[ERASMUS+][EU] Alliances for Innovation: Projects to boost the EU’s innovation capacity through cooperation and flow of knowledge

Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme for education, training, youth and sport.

Alliances for Innovation aim to boost the EU’s innovation capacity, by bridging education and training, research, and enterprises. The provision of new skills and addressing skills mismatches are key objectives.

While overarching objectives apply to all Alliances for Innovation, specific objectives apply to the two specific Lots. Key aspects of these Lots include:

Lot 1: Alliances for Education and Enterprises

Alliances for Education and Enterprises aim to foster innovation, new skills, a sense of initiative and entrepreneurial mind-sets. These Alliances bring together higher education, vocational education and training, enterprises, and also aim to foster innovation in the broader socio-economic environment.

Alliances under Lot 1 can work towards specific or multiple aims, which can include, but are not limited to: innovation in education, the development of skills in deep tech domains, setting up incubators, stimulating the flow of knowledge between different actors, etc.

Projects can focus on one specific sector or multiple economic sectors. At least one higher education organisation and one VET provider should be included in each partnership. Projects can focus on one or both of these educational fields, but the cooperation between organisations should benefit both sectors.

Lot 2: Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (implementing the ‘Blueprint’)

Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills contribute to the implementation of the Pact for Skills (under the European Skills Agenda), building on the Blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills. Projects should seek to tackle skills gaps and mismatches on the labour market. In order to do so, the Alliances should develop initiatives ranging from short term interventions to long term sector skills strategies linked to concrete skills development solutions.

Each Alliance should be implemented in one of 14 industrial ecosystems, that were defined in the New Industrial Strategy for Europe. The sector skills strategy, to be developed by each Alliance, should set out activities, objectives, and milestones aimed at supporting the overall sector-specific growth strategy, ensuring a match between skills demand and supply. The impact of Alliances should reach beyond the project’s duration.

Urgent needs should be addressed by proposals, which should cover both upper and post-secondary VET levels (EQF levels 3-5), and tertiary levels (EQF levels 6-8). The design of core curricula and education and training programmes leading to the required qualifications, should be included in proposals as well.

All partners should be involved in large-scale skills partnerships under the Pact for Skills, while the coordinator of Lot 2 projects should already coordinate such a partnership. Consortia need to include both VET and higher education organisations, as well as labour market actors. It is recommended to also include policy bodies, certifying bodies, EU sectoral associations, and representatives of industry.

The deadline to submit proposals is 3 May 2022.

Applications are submitted to the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), through the EU Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal (F&TOP).

Lot 1 Call ID: ERASMUS-EDU-2023-PI-ALL-INNO-EDU-ENTERP

Lot 2 Call ID: ERASMUS-EDU-2023-PI-ALL-INNO-BLUEPRINT

Further information

More information about the Alliances for Innovation can be found on pages 275-295 of the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

For more information on the Erasmus+ programme, the call for proposals, the different actions and the corresponding application processes, you can check our webpage, or you are welcome to contact the International Relations Office (DOWA) via eu-educationprojects@ugent.be.

26 januari 2023 10:10