The Erasmus+ programme supports mobility periods and international cooperation projects for vocational education and training (VET) students and staff. The programme provides everyone with versatile and equal opportunities for studying and working abroad. Participating enables you to advance your professional competence, see different cultures and create networks.
Foreign higher education students bicycling in Turku
Photo: Satu Haavisto
Internationality belongs to everyone

 

 

Mobility projects

Mobility projects involve funding the mobility periods of students and staff as well as the development of competence and the organisation that occurs through this. Mobility projects are part of KA1 (Key Action 1). Applications for funding are submitted to the Finnish National Agency for Education.
During mobility periods, students can increase their professional and other competence at a workplace and educational institution. Staff can use the periods to develop their competence, for example, by participating in a job shadowing period or teaching, and to strengthen their own organisation’s international networks.

The international mobility periods enable both students and staff to familiarise themselves with new teaching methods or learning environments.

The mobility project must have at least 2 organisations from two programme countries. The same organisation may apply for a project of its own and network projects.

The duration of the projects is 12–24 months.

Strategic partnerships

Strategic partnerships support cooperation projects that enable developing vocational education and training in a versatile manner. Strategic partnerships are part of KA2 (Key Action 2). Applications for funding are submitted to the Finnish National Agency for Education.

A strategic partnership can be a small project involving a few partners, focusing on exchanging good practices. Or it can be a more extensive project that develops concrete products, such as joint study units and teaching materials.

The partner group has at least 3 organisations from three programme countries. Cooperation beyond the programme countries is possible if this can be justified with the project's objectives / if it brings necessary expertise to the project.

The duration of the projects is 12–36 months.

Sector Skills Alliances

Sector Skills Alliances projects involve exploring existing and oncoming competence needs in certain industries and developing curricula for vocational education and training to meet the competence needs of the labour market. The sectoral competence consortia are part of KA2 (Key Action 2). While the Finnish National Agency for Education provides information about the action, funding applications are directly submitted to Commission.

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    Organisations involved in implementing vocational education and training can apply for the funding:

    • Educational institutions
    • Companies, including the SME sector and social enterprises
    • Representatives of working life and business, including chambers of commerce and labour market institutions
    • Non-profit organisations and associations
    • Public institutions at local, regional and national level
    • Parties providing guidance, counselling and information services
    • Organisations operating in the field of education policy
    • Research institutes and foundations

    Private individuals may not directly apply for Erasmus+ programme funding; instead, funding is always applied for through some organisation. For example, students apply for international mobility period grants from their own educational institution.

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    The application period takes place once a year, usually in February and March. It is a good idea to start planning the projects in good time, as early as during the previous autumn. We organise information events and guidance sessions for applicants.

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    • improving the competence and vocational skills needed in the world of work and society
    • developing key competences for lifelong learning (link to key competences)
    • promoting working life cooperation in vocational education and training
    • developing the quality of vocational education and training
    • increasing the volume and quality of international mobility
    • developing the identification and recognition of prior learning 
    • increasing the use of information and communication technology in teaching and promoting the development of open learning materials and their availability and use
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    Do you represent an organisation involved in vocational education and training? Are you interested in finding new partners for international co-operation with Finland?

    If you are searching for Finnish partners for Erasmus+ projects in the vocational education and training sector, you can contact us at EDUFI (Finnish National Agency for education) at the following e-mail address: erasmus.ammatillinen(at)oph.fi 

    Write an e-mail describing briefly

    • Your own organisation (name, type, field of activity, scope, educational fields)
    • Type of activities you would like to co-operate in internationally (mobility, partnerships, collaborative development, any other)
    • What kind of partners you are searching for (expected type of organisation, sector or educational fields, preferred expertise)
    • Particular topic or theme your organization is interested in

    And detailed contact information

    • Contact person, e-mail address, phone number, address and website
    • The recipients will be requested to address your organization directly with their responses

    Your message will be checked and forwarded to our mailing list with over 600 recipients of active members throughout Finland in all sectors and levels of vocational education and training. EDUFI reserves the right to edit or discard the message addressed to our mailing list.

    You can also apply for a Finnish VET partner via the eTwinning online tool for internationalisation.

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    The following VET publications may interest you:

    Hidden Competences

    Hidden Competences is a research project carried out in cooperation with the Nordic think tank Demos Helsinki. This page presents the key results of the survey carried out in the project and provides tips for making use of your international competences.
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    You may contact us at erasmus.ammatillinen(at)oph.fi

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