Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The objective of Topic 5 is to support reforms and policy impact in Member States and/or third countries associated to the Programme in the implementation of the Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability.
Micro-credentials are the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. Micro-credentials make it possible for individuals to acquire knowledge, skills and competences in a flexible and targeted way. They can be instrumental in upskilling and reskilling of learners, including disadvantaged vulnerable groups, so that they can adapt to a fast-changing labour market. Micro-credentials do not replace, however, traditional qualifications.
The above-mentioned Council Recommendation sets out three building blocks:
- a common definition for micro-credentials,
- standard elements for consistent description of micro credentials, and
- principles for design, issuance and use of micro credentials.
To deliver on the full potential of micro-credentials, Member States are recommended to create an enabling ecosystem composed of various providers of micro-credentials, relevant public authorities, as well as national qualifications frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms. Providers of micro-credentials’ cover education and training institutions and organisations, including higher education institutions, Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions, social partners (i.e. organisations representing workers and employers), employers and industry, civil society organisations, public employment services (PES), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and regional and national authorities, and other types of actors designing, delivering and issuing micro-credentials for formal, non formal and informal learning. There are also already several research projects carried out on micro-credentials to be considered for the purposes of this topic.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals submitted under this topic must address one of the following priorities:
Priority 11: Micro-credentials eco-systems
While objectives and practices need to be adapted to given national/regional/local circumstances, approaches taken need to be transparent and comparable, in line with the provisions of the Council Recommendation.
Public authorities at national, regional, and/or local level, in cooperation with providers of micro-credentials, social partners and other stakeholders need to design and implement systemic changes in education and training as well as labour market systems so as to adapt them to the provision of micro-credentials.
The objective of this Priority is to support the stakeholders in their work to design systemic changes leading to:
- Defining the micro-credentials’ framework and purpose in the national set-up, including in relation to the national qualifications framework (where appropriate);
- Incorporating micro-credentials issued by higher education institutions, VET institutions and other formal and non-formal providers in relevant quality assurance mechanisms;
- Facilitating understanding and recognition of micro-credentials issued by various actors and their portability between education systems and in the labour market, as well as promoting increased awareness on the meaning and value of micro credentials;
- Making the provision of micro-credentials relevant and targeted.
Priority 12: Micro-credentials for the digital and green transitions
Public authorities at national, regional and/or local level from Member States and/or third countries associated to the Programme, in cooperation with providers of courses leading to micro-credentials (such as higher education institutions, VET institutions, adult learning organisations and non-formal providers), social partners and other relevant stakeholders may receive grants for the design and implementation of micro credentials to provide targeted learning, upskilling and reskilling opportunities to respond to the needs of the digital and green transitions.
Actions should be in line with the characteristics of micro-credentials as set out in the bove-mentioned Council Recommendation and experimentation should focus in particular on learning pathways, diversity of learning settings, and designing relevant micro-credentials to respond to the challenges and opportunities of the digital and green transitions. The outcomes of the conducted project need to be implemented in the national/regional systems that are part of the project, with the potential to be transferred also to other systems.
BOTH PRIORITIES: Activities of the project are, for example, meetings, consultations (online or physical), surveys, focus group discussions, activities related to the implementation of the piloting changes, including training sessions for staff and learners involved in testing the proposed solutions, design, issuance/publication and implementation of the actual micro-credentials and the courses leading to them, drafting of the strategies/recommendations/guidance documents, as well as dissemination activities.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The grant will be a lump-sum grant. The amount will be fixed by the granting authority on the basis of the estimated project budget and a funding rate of 80%.
Maximum grant amount per project: €1.000.000
Thematic Categories
- Education and training
- Environment and Climate Change
Eligibility for Participation
- Educational Institutions
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- State-owned Enterprises
- Training Centres
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies) active in the fields of education and training, research and innovation or in the world of work.
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- Erasmus+ Programme Countries:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Erasmus+ Programme (list of participating countries)
- for higher education institutions (HEIs) established in Erasmus+ Programme Countries (see above): be holders of the ECHE certificate (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education).
Under topic 5: in order to be eligible, each project must include at least one public authority at national, regional, and/or local level as applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities).
Consortium composition
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities), from a minimum of 3 EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme.
- Affiliated entities and associated partners do not count towards the minimum eligibility criteria for the consortium composition, and can not be coordinator.
Priority 11:
Beneficiaries need to explore methods of design and issuance of micro-credentials, based on evidence, relevant to the needs of the specific target groups.
Beneficiaries may want to screen existing micro-credentials, try to identify shortcomings and suggest optimal and concrete solutions, along the lines of the above mentioned Council Recommendation and aiming at practices as much as possible in synergy with practices developed in other Member States.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Foundation for the Management of European (EU) Lifelong Learning Programmes
Website: Erasmus+ – IDEP
Website with Contact details: Εpikoinonia – Erasmus+ – IDEP
Address: Prodromou & Dimitrakopoulou 2, Nicosia 1090, Cyprus
Τelephone: +357 22448888
Email: info@idep.org.cy
EU Contact Point
European Education and Culture Executive Agency:
https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/contacts_en