Capacity building in VET in South Mediterranean Countries

The grant opportunity highlighted is the "Capacity Building in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in South Mediterranean Countries," identified as ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET. This initiative falls under the Erasmus+ Programme and aims to enhance the capacity of vocational education systems in South Mediterranean countries, promoting international cooperation between organizations in eligible regions.

Eligible applicants for this grant include a wide range of organizations active in the VET sector, such as VET providers, companies, sectors associations, national qualification authorities, employment services, research institutes, and development authorities. Importantly, a consortium is required, consisting of at least two organizations from EU Member States or associated countries and at least one organization from a South Mediterranean country that is not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme.

Geographically, the program is open to a defined set of South Mediterranean countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey, in partnership with institutions from EU Member States. The projects should focus on improving governance, quality assurance, and innovation within VET systems, aimed at better aligning them with labor market needs.

The total budget for this call is €6,358,000, with individual grants expected to range from €200,000 to over €1 million, depending on project sizes and scopes. Applications can be submitted in a single-stage process, with the call opening on December 4, 2025, and closing on March 26, 2026.

Support for successful projects comes in the form of Lump Sum Grants, which simplifies financial management. Although co-funding is not explicitly required, the consortium model suggests shared responsibility among partners. The funding is aimed at addressing pressing issues faced by VET sectors by enhancing connections between education systems and the economy while focusing on digital and green skills development.

The application process allows for a comprehensive proposal that must not exceed 40 pages and includes aspects related to project implementation and evaluation. Evaluation results are anticipated by September 2026, with grant agreements expected to be finalized by December 2026.

This call not only seeks to uplift VET systems in the targeted regions but also aligns with broader EU strategic aims, including development investment plans and ensuring that VET systems adequately prepare individuals for evolving labor market challenges. Organizations interested in applying are encouraged to review the Erasmus+ Programme guide thoroughly for detailed eligibility and application criteria.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals for Capacity Building in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (VET) under the Erasmus+ Programme. The call, identified as ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET, aims to support the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated to the Programme as a driver of sustainable socio-economic development. The projects are international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organisations active in the field of VET in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme.

The action specifically aims 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.

The call is structured as a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date is 4 December 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is 26 March 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. The evaluation period is scheduled from April to September 2026, with information to applicants in September 2026 and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026.

The call utilizes ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants (ERASMUS-LS) with the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant [ERASMUS-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement.

The admissibility conditions include compliance with the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026 and a page limit of 40 pages for Part B, the Technical Description of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026. An organization cannot be the coordinator of more than two proposals submitted under this action. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are also detailed in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026.

The evaluation and award processes, including submission, evaluation, award criteria, scoring, thresholds, and timelines, are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026.

Available budget and topic identifiers are as follows:

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA: 300,000 EUR
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA: 2,000,000 EUR
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE: 3,800,000 EUR
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC: 6,358,000 EUR
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA: 7,500,000 EUR
ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-WB: 8,482,000 EUR

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 and Model Grant Agreements (MGA), specifically 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.

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). Applicants are also encouraged to consult the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and contact the IT Helpdesk for technical issues.

This call for proposals is designed to enhance vocational education and training in countries outside the EU program by fostering international cooperation and building the capacity of VET providers. It seeks to align VET with labor market needs and socio-economic development, contributing to broader EU policy objectives such as the Global Gateway investment packages and Talent partnerships. Organizations from EU Member States, countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme can form multilateral partnerships to apply for funding. The projects should focus on improving the quality, relevance, and accessibility of VET, strengthening the link between VET providers and the labor market, and promoting cooperation between public and private stakeholders. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the application process involves submitting a detailed technical description, budget, and other required documents through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

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 call emphasizes multilateral partnerships. VET providers, private sector enterprises, business associations, and public stakeholders are all relevant potential applicants.

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

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires multilateral partnerships, indicating a consortium requirement.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, third countries associated with the Erasmus+ Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme. The focus is on supporting VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated with 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. It also focuses on strengthening the link between VET providers and the labor market, management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation within VET.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme are mentioned. The South Mediterranean Countries are mentioned in the title "Capacity building in VET in South Mediterranean Countries".

Project Stage: The project stage is capacity building, which implies development and implementation of initiatives to improve VET systems. This suggests projects are beyond the initial idea stage and are focused on development, validation, and demonstration of improved VET practices.

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 is 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 Vocational Education and Training (VET). It aims to enhance the VET systems in third countries not associated with the Programme through international cooperation projects. These projects should foster 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 goal is to increase the capacity of VET providers in areas such as management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation, enabling them to better engage with the private sector and address employment opportunities.

The call supports initiatives that improve the quality and responsiveness of VET to socio-economic opportunities, align VET provision with local and national development strategies, and strengthen cooperation between private and public stakeholders. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts allocated to different topics and regions.

Eligible applicants include VET institutions, private sector enterprises, business associations, and public stakeholders forming multilateral partnerships. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of March 26, 2026. The indicative timeline includes evaluation from April to September 2026, information to applicants in September 2026, and signature of grant agreements in December 2026.

Applicants should consult the ERASMUS+ Programme guide 2026 for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and award criteria. The call also aligns with broader policy objectives, including Global Gateway investment packages and the development of Talent partnerships. The technical description of the application form should not exceed 40 pages.