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Tempus and Erasmus Mundus: Supporting education in the EU Neighbourhood Countries

04-03-2010

In the framework of its external relations policies, the EU has been implementing for many years now two very successful education programmes. The one is the Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies (Tempus) that supports the modernisation of higher education, creates opportunities for cooperation among actors in the field and enhances understanding. The second is Erasmus Mundus that promotes cooperation between higher education institutions through encouraging partnerships, mobility and exchanges of students, researchers and academic staff.

Tempus

Tempus supports the modernisation of higher education in the Partner Countries of Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region, Central Asia and the Western Balkans, mainly through university cooperation projects. It also aims to promote voluntary convergence of Partner Country higher education systems with EU developments in the field of higher education such as the Lisbon agenda and the Bologna process. In addition to institutional cooperation, Tempus promotes a "people to people" approach. It provides support to consortia of institutions composed mainly of universities or university associations, but Non-academic partners can also be part of a consortium.

The Programme is now into its fourth phase. Tempus IV runs from 2007-2013, with a budget of approximately €35-39 million per year from the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), managed by EuropeAid. The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Agency Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for its management.

The overall objective of Tempus is to contribute to the creation of an area of cooperation in the field of higher education between the EU and Partner Countries. Its specific objectives in the Partner Countries are:

To promote the reform and modernisation of higher education;
To enhance the quality and relevance of higher education to the world of work and society;
To increase the capacity of higher education institutions in the Partner Countries and the EU to co-operate internationally and to continually modernize, and to assist them in opening up to society at large, the world of work and the wider world in order;
To foster the reciprocal development of human resources;
To enhance mutual understanding between peoples and cultures.

Tempus finances three types of Actions: Joint Projects based on multilateral partnerships between higher education institutions; Structural Measures that seek to contribute to the development and reform of education institutions and systems at national level in the Partner Countries; Accompanying Measures that comprise dissemination and information activities, such as thematic conferences and the identification of good practice.

Joint Projects and Structural Measures are implemented through regular Calls for Proposals, while Accompanying Measures are launched through Calls for Tender or Framework Contracts. Every year, the Calls for Proposal contain all the necessary information on how to apply for funding and the criteria that need to be met in order to obtain funding.

National Tempus Offices exist in Partner Countries. A list can be found here: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/tools/contacts_national_tempus_offices_en.php

Find out more…

ENPI Info Centre – Tempus IV fiche

http://www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=248&id_type=10

Tempus website

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/programme/about_tempus_en.php

Tempus glossary

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/tools/glossary_en.php

Publications

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/tools/publications_en.php#1

Tempus links

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/tools/links_en.php

Statistics

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/results_compendia/statistics_en.php

ENPI Info Centre – Education and Training webpage

http://www.enpi-info.eu/thememed.php?subject=11

EACEA

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/index_en.php

Erasmus Mundus

Erasmus Mundus aims to enhance quality in higher education through scholarships and academic cooperation between Europe and the rest of the world. The Programme offers financial support for institutions and scholarships for individuals. Funding is available for:

European joint Masters and Doctorates (including scholarships);
Partnerships with non-European higher education institutions and scholarships for students and academics;
Projects to promote European higher education worldwide;

The Erasmus Mundus Programme 2009-2013 is open to higher education institutions and to any organisation active in the field of higher education and research as well as to students, doctoral candidates, teachers, researchers and university staff (academic and/or administrative).

Erasmus Mundus was first implemented in January 2004. Inspired by the highly successful Erasmus programme, an internal EU programme supporting co-operation and mobility between European higher education institutions, it offers a valuable framework for exchange and dialogue between cultures. By supporting the mobility of students and academics throughout the world, Erasmus Mundus prepares its participants for life in a global, knowledge-based society.

The Programme has earned political support from governments, policy-makers and higher education institutions all over Europe. It is seen as a useful means to respond to the challenges that European higher education faces today, in particular the need to stimulate the convergence of degree structures and to enhance the attractiveness of European higher education worldwide. These are themes central to the Bologna Process and to national reform of higher education in EU Member States. Erasmus Mundus also coincides with the Lisbon Strategy, a commitment to making the EU the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world and a reference for high quality and excellence in education.

In 2006, the Commission launched the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window, an initiative that complemented the Erasmus Mundus Programme and was managed by EuropeAid. The External Cooperation Window has been integrated into Erasmus Mundus (2009-2013) as Action 2 of the Programme.

For the period 2009-2010, Erasmus Mundus – Action 2 Partnerships is being financed with €29 million through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) budget. It is a cooperation and mobility scheme funding partnerships between EU and third countries in the field of higher education, through grants. Its target groups comprise students and academic staff, with particular attention to those in vulnerable situations (e.g. refugees, asylum seekers). Action 2 Partnerships enhance the international cooperation capacity of universities in third countries, while promoting cooperation between institutions. It offers talented students, especially from vulnerable groups, an opportunity to benefit linguistically, culturally and educationally by pursuing academic studies in another country and promotes EU values. Furthermore, it improves the transparency and recognition of studies and qualifications.

Find out more…

ENPI Info Centre – Erasmus Mundus – Action 2 Partnerships fiche

http://www.enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=246&id_type=10

Erasmus Mundus website

http://ec.europa.eu/education/external-relation-programmes/doc72_en.htm

Erasmus Mundus videos from Info day 2010

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/events/infoday_2010_en.php

Statistics

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/results_compendia/statistics_en.php

Publications

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/tools/publications_en.php

Erasmus Mundus glossary