Erasmus ka2 general framework

An introduction to the general framework of Erasmus+ KA2

«Commons» a Project supported underErasmus KA2

KEY ACTION 2: COOPERATION FOR INNOVATION AND THE EXCHANGE OF GOOD PRACTICES WHICH ACTIONS WERE SUPPORTED?This Key Action supports:

Strategic Partnerships in the field of education, training and youth;

Knowledge Alliances;Sector Skills Alliances;Capacity Building in the field of higher education;Capacity Building in the field of youth.

The Actions supported under this Key Action are expected to bring positive and long-lasting effects on the participating organisations, on the policy systems in which such Actions are framed as well as on the persons directly or indirectly involved in the organised activities.

This Key Action is expected to result in the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices at organisational, local, regional, national or European levels.

Projects supported under KA2 are intended to produce these outcomes: [1]

For the participating organisations, projects supported under Key Action 2 are intended to produce the following outcomes: innovative approaches to addressing their target groups, by providing for

example: more attractive education and training programmes, in line with individuals' needs and expectations;

use of participatory approaches and ICT-based methodologies; new or improved processes of recognition and validation of

competences; greater effectiveness of activities for the benefit of local communities;

new or improved practices to cater for the needs of disadvantaged groups and to deal with social, linguistic and cultural diversity;

the opportunity to be awarded the European Language Label for excellence in language learning or teaching;

new approaches to address geographical and socio-economic disparities of learning outcomes;

new approaches to better support competitiveness and employment in particular at regional and local level;

Projects supported under KA2 are intended to produce these outcomes [2]:

For the participating organisations, projects supported under this Key Action are intended to produce the following outcomes:a more modern, dynamic, committed and professional

environment inside the organisation: ready to integrate good practices and new methods into daily activities;

open to synergies with organisations active in different fields or in other socio-economic sectors;

strategic planning of professional development for staff in line with individual needs and organisational objectives;

Projects supported under KA2 are intended to produce these outcomes [3]:

For the participating organisations, projects supported under this Key Action are intended to produce the following outcomes: increased capacity and professionalism to work at

EU/international level: improved management competences and internationalisation strategies;

reinforced cooperation with partners from other countries, other fields of education, training and youth and/or other socio-economic sectors; increased allocation of financial resources (other than EU funds) to organise EU/international projects in the field of education, training and youth;

increased quality in the preparation, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of EU/international projects.

Projects supported under KA2 are also likely to have a positive impact on the persons involved [1]:

Projects funded under this Key Action are also likely to have a positive impact on the persons

directly or indirectly involved in the activities, such as, for example: increased sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; increased competence in foreign languages; increased level of digital competence; greater understanding and responsiveness to

social, linguistic and cultural diversity; improved levels of skills for employability and new

business creation (including social entrepreneurship);

Projects supported under KA2 are also likely to have a positive impact on the persons involved [2]:

Projects funded under this Key Action are also likely to have a positive impact on the persons directly or indirectly involved in the activities, such as, for example:more active participation in society;more positive attitude towards the European project and the

EU values;better understanding and recognition of skills and

qualifications in Europe and beyond;improved competences, linked to their professional profiles

(teaching, training, youth work, etc.);broader understanding of practices, policies and systems in

education, training or youth across countries;greater understanding of interconnections between formal,

non-formal education, vocational training, other forms of learning and labour market respectively;

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND YOUTH [1]:

WHAT ARE THE AIMS AND PRIORITIES OF A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP? :Strategic Partnerships aim to support the

development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices as well as the implementation of joint initiatives promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchanges of experience at European level.

Strategic Partnerships must address either a) at least one horizontal priority or b) at least one specific priority relevant to the field of education, training and youth that is mostly impacted.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING [2]:

HORIZONTAL PRIORITY IN COMMONS:developing basic and transversal skills (such as

entrepreneurship, digital skills and language competences) in all fields of education, training and youth, using innovative and learner-centred pedagogical approaches and developing appropriate assessment and certification methods.

In particular, supporting innovative activities that foster the assessment of transversal skills and that promote the use of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) or reciprocal learning to increase language competences among learners of all ages from various fields of education, training and youth including those with migrant background;


HORIZONTAL PRIORITY IN COMMONS:enhancing digital integration in learning, teaching,

training and youth work at various levels: promoting access to and learning through Open Educational Resources (OER); supporting ICT-based teaching, training and youth work, as well as ICT-based assessment practices.

In particular, supporting teachers, trainers, educational staff and youth workers in acquiring or improving the use of ICT for learning and related digital competences; supporting organisations active in education, training and youth review their business models; promoting OER in different languages and produced in Europe; supporting digital integration in learning to reach audiences of disadvantaged backgrounds; exploring the potential of learning analytics and crowd-assessment to increase the quality of learning;


Field-specific priorities In higher education: supporting higher education institutions to implement the necessary reforms in line with

the 2011 EU Modernisation Agenda and its priority areas: increase attainment levels; improve the quality and relevance of higher education; strengthen quality through mobility and cross-border cooperation; make the knowledge triangle work; improve governance and funding. A particular focus will be placed on projects that: support activities that help attune curricula to current and emerging labour market needs and equip the

young generation with transversal skills such as entrepreneurship, by developing active cooperation between HEI and partners from outside academia: enterprises, professional organisations, chambers of commerce, social partners, local/regional bodies etc.;

o support activities to develop innovative strategies to boost mobility or ways to remove obstacles to mobility in higher education providing more opportunities for students to gain additional skills through study or training abroad; projects can also support virtual mobility that are embedded in a global strategy for the effective integration of ICT in the participating HEIs; o strengthen the links between education, research and business to promote excellence and regional development; o aim at increasing the number of graduates, widening the participation and raising completion rates of underrepresented groups and non-traditional learners, enhancing lifelong learning via the creation of flexible learning paths, developing ways to increase the social responsibility of higher education institutions;

supporting the implementation of the 2013 Communication on Opening Up Education: promoting the development of new modes of delivery, in particular the integration of a greater variety of study modes (distance, part-time, modular learning) through new forms of personalised learning, strategic use of open educational resources, virtual mobility, blended mobility and virtual learning platforms; as well as stimulating the internationalisation of Europe’s higher education systems in Europe and beyond.


Field-specific priorities In VET: supporting the development of high quality VET with a strong work-based learning

component (including apprenticeships and dual learning models), involving strong partnerships between education and employment (in particular companies and social partners);

increasing the labour market relevance of VET provision and reducing skills mismatches and shortages in economic sectors through timely adaptation of curricula and qualifications profiles and establishment of stable partnerships between VET providers and economic actors, including social partners, development agencies, bodies in innovation systems, chamber of commerce. These should be based on data stemming from monitoring systems of VET outcomes (employability rates, placement rates) and systems of forecasting skills needs and a close alignment of VET provision to economic development strategies at regional and local levels. This also may imply development of VET at higher than upper secondary level / higher EQF levels;

increasing transparency and mutual trust between VET systems through streamlined and coherent implementation at national level of ECVET and EQAVET recommendations;

fostering the promotion of easily accessible and career oriented continuing VET, including for the least likely to take part in such learning opportunities; promoting the development of skills and competences of teachers and trainers, with a particular focus on work-based teaching, partnerships between school teachers and in-company trainers, and training of in-company trainers.

Commons evaluation [1]:

Relevance of the project: SCORE: 29 The proposal demonstrates a strong link with policy

objectives (Europe 2020 - Modernisation Agenda - Entrepreneurship education, Rethinking education) aimed at improving the quality of online learning, particularly for participants with fewer opportunities (nr. 50). The project is based on a good knowledge of the target groups needs. The activities planned are structured in a coherent ensemble. The implementation of (no. 11) intellectual outputs could be a useful instrument to be used not only in the framework of this current project.


Quality of the project design and implementation: SCORE: 17,5 The project is well detailed. All the steps, from the preparation before the

beginning of the activities until the final follow up, are adequately described. Also the section F is filled in in an accurate and clear way. The work programme created gives clear evidence of the tasks assignments, of the deadlines, the progress of planned activities. The proposed methodology is realistic for producing the expected results that can be freely shared and re-used and takes account of existing knowledge and practice in the field of online learning. A Quality Management and Evaluation Plan will be created to analyse the interactions defined by partners and a QM officer will also act as a "mediator" in case of issues or potential arising issues. The involvement of 50 participants with fewer opportunities is a very positive feature of the proposal. However, including in this group foreign university students and professionals with a limited knowledge of partner languages, is not appropriate, and cannot be included in the category "cultural differences". The teaching, training and learning activities are not planned and recommended recognition tools are not mentioned. The grant request is realistic for a good quality implementation of the planned activities.


Quality of the project team and the cooperation arrangements SCORE: 17 : The Partnership includes Universities, Research

Companies, Non-Academic Organizations with strong experience in the use of ICTs applied to teaching. They confirm to be capable of integrating different languages and knowledge areas, as well as different educational methodologies and practices. One of the partners is a one-man company: the risks linked, mainly in consideration of the duration of the project, are not mentioned. The development of collaborative software tools should also contribute to improve communication among partners.


Impact and dissemination: SCORE: 28 The entire section on impact and dissemination is well detailed. Indicators are

mentioned and qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation methods are well described. The intensive use of social networks is appropriate to the nature of the project. Moreover, since the project involves only three countries and has a duration of three years, at least one multiplier event in each Country should have been planned.

The impact of the project is relevant in terms of experts and learners involved, intellectual outputs proposed and is likely to improve online learning methods and educational materials. Creation and dissemination of a digital package of multilingual PR material for mainstream press and online media at a European level is planned, such as, creation of first four sample learning paths based on OER database.

All educational materials (courseware) produced by the Community of practice will be made available to the general public through the COMMONS website. The marketing and dissemination strategy will follow centralized and local/national actions. An appropriate sustainability strategy is planned after the funding period.


General evaluation of the project and Comment: Total Score: 91,5 The proposal is well written, answers in a more than adequate way to all the requirements of

the application. It is relevant to the programme and action objectives. The project demonstrates a strong link with policy objectives (Europe 2020- Modernisation Agenda-Entrepreneurship education, Rethinking education) aimed at improving the quality of cooperative learning.

The partners represent a mix of competences suitable to reach the projects' results and gives evidence of links to businesses and labour market stakeholders to successfully deliver all aspects of the proposal. One of the partners is a one-man company: the related risks, mainly in consideration of the duration of the project, are not mentioned. The work programme created gives clear evidence of the tasks assignments, of the deadlines, the progress of planned activities. The involvement of 50 participants with fewer opportunities is a very positive feature of the proposal. However, including in this group foreign university students and professionals with a limited knowledge of partner languages, is not appropriate, and cannot be included in the category "cultural differences". The teaching, training and learning activities are not planned. Recommended recognition tool are not mentioned. The methods of project coordination and means of communication are planned and clearly described. The intensive use of social networks is appropriate to the nature of the project. The partnership has provided clear dissemination plans. Indicators are mentioned and qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation methods are well described. An appropriate sustainability strategy is planned after the funding period.

Commons start-up [1]:

Si informa che sono consentiti trasferimenti tra le voci di spesa ammissibili, purché siano rispettate le seguenti regole: Il beneficiario può trasferire fino al 20% dei fondi destinati alle categorie di spesa

Gestione e implementazione del programma di lavoro, Incontri di progetto transnazionali, Opere di ingegno, Eventi moltiplicatori, Attività di apprendimento/insegnamento/formazione e Costi Eccezionali a ogni altra categoria di spesa ad eccezione delle categorie Gestione e implementazione del programma di lavoro e Costi Eccezionali.

Qualsiasi trasferimento di fondi [RPR- reallocation of project's resources, see slide 17] deve risultare in un aumento non più alto del 20% dell'importo assegnato alla categoria di spesa sulla quale i fondi vengono trasferiti.

Il beneficiario può trasferire i fondi dalle altre categorie di spesa verso la categoria di spesa Bisogni Speciali, anche se inizialmente non erano stati richiesti fondi per questa voce. In tal caso non si applica l'aumento massimo del 20% della categoria di spesa Bisogni Speciali.

Le attività del progetto potranno avere inizio non prima del 1 settembre 2014 e dovranno terminare non oltre il 31 agosto 2017 (36 mesi).

Commons start-up [2]:

Please note that transfers are permitted between the eligible expenses, subject to the following rules: The beneficiary may transfer up to 20% of the funds earmarked for expense categories

Management and implementation of the work program, Transnational Project meetings, Deliverables and Original Works, Multipliers Events, learning / teaching activities / training costs and Exceptional Costs in every other category with the exception of Management And Implementation of the work program and Exceptional Costs. Every fund reallocation Qualsiasi trasferimento di fondi [RPR- reallocation of project's resources, see slide 17] must be lower then 20% of the whole sum of the expenses category to whom funds are transferred.

The beneficiary may reallocate (transfer) funds from other expenditure categories towards Special Needs category, even if no funds have been requested on this category in the original application. Only in this case it is not applied the limit of 20% of increment of the Expenditure Category Special Needs .

Projects activities shall be started not before 1. September 2014 and must be completed within and no later then 31 of August 2017 (36 months)

Next steps [1]: Grant Agreement:

In mid November the National Agency will send to the Applicant Organization (SAP) the Grant Agreement completed. At the moment we have a draft of the GA (see file Annex GA)

RPR- Reallocation of Project's Resources :

Reallocation of resources and a request for a new approval of the Project plan has to be presented the day after that Grant Agreement will be accepted and undersigned (>15 november) Partner Agreement:

It’s good practice to subscribe also a Partner Agreement that defines rules between partners for exploiting products and results of the activity of the project.

We have models of this kind of agreement and we can start discussing here about What we want to regulate Which are each partner's expectations How far are we able to anticipate problems and opportunities that will arise in

36 months


In mid November the National Agency will send to the SAP the Grant Agreement completed. At the moment we have a draft of the GA (see file Annex GA)

Funding (100 % )payment of the first tranche of financing of 40% after

the Grant Agreement will be accepted and undersigned payment of the second installment of 40% after the

delivery of the report in Mid-progress Reportpayment of 20% upon completion of the funds after

the delivery of the Final Report Payment will be executed to Sapienza onto a dedicated

account


Supported activities [1]:

Documents

Erasmus ka2 general framework