Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships (KA220-HED) improve quality of higher education. The aim is international and inter-disciplinary cooperation among organisations and production of innovative results. In these projects organisations can share ideas and develop new practices and methods.

Cooperation Partnerships are a continuation of the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships funded during the previous programme period 2014–2020.

Kuva kolmen hengen juttutuokiosta, jossa osallistujista näkyy vain kädet
Photo: Satu Haavisto

Objectives

The objective of Cooperation Partnerships is to enhance internationalisation and quality of higher education. Priority will be given to actions that are key to achieving the objectives of the European Education Area. Inclusion and diversity, environmental sustainability and digital dimension are key aspects both in the content and in the working methods of these projects. 

In addition, the objective of Cooperation Partnerships is to

  • support networking, inclusion and digitalisation in higher education.
  • develop innovative learning and teaching practices.
  • encourage deeper and multidisciplinary cooperation also with new partners.
  • increase links between education, research and innovation.
  • enhance mobility, lifelong learning, quality assurance in higher education and automatic recognition of studies.
  • develop higher education in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEM/STEAM subjects) and increase in particular women participation in STEM subjects.

You will find more detailed descriptions of the objectives and priorities of Cooperation Partnerships in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

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What is funding available for?

Diverse cooperation is possible in a Cooperation Partnership. The activities in each project are selected on the basis of the objectives that have been set, and activities such as the following are possible:

  • development of teaching methods, materials and tools
  • development of curricula and joint degree programmes
  • organisation of learning, teaching and training activities including intensive study programmes for students
  • promotion of flexible forms of learning, including blended learning and blended mobility
  • cooperation with local and regional actors
  • project management and dissemination of results

The project results must be innovative, re-usable and transferable also outside the project partnership. The projects are expected to disseminate these results and to make their products openly available after the project has ended.

The duration of a Cooperation Partnership is between 12 and 36 months.

The size and scope of a Cooperation Partnership can vary depending on the objectives and the expected impact of the project. Erasmus+ grant awarded to selected projects is a lump sum: 120,000, 250,000 or 400,000 €. Applicants will choose between the three amounts according to the activities planned and results pursued.  

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Who can participate?

Any public or private organisation active in the field of higher education can participate in Cooperation Partnerships:

  • higher education institutions
  • companies
  • NGOs
  • authorities
  • research institutes

At least three organisations from three different countries must be involved in a Cooperation Partnership:

  • EU Member States and/or
  • Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey (third countries associated to the Programme)

Any organisation established in any of the countries above may act as the coordinator of the project. All higher education institutions participating in Cooperation Partnerships must hold a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).

In addition, organisations from almost any country in the world (third countries not associated to the Programme) can be involved as partners in a Cooperation Partnership if their participation is well justified and brings an essential added value to the project. Remember to describe this added value clearly in the application. NB. organisations from Belarus are not eligible to participate in this action.

Cooperation Partnerships may also involve associated partners. The associated partners contribute to specific project tasks or activities and they do not receive funding from the Programme.

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Instructions and forms for applying

The organisation coordinating the Cooperation Partnership will draw up the application and submit it to the Erasmus+ National Agency of the country where the coordinating organisation is located. The National Agency in Finland is the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI).

Application deadline

The 2022 call for proposals ended on Wednesday, 23 March 2022 at 13.00 Finnish time (12.00 CET).

The opening of the call will also be announced through EDUFI_HigherEd mailing list.

The preliminary budget for 2022 call for Cooperation Partnerships in higher education is about two million euros.

The basic principles of Cooperation Partnerships and the funding rules are described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. In Finland, there are no national priorities for applying for Cooperation Partnerships in higher education. Handbook on the lump sum funding model provides information on the funding model, work packages and indicators. 

In the electronic application portal, select the right application form. The code for Cooperation Partnerships in higher education is KA220-HED on the application form. The aims and activities of a Cooperation Partnership can be relevant for different levels of education and/or the youth sector (projects addressing several target groups, cross-sectoral projects). The most relevant sector can be identified based on objectives, content and concrete results of the project and the sector-specific application form should be selected accordingly.

When filling in the application form you need the organisation code (OID) of each participating organisation. Please check that your project partners' OIDs are correct and valid. See the links below for more detailed instructions.

Sample application form
Handbook on the lump sum funding model and FAQs
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Support for applicants

EDUFI gives advice to applicants of Cooperation Partnerships. During the call, we will organise guidance events for applicants and also give advice by email and over the telephone. See our contact information at the bottom of the page!

Guidance webinars for applicants for Cooperation Partnerships in the spring 2022 call:

  • Project planning: Wednesday, 19 January at 14-16 o'clock
  • Application form and budgeting: Tuesday, 15 February at 14-16 o'clock
  • Questions and Answers Session: Tuesday, 15 March at 15-16 o'clock

The abovementioned webinars will be organised in Finnish but you are welcome to ask questions in English.

In addition, we will organise one webinar in English for Higher Education Institutions:

  • Cooperation Partnerships Guidance for Applicants webinar on Thursday, 3 February at 9.30-11.30 o'clock

Webinar materials will be available on the event pages after each webinar. 

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Selection procedure

Independent external experts evaluate the applications using the evaluation criteria described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. EDUFI makes the grant decisions on the basis of the evaluations made by the external experts.

The applicants will be informed of the decisions in July-August 2022. The projects will be launched between 1 September and 31 December 2022.

Award criteria

  • relevance of the proposal (max. 25 points)
  • quality of the project design and implementation (max. 30 points).
  • quality of the partnership and the cooperation arrangements (max. 20 points)
  • impact (max. 25 points)
Erasmus+ Guide for Experts on Quality Assessment 2022
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Results of calls for proposals

The first application round for Cooperation Partnerships under the new Erasmus+ programme period was organised in 2021. In the field of higher education 14 projects received funding. One of these was funded from reserve list in spring 2022. Information on the funded Cooperation Partnerships and on the Strategic Partnerships funded during the previous programme period 2014–2020 can be found in the files below.

In addition, you can familiarise yourself with the projects funded under Erasmus+ and their results on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. The Strategic Partnerships in the field of higher education in the programme period 2014–2020 can be found with the project code KA203 and with the code KA226 of the 2020 additional call for proposals.

News on selection results

Lists of accepted projects
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Project management

Instructions and material for the management of projects are on separate web pages for the previous and new Erasmus+ programme periods. Choose the right page below according to the year your project was awarded funding. 

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Experiences

Read about participants’ experiences of Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships (during programme period 2014–2020).

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Contact us

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