Capacity building in Higher Education: Latin America

Green Deal:Addressing environmental challenges and enhancing capacities in the region, supporting the private sector's green transition, and enhancing knowledge and skills.

Digital Transformation:Bridging the digital divide, developing digital literacy and skills, fostering links between education, research, and business, and utilizing earth observation and spatial technologies.

Governance, Peace, Security, and Human Development:Strengthening social cohesion, building inclusive societies, and focusing on education, health, gender equality, access and inclusion, and human rights, with attention to vulnerable communities and remote areas. Supporting intra-regional connectivity, recognition of degrees, credit transfer systems, qualifications, and the integration of migrants and refugees through access to education.

Sustainable Growth and Jobs:Supporting sustainable inclusive economic recovery by focusing on emerging sectors like green, blue, digital, and orange economies, and identifying education gaps in cooperation with the private sector.

Strand 1:Fostering access to cooperation in higher education. This strand targets less experienced HEIs and small-scale actors, focusing on: HEIs from least developed third countries, HEIs in remote regions, newcomer HEIs, and students/staff with fewer opportunities. Activities include enhancing management/administrative capacity, ensuring high quality education, and increasing accessibility for students/staff with fewer opportunities.

Activities aiming at ensuring high quality and relevant education, such as:modules or study programmes, technical or professional orientations of programmes; establishing intensive study programmes bringing together students and teaching staff from participating HEIs for shorter study periods; developing capacities for postgraduate students and academic staff as well as promoting their mobility; implementing training courses for HEI academic staff; creating synergies and strengthening the links with the business sector and with private or public organisations active in the labour market and in the fields of education, training and youth; developing or strengthening relevant study programmes that align with the Global Gateway strategy and which inform the country and/or regional priorities.

Strand 2:Partnerships for transformation in higher education. This strand introduces new approaches and initiatives in higher education with a significant and long-term impact on the targeted HEIs. Projects should pursue innovation in higher education and reform in HEIs.

Activities include:development, testing and adaptation of innovative curricula in terms of content [key competences and transversal skills, (entrepreneurship, problem-solving, green jobs etc.)], structure (modular, joint…) and teaching/learning methods [including the use of open and flexible learning, virtual mobility, open educational resources, blended learning, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), etc.]; development, testing and implementation of new learning methods, tools and materials (like new multidisciplinary curricula, learner-centred and real problem-based teaching and learning) through practical training and placements of students; introduction of Bologna-type reforms (three-level cycle system, transparency tools such as credit systems and Diploma Supplement, quality assurance, evaluation, National/Regional Qualification Frameworks, recognition of prior and non-formal learning, etc.) at institutional level; introducing practical training schemes, internships and study of real-life cases in business and industry, which are fully embedded in the curriculum, recognised and credited; introducing dual learning systems bridging tertiary studies with upper secondary VET as a means to boost the employability of graduates; development of solutions for challenging issues, product and process innovation (students, professors and practitioners together); development and testing solutions to pressing social demands not addressed by the market and directed towards vulnerable groups in society; addressing societal challenges or relating to changes in attitudes and values, strategies and policies, organisational structures and processes, delivery systems and services; support the creation of centres, incubators for innovation, technology transfer and business start-ups, and the integration of education, research and innovation at institutional/regional/national level; development and testing of continuous education programmes and activities with and within enterprises; set-ups to trial and test innovative measures; exchanges of students, researchers, teaching staff and enterprise staff for a limited period; providing incentives for involvement of enterprise staff into teaching and research; reform of governance and management systems and structures at institutional level (incl. quality assurance methods and systems, financial management and HEI autonomy, international relations, student services and counselling, career guidance, academic and research boards, etc.); development of strategies and tools for the internationalisation of HEIs (international openness of curricula, interinstitutional mobility schemes), and their capacity to network effectively in research, scientific and technological innovation (scientific cooperation and knowledge transfer, etc.); development, adaptation and delivery of tools and methods for the upskilling, evaluation/assessment, professionalisation and professional development of academic and administrative staff, for the initial training of teachers and continuous career development; developing or strengthening relevant study programmes, new training schemes and learning methods that align with the Global Gateway strategy and which inform the country and/or regional priorities.

Strand 3:Structural reform projects. This strand supports efforts in third countries to develop coherent, inclusive, and sustainable systems of higher education to meet their socio-economic needs and ambition to create a knowledge-driven economy, including in STEM fields. Projects involve National Authorities, HEIs, research institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types include Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), small-scale actors, competent National Authorities (notably Ministries of Education), research institutions, and other relevant authorities/bodies and stakeholders in third countries not associated with the Programme. The call specifically targets less experienced HEIs and small-scale actors for Strand 1.

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

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity appears to require a consortium, especially for Strand 3, which involves National Authorities, HEIs, research institutions, and other relevant bodies. Strands 1 and 2 also imply partnerships for cooperation and transformation in higher education.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility focuses on third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme, with a specific emphasis on Region 10 – Latin America.

Target Sector:The target sector is primarily education, specifically higher education, with a focus on capacity building, modernization, and responsiveness in higher education systems. It also touches upon areas like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), digital transformation, green economy, governance, peace, security, and human development.

Mentioned Countries:Latin American countries are mentioned as Region 10.

Project Stage:The project stage varies depending on the strand:

Strand 1:Fostering access to cooperation, implying earlier-stage projects.

Strand 2:Partnerships for transformation, suggesting development and implementation stages.

Strand 3:Structural reform projects, indicating a more mature, systemic reform stage.

Funding Amount:The funding amount varies by strand and region. For Region 10 – Latin America:

Strand 1:Indicative budget of €1,561,183, with 3 projects to be funded.

Strand 2:Indicative budget of €5,255,754, with 6 projects to be funded.

Strand 3:Indicative budget of €3,694,571, with 3 projects to be funded.

Application Type:The application type is an open call, as indicated by the publication of the call and the availability of application form templates. It is a single-stage application process.

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

Application Stages:The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants for Region 10 suggests a competitive process.

Co-funding Requirement:The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.