Youth and Education in Europe

Focus area 1: Enhancing  quality of vocational education and training (VET) especially within the digital and green transitions

VET is an important lever of Europe’s digital and green transitions. Highly qualified and motivated employees are crucial if the industries are to become more sustainable and climate-friendly, while at the same time remaining efficient and competitive. We support high-quality vocational education and training, provided by competent teachers in state-of-the-art facilities — especially in areas relating to the digital and green transitions. 

We fund initiatives that support the continuous improvement of the vocational educational system, including work-based learning, recognition of prior learning, soft skills and high-level vocational training. We favour cohesive projects focusing on both equipment, educational development and inclusive study environments.

We fund training, further education and professional development of teachers in order to strengthen their capability to offer high-quality teaching, especially in the fields of digital technologies and green solutions.

We also fund the development of new pedagogical and didactical approaches, organisational change and new organisational practices which increase the quality of teaching and pave the way for more digital and sustainable VET.

We expect training and professional development to be a large part of the project, and commitment and participation from management is imperative.

The digital and green transitions require new competencies. We fund the development of training courses and educational pathways within the fields of digital technologies, climate adjustment and green solutions.

A thriving study environment that welcomes students and creates strong learning communities is a crucial feature of high-quality VET institutions. We encourage applicants to encompass inclusive practices and to implement measures of diverse recruitment as part of the project.

We fund initiatives in the last years of elementary school which promote digital competencies and interest in digital technologies, the climate and sustainable environment – both by teaching children and youth directly, and indirectly through training of teachers in new didactic methods. We favour initiatives which communicate new technologies and environmental knowledge in an untraditional, experimental and motivating way – preferably with a high level of hands-on experience.

We fund initiatives which promotes VET education, e.g. through cooperation between schools and VET schools, regular school visits with a high degree of hands-on experience, and participation of schools in the national Skills competition for school leavers.

We fund initiatives which train the educational supervisors at the elementary schools in the newest knowledge about the VET educations available in the area/region, and we fund development of tools which help them in mapping competencies and motivation for the individual in terms of different educational possibilities.

Schools and educational institutions, civil society organisations, local innovators and public authorities can apply.

Applicants cannot be individual persons.

Please note: English is our working language in everyday communications with applicants and grantees. Applications must be submitted in English. When grants are given, communication with project managers must be possible without interpreters.

We prioritise projects that are:

• Developmental, i.e. having a real development perspective and seeking to change and improve a specific vocational educational challenge.
• Innovative. Please note that we do not only support new innovative initiatives, but also initiatives that in other contexts have proved their worth in promoting long-term sustainable and systemic developments.
• Long-term, preferably with a project period of several years, allowing for necessary time to increase chances for success and systemic impact.
• Directly including young people in its activities. Youth as a target group must benefit directly from the project, even though the main goal is organisational or sectoral development.
   

We encourage collaboration with partners, that deliver supplementary competencies and capabilities.

All types of costs can be included in the project budget as long as the costs are relevant for the project. 
Renovation and construction costs are eligible, if this is necessary for the proposed activities and if it strengthens the continuity of the activities when our grant ends. 
Fees for consultants, specialists and advisers can be included. For instance, specialised assistance needed in relation to tenders, renovation projects, legal compliance etc. 
VAT costs are not supported. VAT costs must be financed by the applicant itself or by other funding sources in case the applicant is not VAT exempt or cannot have VAT costs reimbursed by national authorities.

Applications with a budget of less than EUR 150,000 will not be considered. Applications with budgets of EUR 500,000 or more are preferred. 
Co-funding is not a requirement. However, please note that if the total project budget includes VAT costs, applicants should outline how these costs will be financed, as VAT costs are not supported.