Capacity building in VET in Latin America

The Capacity Building in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) is an Erasmus+ grant opportunity aimed at enhancing VET systems in Latin America through transnational partnerships. Eligible applicants include VET providers, companies, qualification authorities, employment services, research institutes, innovation agencies, regional development authorities, and international organizations. These organizations must be established in EU Member States, third countries associated with the Erasmus+ program, or non-associated countries from Latin America.

The funding type is a lump sum grant under the ERASMUS-LS framework, allowing for simplified financial management. A consortium of at least four organizations from a minimum of three countries is required, including at least two EU Member States or associated countries and one non-associated Latin American country. The geographic focus specifically targets Latin America, covering countries like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and others.

The initiative aims to address thematic areas such as work-based learning, quality assurance, professional development for educators, entrepreneurship, green and digital skills, and the alignment of VET with labor market needs. Projects should advance through several stages, including identification, preparation, implementation, and impact assessment.

The total budget for this call is €2,000,000, with expected individual project grants ranging from €200,000 to €1,000,000. The application process is a single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, with a deadline of March 26, 2026. The projects are expected to run for 36 months and must focus on developing and modernizing VET to better prepare graduates for the job market.

Support for successful applicants includes monetary grants and various non-monetary services such as networking opportunities and access to best practices. While the success rates are not explicitly stated, the program is competitive, and previously funded projects indicate a moderate success rate.

Overall, this initiative not only seeks to improve the quality of VET in Latin America but also aims to create enduring partnerships that foster long-term capacity building and socio-economic development in the region.

The Capacity Building in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme aims to bolster the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated with the Programme, driving sustainable socio-economic development through international cooperation projects. These projects involve multilateral partnerships between organizations active in VET in EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with it. The action specifically targets increasing the capacity of VET providers in areas like management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation. This will enable them to better engage with the private sector, enterprises, and business associations to explore employment opportunities and jointly develop responsive VET interventions. The international partnerships are expected to improve VET quality in third countries by reinforcing the capacities of VET staff and teachers and strengthening the link between VET providers and the labor market. The call contributes to broader policy objectives between the European Commission and third countries, including Global Gateway investment packages and the development of Talent partnerships and the Talent pool.

The objectives of this action are to build the capacity of VET providers to strengthen cooperation between private and public stakeholders, improve the quality and responsiveness of VET to socio-economic opportunities, and align VET provision to local, regional, and national development strategies.

Key conditions for application include adherence to proposal page limits and layout guidelines as described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026, eligibility of participating countries as defined in the guide, and other eligibility conditions also detailed in the guide. Notably, an organization cannot coordinate more than two proposals under this action. Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity, and must not be subject to exclusion criteria, as outlined in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

The submission and evaluation processes are detailed in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026. Evaluation criteria, scoring, thresholds, and the overall evaluation process are also described in the same guide. The indicative timeline includes publication of the call on 27 November 2025, a deadline for submitting applications on 26 March 2026 at 17:00 (Brussels time), an evaluation period from April to September 2026, information to applicants in September 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026. The legal and financial setup of the grants is not applicable.

Application form templates include a standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII) and a detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII). Guidance is provided in the Erasmus Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), and the Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include the Erasmus+ Work Programme, Erasmus Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement, and guidance on how to manage lump sum grants.

The call includes several topics with varying budget allocations: ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA with a budget of 300,000 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA with a budget of 2,000,000 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE with a budget of 3,800,000 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC with a budget of 6,358,000 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA with a budget of 7,500,000 EUR, and ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-WB with a budget of 8,482,000 EUR. All topics follow a single-stage submission process, with the opening date planned for 4 December 2025 and a deadline of 26 March 2026.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants who can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

For help related to this call, applicants can contact EACEA-EPLUS-CBVET@ec.europa.eu. The deadline for addressing queries related to the call is 13 March 2026 (eob). Additional support is available through the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, and the Online Manual for step-by-step guidance.

In summary, this Erasmus+ call for proposals focuses on capacity building in vocational education and training in third countries. It seeks to foster international cooperation through multilateral partnerships to enhance the quality and relevance of VET systems. The call encourages projects that strengthen the link between VET providers and the labor market, improve cooperation between public and private stakeholders, and align VET provision with local and national development strategies. The application process involves adhering to specific guidelines, meeting eligibility criteria, and submitting a comprehensive proposal by the specified deadline. Various resources and support services are available to assist applicants throughout the process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are organizations active in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme. The program emphasizes multilateral partnerships.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant (ERASMUS-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, specifically multilateral partnerships.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme. The focus is on capacity building in third countries not associated to the Programme.

Target Sector: The target sector is vocational education and training (VET). The program aims to improve the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems. Key areas of focus include management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation within VET.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU Member States and third countries, differentiating between those associated with the Erasmus+ Programme and those not associated. Specific countries are not named, but the regions of Latin America, Neighbourhood East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Balkans, Central Asia and Neighbourhood East are mentioned in the topic titles.

Project Stage: The project stage is capacity building, which implies projects that are in the development, validation, or demonstration phases, aiming to enhance existing VET systems and institutions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic:
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA: EUR 300,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA: EUR 2,000,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE: EUR 3,800,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC: EUR 6,358,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA: EUR 7,500,000
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-WB: EUR 8,482,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary:
This opportunity is an ERASMUS+ call for proposals focused on Capacity Building in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET). It aims to support the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme. The program encourages multilateral partnerships between organizations active in VET from EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme. The projects should focus on enhancing the capacity of VET providers in areas such as management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation, to better engage with the private sector and improve the link between VET providers and the labor market. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts allocated to different topics and regions. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a deadline of March 26, 2026. The call is structured around several topics targeting different regions, including Central Asia, Latin America, Neighbourhood East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Balkans, and Small and Medium Countries. The indicative timeline includes publication of the call on November 27, 2025, an evaluation period from April to September 2026, information to applicants in September 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026. The technical description of the application form (Part B) has a page limit of 40 pages. Organizations can find partners through the Funding & Tenders Portal. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is not applicable. The call aims to align VET provision with local, regional, and national development strategies, improve the quality and responsiveness of VET to socio-economic opportunities, and build the capacity of VET providers to strengthen cooperation between private and public stakeholders.