The Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships improve the internationalisation and quality of higher education. They are need-based and goal-oriented projects which can further develop innovative practices, materials as well as tools for teaching and learning. The projects can also improve the labour market relevance of higher education.

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This page will soon be updated according to the new programme period 2021-2027. The Call for Cooperation Partnerships is open until 20 May 2021 at 13.00 Finnish time (12.00 CET).

-> Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2021

 

Aims

The aim of Strategic Partnerships is to develop and implement innovative and tangible products in higher education. Strategic partnerships aim to

  • improve the quality of teaching and learning in higher education
  • develop new multidisciplinary study modules which improve students' professional skills and knowledge
  • implement long-term strategic cooperation between higher education institutions and professional organisations
  • increase student mobility, including virtual mobility
  • strengthen inclusion in higher education

Partnership projects have a close connection to the renewed European Union agenda for higher education. While planning your project, it is recommended to familiarise yourself with the agenda.  The project must also be linked to the strategies of participating higher education institutions.

Read more about the aims of the additional application round autumn 2020 in the programme guide (page 115 onwards).

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What is the funding for?

Strategic Partnerships enable diverse forms of cooperation. Project activities are chosen on the basis of the aims set for the project. For example, the following activities are possible:

  • Development of teaching methods, materials and tools as well as development of curricula and joint study programmes 
  • Intensive courses for students and teachers
  • Training sessions and workshops for staff members
  • Promoting open and flexible learning methods, such as virtual mobility
  • Increasing students' professional competencies through internship programmes and real-life assignments
  • Cooperation with local and regional actors
  • Improving the methods and tools of study counselling
  • Distributing the results

Project duration is 2 or 3 years. The funding can be at maximum 150 000 € per year, ie. 450 000 € for a three-year project.

Concerning the additional application round autumn 2020, project duration is between 12 and 24 months. The funding can be at maximum 150 000 € per year, ie. 300 000 € for a two-year project. Read about supported activities of the additional application round autumn 2020 in the programme guide (page 116).

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Who can participate?

Strategic Partnerships are open to any organisation from the public and private sector relevant for higher education:

  • Higher education institutions
  • Enterprises
  • Associations and NGOs
  • Authorities
  • Research institutes

The project team must include at least three organisations from three Programme Countries. Organisations from Partner Countries can also participate in the team, if they bring added value to the project.

Strategic Partnerships can focus on topics that are relevant for different educational sectors and/or youth sector (cross-sectoral partnerships). Common themes can be, for example, study counselling and guidance or developing key competences.

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Application form and guidelines

The organisation coordinating the Strategic Partnership (education institution, association, enterprise etc.) prepares the application on behalf of the partnership and submits it to its respective Erasmus+ National Agency. In Finland, the National Agency is the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI).

Application period

An additional application round was organised in autumn 2020. The deadline for applications was 29 October 2020 at 13.00 Finnish time (12.00 CET).

Application round openings will also be announced on our EDUFI_HigherEd email list.

Get acquainted with the programme rules concerning Strategic Partnerships in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide. There are no national priorities for applications in Finland.

To be able to fill in the application, all the participating organisations in your project must have an organisation ID (OID code). More information is available in Finnish and in Swedish via the link Näin rekisteröidyt Erasmus+ -ohjelman osallistujaksi (OID-koodi).

Sample of application form
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Support for applicants

EDUFI gives guidance to applicants. During the application round, we organise webinars for applicants and give guidance per email and over the phone. Please see our contact details at the end of this page.

  • Take part in the guidance. EDUFI organises webinars for applicants in Finnish and in English. The recordings and presentations will be available on event pages after the webinars.
  • Select the right application form according to your education sector (higher education, adult education, vocational education, general education or youth). In case of a cross-sectoral partnership, the aims and content of the project define which is the most relevant sector (higher education, adult education, vocational education, general education or youth) to address the application to.
  • Links to the 2020 application round's key documents such as the Erasmus+ Programme Guide, call for proposals and application documents can be found on the page How to apply for funding in the Erasmus+ Programme (link below, in Finnish).

Webinars organised during the application round spring 2020

We organised one webinar specifically for higher eduction in English and a series of webinars for all the education sectors in Finnish in the application round which ended 23 April 2020.
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Selection procedure

  • Independent external experts evaluate applications based on the evaluation criteria described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.
  • EDUFI makes funding decisions based on the evaluations of the external experts.
  • Applicants are informed about the decisions in July
  • Projects start in September-October
  • Concerning the additional application round autumn 2020, applicants are informed about the decision in the beginning of 2021 and projects start in March-June 2021.

Evaluation criteria

  • Relevance of the project
  • Quality of the project design and implementation
  • Quality of the project team and the cooperation arrangements
  • Impact and dissemination
Guide for assessment of Erasmus+ applications
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Selection results

Selected projects in the additional call (KA226) 2020:

  • Arcada University of Applied Sciences: DIGITAL AND HYBRID TEACHING AND LEARNING OF PRACTICAL SKILLS IN HIGHER EDUCATION (DITEPRACT)
  • Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences: Learn to Change - Collaborative Digital Storytelling for Sustainable Change (LEARN&CHANGE)
  • JAMK University of Applied Sciences: Competences for the new era of user-driven digital rehabilitation (DIRENE)
  • Satakunta University of Applied Sciences: Maritime Engine Room Simulator On-Line (MERSol)
  • Turku University of Applied Sciences: Digital Career Stories - Opening new career paths for arts and culture students (DICO)
  • Turku University of Applied Sciences: Educational Mobile Application for Prevention of Domestic Violence (DOMINO)
  • University of Jyväskylä: Developing Digital Physics Laboratory Work for Distance Learning (DigiPhysLab)
  • University of Turku: European Network for Virtual lab & Interactive SImulated ONline learning 2027 (ENVISION_2027)

Read more about projects funded  under the Erasmus+ programme in the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform:

Lists of selected Strategic Partnerships 2015-2020
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Project administration

Guidelines and materials for the administration of a Strategic Partnership project can be found on the EDUFI Strategic Partnership Administration (KA2) page in Finnish and in Swedish.

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Contact us

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