Capacity building in VET in Western Balkans

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal has announced a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically for Capacity Building in the Field of Vocational Education and Training, identified as ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET. This initiative aims to enhance the capability and effectiveness of vocational education and training (VET) systems in third countries not associated with the Programme, focusing on sustainable socio-economic development. Eligible applicants include organizations involved in VET across EU Member States, associated countries, and eligible third countries. This encompasses VET providers, companies, industry representatives, and public stakeholders. The funding mechanism is structured as ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants, providing fixed amounts rather than reimbursements for actual costs, thereby simplifying financial management. A consortium is required for applications, which must include at least two EU Member states or associated countries, as well as organizations from an eligible third country not associated with the Programme. The consortia should consist of at least one VET provider and engage multiple organizations to promote international cooperation. The funding earmarked for this initiative totals €8,482,000 for Western Balkans, with individual project funding expected to range between €1 million to €5 million depending on the project's scope. The call aims to support projects that address various thematic priorities including work-based learning, quality assurance in VET systems, and innovation in vocational training. Applications follow a single-stage open call process that opens on December 4, 2025, with a submission deadline of March 26, 2026. After evaluations conducted from April to September 2026, applicants will receive their results in September, with grant agreements expected to be finalized by December 2026. The opportunity calls for projects that enhance the capacity of VET institutions, improve governance, and integrate work-based learning while aligning training programs with local and national economic strategies. It facilitates international collaboration aimed at strengthening links between VET providers and the labor market to ensure that vocational training meets job market demands. While specific success rates are not provided, historical data suggests a competitive selection process. Co-funding requirements have not been explicitly stated, and applicants are encouraged to consult the Erasmus+ Programme Guide for detailed eligibility and financial regulations. In summary, this grant program under the Erasmus+ scheme represents a substantial opportunity for organizations to enhance vocational education systems in the Western Balkans by fostering transnational partnerships that focus on developing relevant skills for the labor market.

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 is identified as ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET. This action 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 call is structured as ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants (ERASMUS-LS), utilizing the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant [ERASMUS-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. It follows a single-stage submission process. The planned opening date for submissions is 4 December 2025, with a deadline of 26 March 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

The scope of the call focuses on capacity building projects that involve international cooperation through multilateral partnerships. These partnerships should include organizations active in VET in EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme. The goal is to enhance the capacity of VET providers, particularly 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 develop responsive VET interventions. The projects should contribute to improving the quality of VET in third countries not associated with the Programme, by reinforcing the capacities of VET staff and teachers and strengthening the link between VET providers and the labor market. The call also aims to align VET provision to local, regional, and national development strategies.

Specifically, the action aims to:Build capacity of VET providers to strengthen cooperation between private and public stakeholders in the field of vocational education and training for demand-oriented and opportunity-driven VET interventions; Improve the quality and responsiveness of VET to socio-economic opportunities and social developments to enhance the labour market relevance of skills provision; Align VET provision to local, regional and national development strategies.

Conditions for application include:

1. Admissibility Conditions:The proposal's Part B Technical Description is limited to 40 pages, as described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

2. Eligible Countries:Eligibility is defined in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

3. Other Eligible Conditions:As described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026, an organization cannot coordinate more than two proposals under this action.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:Requirements are detailed in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

5a. Evaluation and award:Submission and evaluation processes are outlined in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

€5B. Evaluation and award:Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

5c. Evaluation and award:The indicative timeline includes publication of the call on 27 November 2025, a submission deadline of 26 March 2026, an evaluation period from April to September 2026, information to applicants in September 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026. These details are further elaborated in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants:Not applicable (n/a).

The call document and annexes include:

Application form templates:

Standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII)

Detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII)

Guidance:

ERASMUS Programme Guide

Model Grant Agreements (MGA):

Lump Sum MGA

Additional documents:

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

How to manage your lump sum grants

The budget overview for the call in 2026 is as follows:

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA ERASMUS-LS:€300,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA ERASMUS-LS:€2,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE ERASMUS-LS:€3,800,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC ERASMUS-LS:€6,358,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA ERASMUS-LS:€7,500,000

ERASMUS-EDU ERASMUS-LS:€8,482,000

All topics follow a single-stage submission process, with the opening date planned for 4 December 2025 and a deadline of 26 March 2026.

There are options for partner search announcements. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

For support, applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The contact for help related to this call is EACEA-EPLUS-CBVET@ec.europa.eu. The deadline for addressing queries is 13 March 2026 (eob). Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the IT Helpdesk, and the Online Manual.

In summary, this Erasmus+ call focuses on capacity building projects in vocational education and training, aiming to enhance the quality and relevance of VET systems in third countries through international partnerships. It targets improvements in management, governance, inclusion, quality assurance, and innovation within VET providers, fostering stronger links with the private sector and aligning VET with local and national development strategies. The call utilizes a lump sum grant mechanism and provides a detailed timeline for submission, evaluation, and grant agreement.

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. This includes VET providers, private sector enterprises, business associations, and public stakeholders.

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

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

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 supporting VET institutions and systems in third countries not associated to the Programme.

Target Sector:The target sector is vocational education and training (VET). The program aims to enhance the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems. It focuses on areas such as 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. Specifically, the call ERASMUS-EDU is for Capacity building in VET in Western Balkans.

Project Stage:The project stage is capacity building, which implies development and implementation of initiatives to improve VET systems. This includes enhancing cooperation between stakeholders, improving the quality of VET, and aligning VET provision with development strategies.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary by topic:

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-CA:€300,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-LA:€2,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-NE:€3,800,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SMC:€6,358,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-CB-VET-SSA:€7,500,000

ERASMUS-EDU:€8,482,000

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

Nature of Support: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 specified in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

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 development and improvement of VET systems in third countries not associated with the Programme, through multilateral partnerships. The program targets VET providers and other relevant organizations in EU Member States and third countries, encouraging them to collaborate on projects that enhance the relevance, accessibility, and responsiveness of VET. 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, and the indicative timeline includes publication of the call on 27 November 2025, a submission deadline of 26 March 2026, an evaluation period from April to September 2026, information to applicants in September 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in December 2026. The call seeks to align VET provision with local, regional, and national development strategies, improve the quality of VET, and build capacity among VET providers.