic communication plan including strategic aspects of project governance, monitoring, quality control, reporting and dissemination of results; defining practical arrangements and confirmation of the target group(s) for the envisaged activities; setting up agreements with partners and writing the proposal etc.

Implementation and monitoring of activities

Carrying out the project implementation according to plans fulfilling requirements for reporting and communication; monitoring ongoing activities and assessing project performance against project plans; identifying and taking corrective action to address deviations from plans and to address issues and risks; identifying non-conformities with the set quality standards and taking corrective actions etc.

Review and impact assessment

Assessing project performance against project objectives and implementation plans; evaluation of the activities and their impact at different levels, sharing and use of the project’s results, etc.

Furthermore, where appropriate, and in proportional terms, projects are expected to:

• Integrate a long-term action plan for the progressive roll-out of project deliverables after the project has finished (based on sustained partnerships) including measures for scalability and financial sustainability;
• Ensure an appropriate visibility and wide dissemination of the project’s outcomes, at transnational, national and/or regional levels with relevant partners.

Horizontal aspects to be considered when designing your project

In addition to complying with the formal criteria and setting up sustainable cooperation arrangement with all project partners, the following elements can contribute to increasing the impact and qualitative implementation of capacity building projects throughout the different project phases. Applicants are encouraged to take these opportunities and dimensions into account when designing their project.

1. Inclusion and diversity
   The Programme supports projects that promote social inclusion and aim at improving the outreach to people with fewer opportunities, including people with disabilities and people with a migrant background, as well as people living in rural and remote areas, people facing socio-economic difficulties or any other potential source of discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The projects will help addressing the barriers faced by these groups in accessing the opportunities offered by the Programme, as well as contributing to creating inclusive environments that foster equity and equality, and that are responsive to the needs of the wider community.
2. Environmental sustainability
   The Programme supports awareness-raising about environmental and climate-change challenges. The projects are encouraged to develop competences in various sustainability-relevant sectors, green sectorial skills strategies and methodologies, as well as future-oriented curricula that better meet the needs of individuals. The Programme also supports the testing of innovative practices to prepare learners and VET providers to become true agents of change (e.g. save resources, reduce energy use and waste, compensate carbon footprint emissions, opt for sustainable food and mobility choices, etc.).
3. Digital dimension
   The Programme supports digital transformation plans of primary, secondary, vocational education and training (VET). It fosters the purposeful use of digital technologies. This includes the development of digital pedagogy and expertise in the use of digital tools, including accessible and assistive technologies and the creation and innovative use of digital education content.
4. Common values, civic engagement and participation
   The Programme supports active citizenship and ethics in lifelong learning. The projects should offer opportunities for people’s participation in democratic life, social and civic engagement. The focus will also be on raising awareness on and understanding the European Union context, notably as regards the common EU values, the principles of unity and diversity, as well as their cultural identity, cultural awareness and their social and historical heritage.

The budget available is divided between different regions of the world in 12 budgetary envelopes and the size of each budgetary envelope is different. Further information on the amounts available under each budgetary envelope will be published on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal (FTOP). The funds will have to be used in a geographically balanced way.

This action follows a lump sum funding model. The amount of the single lump sum contribution will be determined for each grant based on the estimated budget of the action proposed by the applicant. The granting authority will fix the lump sum of each grant based on the proposal, evaluation result, funding rates and the maximum grant amount set in the call.

The EU grant per project will vary from a minimum of 100.000 EUR to a maximum of 400.000 EUR․

Eligibility criteria
In order to be eligible for an Erasmus grant, project proposals for capacity building in the field of VET must comply with the following criteria:

Who can apply?
Any public and private organisation active in the VET field and legally established in an EU Member State or eligible third country associated to the Programme. The applicant applies on behalf of all participating organisations involved in the project.

Eligible participating organisations

• Vocational education and training providers legally established in a EU Member State or eligible third country associated to the Programme or in an eligible third country not associated to the Programme;
• Other public or private organisations active in the field of VET and in the labour market and legally established in a EU Member State or eligible third country associated to the Programme or in an eligible third country not associated to the Programme;
• Associated partners from the public or private sector contributing to the implementation of specific project tasks/activities or support the dissemination and sustainability of the project. For contractual management issues, associated partners are not considered as part of the project partners and do not receive funding․

Eligible third countries not associated to the Programme for this action

All third countries not associated to the Programme (please see section “Eligible Countries” in Part A of this Guide) in Regions 1, 2 (Eastern Partnership, including Armenia), 9, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 11.

Exception: organisations from Belarus (Region 2) are not eligible to participate in this action.

Organisations wishing to apply for Capacity Building in the field of VET projects are invited to submit applications on-line to the FTOP Portal of the Education Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

Before starting your application your organisation and all partner organisations must be registered in the Participant Portal  and have a Participant Identification Code (PIC) that will be requested in the electronic application form. For detailed instruction on how to register at Participant’s Portal and acquire PIC number, check here or refer to Erasmus+ Programme Guide.