Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (implementing the ‘Blueprint')

Overview

Objectives

Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills aim to create new strategic approaches and cooperation for concrete skills development solutions – both in the short and the medium term – in areas implementing a major action of the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, the Pact for Skills. 

The large-scale Pact for Skills partnerships in ecosystems will build on the Blueprint for sectoral cooperation on skills. Therefore, Alliances under Lot 2 will support the implementation of the commitments under the Pact by developing sectoral skills strategies. These strategies have to lead to systemic and structural impact on reducing skills shortages, gaps and mismatches, as well as ensuring appropriate quality and levels of skills. The sectoral skills strategies must include a clear set of activities, milestones and well-defined objectives with the goal of matching demand and supply of skills to support the overall implementation of ecosystem based large-scale skills partnerships under the Pact. The Alliances aim to build the bases for these Skills partnerships and define the pathway that should be continued after the projects are finalised. 

Activities/actions supported

Proposals are expected to set out activities to be implemented over 4 years. The following activities should be implemented:

• Development of a strategic approach to sectoral cooperation on skills; 
• Designing European sector-wide agreed 'core' curricula and training programmes, including by outlining actions to address urgent skills needs in the relevant industrial ecosystem resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and the digital and green transition (evidence to be provided in the proposal).
• Delivering the 'core' curricula and training programmes; 
• Designing a long-term action plan for the progressive roll-out of projects deliverables.

For their proposal, Alliances must choose the single industrial ecosystem which their project will address. A proposal may concern an ecosystem that is not covered by an on-going Blueprint project or an ecosystem that has already an on-going Blueprint. In the latter case, the proposal must address fields and areas that are clearly different from those addressed by the on-going Blueprint project/s.

Anticipated outcomes

Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation will be anchored in strategic and sustainable cooperation among vocational education and training, higher education and enterprises working together to boost the innovation capacity of Europe. They are expected to strengthen the synergies between both educational fields in fostering innovation, new skills, a sense of initiative and entrepreneurial mindset; as well as contribute to the development of regional eco-systems and generate knowledge and data to boost local economies and address skill needs. At a larger scale, Alliances are expected to target societal and economic challenges, including innovation challenges, skills provision, climate change, green economy, demography, digitalisation and artificial intelligence.

The results of the Blueprint Alliances for sectoral cooperation on skills will be used as a basis for the Pact for Skills sectoral large-scale partnerships.

Institution providing the funding

European Commission

Size of funding

EUR 4 million maximum per project

Conditions

Overview of eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible, applicants must be:

• Registered members of the Pact for Skills;
• Public and private organisations legally established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the program, such as: Higher education institutions; VET providers; Networks of VET providers; Small and medium-sized or large enterprises (including social enterprises); Research institutes; Non-governmental organisations; Public bodies at local, regional or national level; Organisations active in education, training and youth; Intermediaries that represent education, training or youth organisations or enterprises; Accreditation, certification, recognition or qualification bodies; Chambers of commerce, industry or labour, chambers of skilled crafts; European or national social partners; Hospitals or other care institutions, including long-term care; authorities responsible for education, training or employment at regional or national level; employment services; national statistics offices; economic development agencies; sectoral or professional associations; sector skills councils; bodies providing career guidance, professional counselling, information services and employment services. 

Organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme may also participate as beneficiaries but not as coordinators. 

Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (Blueprints) must cover at least 8 EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and involve at least 12 full partners. The partnership must include at least 5 labour market actors (enterprises or companies, or representative intermediary organisations, such as chambers, trade unions or trade associations) and at least 5 education and training providers (VET and HEIs) as full partners. There should be at least one HE institution and one VET provider involved as full partner in each proposal.

Overview of award criteria

Award criteria include the following:

• Relevance of the project (up to 25 points): this includes supporting the large-scale skills partnerships under the Pact for Skills;
• Quality of the project design and implementation (up to 30 points): this includes sound approaches to project management, quality assurance and monitoring and evaluation; cost effectiveness and financial management;
• Quality of the partnership and the cooperation arrangements (up to 25 points): this includes ensuring the consortium is composed of partners of large-scale partnerships under the Pact for Skills and provides a balanced mix of organisations with a strong commitment; as well as effective coordination mechanisms
• Impact (20 points): this includes demonstrating how the outcomes will be rolled out in line with the objectives of the large-scale skills partnerships under the Pact for Skills; the societal and economic relevant of the proposal, the outreach of the planned actions; as well as impactful communication and dissemination strategies; and measures to ensure the sustainability of project outcomes.

To be considered, proposals must score at least 70 points.

Procedures

Application procedures

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). 

Application support available

For questions on Erasmus+ Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills, please contact: EACEA-EPLUS-ALLIANCES@ec.europa.eu

For further information on this funding opportunity please check:

• Erasmus+ calls for proposals 2024: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C_202301262
• Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2024: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-programme-guide

Link to the funding opportunity

Link to the programme for more info